As I said in my review of Williams Pinball Volume 5, I love pinball tablesm especially from Bally-Williams. Two of the more exciting tables they produced were Monster Bash and Creature from the Black Lagoon, and these games are now available for players in Pinball FX3. As such, it is time to take a look at them now.
Monster Bash was designed by George Gomez and has the dubious honour of being the last conventional table released under the Williams label ( Bally had one more) before they switched to the disastrous Pinball 2000 format. The table itself is amazing though, and is a treat for fans of the classic Universal Monsters like myself. The main objective it to reunite the Monsters of Rock, including Count Dracula, the Mummy, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The objectives are further broken down into getting them together, finding their instrument, then putting on a great show.
Sounds simple right? Well in some ways, it kinda is, as the table is actually very accessible for beginners. and I had never played it before this digital release and found myself instantly understanding it. That is not to say there is no challenge whatsoever for expert players. The table has a large variety of multiball modes and minigames, and will keep you playing constantly to the point where you will have a hard time pulling yourself away while trying to get a better score. The table has a lot of fun gimmicks, amazing music, and great sound effects to keep you hooked, and it is lighthearted so perfect for any occasion. Zen Studios nailed the physics of the board perfectly, so I have no complaints with this one.
Now we come to Creature From The Black Lagoon, and I have not been looking forward to this one. That is not because the table is a bad one, as it is actually one of my favourite boards. No the reason is different, but I will get to that soon.
The table was released in 1992 by the Bally side of Bally-Midway, and has the setting of a 1950 Drive-In Theater. There is actually very little connection to the movie itself besides the drive-in from the setting playing the movie. However, once you activate multiball, the narrative changes, and you must rescue a woman from the Creature. Otherwise, the objectives of the table are actually about getting food, fighting off peeping toms, and getting around large vehicles.
The table has some amazing mechanics to it, and really lets you go all out. This is actually one of the more violent tables, if I am being honest, and that is excellent. The crowded layout of the board does make a lot of the shots harder though, as it will take you several attempts to figure out where all the lanes are and where to hit. Once that is done however, you will soon realize how to pull off the shots and how innovative this board was for the time. There were features to reduce frustration, such as getting a bonus if you are accidentally dragged into the drains, and more inventive minigames, such as the snack bar and the “Move Your Car” segment. I really wish I could say this was a perfect board, but is sadly tainted for me.
The table was made by John Trudeau, and for those who do not know why that is an issue, allow me to explain. Trudeau was found guilty of possession of child pornography and had been abusing a family member for years. He has since been blacklisted from the industry, but knowing who designed such a table really does hurt my perception of it. You can read more about his case here and here.
I still recommend checking this out, especially for those who can separate art from the artist. As it stands, Monster Bash is an amazing table and I highly recommend that one as well.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
Images taken from Pinballfx.com