Pinball games have slowly and steadily crept up in my favorite type of arcade game to play. I think as we shift year after year away from arcade games and more into the home experience, the uniqueness of games at arcades shift too. At the forefront of this paradigm change is that several of these once arcade exclusive games are now playable at home through online storefronts or emulation. Pinball though doesn’t really get the same treatment, since the mechanics and execution of a pinball machine just aren’t the same when played virtually as a video game.
So whenever I see what I would consider my favorite pinball game of all time, Attack From Mars, I just have to play it. The game is so fun, with a humorous story line, numerous on-table gags and events, and a feeling of joy that accompanies every attempt at a new high score. It should also be telling how iconic a game this is when you consider it’s one of the few that Arcade 1-up has included in their small (but growing!) collection of at-home pinball cabinet conversions.
First and foremost, Attack From Mars has a wonderful cabinet presentation. It’s big, it’s loud, and it has a a huge rumbling alien spacecraft and monsters all over the table and artwork. In a setting where quite literally every machine is begging for your attention and quarters, Attack From Mars always called out to me as a fun game. I suppose if you aren’t into the aesthetic of aliens though that enjoyment might be lost on you.
But what shouldn’t be lost is the fun this table provides. Many of the skillshots are relatively simple to hit: there isn’t a lot of lining up to hit something perfect only to miss and maybe even lose a play like in other machines. Attack From Mars‘ biggest on-table feature is probably that rumbling spaceship right in the upper middle, and it won’t be long before you take down the barriers and start to battle it with your ball. Literally! I loved and STILL love the feeling of shooting that ship and seeing it vibrate and get destroyed. It’s so satisfying! Going back to why pinball is unique to video arcade games, that tactile feeling and visual indicator is something else. Super fun every single play!
I’ve seen a few cabinet variants over the years, some with a more interactive LED back screen and some with larger physical props on top of the marquee. Jumping back to the Arcade 1-Up version, I think the entire table can be virtual if you buy that version, and there’s one where it’s a physical table but a fully LCD marquee and screen. There’s a lot of Attack From Mars out there, and no matter which you end up playing, I can personally guarantee you’ll have a blast.
Played at Pinball Hall of Fame, Las Vegas NV 2023
