Sonic Advance 2 may have only just touched down in Japan last month, but Sonic Team have already announced that they are working on yet another Sonic game. This one isn’t a platformer though. Instead, as the title suggests, it’s a Sonic-inspired Pinball game.
Last year Sega released the WOW Entertainment-developed Pinball of the Dead, which may have not had the greatest ball physics to be featured in a game of this genre, but it provided a fairly solid and enjoyable experience. Sonic Pinball Party hopes to improve upon the success of that game, and promises realistic ball movement and a great package of pinball tables for Sonic Team fans. The Sonic license is ideal to be used as a base for a pinball game. For starters, Sonic is renowned for speed, and then there’s the fact that Sonic has always been fairly pinball-like with the springs and flippers of the common Casino stages. Sonic has previously explored pinball territory with the average pinball/platform hybrid Sonic Spinball, which was re-released as part of THQ’s Sega Smash Pack last year. Fortunately, Sonic Pinball Party is looking a lot better already.
Of the information gathered from Sega's Japanese website, we know that Pinball Party will include a number of differently themed tables. For starters there is Neo Green Hill, which is based on the standard first level theme that all Sonic games feature. Other Sonic stages include what translate as ‘Spring Valley’ and ‘Splash Garden’, the latter of which sounds like it will be water-themed. Additionally, there will be a number of tables based on popular Sonic Team games including Same De Amigo and Nights. The Samba De Amigo table will feature bumpers and springs that activate different background music selected from Burning Rangers and Phantasy Star Online. With this in mind, there should be a great array of music on offer in the game, especially if Sonic Team decide to include some classic remixes for the Sonic-themed tables.
It’s presented in a very similar to that of the two Sonic Advance games. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Dimps have once again leant a hand in the development. We’ve only got out hands on screenshots of the first table so far, but it stays true to the familiar Sonic formula that we have come to love, with green palm trees, spring bouncers and red crabs. And what Sonic game would be complete without Eggman? Of course, the table also features all the ramps, bonus multipliers and bumpers that you would expect a pinball game to include. Concept artwork for the Nights table has also been revealed, and that is looking pretty nice too.
To boost lifespan, the game will also include a number of multiplayer modes and minigames. Whilst it is not at all clear what these modes will be, Sonic Team have said that Pinball Party will allow up to four players and support single-pak gameplay. Finally, as with Sonic Advance 1 and 2, the Tiny Chao Garden will be included. You will be able to trade Chao data with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle and the upcoming remake of Sonic Adventure (both for the Nintendo GameCube).
And that about sums up the rather limited information we have on Sonic’s latest GBA appearance. Sega are expected to release Sonic Pinball Party in Japan during the summer. Neither THQ nor Infogrames have commented on the games respective US and European release dates as of yet. To summarise, this game looks like it’s being squarely aimed at Sonic Team followers, what with the tables based on numerous Sonic Team developed games. The Game Boy Advance is lacking a really decent pinball game, so here’s hoping that Sonic will once again work wonders and deliver a highly addictive and playable game with realistic pinball physics.
