Pro Pinball
Pro Pinball is the common title of a number of previously four pinball simulations on different computer and game console platforms. In contrast to the pinball computer games from other manufacturers, each issue of the series contained only a single simulated pinball table. The products developed by the company Cunning Developments games were sold by Empire Interactive.
The first published in the series title in 1995 Pro Pinball: The Web, which appeared for the IBM PC and Apple computers as well as 1996 for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn game consoles. A year later, with Pro Pinball: Timeshock! the second simulation published again for the IBM PC and Apple as well as in 1998 for the PlayStation. The third part was published in 1998 under the title Pro Pinball: Big Race USA for IBM - PC, Apple 1999 and 2000 for the PlayStation. As far last title published Empire Interactive in 1999 Pro Pinball: Fantastic Journey for IBM PC and a year later for Apple computers and the PlayStation. The three titles Timeshock!, Big Race USA and Fantastic Journey appeared in 2001 as a collection of games (Compilation ) entitled Pro Pinball Trilogy for the Dreamcast and 2005 under the title of Ultimate Pro Pinball for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox game consoles.
The special feature of the simulations of the Pro Pinball series were calculated by 3D - graphics rendering software for the pinball tables and game elements. This allowed, as measured by the hardware of the target platforms, very realistic isometric view of the entire table with high graphics resolutions and liquid flow of play. In particular, Pro Pinball: The Web sat at his appearance new standards in the field of pinball simulations. The previously available in this area used games, in contrast, almost exclusively a two-dimensional display with continuous shift ( scrolling) a section of the pinball table corresponding to the position of the ball. In addition to the graphic design was at the Pro Pinball simulations but also the implementation of the physical conditions of a pinball machine, such as the movement of the ball and their response to the elements of the table, much more realistic than other pinball games.
2012 failed an attempt to finance revised versions of all four previous tables as well as a new table through a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.com. The following year, a new Kickstarter campaign was launched, with the first only a new edition of the table Timeshock! was targeted to be with the aim to follow in case of success, if possible then only the other old tables and new tables gradually. This campaign was successful, so now first versions for Windows, OS X, iOS and Android are produced later for Linux and Xbox Live Arcade, which could be followed by versions for other systems with corresponding sales. The beta version of Timeshock! - The Ultra Edition is now (as of January 2014) tested.