True Pinball

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n/a

  • NTSC-U/PAL
  • NTSC-J
  • NTSC-J (alt.)

TruePinball title.png

TruePinball Saturn JP SSTitle.png

TruePinball Saturn JP SSTitle2.png

True Pinball
System(s): Sega Saturn
Publisher: Ocean Software (US, Europe), Gaga Communications (Japan)
Developer:
Distributor: 3D Planet (IT), Ecofilmes (PT), Roadshow Interactive (AU)
Sound driver: SCSP/CD-DA (49 tracks)
Genre: Table (Pinball) (テーブル(ピンボール))[1], Table[2]

















Number of players: 1-8 (alternating)
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Saturn
JP
¥5,800 (5,974)5,800e[3] T-18505G
Sega Rating: All Ages
Sega Saturn
US
T-16406H
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Sega Saturn
EU
T-16406H-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Saturn
DE
T-16406H-50
USK: 0
Sega Saturn
PT
Sega Saturn
UK
£39.9939.99[6] T-16406H-50
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Sega Saturn
IT
Sega Saturn
PL
219zł219
Sega Saturn
AU
OFLC: G
Non-Sega versions

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True Pinball, known as Tekkyuu: True Pinball (鉄球 トゥルー・ピンボール) in Japan, is a pinball game released for the Sega Saturn in 1996.

Gameplay

True Pinball is an enhanced remake of the Digital Illusions' 1995 Amiga/DOS game Pinball Illusions, featuring the same four tables (Law 'n Justice, Babewatch, Extreme Sports and The Vikings, the latter originally added as a DOS exclusive) with graphical and audio upgrades to suit more advanced hardware. The major difference between True Pinball and Pinball Illusions is the addition of pre-rendered 3D modes - whereas Pinball Illusions only allows you to play the tables from a top-down perspective, True Pinball renders them at an angle, simulating depth (and a more realistic perspective for the user) and reducing the amount of scrolling needed to see the entire table.

The game can be played either in a low resolution 3D mode, a high resolution 3D mode or in a similar 2D mode found in the original game. Other tweaks include altered music, more speech and altered menus.

Though the tables are more detailed in the Saturn version, it is still considered to be out-classed by the DOS version of Pinball Illusions, primarily due to the fact the maximum screen resolution there is 800x600, resulting in sharper graphics. Also, as the tables were not originally designed for 3D, many elements, particularly towards the top of the screen, are obscured by scenery. Also scrolling, which is not always desirable by the user, is not completely eliminated (unlike Digital Pinball: Last Gladiators, released for the Saturn a few months prior in 1995).

Tables

TruePinball Saturn Table LawNJustice.png
Law 'n Justice
TruePinball Saturn Table Babewatch.png
Babewatch
TruePinball Saturn Table ExtremeSports.png
Extreme Sports
TruePinball Saturn Table Vikings.png
The Vikings

Versions

Localised names

Also known as
Language Localised Name English Translation
English True Pinball True Pinball
English (US) True Pinball True Pinball
Japanese 鉄球 トゥルー・ピンボール Tekkyuu: True Pinball

Comparisons

Main article: True Pinball/Comparisons.

Magazine articles

Main article: True Pinball/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Main article: True Pinball/Promotional material.

Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Consoles + (FR)
77
[7]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
80
[6]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
70
[8]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
73
[9]
Freak (IL)
88
[10]
Game Informer (US) NTSC-U
73
[11]
Joypad (FR) PAL
74
[12]
MAN!AC (DE) PAL
70
[13]
Maximum (UK)
25
[14]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
70
[15]
Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL
85
[16]
Next Generation (US)
50
[17]
Player One (FR)
85
[18]
Saturn Fan (JP) NTSC-J
58
[19]
Sega News (CZ)
91
[20]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
83
[21]
Świat Gier Komputerowych (PL)
95
[22]
Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) PAL
71
[23]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
60
[24]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
58
[25]
Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL
86
[26]
Total Saturn (UK) PAL
82
[27]
Ultimate Future Games (UK) PAL
62
[28]
Video Games (DE) PAL
69
[29]
Sega Saturn
72
Based on
24 reviews

