Sonic Spinball

It’s a constant surprise how game developers keep coming up with new ways of putting Sonic in a game, other than going back to his origins as a fast platform-jumping hedgehog. And while this isn’t the Spiky Son of Sega’s first time in a pinball machine, it’s easily his most imaginative role as ball.

Sonic Spinball is very much a platformer/pinball hybrid. Indeed, it takes this concept in a very literal sense, and although it’s hard to imagine how that could possibly work on paper, the mobile game conclusion is unexpectedly effective.

As always, Dr Robotnik is up to something randomly evil, with only Sonic interested in foiling his blah-blah-blah scheme. Skipping the loose story entirely, you’re placed inside a nicely detailed platform game, which quickly turns out to be built from virtual pinball tables.

Once off the initial platform, Sonic goes into his trademark spin and is controlled by the pinball flippers dotted around the levels. But it’s not a point scoring exercise. Rather, you have to get Sonic to various parts of this wonderfully expansive pinball system to drain the liquid from vats, pull levers and ride mine carts around the track to get to three hidden Chaos Emeralds.

Once you’ve got all three emeralds you can access the highest part of the pinball structure and bounce Robotnik into oblivion.

It’s not just one pinball table, however, but a series of interconnected tables you need to carefully bounce Sonic into so you can get to each of the crystals. Falling through the middle of the flippers doesn’t necessarily kill you - in fact, it’s often necessary so Sonic can return to his platforming self and access other areas of the expansive pinball superstructure.

Further building on the pinball mechanics, you have some small control over ‘the ball’ (being Sonic) as he bounces about the place - a mechanic not seen in typical pinball games, but one that adds a fascinating and very playable dimension to the archetypal pub game.

Unfortunately, the scope of this spectacular pinball twist takes its toll on the mobile hardware, and the game runs just a little too slowly to really maintain the pinball illusion.

It has to lose a point for the slight performance issue, but Sonic Spinball still comes highly recommended as a unique variation on the mobile pinball simulator, as well as a welcome return to Sonic’s platform origins with a completely unexpected - and nigh on unmissable - new gameplay dimension.

This is a prime candidate for a super console adaptation.