PaTaank is a 1994 video game developed by PF.Magic for the 3DO.
| PaTaank | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | PF.Magic |
| Publisher(s) | |
| Producer(s) | David Feldman Rob Fulop |
| Designer(s) | Curtis Norris Joel Dubiner Leslie Hedger |
| Programmer(s) | Andre Burgoyne |
| Artist(s) | Charles Hacskaylo Lisa Wong |
| Composer(s) | Nicolaas tenBroek |
| Platform(s) | 3DO Interactive Multiplayer |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Pinball |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer (up to four players) |
Gameplay
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Pataank is a pinball game where the player steers the pinball, hitting it into targets.
Development and release
editPaTaank was developed by San Francisco-based PF.Magic for affiliate Crystal Dynamics, the latter of which had established itself as a sought-after name early in the life of the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer.[3] It was the first game signed to the company's publishing partner program for publishing, sales and distribution in early 1994.[4] Producer Rob Fulop suggested that it was the console's manufacturer, The 3DO Company, that paid for the project's production, similar to how Philips funded the developer's Max Magic for the CD-i. "We were drawn to the machines because they would allow you to work with real images and audio and that was a new paradigm which could open us up to new things," he said.[5] When asked about the game's origin, Fulop responded, "We just wanted to do something cool for the 3DO system ... and 3D pinball sounded cool .. so we tried to make it. It came out okay ... certainly not an epic game by any standards."[6] Fulop also stated that the concept of playing as the ball inside of a pinball machine may have been too innovative for its time.[5] BMG Interactive picked up the distribution rights for the European and Japanese releases. The game's title (pronounced "puh-tonk") is the onomatopoeia for the sound a pinball or puck makes when hitting a surface.[3][7]
Reception
edit| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Electronic Gaming Monthly | 24/40[8] |
| GamePro | 17.5/20[9] |
| Next Generation |   [10] |
| 3DO Magazine | [11] |
| Coming Soon Magazine |  [12] |
| Electronic Games | D+[13] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[14] |
| Génération 4 | 8%[15] |
| VideoGames | 7/10[16] |
Next Generation reviewed the game, rating it two stars out of five, and stated that "It's an interesting idea, done badly."[10] Entertainment Weekly gave the game an A−.[14]
References
edit- ^ "3DO Soft > 1994" (in Japanese). GAME Data Room. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
- ^ Wynne, Stuart (December 1994). "Profile: Crystal Dynamics – Gamers Extraordinaire". 3DO Magazine. No. 1. Paragon Publishing. pp. 22–23. Retrieved November 13, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ a b 3DO Magazine staff (December 1994). "Crystal Dynamics: Gamers Extraordinaire". 3DO Magazine. No. 1. Paragon Publishing. p. 22. ISSN 1355-9621.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Worley, Joyce and Chamberlain, Ross (April 1994). "Hotline: Crystal Dynamics Gets Magic Partner". Electronic Games. Vol. 2, no. 7. Decker Publications, Inc. p. 14. ISSN 0730-6687.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Crookes, David (January 2015). "From the Archives: PF.Magic". Retro Gamer. No. 196. Imagine Publishing. pp. 66–9. ISSN 1742-3155.
- ^ Thomasson, Michael (2009). "Interview: Rob Fulop". Good Deal Games. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- ^ Losee, Stephanie (July 11, 1994). "Information Technology: Fortune Checks Out 25 Cool Companies". Fortune. Vol. 130, no. 1. Fortune Media Group Holdings. p. 132. ISSN 0015-8259.
- ^ Semrad, Ed; Carpenter, Danyon; Manuel, Al; Williams, Ken (December 1994). "Review Crew - Pataank". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 65. Sendai Publishing. p. 44.
- ^ Mo, Slo (January 1995). "ProReview: PaTaank". GamePro. No. 66. IDG. p. 88.
- ^ a b "Finals - Pataank". Next Generation. No. 1. Imagine Media. January 1995. p. 90.
- ^ Wynne, Mark (1995–1996). "Review: PaTaank – Like the innovative Twister, PaTaank is another odd-ball, U.S.P. release, guaranteed to challenge even the most seasones gamesplayer's senses. It's Pinball, but not quite as you know it..." 3DO Magazine (Special Gold). No. 1. Paragon Publishing. p. 94.
- ^ "Pataank - 3DO Review". Coming Soon Magazine. No. 4. Coming Soon Magazine, Inc. March 1995. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- ^ Yates, Laurie (November 1994). "CD-ROM - PaTaank: Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing". Electronic Games. No. 60. Decker Publications. pp. 142–143.
- ^ a b Strauss, Bob (January 27, 1995). "Pataank". Entertainment Weekly. No. 259. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
- ^ "Tests Express... Pataank". Génération 4 (in French). No. 73. Computec Media France. January 1995. p. 166.
- ^ Dulin, Ron (January 1995). "Power Reviews: PaTaank – Finishing PaTaank only takes a few attempts". VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine. No. 72. Larry Flynt Publications. p. 71.
External links
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