After the wonderfully wacky Alien Crush you would have thought developers Naxat would have struggled to create an even more unhinged pinball simulation - but you’d be wrong!
Devil’s Crush improves on its spiritual predecessor in almost every way possible. Firstly, the ball physics – arguably the most important aspect of any pinball game are 100% perfect. The ball behaves just as you would expect it to in the real world, which is ironic when you consider the table you’re playing on is anything but realistic!
As was the case in Alien Crush, there is only one playing area in this game, but this time it’s a whopping three screens in height. The alien theme of the first game is now all but gone, but what has replaced it is even more visually appealing. The design of the table is fantastically twisted with evil monks, deranged skeletons and a rather scary woman who has a habit of turning into a dragon when hit repeatedly all attempt to take your ball out of action.
Although there's only one main table there are several sections that can be accessed by flipping the ball into certain portals. These mini-tables are single screen challenges and are as bizarre and strange as every other aspect of the game.
The graphics are really stunning, the designers were obviously smoking something strong when they created this game. The music is also noteworthy, with a brilliant main theme that never gets annoying or repetitive.
Pinball games are the ultimate in score-attack entertainment and Devil Crash remains one of the finest examples of the genre ever published. Pick this up without delay!
On a side note, Devil's Crush was also ported to the Sega Megadrive/Genesis, and to be perfectly honest there’s not a huge difference between the two versions. A sequel was created under the name Dragon’s Revenge (the original Devil's Crush was renamed 'Dragon’s Fury' in some regions, you see), but the original developers didn’t have any input and it’s a bit of a stinker. A 'proper' follow up appeared on the Super Famicom as Jaki Crush, which replaced the gothic style with more traditional Japanese demons, but even this is also something of a letdown after its superlative prequel.
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1. Clayfrd
18 Jun 2007, 00:21 GMT
If this is as good or better than Alien Crush then it is well worth the download!
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2. Don-Bon
18 Jun 2007, 15:07 GMT
I want a good pinball game, I've never played this one so I'll wait and see.
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3. Jonno
01 Jul 2007, 07:06 GMT
This = the best pinball machine sim ever (so Mario Pinball Land doesn't count) This is definetly worth a look by all!
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4. Steve
17 Jul 2007, 23:24 GMT
This is one of the best pinball simulations ever, perfectly balanced with tons of secrets to reveal!
A M U S T buy for every pinball enthusiastic!!!
I rate it better than Alien Crush, as the screen is scrolling softly and not switching between the different areas
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5. djshep1973
21 Jul 2007, 09:02 GMT
Wow, I remember this on the MegaDrive, and that was an excellent game. Here's hoping the PC Engine version was just as good!
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6. scrabbus
21 Jul 2007, 23:01 GMT
The PC Engine version is nigh on exactly the same as the MD version and they both play absolutely fantastic pinball
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7. Ian Daemon
23 Jul 2007, 17:38 GMT
Great replay value.
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8. Beastard
23 Jul 2007, 19:02 GMT
I remember this game on the Genesis (Mega Drive) as Dragon's Fury. Great game. Recommend playing this, even if you hate pinball.
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9. Iapetus
23 Jul 2007, 19:51 GMT
I was always a fan of Motley Crue, the pinball game for MD. I'll have to check this game out.
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10. John Hood
23 Jul 2007, 20:42 GMT
Hope to see this on European VC soon.
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11. Eric42
24 Jul 2007, 01:15 GMT
The video that's posted makes this look like a great pinball game... this may be on my gotta download list.
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12. Ian Daemon
24 Jul 2007, 14:37 GMT
Now we need ''Crue Ball''! (the 'Motley Crue' themed pinball game)
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13. angel m. rivera collazo
24 Jul 2007, 17:09 GMT
i have alien crush.this one is definitively better.i am dowloading this right now!
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14. link64
25 Jul 2007, 18:17 GMT
I have herd that the Megadrive version had different music ( the same songs just arranged differently) which are considered worse.
