Balls of Steel (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Balls of Steel is a pinball
computer game developed by Wildfire Studios
and released on December 12, 1997. It is the only title to be published under the Pinball Wizards label, a division of Apogee Software (today known as 3D Realms
).
The game's original box art showed a female hand holding a large pair of pinballs http://www.3drealms.com/balls/images/boshand.gif, above the phrase, "Come play with our balls."
The game's realistic physics
and highly interactive and imaginative tables have been lauded.
When the game was originally released, it was possible to upload high scores to the WorldScores server, for a global ranking. This feature has since been discontinued.
A sixth table, Devil's Island, was dropped from the game when Wildfire was given the opportunity by Apogee to include a Duke Nukem table. Devil's Island was later released as a standalone game.http://www.3drealms.com/balls/tableinfo.html#devilsisland
, including graphics from that game and original voice-overs by Nukem actor Jon St. John
. Pinball missions include fighting monsters like octabrains and pig-cops, and using powerups such as jetpacks and the Holoduke, from the Duke Nukem 3D video game.
Graphics of a pinball game named Balls of Steel appear in Duke Nukem 3D itself, in the first level, "Hollywood Holocaust", when Duke encounters the table.
Pinball
Pinball is a type of arcade game, usually coin-operated, where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass-covered case called a pinball machine. The primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible...
computer game developed by Wildfire Studios
Wildfire Studios
Wildfire Studios is a video game developer that was established in 1995. It is based in Brisbane, Australia.Wildfire has developed several pinball games for video game publishers, but their most recent games are released through RealNetworks.- Retail games :...
and released on December 12, 1997. It is the only title to be published under the Pinball Wizards label, a division of Apogee Software (today known as 3D Realms
3D Realms
3D Realms is a current video game publisher and former video game developer based in Garland, Texas, United States, established in 1987...
).
The game's original box art showed a female hand holding a large pair of pinballs http://www.3drealms.com/balls/images/boshand.gif, above the phrase, "Come play with our balls."
The game's realistic physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and highly interactive and imaginative tables have been lauded.
When the game was originally released, it was possible to upload high scores to the WorldScores server, for a global ranking. This feature has since been discontinued.
Tables
Balls of Steel features five original pinball tables:- Darkside: Set on a remote space stationSpace stationA space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...
under attack by alienExtraterrestrial lifeExtraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
creatures, missions include fighting bugs which appear on the table, and a "super-cannon" mode in which players can shoot at eggs with a cannon that pops up out of the table. - Barbarian: A classic medieval fantasyFantasyFantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
quest with a huge dragonDragonA dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
on the table. Missions include collecting the four elementsClassical elementMany philosophies and worldviews have a set of classical elements believed to reflect the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based. Most frequently, classical elements refer to ancient beliefs...
, collecting the five gemstoneGemstoneA gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
s, and fighting the citadel guards with magnetMagnetA magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.A permanent magnet is an object...
ic axes. - Firestorm: Set in a crime-ridden USUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city, a mad bomber is on the loose. Missions revolve around defusing bombBombA bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
s and rescuing people from various locations around the city. - Mutation: Set in an underground science lab where a bio-hazardousBiological hazardBiological hazards, refer to biological substances that pose a threat to the health of living organisms, primarily that of humans. This can include medical waste or samples of a microorganism, virus or toxin that can impact human health. It can also include substances harmful to animals...
accident has occurred and a large, slimy monster has taken over the lab. Missions involve subduing the beast and containing toxins. - Duke Nukem: A special table featuring the Apogee video game character Duke Nukem. Missions include Nukem monsters and powerups. (See below.)
A sixth table, Devil's Island, was dropped from the game when Wildfire was given the opportunity by Apogee to include a Duke Nukem table. Devil's Island was later released as a standalone game.http://www.3drealms.com/balls/tableinfo.html#devilsisland
Duke Nukem tie-ins
The game includes a table based on the Apogee/3D Realms video game Duke Nukem 3DDuke Nukem 3D
Duke Nukem 3D is a first-person shooter computer game developed by 3D Realms and published by GT Interactive Software. The full version was released for the PC . It is a sequel to the platform games Duke Nukem and Duke Nukem II published by Apogee...
, including graphics from that game and original voice-overs by Nukem actor Jon St. John
Jon St. John
Jon St. John is an American voice actor and singer. He started his career in voice work in 1975, when he was a Top 40 radio DJ in North Carolina. Because of his vocal talent and technical skills, he was hired as a production director for several US radio stations in cities including: Norfolk, New...
. Pinball missions include fighting monsters like octabrains and pig-cops, and using powerups such as jetpacks and the Holoduke, from the Duke Nukem 3D video game.
Graphics of a pinball game named Balls of Steel appear in Duke Nukem 3D itself, in the first level, "Hollywood Holocaust", when Duke encounters the table.
External links
- Official Website
- Balls of Steel on MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...