"SHIVER ME TIMBERS! ALL ABOARD THE BLACK ROSE!" This classic from the 90's has the player attempting to sink the ships of his fellow pirates and take the treasure for themselves. Multiball and SINK SHIP are the main goals.
ARTWORK/GRAPHICS: Pat McMahon has done some great work here. The backglass above and the table itself instantly attracts, with its vibrant colors and action sequence at hand. You feel like you're in this world when you stop and play a game. The table's art tells you everything you need to know about the game clearly and cleanly.
GAME DESIGN: The game contains two ramps and multiple scoops for various modes. The game has multiple video modes, which is uncommon but welcome. The table is designed well and provides a challenging but fair difficulty. The cannonball mechanism is a nice addition and brings with it multiple modes as well. I give the games design a thumbs up.
DIFFICULTY: This one isn't too bad. As I said, the ramps are easy enough, however the cannon and broadside mechanisms are a bit of a challenge to pull off. They require medium to high skill during the game's heavier moments. It's very easy to drain balls on this one as the broadside area is a little cluttered, a little more than I think should be.
GAMEPLAY: 'Black Rose' feels very smooth when playing. Even though the game requires some previous experience, it's easier to learn and much more forgiving than other pins. The skill shot is frustrating to me personally since it looks much easier said than done. Activating the majority of modes is easy enough and quite fun when you see the results. The goal is to sink multiple enemy ships, a task that I have yet to see anyone accomplish, but that's just me. Overall, gameplay gets a thumbs up.
OVERALL: 'Black Rose' is a classic Bally title that seems difficult to find as of late, but luckily it's available on the 'PINBALL ARCADE' app and its well worth the 4.99 for endless pirate fun.
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