Worms Pinball

   I've always loved pinball, with that classic, even nostalgic essence that brings back memories of arcade halls. In the world of video games, we've seen countless themed tables based on major franchises: Star Wars Pinball, Super Mario Ball for Game Boy Advance, Pokémon Pinball, Pinball FX with its licensed DLC tables from Skyrim, DOOM, Marvel… the list goes on.

   Today, in this review, I’ll share my thoughts on Worms Pinball, a game developed by Team17, originally released in 1998, and available on PC and PlayStation.

   Its mechanics are similar to many other pinball games. One button lets you shake the table in case you're about to lose the ball. Another button launches the ball by pulling the plunger, and finally, the flippers allow you to hit the ball, aiming at different areas of the pinball table to activate various game modes and increase your score.

   When you activate multiball, if you manage to control the balls with the flippers, you can rack up an immense amount of points. There are also ramps and holes on the pinball table that trigger other modes and jackpots, allowing you to score even higher.

   Unlike more modern pinball games where the camera follows the ball, here you'll have static views of the table. However, you can switch between different angles and zoom levels to adjust the view to your preference. While the game is somewhat limited in features, it becomes genuinely fun if you enjoy this type of game.

There are many details on the table that reference the Worms games, as well as the music and sound effects. Another positive aspect is that the ball has real-time reflections, and the physics are realistic, enhancing the overall experience. Additionally, there's a scoreboard for those who want to challenge themselves, and you can choose the difficulty level to tailor the experience to your preferences, whether you're looking for a challenge or a more relaxed gameplay.

Steam Deck performance.

Tested on Steam Deck.

   The game runs at a smooth 60FPS. If you're familiar with the Steam Deck's performance settings, you can make it run in fullscreen without borders. On the downside, it's necessary to customize the controls to your liking, as the game won't be playable with the default controller settings or on the Steam Deck otherwise. I’ve mapped the console's triggers to activate the flippers, which is common in all pinball games on consoles, making the experience more immersive.

Bugs?

I haven’t encountered any bugs during gameplay or with the graphics, but I did experience some sound bugs. When I paused the game and then resumed playing, the sound effects were there, but the music stopped playing. I had to restart the game to get the soundtrack back. I attribute this to the game being old, but if you manage to adapt the experience to the screen and controls of the Steam Deck, it can be a very entertaining game to take with you anywhere.

This time, I can't say I've completed the achievements, as being an older game, it doesn’t have Steam achievements. Instead, I played until I saved my score several times on the local leaderboard.

I recommend this game to Worms fans and pinball enthusiasts.