Play Pinball World Online

You pick your table by launching the ball at it, then bounce between secret bonus stages when you hit just the right combo—neon chaos one minute, ancient Egypt the next.

Developer: 21st Century Entertainment Ltd.

Released: 1995

File size: 6.13 MB

Game Overview

Pinball World is one of those MS-DOS gems that actually makes you forget you're playing on a keyboard. Instead of the usual four tables, you get nine—each with its own vibe, from the neon chaos of New York to the icy ramps of the North Pole. You start on this weird menu table where you actually shoot the ball at your destination of choice, which already feels cooler than just clicking through options.

What really hooked me were the secret links between tables. Hit the right combo of bumpers in Africa, and suddenly you're bouncing through an Egypt-themed bonus stage. The tables aren't just pretty backdrops either—Hollywood's got these film-reel ramps that actually change the playfield if you nail the shot. It's got that '90s digital pinball jank, sure, but in a way that makes the surprises feel earned.

If you've ever lost an afternoon to a real pinball machine, this one's worth digging up from the DOS archives.

Each game uses different controls, most DOS games use the keyboard arrows. Some will use the mouse , "Alt" ,"Enter" and "Space bar".