Pinball Arcade – Tales of the Arabian Nights™
Gameplay 9
Graphics 9
Sound 9

Tales of the Arabian Nights might look like a complex table, but it actually has some very easy to grasp rules. Even inexperienced players should have no trouble reaching the wizard mode after putting in some practice, but there is enough variety to keep you coming back for more. This is a very sought after table in real life which makes it even more incredible that this faithful digital version is absolutely free.

Gameplay: The table features a great design with easy objectives for beginners.

Graphics: A faithful reproduction of a great looking table.

Sound: Distinctive audio with some great speech samples and effects

Summary 9.0 Outstanding
Gameplay 0
Graphics 0
Sound 0
Summary rating from user's marks. You can set own marks for this article - just click on stars above and press "Accept".
Accept
Summary 0.0 Terrible

Pinball Arcade – Tales of the Arabian Nights™

Developer: FarSight Studios | Publisher: FarSight Studios |Release Date: 2013 | Genre: Pinball / Simulation / Free To Play | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

The original Tales of the Arabian Nights table was released in 1996 by Williams and features quite an eye catching theme. Based around the 1001 Arabian tales, it tasks you with freeing a captured princess from an evil Genie. Before taking on the Genie, you must first find seven gems, earned from completing missions based on the Arabian Nights tales.

FarSight Studios have faithfully recreated the TOTAN table and, while it might appear to be quite complex, it is actually very newcomer friendly. The most distinctive features of the table are the large blue genie with glowing eyes that dominates the top area and the spinning magical lamp. There are only two flippers and one ramp to worry about and most of the story goals can be completed rather quickly. The game even offers a shortcut by allowing you to gain gems from the bazaar instead of earning them from the story goals.

The seven tales include classics such as Ali Baba, The Forty Thieves and Tales of Shehrazade as well as the Flying Horse and Great Camel Race. The tales are activated by shooting the genie and then hitting the required ramps or spot targets. Only one tale can be active at a time, but most goals can be completed in a matter of seconds with a bit of practice. The dot matrix display shows scenes, such as flying carpet rides and the genie hurling fireballs, which is definitely a nice touch.  In order to make a skill shot from the plunger, you have to watch the dot matrix to see which basket a snake is hiding in and then shoot the ball into the correct basket on the playing field. Shooting the ramp directly afterwards also rewards you with a super skill shot bonus.

There are two multiball opportunities on this table, which offer you the chance to really rake in the points. The first is activated by shooting the genie five times and locking the balls and the second by using the left loop to spell “HAREM.” I actually found the harem multiball the hardest to pull off as it can be a bit tricky to shoot the ball up the left loop consistently.

If you hate outlane drains, you’ll love the “Shooting Stars” feature on TOTAN. By shooting the correct spot targets, you can cause spikes to pop up from the table and trap the ball for a few seconds. This not only looks very cool, but prevents the ball from going down the outlane. The spinning lamp and magnet on the board add some unpredictability to the ball movement, but the overall layout is very nice. After collecting the seven gems, you activate wizard mode and have to defeat the genie and his army of skeletons in a battle for the princess’s freedom.

The original design is by John Popadiuk who is also known for his work on Theatre of Magic and Circus Voltaire. FarSight Studios did a great job with the digital recreation of this table and it is a very generous choice for a free release. The ball physics feel spot on, to the extent that there is even a “call attendant” feature if the ball gets stuck, which is something that does happen in real life.The table has some very vibrant colors and great artwork, but sadly the low resolution textures are quite obvious in places. The background depicts a female Jinn emerging from a lamp as well as smaller graphics of a magic carpet ride, the trapped princess and the bazaar. Included with the table is some detailed instructions on how to play as well as a brief history rundown and the scans of the original flyers.

The table features some booming sound effects to go with the distinctive theme and there are plenty of great voice samples as well. You’ll hear challenges from the evil genie and encouragement from the helpful Jinn as you complete your goals. The tune that plays when you engage in a fireball battle with the genie can become rather repetitive, but the rest of the sounds are very good.

Tales of the Arabian Nights is an amazing table and a great showcase for the work that FarSight Studios is doing. It is available completely free of charge and trust me, you can easily spend hours playing this table.

*Review originally published February 2014.

