The Pinball Arcade: Gottlieb EM Pack (Nintendo Switch) Review

The EM in Gottlieb EM Pack stands for 'Electrical Mechanical,' referring to the mechanised score reels and bell sounds for points scoring that are characteristics of the older pinball machines. Following EM tables was the 'Solid State' era, which introduced newer pinball tables that had microchips and digitised game mechanics. This add-on pack consists of five tables spanning from 1966 to 1977 - before the Solid State tables changed the future of pinball from the late '70s to today. Pinball legend Ed Krynski stars with four pinball tables on this pack that were designed or co-designed by him.

The first table of the pack worth checking out is Central Park, one of the four tables designed by Ed Krynski. Created in 1966, this table is one of the hardest tables to master. The digital recreation is a superb effort by the developer, as they have done the table great justice. Regarded as one of the best classical pinball tables, Central Park is an excruciatingly difficult table to master. Becoming an expert in 'nudging' is the key to dominating the high scores in this table, as the flippers have a larger gap in between them then what is expected from modern tables. Making things more difficult are the double Outlanes on either side of the flippers, meaning there are four laneways for the ball to sink to the bottom of the table. Another awesome quirk with this table is that it actually has five balls, or 'lives' as opposed to the more modernised three ball-standard seen in most tables.

Ed Krynski's second table was designed in 1973, and it is a billiards-themed table that is modelled of his previous Hot Shot table. This is aptly named Big Shot, and it features 15 billiard light balls which must be lit by hitting the corresponding drop targets, with the 8-ball having its own middle gate to activate the light. This is one of the more fun tables included in this pack, and that is because it is simple to learn, but incredibly hard to master. The skill required to hit the 14 drops targets and light up the 8 ball with one ball makes this quite a popular table for pinball fans. Its simplicity makes this an addicting table that rarely seems to get old.

Jumping to 1975 is the third table, El Dorado, also designed by Ed Krynski. For those who have played many different pinball tables, they may find this table familiar to play. That is simply because this table's playfield was also used for later tables, such as Gold Strike, Lucky Strike, Target Alpha, Canada Dry, Solar City, and a table that will feature in another DLC pack, El Dorado City of Gold. All those tables listed simply just reskinned this table's playfield but are otherwise the same. It's a straight-forward nature with a bit of a gameplay twist; unlike the previous table which encourages it, 'nudging' in El Dorado will instantly "kill" the ball and end the game right then and there. While the cultural significance of this table shows why it got included in this DLC pack, the fact is that El Dorado does not seem to be much fun to play on the digital spectrum.

Ed Krynski's fourth and final table for this pack is Jacks Open, which was released in 1977, and it was co-created with Gordon Morrison. Jacks Open is a card-based pinball table that is easily the best table included in this pack. The aim of this game is to build card hands by hitting the corresponding cards on the table. Begin with a Pair, then working through a 3-of-a-Kind, Full House and finishing with the Royal Flush. The cards are on the table as drop-targets, and the dazzling lights and casino sounds makes this a hugely memorable experience. FarSight Studios excelled in bringing this table to life and giving it the digital makeover.

Gordon Morrison and Allen Edwall created the final table in this pack, also in 1977, with a major twist. Centigrade 37 is a unique table because it was fitted with a thermometer on the backboard. Hitting specific targets on the table would cause the thermometer to gradually fill up, which when full, will light up the specials to earn the big points. For its time period in the '70s, this table had one of the best science-fiction art packs. Following in line with an earlier table, El Dorado, 'nudging' this table will reset the thermometer meaning that this move cannot be part of the skillset. With an electromechanical wedgehead and double in-lanes with switching lights, this is a truly unique experience that is heaps of fun to play for many hours.