PaTaank

File:3DOIM PaTaank.png

{{Expand section|date=June 2020}}

Pataank is a pinball game where the player steers the pinball, hitting it into targets.

PaTaank 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.{{cite magazine | author=3DO Magazine staff | date=December 1994 | title=Crystal Dynamics: Gamers Extraordinaire | url=https://archive.org/details/3DOMagazineIssue10199605ParagonPublishingGB/3DO%20Magazine%20%2301%20%281994-12%29/page/n21/mode/1up | magazine=3DO Magazine | publisher=Paragon Publishing | issue=1 | page=22 | issn=1355-9621}} It was the first game signed to the company's publishing partner program for publishing, sales and distribution in early 1994.{{cite magazine | author=Worley, Joyce and Chamberlain, Ross | date=April 1994 | title=Hotline: Crystal Dynamics Gets Magic Partner | url=https://archive.org/details/Electronic-Games-1994-04/page/n13/mode/1up | magazine=Electronic Games | publisher=Decker Publications, Inc. | volume=2 | issue=7 | page=14 | issn=0730-6687}} 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.{{cite magazine | author=Crookes, David | date=January 2015 | title=From the Archives: PF.Magic | url=https://archive.org/details/retro-gamer-raspberry-pi-buenos-aires/Retro%20Gamer%20196/page/66/mode/2up | magazine=Retro Gamer | publisher=Imagine Publishing | issue=196 | pages=66–9 | issn=1742-3155}} 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."{{cite web | author=Thomasson, Michael | date=2009 | title=Interview: Rob Fulop | url=https://www.gooddealgames.com/interviews/int_Rob%20Fulop.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230912215807/https://www.gooddealgames.com/interviews/int_Rob%20Fulop.html | archive-date=September 12, 2023 | website=Good Deal Games | accessdate=August 11, 2024}} Fulop also stated that the concept of playing as the ball inside of a pinball machine may have been too innovative for its time. 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.{{cite magazine | author=Losee, Stephanie | date=July 11, 1994 | title=Information Technology: Fortune Checks Out 25 Cool Companies | url=https://archive.org/details/fortune130julluce/page/n139/mode/1up | magazine=Fortune | publisher=Fortune Media Group Holdings | volume=130 | issue=1 | page=132 | issn=0015-8259}}

{{Video game reviews

|EGM = 24/40{{cite magazine|last1=Semrad|first1=Ed|last2=Carpenter|first2=Danyon|last3=Manuel|first3=Al|last4=Williams|first4=Ken|url=https://archive.org/stream/Electronic_Gaming_Monthly_65#page/n47/mode/1up|title=Review Crew - Pataank|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=65|publisher=Sendai Publishing|date=December 1994|page=44}}

|GamePro = 17.5/20{{cite magazine|last=Mo|first=Slo|url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AGamePro_US_066.pdf&page=106|title=ProReview: PaTaank|magazine=GamePro|issue=66|publisher=IDG|date=January 1995|page=88}}

|NGen = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/stream/nextgen-issue-001/Next_Generation_Issue_001_January_1995#page/n95/mode/1up|title=Finals - Pataank|magazine=Next Generation|issue=1|publisher=Imagine Media|date=January 1995|page=90}}

|rev2 = 3DO Magazine

|rev2Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|last=Wynne|first=Mark|url=https://archive.org/stream/3-do-gold-01#page/94/mode/1up|title=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...|magazine=3DO Magazine|issue=1|type=Special Gold|publisher=Paragon Publishing|date=1995–1996|page=94}}

|rev3 = Coming Soon Magazine

|rev3Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.csoon.com/issue4/pataank_3do.html|title=Pataank - 3DO Review|magazine=Coming Soon Magazine|issue=4|publisher=Coming Soon Magazine, Inc.|date=March 1995|access-date=2020-06-06}}

|rev4 = Electronic Games

|rev4Score = D+{{cite magazine|last=Yates|first=Laurie|url=https://archive.org/stream/electronic-games-1994-11z#page/142/mode/1up|title=CD-ROM - PaTaank: Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing|magazine=Electronic Games|issue=60|publisher=Decker Publications|date=November 1994|pages=142–143}}

|rev5 = Entertainment Weekly

|rev5Score = A−{{cite magazine|last=Strauss|first=Bob|url=https://ew.com/article/1995/01/27/pataank/|title=Pataank|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|issue=259|publisher=Meredith Corporation|date=January 27, 1995|access-date=2020-06-06}}

|rev6 = Génération 4

|rev6Score = 8%{{cite magazine|url=http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Generation%204/generation4_numero073/generation%204%20-%20N073%20-%20%20janvier%201995%20-%20page166%20et%20page167.jpg|title=Tests Express... Pataank|magazine=Génération 4|issue=73|publisher=Computec Media France|date=January 1995|page=166|lang=fr}}

|rev7 = VideoGames

|rev7Score = 7/10{{cite magazine|last=Dulin|first=Ron|url=https://archive.org/stream/Video_Games_The_Ultimate_Gaming_Magazine_Issue_72_January_1995#page/n70/mode/1up|title=Power Reviews: PaTaank – Finishing PaTaank only takes a few attempts|magazine=VideoGames - The Ultimate Gaming Magazine|issue=72|publisher=Larry Flynt Publications|date=January 1995|page=71}}

}}

Next Generation reviewed the game, rating it two stars out of five, and stated that "It's an interesting idea, done badly." Entertainment Weekly gave the game an A−.

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{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/3do/584450-pataank PaTaank] at GameFAQs
• [https://www.giantbomb.com/pataank/3030-6692/ PaTaank] at Giant Bomb
• [https://www.mobygames.com/game/pataank PaTaank] at MobyGames

{{Portal bar|1990s|United States|Video games}}

Category:1994 video games

Category:3DO games

Category:3DO Interactive Multiplayer-only games

Category:BMG Interactive games

Category:Crystal Dynamics games

Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games

Category:PF.Magic games

Category:Pinball video games

Category:Video games developed in the United States

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