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15. PresidentLeever
26 Jul 2007, 20:56 GMT
Yes. Best pinball sim evarr!
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16. johnsen6
27 Jul 2007, 12:00 GMT
All this talk about "Best pinball game ever", is it really true? I need someone to compare this to the great Pinball Dreams and Pinball Fantasies on the Amiga, as they were truly great games (the Nightmare table on Dreams and Fairground one on Fantasies stick out for me).
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17. babs
27 Jul 2007, 17:57 GMT
If you're going to be picky, the best pinball you can have at home (short of buying a table) is visual pinball and vpinmame for the PC. That way you can play *actual* tables. Addams Family, Twilight Zone or Star Trek TNG anyone?
I love all pinball games though, this is going straight on when I get home
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18. deggs
28 Jul 2007, 07:03 GMT
hmmm,
up until i played this, my fav console pinball was kirby's pinball land (for the original gameboy)...
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19. scrabbus
29 Jul 2007, 00:25 GMT
This game wins the best pinball game ever award by an absolute mile, I would definately go so far as to state that this plays a better game of pinball than any pinball game now. Devil crash is a lesson in how to get everything right in nearly every possible way. The ball physics are perfect, it never feels to light or too heavy, the tables are just right, the bonus stages have such atmosphere and the whole underlying gothic theme is complimented by a great little techno soundtrack. I remember seeng the look on an Amiga owning friend's face after playing this. There would be no more raving on about pinball dreams. Those that have played it have that feeling that one only gets when one knows they have just witnessed near perfection, that feeling however is nothing compared to that smugness one can only achieve by seeing the non initiated play, then watching them have "just one more go".
For all of those people who have already played this gem, you know what I have written is true, for all of you who have not downloaded this, what the hell are you doing?? BEG BORROW OR STEAL to get the points to download this classic game.
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20. Mendez
02 Aug 2007, 20:17 GMT
That video looks awesome 0.0
Shame I'll probably only have 500 points left after tonight ¬_¬
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21. Ross
04 Aug 2007, 13:27 GMT
Anyone know the anime cartoon Fullmetal Alchemist ? I swear thats a transmutation circle at the top of the pinball machine...
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22. MrLonghair
06 Aug 2007, 14:07 GMT
We're not going to get Pinball Fantasies, Illusions, Dreams etc on the VC because the rights to those games belong to a bajillion different companies now. I asked DICE about it earlier this year, and they had that answer. Luckily Devil's Crush is enough until I figure out how to repair my Amiga 1200 to get the DICE pins running, even though it feels that the flippers are spaced just a bit too far apart.
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23. Jolan
08 Aug 2007, 02:52 GMT
Its so worth 600 points. If you want pinball on you Wii get this.
If you want a game that gives you tons of fun, get this.
Just don't reset the software... high scores reset with it.
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24. Yoshi175
11 Aug 2007, 19:26 GMT
you don't have to reset thois game you can press plus and minus (ont the remote don't know what it is on Classic controller) and that will reset the game and keep the high scores
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25. JoeldeBunchastu
13 Aug 2007, 06:43 GMT
This is the best pinball game I've ever played, even surpassing Alien Crush (Which I also have), and I would recommend it to anyone
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26. Yoshi175
13 Aug 2007, 17:48 GMT
I love this game, I was taking a risk when I downloaded it but I love it
5 star
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27. sirmatt
31 Aug 2007, 20:13 GMT
I beg to differ with the enthusiasm on this game. I am an "older" gamer lured back by the Wii, and I love the virtual console games.
I am frequently playing SOLDIER BLADE (love it!), Street Fighter II Turbo and Wave Race 64, but Devil's Crush just doesn't do it for me so much.
