KISS Pinball

Description

KISS Pinball is the latest in Take-Two Interactive's budget line for the PlayStation. While most of the $9.99 games have had at least some redeeming value, KISS Pinball manages to mangle both the KISS license and the concept of video pinball to the point of being almost totally unrecognizable.

KISS Pinball features two tables, Last Stop Oblivion and Netherworld. Last Stop Oblivion focuses on real-world items and bonuses--most of the game revolves around hitting targets to start KISS shows, then hitting more targets to complete the shows. On this table, the ball will occasionally get stuck on one of the playfield obstacles. While on a real pinball machine you'd have to try to nudge the table to correct the problem, the ball doesn't come loose here, forcing you to tilt and restart the entire game. Netherworld focuses more on the comic book mythos behind KISS, asking you to shoot balls at Gene Simmons' tongue to lock them for multiball play. On this table, the kickback doesn't seem to work quite right, as the ball will sometimes have to kick back four or five times before finally getting away from the left outlane. Neither table is particularly well designed. While they have a bit of the mode-based gameplay we've come to expect from modern pinball, there aren't any particularly interesting shots on the table.