I love pinball games and this has some promising tables and ideas. Unfortunately it still seems a little unfinished to me. I play pinball in portrait (FX3, PBA, Zacc, PBD) this kinda gets the idea but half fails in the execution. The menu interface looks horribly wrong in portrait - not utilising the screen real estate. Next if you only clicked on any of the first 3 tables you would think that this game had no portrait mode (Tables: Tropical, David Slade, GoreBall) Thankfully the other 4 tables do work in full portrait and aren't bad,... but then it's further spoilt by high scores not being recorded properly and why is there no plunger control? I got sick of seeing the ball start by bouncing the same way and having to press the same flipper first.
I would like to see this become a better pinball game but not sure what the developers intent with it is anymore.

Cons - The ball is way too fast, someone obviously thought turbo-mode was the way to go, but it's not. I'm a pinball machine player and the ball drops faster than a real machine. The physics/AI (or whatever it's technically called) needs improvement.

The tables don't measure up to 90's tables. The 90's tables have missions, goals, and even in-game play guidance. These tables do not. You're aimlessly ping-ponging around like "pre" 90's games, which is fine if you like that sort of thing, but boring if you like more sophistication of the 90's pinball machines.

The flippers respond like pre-80's (powerless, unresponsive) flippers, not as much fun for the 90's fans.

Pros - The graphics are good (including the 3-D effects), the music is fine, the voiceovers just so-so. But there are no goals / missions, and this is a big part of the allure of the 90's pinball machines.

The game is a neon sign at this point, but maybe 75% toward being future praiseworthy with fixes/enhancements.

I'll check back to see if these are done later.

EDIT: 4/21/18
DEV notified me of a correction to the REBINDing issue:
"... just to point out one thing, you can indeed rebind the buttons / keys and joysticks at the "input" tab of the launcher. Which are saved and only need to be set once :) "
While this won't be of the same advantage for ALL controller users wanting to rebind joysticks and triggers, it will certainly help some players. (A trusted friend reported this inability.)
Thanks, Gear Worx Prod.

In the year plus since Retro Pinball was released it has had three major features; interesting tables, a hardworking, passionate developer, and serious flipper lag issues. The last item listed is the reason I was unable to give Retro Pinball (RP) a positive rating….until now!

Yesterday an update was announced that seems to correct this hard-fought concern. I’ve played each of the seven tables and encountered no lag issues (though on a higher-powered PC. Hopefully players with any PC will find playability equally satisfactory, thought perhaps on lower graphics settings.)

Certainly, now that there be will more play on this game other issues can be addressed to make it even better. For example, on the first table, Tropical Splash, I encountered an issue where every saved ball was sent directly between the lower flippers and off the table. And while camera angles are fine and easily changed (“C” key) , they must be set for EVERY table played, each time the game is launched. The flipper keys seem an unusual choice (“Z” and “/”), and are apparently non-rebindable, so it may be best to consider a rebindable controller of some sort. (But this is true on almost all computer pinball.) Play feels widely variable to some degree, even from table to table, and playability variabilities seems due to both physics and table (and certainly each player will have their own favorites), so all tables should at least be tested while considering RP. There really are some very nice, well designed tables here.

There will likely be those less thrilled with RP ball physics. I agree, it has a clunkier, less lively feeling….just as one might expect from a game called RETRO Pinball. (Yes, older tables do feel very much this way, so perhaps Retro Pinball should to some degree as well.) Perhaps players will feel motivated to express their own opinions and choices in the matter, and history indicates changes will be seriously considered.

I wish the Retro Pinball developer(s) every success and thank you for the hard work and commitment necessary to bring this very nice game back to the state it has attained. I’ve missed playing it and look forward to catching up on lost time.

