There's one very important thing to remember before you consider purchasing this game - this game is NOT a modern release. That may seem obvious, but there are a lot of bells and whistles that we've come to expect, and you're not going to find them here. You're not going to get 14 alien-themed tables to hop from to and fro at your leisure. You get one table. You're not going to gain any cool upgrades or see the gameplay evolve. You're just aiming for a high score. Alien Crush is pinball at its purest - one table, three balls, and a hell of a lot of fun.

As soon as you get used to the "this is it??!" of it, Alien Crush is a strong contender for the "Most Fun On The Virtual Console So Far" award. The Giger-inspired table design, the surprisingly decent ball physics (given the time that this was made), the fantastic musical score - everything comes together to create a surprisingly engrossing experience. With a little practice you'll find a single game lasting you upwards of forty minutes, and you'll be so hooked by the time you lose that last ball that you'll want to start it all over again.

It's hard to believe a pinball game could be such a shining example of 16-bit game design, but unlike many of the games we look back on fondly only to be met with crushing disappointment when we revisit them, Alien Crush has stood the test of time. Let's just hope Hudson follows it up with a release of Devil's Crush mighty quick. I'm itchin' to get my pinball on.

This game is a perfect example of what works on the Virtual Console - a relatively unknown classic with solid gameplay that stands the test of time. With the exception of the lack of multiple tables possibly turning some gamers off, I'm finding it hard to find any flaws with this title. An example of 16-bit game design at its finest.

8 out of 10

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