Spooky Pinball
Total Nuclear Annihilation Pinside Rating
This game received 496 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.197 /10
Total Nuclear Annihilation
Score breakdown
Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:
Game Design: 7.905
Artwork: 7.643
Sounds/Music: 8.755
Other Aspects: 8.306
Pinside staff rating
This is how we, the very knowledgeable (wink wink) Pinside.com staff & moderators rate this game. 4 of us have rated this game.
This title is part of group: "Total Nuclear Annihilation"
Found 235 ratings (with comment) on this game
There are 235 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 10.
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8.799/10
4 months ago
I drove 40min to play this table to see of it lived up to the hype & it soooo did! The game was very simple to understand and the game play was easy but challenging. The sound track is what really puts this table over the edge, it is a great techno beat that doesn't get old and really fits the game play well. I could play this game all day and trying to deactivate all 9 reactors is addicting.
The thing that is truly amazing about this table is that there is a co-op mode that allows up to 4 players to combine scores to beat the game!
All and all this game was so fin, I made an offer to the arcade owner but sadly this game is not for sale.
It is for sure on my list of games to get!
The thing that is truly amazing about this table is that there is a co-op mode that allows up to 4 players to combine scores to beat the game!
All and all this game was so fin, I made an offer to the arcade owner but sadly this game is not for sale.
It is for sure on my list of games to get!
9.004/10
4 months ago
Sydney
Pretty epic game. A great balance of simple old-school layout, with modern implementation, lighting, sound, and hyper-speed gameplay. Can be a great refresher in a lineup of long-play, complex games that's for sure.
I love the music so much on this, and the fact that it kicks your butt most times makes it all the more exciting when you get into a rhythm. It's nail-biting fun, and every time I drain I was so close to that next mission!
I really like the simple ruleset on this. You can explain it to someone in 20 seconds, and for the first time ever I'm more concerned about my progress than my score. Like I'm just trying to get to 9 reactors regardless of how many points I rack up! Super unique.
I love the music so much on this, and the fact that it kicks your butt most times makes it all the more exciting when you get into a rhythm. It's nail-biting fun, and every time I drain I was so close to that next mission!
I really like the simple ruleset on this. You can explain it to someone in 20 seconds, and for the first time ever I'm more concerned about my progress than my score. Like I'm just trying to get to 9 reactors regardless of how many points I rack up! Super unique.
9.134/10
5 months ago
New Plymouth
Is there a faster game out there? Brutal and fun, love ripping the spinner. Amazing soundtrack and might show, simple and easy rules / absolute keeper!
8.442/10
5 months ago
Kept coming back to it at a pinball expo. Seemed like simple rules with Very fun shot combos and exhilarating sound and shaker integrations. Thought this thing was really about to explode! Id like to own it some day bit not sure about lastibility in a home setting.
6.279/10
7 months ago
Played this at NEXT LEVEL in Hillsboro Oregon. Super hard and fast single level playfield. Linear play. Killer sound quality and music (if you like the throbbing pulse of techno pop). Biggest subwoofer in the industry. Wish the artwork, back glass, playfield, and animations told a better story of destroying the nuclear power plants. Light show is killer. Call outs not so clear. Can feel like the same game all the time quickly. Totally worth playing but really takes you down a peg if you think pinball is easy.
9.360/10
7 months ago
TNA is exactly the right game for me. I can just walk up and play it casually, or set aside an hour and try to beat it. The rules are simple to grasp and I don't get lost in them. The music and lighting and on-screen animations are cohesive and stay exciting the entire game. People worry about its simplicity, but I'd say it's the simplicity that keeps me playing it over and over again. This game is just pure energy and excitement.
6.891/10
8 months ago
I'll echo many of the other reviews on Pinside: this game is different. It has a few unusual features (the word "innovation" seems to start arguments so I won't say that) in the Danisi ball lock, the ball save timer, the co-op mode and the techno music. It's easy to explain what you're supposed to do. It's fast and challenging. The light show is unbelievable. The playfield is simple. As soon as you stand in front of it and plunge your first ball you know right away this game feels a lot different than most machines.
If you like it--and a lot of people think this is one of the best pinball games ever made--you think this way: it's true the game is fast and difficult but I like that challenge. The playfield is sparse and the goal is a little repetitive but there's something addictive about trying to keep overloading the reactor and in the meantime I'm completely taken in by the music and lightshow.
If you don't like it it's more like: the techno music is different and it's fine and the lightshow is good, but the game is so fast and difficult that my games are over before I get into it. I know what I'm supposed to do but there aren't very many shots in the game and the ones there are don't give me much satisfaction.
If this game had been a Stern cornerstone there would be a mob with torches and pitchforks calling for Seth Davis's head because Stern cheaped out on the bill of materials and produced a barren playfield with nothing in it and no complexity or depth. Maybe they could have gotten away with it as a specialty release. Because it was done by Spooky and started as a homebrew that's forgivable.
It's not a bad game, but it's not going to appeal to everybody and that's okay.
If you like it--and a lot of people think this is one of the best pinball games ever made--you think this way: it's true the game is fast and difficult but I like that challenge. The playfield is sparse and the goal is a little repetitive but there's something addictive about trying to keep overloading the reactor and in the meantime I'm completely taken in by the music and lightshow.
