Balls of Steel

The screen format is so bad the playfield is crammed on the left side of the screen while the DMD and a generic 'backbox' graphic take up the majority of the real estate. The tables themselves might be fun, but I couldn't bring myself to play it for more than 5min because of the eye strain. I don't know who this is for, but I don't even want it on sale for $3.14. Refunded like a MF.

The tables are all very good, first class classic 2D PC pinball of timeless appeal. I encountered no strange performance issues (unlike with some other recent Atari titles I have played). Many issues mentioned in negative reviews have already been explicitly fixed by a recent patch. There may be some missing features that were present in prior releases, but they are not sorely missed if you have never played, or forgotten about this title for the past 30 years; there are also two (charming if unexceptional) new tables, and considerable effort has clearly been put in on the backend to make the originals run smoothly in a modern context. This isn't a high-brow museum remaster, and in some ways it may be a disappointment to some die-hard fans, but it's also $9 (I got it for $4). For perspective: the original 1997 license would cost about $50 in inflation adjusted dollars today. I think $9 is fair given the quality of the tables and the development effort expended here, keeping in mind they are paying for the IP as well (whereas the 2014 release was available only briefly and delisted for alleged breach of contract with IP holders). I think proper respect was shown to the source m…

Pinball with Atari flare. I'm in

Balls of Steel (Steam Edition) Balls of Steel is back — and it’s still one of the best digital pinball games ever made. First released in 1997, it delivers five original tables, each with their own missions, voices, and personality. The Steam edition runs smoothly on modern systems, and to my surprise, works flawlessly on Arch Linux through Proton. The physics hold up incredibly well: the ball has weight, shots feel intentional, and multiball is pure chaos in the best way. The sound design and music capture the 90s arcade vibe perfectly, making it both nostalgic and still genuinely fun to play. One important note: the iconic Duke Nukem table is not included in this version, likely due to licensing. It’s a shame, since Duke was a fan favorite, but the four tables here are still excellent. Pros: Four unique, well-designed tables Responsive, satisfying physics Classic 90s sound and style Runs perfectly on Linux (Arch + Proton tested) Cons: No Duke Nukem table Graphics are dated, but that’s part of the retro charm Overall: Still one of the best pinball sims out there. I only miss hearing “Come get some!” while hitting multiball.

Back in around 2000 I bought BALLS OF STEEL on CD-ROM, it came with 4 tables plus a bonus "Duke Nukem" table. That table isn't in this collection, but in it's place is another table "Devil's Island", as well as two tables themed from Atari coin-ops Centipede and Missile Command, making this purchase on Steam a worthwhile one. Now if only they could get rights to release the Duke Nukem table as a DLC add-on...

this game's reviews are mixed and i can see why because it used to be on steam in the 3drealms collection and THIS version is missing the duke nukem table and also some options are just ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ gone but other than that it's fun i guess this one does have 2 new tables though and they're pretty good