High Speed (video game)

High Speed is a pinball simulation video game developed by Rare for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and published by Tradewest in 1991. High Speed employs the game engine that Rare previously developed for Pin*Bot (1990).

High Speed
Developer(s)	Rare
Publisher(s)	Tradewest
Composer(s)	David Wise
Platform(s)	Nintendo Entertainment System
Release	NA: July 1991 PAL: 1991
Genre(s)	Simulation (pinball)
Mode(s)	Single-player

Rare adapted the game from the pinball machine High Speed, which was designed by Steve Ritchie and released by Williams Electronics in 1986.

In 1995, Williams Entertainment published a sequel, The Getaway, for the Game Boy, based on Ritchie's pinball machine The Getaway: High Speed II.

Gameplay

Similar to Pin*Bot, the NES version of High Speed plays identical to the pinball machine of the same name, but with a few new elements added in, such as collecting safes and helicopters that allow the player to play bonus levels. Patches of acid can appear on the playfield which can dissolve the ball, and patches of water can slow it down, and a tumbleweed attempts to drain the ball. Rust balls and bombs can destroy the flippers.

After collecting 3 helicopters the player is taken to another playfield with 4 racing cars and can use pinballs to try and slow down the other cars to win the race. Collecting 3 safes allows the player to play on a pachinko-style playfield.^[1][2]

The object of the main game (as in the pinball machine) is to activate the police chase mode by hitting the nine stoplight targets, changing the main stoplight on the ramp from green to yellow, and then to red. Once the light is red, the player can hit the ball up the ramp to start the police chase mode. Shooting the ball up the ramp again escapes the police and starts 3-ball multi-ball, and hitting one of the balls up the ramp again wins the hideout jackpot (beginning at 250,000 points and growing until it is collected).^[3]

When playing on the main table the flippers are shown continually, but only part of the rest of the playfield is shown, with it scrolling up and down depending on where the ball is at. This mechanic is protected by the same patent Rare used for Pin Bot.

Reception

Review scores

Publication	Score
GamePro	4/5[4]
VG&CE	8/10

Reception

VG&CE found the game to be much better than Nintendo's earlier game, Pinball. The gameplay was found to be smooth and the ball responsive. The obstacles were criticized, especially the tumbleweed and the reviewer would have liked an option to play the table without these.^[3]