Overall: 9.2
I've had a special place in my heart for pinball games since the days of my youth when I pretty much played them religiously. Due to this coupled with the fact that I've become a retro gamer in recent years, Time Cruise for the Turbo Grafix 16 certainly tickled my fancy, especially after I'd played and enjoyed Devil's Crush for the same system. I, for one, must say that this game certainly did not disappoint me.
Depth: 7
For a pinball game on a home console, Time Cruise has a surprising amount of depth to it. The main table is divided up into six "sub-tables", there are multiple minigames, or "Extra Ball Challenges" to that you can initiate, and of course there's plenty of neat accessories and obstacles. All of these combined leads to play sessions that last relatively longer than with most other pinball games.
Addictiveness: 9
With all that this game has to offer, one will probably find him/herself coming back to this game multiple times. Due its aforementioned depth and length of game play, it will serve as something more than a simple diversion from boredom and become an engaging experience.
Graphics: 8
The game's visuals do quite the job of conveying the sci-fi theme it was going for. While the general color of the table consists only of a couple shades of brown, the bright colors of its many accessories provide a vibrant contrast without becoming an eyesore. However, one gripe I do have is that the "sub-tables" all look rather similar, at least upon first glance. More consistent color pallets can be found in the minigames. Though not as detailed as Alien Crush and Devil's Crush for the same system, the sprite work is also well done.
Sound: 8
From what I can tell, Time Cruise's soundtrack has a bit more variety than Devil's Crush and Alien Crush. The main tune (i.e. the one that plays on the main table) is good enough that you can thoroughly enjoy it without really getting tired of it.
Story: 4
One of the only major shortcomings of Time Cruise is its rather lame story. Essentially, a scientist receives a cryptic telepathic message from an alien and he decides to travel through space in his "shiny silver time-travel pod" (that's literally how it's described) to find the source of it. It's basically a flimsy attempt to shoehorn a story into a pinball game. While it does explain the theme of the game, it doesn't really have much bearing on the actual gameplay, so this is something that can be easily overlooked.
Difficulty: 6
While I can't say it's an extremely difficult game, it does have a fair share of challenges in the form of the minigames which involve guiding your ball through a maze. They tend to be harder than the actual pinball table and can be rather frustrating at times. While some may argue that this slows down the gameplay too much, I personally don't mind them (aggravating as they may sometimes be) and I find that they make a fine addition as an extra layer the depth that makes Time Cruise great.
Overall: 9.2
I've had a special place in my heart for pinball games since the days of my youth when I pretty much played them religiously. Due to this coupled with the fact that I've become a retro gamer in recent years, Time Cruise for the Turbo Grafix 16 certainly tickled my fancy, especially after I'd played and enjoyed Devil's Crush for the same system. I, for one, must say that this game certainly did not disappoint me.
Depth: 7
For a pinball game on a home console, Time Cruise has a surprising amount of depth to it. The main table is divided up into six "sub-tables", there are multiple minigames, or "Extra Ball Challenges" to that you can initiate, and of course there's plenty of neat accessories and obstacles. All of these combined leads to play sessions that last relatively longer than with most other pinball games.
Addictiveness: 9
With all that this game has to offer, one will probably find him/herself coming back to this game multiple times. Due its aforementioned depth and length of game play, it will serve as something more than a simple diversion from boredom and become an engaging experience.
Graphics: 8
The game's visuals do quite the job of conveying the sci-fi theme it was going for. While the general color of the table consists only of a couple shades of brown, the bright colors of its many accessories provide a vibrant contrast without becoming an eyesore. However, one gripe I do have is that the "sub-tables" all look rather similar, at least upon first glance. More consistent color pallets can be found in the minigames. Though not as detailed as Alien Crush and Devil's Crush for the same system, the sprite work is also well done.
Sound: 8
From what I can tell, Time Cruise's soundtrack has a bit more variety than Devil's Crush and Alien Crush. The main tune (i.e. the one that plays on the main table) is good enough that you can thoroughly enjoy it without really getting tired of it.
Story: 4
One of the only major shortcomings of Time Cruise is its rather lame story. Essentially, a scientist receives a cryptic telepathic message from an alien and he decides to travel through space in his "shiny silver time-travel pod" (that's literally how it's described) to find the source of it. It's basically a flimsy attempt to shoehorn a story into a pinball game. While it does explain the theme of the game, it doesn't really have much bearing on the actual gameplay, so this is something that can be easily overlooked.
Difficulty: 6
While I can't say it's an extremely difficult game, it does have a fair share of challenges in the form of the minigames which involve guiding your ball through a maze. They tend to be harder than the actual pinball table and can be rather frustrating at times. While some may argue that this slows down the gameplay too much, I personally don't mind them (aggravating as they may sometimes be) and I find that they make a fine addition as an extra layer the depth that makes Time Cruise great.
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