System Requirements

  • OS: Windows XP
  • Processor: Dual Core 1.6 ghz or better.
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Graphics card supporting DirectX 9.0c and Shader Model 3.0
  • DirectX: Version 9.0c
  • Hard Drive: 9 GB available space
  • Sound Card: Direct Sound capable card.
  • OS: Windows 7
  • Processor: Dual Core 2.0 ghz or better.
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: nVidia GeForce GTX 560 or higher. ATI HD 6950 or higher.
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Hard Drive: 9 GB available space
  • Sound Card: Direct Sound capable card.
  • OS: Mac OSX Lion or Mavericks
  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8GHz or equivalent
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics: OpenGL 2.0+ support
  • Network: Broadband Internet connection
  • Hard Drive: 2 GB available space

Related posts

FOTONICA

FOTONICA

Static screenshots can't really convey the look and feel of FOTONICA, as it is a game built around the concept of speed. The game boils down to a test of your reflexes as you must make split-second decisions about when and where to jump to keep running and building up speed. It is not a game for people seeking a storyline or in-depth gameplay, but you can't go wrong with FOTONICA for quick arcade thrills. Gameplay: All you have to do in the game is run, jump, repeat. Graphics: The vector-style visuals certainly make for a unique look. Sound: Atmospheric and provides a perfect match for the minimalistic visuals.

Drifting Lands

Drifting Lands

From big bosses and swarms of enemies to screens filled with bullets and explosions, Drifting Lands offers everything fans expect from the side-scrolling shooter genre. However, it goes one step further by merging it with some action-RPG elements that will keep you coming back for more to customize your ship to the max. It starts a little slow, but thanks to multiple difficulty grades, the intensity of the action quickly ramps up. Anyone with an itchy trigger finger looking for a shooter that has a bit more replay value than usual should, at the very least, try out the free demo. Gameplay: The game can get a little overwhelming at times, but at least you are eased into things quite gently. Graphics: The visuals are detailed and colorful, especially for a side-scrolling shooter, but very few genuinely jaw-dropping set pieces. Sound: The soundtrack for the game is varied and great.

Assassin’s Creed® Revelations

Assassin's Creed® Revelations

While not quite the "revelation" that I was hoping for, this game does tie up the stories of Altair and Ezio. Not much has changed gameplay wise and the story is not the best in the series but the game is still very entertaining. It is definitely not for newcomers to the series as the story is a direction continuation of Brotherhood but it does fill the gap until Assassin's Creed 3. Gameplay: Pretty much the same as Brotherhood. Graphics: Not bad but the colours are a bit dull. Sound: Good voice acting and atmospheric music.

The Last Dream: Developer’s Edition

The Last Dream: Developer's Edition

The Last Dream is a surreal adventure featuring a man pursuing the ghost of his wife. The game features a unique blend of hand drawn locations and live action cut-scenes while offering mini-games as well as fragmented object scenes to complete. Multiple difficulty settings make this a great title for players of all skill levels and the story, while not very original, is quite engaging. For fans of the genre and players looking for something a bit more unique than a pure hidden object game this title is easy to recommend. Gameplay: A nice blend of classic point & click adventuring, mini-games and fragmented object scenes. Graphics: The hand drawn visuals look great and the game even features live action cut-scenes. Sound: Decent voice acting and appropriate music.

Darkarta: A Broken Heart’s Quest Collector’s Edition

Darkarta: A Broken Heart's Quest Collector's Edition

Darkarta: A Broken Heart's Quest is the story of a mother who has to brave the Netheworld and rescue her daughter from an age old curse. It is definitely an intriguing story and the game also features tons of hidden object scenes as well as mini-games to keep players hooked. Thanks to the beautiful art style and atmospheric music, it is easy to get sucked into the gameworld, and a lot of effort clearly went into polishing the game to perfection. Darkarta has already won numerous awards and after completing it, it is obvious that all of them were deserved. If you are a fan of the genre, then this is a title that should not be missed. Gameplay: A lengthy adventure with plenty of puzzles and mini-games to enjoy Graphics: The art style is beautiful and the game is filled with scenic locations. Sound: Decent voice acting and a the soundtrack isn't bad either.

Atom Zombie Smasher

Atom Zombie Smasher

Atom Zombie Smasher is one of those games that look deceptively simple, but once you start playing, the hours fly by. It's got a lot of replay value, and while the visuals are very basic, they convey the sense of urgency and excitement very clearly. All in all, it is a game that should be added to your collection without hesitation. Gameplay: Your job is simply to save citizens while killing zombies. Graphics: The visuals are as basic as you can get but still very stylish in their own way. Sound: The wacky music somehow fits the game perfectly, and the sound effects are good, too.

1 Comment

  1. Jane May 2, 2018
    Reply

    Cool

Leave a comment

eighteen + 14 =