My main gripe is that one big gaming site is right: the ball physics are just annoyingly light. The ball feels a little too light. Just by a hair, but it's annoying enough to a pinball "purist." I used to play tons of Pro Pinball by Cunning...ball physics are pretty great there. This game is just annoying and it ruins it for me, personally.
People say the reason Mercury Meltdown Revolution is so addictive is because of it's realistic blob physics. I tend to agree, and extend that to pinball physics.
Personally I wish I would have passed on my recent purchase of Devil's Crush and Air Zonk in favor of Starfox 64.
****** UPDATE 2/08 ************
OK forget this review. This game is cheesy fun. Ball physics are fine, not so bad as I originally thought. Frame rate skips once in a while, but who cares. And I wish they still had the pentagrams, because those triangles look dumb. Other than that, fun game with lots of little mini-tables to play that are super cheesy (cherubs and alligators and weird skinned snakes and stuff...odd).
Good stuff, recommended...as I wait for Williams Pinball Hall of Fame...delayed YET AGAIN....ugh....
= Matt =
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28. masami
24 Oct 2007, 16:23 GMT
I wanted a good pinball game, so I downloaded this...
but I have to say I'm a little disappointed, mainly for the physics and the weight of the ball...
but it's a funny game and it's worth 600 point if you ask me.
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29. Dave
31 Oct 2007, 16:18 GMT
I have never heard of Devil's Crush. However, I did own Dragon's Fury for Genesis. I figured I would download Devil's Crush because I was curious how close it looked to Dragon's Fury from the screenshots. The sound just didn't seem as good for Devil's Crush. It sounded like a dilapidated version of Dragon's Fury. Being that Devils Crush was developed first, the real credit for this game goes to those developers. But, soon after Tengen bought the game out and re-vamped it for the better. That guitar solo on the main screen gives you chills and intensifies the gameplay.
Which one is better....Genesis or Turbo? Genesis by a long shot. Tengen took a woderful game and juiced it up. Hopefully we will see Dragon's Fury as a download for the Wii and Crue Ball!!!!!
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30. OmakeBGM01
08 Dec 2007, 03:00 GMT
To the user above: Devil's Crush was ported to the Mega Drive by Tecnosoft and was named Devil's Crash. Later Tengen localized Devil's Crash for US and EU and then renamed it to Dragon's Fury.
Tecnosoft was the one who juiced the game up.
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31. pdrydia
16 Jan 2008, 21:03 GMT
Matt is right about the way the ball behaves--I noticed right away that the pinball in Devil's Crush doesn't act the same as it does in Alien Crush. I don't feel like I have the same control over the ball as I do in Alien Crush and the game doesn't feel as fast. However, I do like that the switch between the upper, middle, and bottom sections of the screen is gradual--there's no back-and-forth flashing that Alien Crush gives you if your ball is bouncing around at the "boundary" between sections.
I like this game slightly better than Alien Crush, primarily because it's /hilarious/. I do enjoy crushing aliens, but I get more giggles out of destroying the tiny formations of color-coded marching men. It's particularly fun to narrate the goings-on in D's C to the other occupants of the room
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32. The shoemaker
21 Jan 2008, 00:34 GMT
This game does look good for a pinball game. Any one want a good review of it check DEMON212 video review of it at www.vc-forums.com
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33. Manicfatty
15 Feb 2008, 18:19 GMT
Um...druids and smackin' a skanky lizard 'yatch in the face with my silvery balls of justice? HELL'S YEAH!!!! Great variety for it's genre and era, good use of the sound chip, and on top of the pure simple fun of it, you get a genuine old school sense of accomplishment. Buy it. NOW!
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34. Eltigro
11 May 2008, 23:14 GMT
I have this game for my TurboGrafx-16. (I also started/created the Wikipedia page for Devil's Crush.) The best thing about the VC version is that you can keep your high scores. The actual TurboChip doesn't save those. It is a great pinbal sim, but being that it is just pinball, if you aren't a pinball fan, I predict you'll get bored pretty quick.
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