I’ve been sitting on this for a few days in an attempt to find out more but as Stern’s latest pinball game approaches it’s manufacturing period, it looks as though what I had heard to be correct. This is not the first NBA-based pinball game to ever come to the market and in looking at the design of this latest game, all I can say is that it’s very disappointing. The reason? If you take a look at the new NBA Pinball and compare it to the old Sega pinball Space Jam – well, you’ll see what I mean. The games are very similar, with a few minor changes, such as a centrifuge style device in the center on the new one. Now call me crazy but is there any reason to be excited about new pinball games being simple re-hashes of old ones? Of course if this is what people really want then I suppose I can’t blame Stern for not trying to do something interesting anymore. It is true that many people who see this now have probably not seen the old Space Jam game but I still find it rather lame that this is the path taken for a pinball game in 2009.
To see what I am talking about, compare the two images below. Click to enlarge.
That all being said, if the minor changes make it more fun than Space Jam then I suppose that could be a good thing. I also have seen one distributor carrying this game for a lower price than other new Stern games.
If you would like to see more, The Pinball Blog and ToddIsBored.com have more from a location test of the new game.
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“Now call me crazy but is there any reason to be excited about new pinball games being simple re-hashes of old ones?”
Sounds like most of Pat Lawlor’s designs right there. But this instance is much more obvious.
That said, I always wondered how long it was going to take for Stern, who just loves to theme based on licenses, to come up with an NBA pin. Coming soon: MLB?