If you don't like it it's more like: the techno music is different and it's fine and the lightshow is good, but the game is so fast and difficult that my games are over before I get into it. I know what I'm supposed to do but there aren't very many shots in the game and the ones there are don't give me much satisfaction.
If this game had been a Stern cornerstone there would be a mob with torches and pitchforks calling for Seth Davis's head because Stern cheaped out on the bill of materials and produced a barren playfield with nothing in it and no complexity or depth. Maybe they could have gotten away with it as a specialty release. Because it was done by Spooky and started as a homebrew that's forgivable.
It's not a bad game, but it's not going to appeal to everybody and that's okay.
7.503/10
9 months ago
Not sure what my overall rating number will wind up being, but odds are it won't be reflective of how cool that game can be. It is a bit of an outlier in the pinball world, kind of like that small ranch home that added an addition that cost more than every other house in the small ranch neighborhood is worth. How do you appraise it? The game is that different and that is what makes it cool.
There really isn't much to shoot at, but there are easy to understand rules and the game is FAST! The first time you play it you will be astounded by the ball speeds. It has a feel unlike anything with the near-constant vibration, club-music vibe, and dynamic lighting. I view it as an awesome diversion. Ball times tend to be shorter, which I find intriguing, as it leaves you wanting more. There are no commercial themes or gimmicks.
It is not a game I'd own if I only had a couple, but it is cool in a large lineup as something different. A friend of mine has it and I enjoy playing it every few weeks. I feel very fortunate to have friends with great collections! This is not a game for all in terms of ownership or constant play, but if you get the chance you will want to experience it.
There really isn't much to shoot at, but there are easy to understand rules and the game is FAST! The first time you play it you will be astounded by the ball speeds. It has a feel unlike anything with the near-constant vibration, club-music vibe, and dynamic lighting. I view it as an awesome diversion. Ball times tend to be shorter, which I find intriguing, as it leaves you wanting more. There are no commercial themes or gimmicks.
It is not a game I'd own if I only had a couple, but it is cool in a large lineup as something different. A friend of mine has it and I enjoy playing it every few weeks. I feel very fortunate to have friends with great collections! This is not a game for all in terms of ownership or constant play, but if you get the chance you will want to experience it.
6.264/10
9 months ago
Got to finally play one of these, interesting game to say the least. But after playing it on and off for 3 hours. I just could not get into it. I wanted to love this game. Maybe it was the rules to get the reactor going I didn’t understand or there wasn’t much to shoot at? Once I got into the reactor it was a bear to shoot anything with the mini flipper.
Liked the ball save clock, and the multi ball lock. But that was about it.
Liked the ball save clock, and the multi ball lock. But that was about it.
9.684/10
10 months ago
This game is pure pinball at its finest. Nothing like it. The old saying easy to learn difficult to master applies here. This game is fast and fun. A great departure from the modern period of games. It will get your adrenaline pumping and plays best turned up loud. The music is awesome. Light show is fantastic. It’s the best original theme game to come out since the 90’s. Co op mod is great as well. If you haven’t had the chance to play TNA I would seek one out. It’s beauty and simplicity work hand in hand
Nancy
9.194/10
1 year ago
Cambridge
TNA is an awesome game but it's not for everyone. If you like retro video games, this is it: simple, clear objectives requiring precise execution with mistakes brutally punished. Overall the game is very polished - reminds me of the quote: "perfection is not when there's nothing left to add, it's when there's nothing left to remove".
The brutal layout yields short ball times which are perfect for social play, including with non-pinheads thanks to the very easy-to-explain rules (plus there's co-op); played solo, it's a great test of skill. Flippers feel very good and great for learning live catches. Machine looks stunning with the artwork and light show, although some might be put off by the "exploding nuclear reactor" theme. And of course, if you like that kind of music (I do!), the sound package is just amazing.
It does look out of the ordinary compared to other modern games (no ramps, simple rules, weird theme) but honestly it really works - absolute cracker!!
The brutal layout yields short ball times which are perfect for social play, including with non-pinheads thanks to the very easy-to-explain rules (plus there's co-op); played solo, it's a great test of skill. Flippers feel very good and great for learning live catches. Machine looks stunning with the artwork and light show, although some might be put off by the "exploding nuclear reactor" theme. And of course, if you like that kind of music (I do!), the sound package is just amazing.
It does look out of the ordinary compared to other modern games (no ramps, simple rules, weird theme) but honestly it really works - absolute cracker!!
9.300/10
1 year ago
Ok, so I'm considering the music integration and light shows to be a toy as well. It has to because this machine redefines what Audio means when it comes to pinball. Coupled with the lock and the reactor design, this really packs in some great features into an old, timeless design. The art is pretty and I really appreciate the 80s synth wave color scheme. I can hear the colors, and after dialing in my plastic protector colors, I can taste them too.
The lone deficiency is that the scoop shot could be more forgiving, but this is truly the Dark Souls of pinball and I love it. It's so unassuming, you walk right up to it... no ramps, no elevation changes of any kind and the next thing you know, she's stolen your wallet. Every drain is your fault.
The lone deficiency is that the scoop shot could be more forgiving, but this is truly the Dark Souls of pinball and I love it. It's so unassuming, you walk right up to it... no ramps, no elevation changes of any kind and the next thing you know, she's stolen your wallet. Every drain is your fault.
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