Crue Ball (Genesis) review "METAL MISSION"

Crue Ball is a console pinball game that was actually designed by people who've actually designed coin-op pinball games. The design and artwork is by Mark Sprenger. The sound is by Brian Schmidt a name you'll find on the hottest pinball games in your bar & local arcade. But that's not all! It actually has a story to it (which is unheard of for a pinball game).

Every time you turn around Somebody's yellin' TURN THAT DOWN! Everywhere you hear Anti-Metal in your ears. Fellow Rockers, don't despair, don't touch that dial, don't cut your hair. Above the crowd you'll hear the cry "Metal Is Too Young To DIE!" From the depths of Rock n' Roll, From your Heavy Metal soul, Metal Power will erupt, Kick some @$$ and CRANK IT UP!

After turning on your Genesis you're greeted with a familiar Motley Crue song "Dr Feelgood." After which is follow by an interesting intro. You must destroy Mr Gore (the Anti Metal).

Crue Ball is a perfect example of 'How to make a video Pinball game'. The play mechanics are your basic pinball; you shoot at certain targets trying to rack up as many points as you can while using the Tilt & Flipper's to keep the ball from going down the drain. CB has 9 levels or Volume Knobs you must Turn Up using the ball, as well as a bonus level which is unique. It's like a side scrolling paddle game (somewhat like PONG) in that you bounce/shoot the ball at the enemy targets as they're being released from the womb. CB has one really awesome and innovative feature to it: The Kick Start. The Kick Starts are located by the flippers on the lower screen and are colored green (when activated). What the Kick Start does is keep the ball from going down the side drains. In the first level it's great because you don't have to worry about losing the ball, but after you "CRANK IT UP" and spin the first volume, things start to change. After the first round the Volume Knobs are guarded by a BOSS (!!!), which makes it a little more difficult when trying to C.I.U. and moving on to the next level. The priority of the Kick Starts change after the first round in that only one will be active, which one is active depends on the opposite flipper.

So if the ball is going to go down the Left drain you press the Right flipper. Like Devil's Crush on the TG-16, CB is composed of three playing fields. The backgrounds change colors per round, with only the middle section changing all together making a new level with different objects to hit.

The control is Flawless!. The ball physics move and bounce around FAST, smooth and accurately. You do it and it'll respond instantly. The in-game graphics are clean and detailed. The backgrounds are uniquely designed and go well with the story. The main background almost looks like a you're at a concert with the speakers and scaffolding or in a recording studio?. The enemies are espy in design and are smoothly animated. The bonus round has a H.R. Giger feel to it. Alister Fiend looks....Alister Fiend.

The music is great and changes per round. The Motley Crue songs Dr. Feelgood, Live Wire and Home Sweet Home sound....decent at best. The sound FX's are brave and go with their chosen counterpart.

CB is an excellent and well designed Pinball game. It's every bit as good as Devil's Crush (which some consider the best), and in a way is a little better in that CB's stages change per round making it non-repetitive. I'm not bashing Devil's Crush (I love the game), I'm just saying CB has more depth to it by having different/changing levels. If you like video pinball games and want something a little different then give CB a try.

Community review by DEATHSCHILD (November 12, 2015) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.