Total Nuclear Annihilation

Pinside rating

This game received 476 approved Pinsider ratings and currently rates 8.218 /10

8.218

Top 100 ranking

This game ranks #57 in the Pinside Pinball Top 100.



Score breakdown

Score breakdown in the 4 main categories:

Game Design: 7.923

Artwork: 7.667

Sounds/Music: 8.777

Other Aspects: 8.321


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.

7.619

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This title is part of group: "Total Nuclear Annihilation"


Found 224 ratings (with comment) on this game

There are 224 ratings (that include a comment) on this game.
Currently showing results page 1 of 9.

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7.662/10
13 days ago
This is a game I want to listen to, more-so than actually play. It’s a brutal ricochet layout. Even the most seasoned pinheads will be humbled by this pin. The hard synthwave music is literally the number one reason to check this one out, beyond that…well it’s good, but it gets repetitive once you learn the ins and outs. Highly recommend playing it at least a handful of times for the experience.
6.279/10
25 days 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.
7.648/10
30 days ago
The sounds and lighting is quite something you have to experience in person playing this pin.
9.360/10
32 days 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.
9.704/10
40 days ago
It's hard to put into words how fun this pin is. So simple but not easy. Music is a 1000/10 awesome. I highly recommend playing in a home environment with an external sub. I will never sell mine
6.891/10
65 days 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.
7.503/10
80 days 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.
6.264/10
89 days 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.
9.684/10
3 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
9.660/10
5 months ago
Beautiful and addicting pinball machine
9.707/10
5 months ago
Total Nuclear Annihilation is a love letter to the 80s melding immersive synth wave beats with brutal solid state pinball.

There are no ramps or bespoke mechanisms here. What you have instead is extremely creative use of standard parts plus one of the coolest set of inline drop targets ever: the Danesi Lock. The ball save system adds a challenging dimension of resource management to the game. For a seemingly simple layout there is considerable depth. Make no mistake: this game is brutal and will make you a better player, especially if you fully open up the out lanes! This game is fantastic for social play with short ball times, easy to explain rules, and co-op mode (a first in pinball history!).

This game also has the best light show and soundtrack of any game, of any era, of all time. Scott Danesi and Spooky should be proud.
9.056/10
7 months ago
Fun, unusual music with great sound quality, & smooth bouncy feeling. It may be the least Zany pinball I’ve experienced so far - which I highly value as a person allergic to many flavors of zaniness. The graphics do not exactly remind me of total nuclear annihilation, but I’m glad about this. A favorite!
9.194/10
7 months ago
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!!
9.300/10
8 months 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.
8.064/10
9 months ago
Hard to rate this game. It's like a more brutal fish tales with a street level layout and inline drop targets. I love inline targets. It's rock solid raw pinball. My first game with co-op play, wow, every pin with any depth should have co-op!
9.095/10
9 months ago
Nhill pinball museum
7.946/10
10 months ago
Reminiscent of old school single level games, but modernized to be different. In a collection, it's a really nice addition, especially if you have longer playing games. I always need one fast and furious game, and this one really filled that need. I love the idea of trying to get to the 9th generator, and the beacon on top was always a joy to see. Music ramps up as you progress deeper, and it all really comes together. The game is a bit clunky, and it's the usual flat feeling Spooky flippers, but this game is one of the few I kinda regret selling.
9.016/10
1 year ago
Max points for theme, lastability, and sound.

Sound, original music, and light show are fantastic.

Points off for animations/art as well as toys and gimmicks. Don’t get me wrong- this game does not need toys and gimmicks! Animations are limited but complete and appropriate for this game.

Simple rules with consistent increasing difficulty with each successive reactor. New skill needed-over riding the auto plunge-very useful in other games as well!

One pin collection? Get a GZ premium. Two or more? TNA!
8.064/10
1 year ago
Nice single level game with a modern feel. This is one of those games that is simple, but it's not easy. Complete the keypad, start the reactor, destroy the reactor, repeat. I can see how some people might find the repetitive nature of the rules as a downside. It's fast playing and can be punishing, but balances that with fair, earnable ball save times. I find myself always reaching for the start button for "just one more game."
7.853/10
1 year ago
Best lights in pinball. Solid musical score too. A modern take on early SS classics for sure.
9.380/10
1 year ago
Played it on location many times, had to have it & still love it. We’re one of the dummies that paid $9k for the CE, but I couldn’t see buying a 5 year old game for $1k less. Amazing music & I don’t know that there’s a better party pin.
8.098/10
1 year ago
A throwback design to the EM days, very basic but with a modern retro synth vibe to it all. The pulsing techno music, the shaker, it's all very adrenaline pumping as the game shoots super fast and dangerous, you are always on your toes. It's not a big theme or have toys of any kind, but it's got fun and simple rules that is designed for skilled players to blow up high scores on. You gotta be fast as the balls fly back at you constantly at high speeds
3.552/10
1 year ago
uninspired in every regard. Plays like a fast take on an 80s solid state. Not much going on in the way of presentation either. I genuinely don't understand why these command the price they do. I do enjoy the sound and theming, but I cringe any time I draw this game in tournament play.
8.716/10
1 year ago
I've owned TNA for a couple years now. It's probably not a pin I'd have in a 2-3 pin collection, but it's a must-have in a 5+ pin collection in my opinion. It's just not like anything else out there and is a great approachable pin for newbies with a simple ruleset. The awesome music/sound system, great light show, reactor explosions and coop modes keep them coming back. As a more experienced player, it's a total butt-kicker. Mine is set super steep and the speed of play in unrivaled. It's a real test of what you've got and makes me a better player. Because of that and the approachability, I doubt it'll leave my colleciton for a long time.

For whatever it's worth, I've played one on location before which wasn't set up correctly and played like crap. Many of the negative reviews look like they played a badly set up example. I definitely get airballs occasionally off the flippers, but it doesn't seem to affect play too much.
7.621/10
1 year ago
I liked this game a lot. Super cool throw back style with a single level. Orbits and shots feel smooth. The scoop returns that ball faster than it gets into it. My big gripe though is with the constant air balls. I hit the glass from the launcher so many times that it was concerning. And the flippers also have no problem launching it up there as well. I will say I love the music and it really gets you pumped while you’re playing the game. It was a lot of fun.
There are 224 ratings (that include a comment) on this game. Currently showing results page 1 of 9.

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