Classic pinball series to be reborn thanks to Kickstarter campaign

Crowdfunding isn’t just being used to create new games brand – it’s bringing new life to old ones as well.

UK developer Silverball Studios has kicked off a Kickstarter campaign to fund the revival of the popular Pro Pinball series.

The franchise first emerged in 1995, but has not been seen in over ten years. The team at Silverball aims to raise more than $400,000, which will be used to create a brand new entry in the series for PC, Mac and iOS.

The title will feature a new table specifically created for the game, designed by pinball legend Pat Lawlor, as well as remastered versions of the original four Pro Pinball tables for veteran fans.

"Back in the ’90s, Pro Pinball pushed PCs to the limit," Silverball CEO Adrian Barritt told MCV. "Even now the games are regarded by many as the best ever made and we know the fanbase is still massive today.

"Now, however, technology has moved on and well over a decade later we know that we can make pinball games, which play and look almost identical to the real thing.

"Our technology means that on the very high-resolution new iPad, every pixel will be close to perfection. That is something that is exciting to every Pro Pinball fan."

As has become the norm with Kickstarter campaigns, Silverball Studios is promising a range of rewards for their backers. These include signed box copies of the finished game, collectable Pro Pinball keyrings, and the chance to be featured on the back-glass artwork of the new table.

"We are hugely excited about the campaign and cannot wait to hit our target and get started on the project," added Barritt.

"The team at Silverball and Pat Lawlor, the most famous man in pinball (who is set to design the brand table) are itching to get underway. Hopefully so are the fans and backers."

You can read more about how Kickstarter is reviving classic gaming brands in tomorrow’s issue of MCV.