Developer:
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Platform: PC, Switch
Tested on: Switch
Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes – Review
Pinball machines date back all the way from the late 18th century, but the pinball game as we know it didn’t come around until approximately 1947 and was modernized in the 1970s. It is hard to imagine someone who doesn’t know a typical pinball machine. Pinball machines come in many forms and sizes, therefore it can be hard to imagine how this century-long game could be changed even more, yet today you will find out. Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes takes all the fun gameplay aspects from a pinball machine and combines it with a tower defense and Roguelike setting to bring you a fun and challenging experience.
Story
Like any other Roguelike game, there isn’t much story in favor of not locking the player behind a progression wall. When you first start up the game, you get a small hint that your character has amnesia and has forgotten everything it learned from a previous adventure (as this game has a mobile predecessor). Later you find out that the characters in this game are trapped in what seems an ever-repeating hell and the only way out of this mess is to just keep on trying until you reach the end. Sometimes you randomly encounter a mysterious traveler who may hint at the events that took place in this world. The only thing we know is that there is a zombie plague spreading, and we must find a way to stop it.
Graphics
While Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes tries its best to be spooky with the different kinds of scary zombies, it is hard to look past the very cute character models and overall “cotton candy” atmosphere that is present in the level design. It feels like the game is pointed towards all age demographics, making sure it can be a fun game for more grown-up players, all while staying child-friendly so even the youngest of players can enjoy this title. A lot of effort has been poured into creating the different levels, unique biomes, and countless unique enemies.
Sound
Not only are the graphics great, but the sounds themselves are also of high quality. The music that is playing in the background never gets boring even after a long session, and the menu music sits just right that it can function as background music while doing other tasks. The various sound effects make for a truly enjoyable experience, and the little grunts of our heroes fit right into the cute overall charm of the game.
Gameplay
Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes is a pinball/tower defense game in a Roguelike setting where you must stop a zombie plague or die trying. Each run is unique thanks to the randomly generated maps with a wide range of different levels. The game starts with a short tutorial that explains the basics but leaves you to your own devices rather soon. As the game isn’t all that complicated, the tutorial won’t take long, and this makes the game fairly accessible for a variety of players.
The premise is simple, you must reach the boss at the end of every level and defeat it to warp to the next level. You move freely around the map, but beware of the random events that may occur. Your time is very limited, as there is this plague that is spreading all over the map, and if you dare to traverse the infected tiles you will pay with your health. Therefore it is always a wager to go exploring and find new items and encounters, or you can choose to play it safe. Zombies are blocking your path and defeating them is mostly your only option. Such a skirmish takes a day, so be sure to manage your time properly, as you may find yourself surrounded by infected tiles. By killing zombies you are granted gold, and this can be used in various locations to buy new items, skills, or skill upgrades.
Fighting zombies with pinball mechanics sounds like something unheard of, and in the end, it works out really well. You have your ball which has a skill on its own, and you can equip up to four other skills to use mostly offensively against enemies. You have three basic support skills that can go from freezing or knocking down the enemy, to dealing damage or even giving you extra balls to play with. These skills are on a cooldown period, while the fourth skill, the ultimate, must be charged by collecting energy and defeating enemies. Controlling the game is really easy as it uses the same pinball mechanics we are used to. Using your acquired skills is done with a touch of the corresponding buttons and these are clearly visible so you don’t forget what button activates which skill.
In Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes your ball does not go out of bounds, but it does get stuck. Luckily your ballista is equipped with a reshoot function that teleports the ball back into the launcher and allows you to shoot it freely within a limited range. This trick works perfectly to stop a zombie from attacking or to get your ball back on track. There is another way of defending yourself, you can always push back zombies with your flippers. However, this doesn’t work on all enemies and leaves open a spot for the ball to creep past your flippers. When the ball slips by, it will damage you. Your number of balls is infinite but this doesn’t mean that you have to spend all your life getting hit in the face by your own balls.
Conclusion
Zombie Rollers: Pinball Heroes is a really fun game with great gameplay, good graphics, nice sounds, and interesting mechanics. The blend between all the styles fits nicely and keeps the players engaged thanks to its many randomly generated levels. Due to its Roguelike nature, it can be a bit unforgiving and harsh, but that won’t stop many players from trying again and wanting to stop the zombie plague. The simple-to-learn, hard-to-master gameplay leaves the door open for many players to get a feel for the game and enjoy it on their own terms.
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