Cute but fragile.
Leaping from Apple Arcade to Switch, Pinball Wizard is a nifty idea that will soon run out. The concept of manipulating wizards like balls, using flippers and power-ups to send cascades across dungeon-themed tables is interesting. Whether it’s inspired by Switch indies like Creature in the Well or Yoku’s Island Express, you’re in the wheelhouse of adapting the concept of pinball to familiar video game concepts. Even with more abilities unlocked and the versatility of the Wizard’s powers unraveled, my mind has grown to think that this landed more on the Sonic Spinball side of pinball-esque video games. And even if you’re strangely fascinated by Sonic Spinball’s attempts at gameplay fusion, it’s not where you want to be.
The dungeon here is divided into floors, each with a small pinball table. Use the Wizard Ball to defeat enemies that normally take a few hits to knock out. However, there are also attack animations to watch out for. Hitting any of them will take damage. One of the enemies houses the key to unlock the next floor.If you flush all 20 floors and repeat, you win the game. A few additional modes like the Daily Dungeon add to the game’s longevity, but it’s something that ends too quickly.
The art style of the characters is adorable, with goofy cartoonish visuals. However, the setting of each floor of the dungeon is monotonous. I was hoping for some change of scenery, but it never happened. Here are just a handful of dungeon-themed pinball his tables that generally look the same. By the time I reached the end of the 20th floor, I had no desire to go further. Reviews don’t usually mention cost, but for this game’s short-lived campaign, I think it’s worth noting that this game costs $7.99 (USD) on launch day.・The cost ratio is not bad, but it feels unsatisfactory.
It’s a shame because The Pinball Wizard is a great idea, but its execution and longevity make it a game that dies before it can be really interesting. Cute visuals may have value, but that doesn’t stop the lack of variety.