I'm so ready for additional pinball outlets that I bought this immediately upon release. Super quick review which I will update later after playing some more. Keep in mind I played each table 2-3 times and I have not concluded if the tables have deep rulesets (I feel like they don't)

Good+
No lag issues, graphics are decent to better than decent. (Some of the table playing surface is pretty plain - I'm comparing this to 90's tables)
Physics are ok, the ball does seem a little light (maybe) but there seems to very very little spin that you can put on the ball... but it does feel like pinball unlike Zombie Pinball!
Some of the background music is really good.
The table toys and models are great, there was some time put into the 3d art for sure. (its the flat 2d art on some tables that are really plain)

Neutral
The tables "feel" more to me like the older Zaccaria tables with newer sounds, than a true 90's table set. Which is ok I guess, but when I think 90's pinball... these are no comparison to Theater of Magic, Attack from Mars, Terminator 2....

The DMD display is pretty weak, just kinda text and the occasional background circle rolling across the screen. With the themes these tables have I was expecting more for modes which leads to me to....

There are few audio prompts while playing to indicate any kind of objectives from what I have seen so far. While the audio quality is good, you do hear limited voice on every table. I feel like ALL of the tables are missing 1/2 the audio lines for some reason. No "shoot the left lane" no "hit the boat ramp for multiball!" Its a bit strange after playing a lot of other digital pinball.


Overall - I'll play some more and give a more detailed update later but for now.... it's not "must have" at the moment, but it is "potentially good!" I hope the developer keeps at it and brings the tables up to a true high quality pinball game. So I am recommending you check it out but watch some gameplay before you take the plunge.

Gets the basics mostly right.

Tables are a bit 'samey' in the way they play and some lack graphical definition (seem a little indistinct) but all are fundamentally playable.

As in all simulated pinball experiences, the most important thing is the ball ballistics and physics which in the main are fairly well recreated (nothing like FX3 or the magnificent Pinball Arcade well recreated but its ok).

Worth getting to satiate your pin balling fix until the big hitters FX3 and Pinball Arcade release more tables.

Just about worth the money at full price but WELL worth getting as part of the current IndieGala bundle for a few dollars.

Retro Pinball is a great entry into the ages-old video game pinball genera. Bright and colorful, with unique tables that are well thought out and themed with a lot of attention to detail. Retro Pinball is a competitive entry and worth a look.

Pros:

* Bright colorful tables
* Solid gameplay
* Sane, simple controls
* Uniquely-themed tables
* Solid pricing (Approx. $2 US / Table)
* SteamOS (Linux) support, along with Win / Mac builds

Cons:

* Large menus and cursor, reminiscent of a mobile game
* Tables vary in difficulty from easy to really hard
* Controller lag makes playing on 10 ft. interface difficult

The developer has stated they will revisit the controller issue, so hopefully that gets addressed. Solid game nontheless. If your a fan of video pinball games, this is definately worth checking out.

Worthy addition to the pinball universe.

Switched flippers to CTRL keys and I have had few gripes since the dev was quick to patch minor issues.

Runs great on my portrait monitor with camera angles 3 or 4.

Tables are all unique and take from actual tables.

Thumbs up and dev says new tables added later will be free.

Hello im Marco, im italian, but i do this review in english becuse is a international language.
Im want to start with the negative points about this game.
The playability of this game is not very good, the ball is too fast, and some time give me a idea, you can't do nothing for change the trajectory of the ball, too much time the ball go out, im think they need to fix this issues.
About the graphics, sound, interface, is all good.
I hope they fix the problem i have explain, so this game mabye, become more good and interesting.

Marco

Although was launched a long time ago, the game seems to be not yet finished, I'd say like in a abandoned early stage.

It lacks of very basic features present in another pinballs.
The product as a whole leaves a bad feeling.

All tables work in portrait mode. Good.
Sound is based on a repetitive melody, in some tables can be left but not in the mayority. Not sounds for the ball, target drops, again sound aspect seems to be in early access.

The noise in the main menu (I'd not call it "Music") makes you to commit suicide (and can't be disabled, because if you want music in tables you have to destroy your ears with the noise).

Limited controller support, then the binded keys to the controller are forced to be a bit awful.

It has an option to activate the room, an enviroment to the table... blurry low texture pictures! (blurry textures are present too in some parts of the tables).

I'll stop now... not recommeded. Choose instead another pinballs (Roxy's, Malzieb) if you are looking for an indie pinball with good quality at low price.

6 Tables, none of them very good, disappointing