True Pinball

Saturn, JP
TruePinball Saturn JP Box Back.jpgTruePinball Saturn JP Box Front.jpg
Cover
TruePinball Saturn JP Spinecard.jpg
Spinecard
TruePinball Saturn JP Disc.jpg
Disc
True Pinball Sat JP Manual.pdf
Manual
Saturn, US
TruePinball Saturn US Box Back.jpgTruePinball Saturn US Box Front.jpg
Cover
TruePinball Saturn US Disc.jpg
Disc
Truepinball sat us manual.pdf
Manual
Saturn, EU
TruePinball Saturn EU Box.jpg
Cover
TruePinball Saturn EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, IT
TruePinball Saturn IT Box.jpg
Cover
Saturn, PT
TruePinball Saturn PT cover.jpg
Cover
TruePinball Saturn EU Disc.jpg
Disc
Saturn, AU
TruePinball Saturn AU cover.jpg
Cover
TruePinball Saturn EU Disc.jpg
Disc

Technical information

Main article: True Pinball/Technical information.

References

  1. File:TruePinball Saturn JP Box Back.jpg
  2. 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/fb/segahard/ss/soft_licensee2.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-03-20 23:05)
  3. Sega Saturn Magazine, "1996-06 (1996-04-12)" (JP; 1996-03-22), page 40
  4. http://sega-saturn.com/software.htm (Wayback Machine: 1996-12-15 06:01)
  5. Computer Trade Weekly, "" (UK; 1996-05-20), page 17
  6. 6.0 6.1 Computer & Video Games, "March 1996" (UK; 1996-02-09), page 40
  7. Consoles +, "Février 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 117
  8. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "September 1996" (US; 1996-xx-xx), page 25
  9. Famitsu, "1996-04-12" (JP; 1996-03-29), page 1
  10. Freak, "2/96" (IL; 1996-xx-xx), page 1
  11. Game Informer, "September 1996" (US; 1996-0x-xx), page 52
  12. Joypad, "Février 1996" (FR; 199x-xx-xx), page 67
  13. MAN!AC, "06/96" (DE; 1996-05-08), page 59
  14. Maximum, "February 1996" (UK; 1996-xx-xx), page 145
  15. Mega Fun, "05/96" (DE; 1996-04-xx), page 70
  16. Mean Machines Sega, "April 1996" (UK; 1996-0x-xx), page 82
  17. Next Generation, "October 1996" (US; 1996-09-17), page 177
  18. Player One, "Février 1996" (FR; 1996-0x-xx), page 114
  19. Saturn Fan, "1996 No. 12" (JP; 1996-05-24), page 70
  20. Sega News, "Prosinec 1996" (CZ; 1996-1x-xx), page 15
  21. Sega Power, "April 1996" (UK; 1996-02-15), page 34
  22. Świat Gier Komputerowych, "12/1996" (PL; 1996-xx-xx), page 1
  23. Sega Saturn Magazine, "February 1996" (UK; 1996-01-24), page 84
  24. Sega Saturn Magazine, "1996-06 (1996-04-12)" (JP; 1996-03-22), page 236
  25. Sega Saturn Magazine, "Readers rating final data" (JP; 2000-03), page 16
  26. Sonic the Comic, "7 June 1996" (UK; 1996-05-25), page 10
  27. Total Saturn, "Volume One Issue Four" (UK; 1996-12-29), page 59
  28. Ultimate Future Games, "April 1996" (UK; 1996-02-29), page 84
  29. Video Games, "5/96" (DE; 1996-04-24), page 96


True Pinball

TruePinball title.png

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Sega Saturn
Prototypes: 1996-04-01