Balls of Steel PC Review
Balls of Steel for PC is a 1997 pinball game that trades subtlety for swagger, and realism for ridiculousness. Developed by Australian game development company Wildfire Studios and published by Apogee (yes, the same crew behind Duke Nukem), Balls of Steel is a loud, fast, unapologetically over-the-top pinball experience. It aims less for simulation accuracy and more for arcade-style fun – with a side of wisecracks, explosions, and chaos.
The game features five unique tables: Darkside, Barbarian, Firestorm, Mutation Zone, and the infamous Duke Nukem table. Each one offers a distinct theme and layout, filled with ramps, bumpers, animated targets, and multi-ball madness. The Duke Nukem table in particular is packed with attitude, featuring voice lines from the man himself and enough testosterone to power a mid-90s action movie marathon.
Gameplay is tight and responsive, with surprisingly accurate ball physics for its time. The pinball flipper control feels sharp, and the ball movement, while slightly more forgiving than real-world pinball, still requires skill and timing. There’s a nice balance of challenge and accessibility here. Novices can have fun lighting up the playfield, while more advanced players will find depth in chasing combos, missions, and high scores.
Each table has its own objectives and scoring strategies, and many feature creative mini-games or triggered events that elevate the experience beyond simply keeping the ball alive. Firestorm, for instance, is loaded with fiery effects and destruction-themed missions, while Mutation Zone leans into science fiction weirdness, complete with mutating hazards and strange animations. The designs aren’t just visually distinct – they play differently too, with varied shot layouts and mission types.
Visually, Balls of Steel goes for a crisp, colorful, 2D look with hand-drawn playfields and animated elements that pop when activated. While the game isn’t in full 3D, the pseudo-perspective and detailed art do a great job of making each table feel dynamic. It’s not quite up there with modern pinball sims in terms of realism, but it’s stylish, fun, and full of personality.
The audio design is pure 90s arcade energy. Explosions, callouts, synthesized music, and plenty of Duke Nukem quotes create a sensory overload that suits the game’s tone. It’s not subtle, but that’s kind of the point. This is pinball turned up to eleven.
If there’s a downside, it’s that the game can get a little repetitive over long sessions, especially if you’re not chasing leaderboard scores. The humor and bombastic style might also wear thin if you’re not in the mood for it. And while the tables are fun, the lack of licensed real-world machines may be a downside for hardcore pinball simulation fans.
Still, Balls of Steel delivers exactly what its title promises: bold, brash pinball with attitude. It’s not trying to be Pinball FX or a detailed emulation of a real machine. It’s just here to have a blast, break stuff, and talk trash while doing it. If you’re into pinball and want something less traditional and more chaotic, this one’s worth firing up. Groovy.
Pinball Game Hints and Cheats
Cow and easy points:
On the following tables, perform the corresponding tasks to display a picture of a cow on the scoreboard dot panel. When it appears, quickly press HOME before it disappears to get a large number of points.
TABLE – HOW TO UNLOCK
Darkside – Bounce the ball between the slingshot bumpers many times.
Barbarian – Light the “K” in the “K-E-Y” targets, then shoot the Blade of Power.
Firestorm – Spell “BOB” with the “BOMB” targets. Note – Rotating the lights will not work.
Duke Nukem – Knock the ball back down the elevator from the upper table.
Mutation – Have both in-lane lights lit when you get the kickback.
Warcraft easter egg:
Press PRINT SCREEN repeatedly to enable the cheat screen. The Genie will make some Warcraft references. Note: Doing this too many times will disable the cheat screen.
Cheat Codes:
Press “PRINT SCREEN”, then activate the following cheats by entering the corresponding codes during game play on the indicated tables:
CHEAT FUNCTION – TABLE – CHEAT CODE
Toggle ball blocker – (Any) – grand canyon
Set to final ball – (Any) – last legs
Time increased – (Any) – morlock
Time reduced – (Any) – eloi
Points added – (Any) – pitchfork
Video modes ready – (Any) – couch potato
Powerball enabled – (Any) – warp core
Decision ready – Darkside – whodunnit
Kickbacks recharged – Darkside – bucket
2-ball ready – Darkside – evil twin
Extra ball lit – Darkside – freakshow
Super cannon ready – Darkside – nerf gun
Super pops lit – Darkside – popcorn
Crawler attack lit – Darkside – roach motel
Target practice ready – Darkside – t-minus 1
Bug hunt ready – Darkside – t-minus 2
Guard duty ready – Darkside – t-minus 3
Xenophobia ready – Darkside – t-minus 4
Meteor storm ready – Darkside – t-minus 5
Rescue ready – Darkside – t-minus 6
Showdown ready – Darkside – t-minus 7
Final assault ready – Darkside – t-minus 8
3-ball ready – Darkside – triplets
Mystery ready – Duke Nukem – whodunnit
Kickbacks recharged – Duke Nukem – bucket
Extra ball lit – Duke Nukem – freakshow
All keys – Duke Nukem – gatekeeper
Pickups – Duke Nukem – meat market
Come get some mode – Duke Nukem – t-minus 1
Let god sort’em out mode – Duke Nukem – t-minus 2
Nukem’ til they glow mode – Duke Nukem – t-minus 3
Blast’em into space mode – Duke Nukem – t-minus 4
Hail to the King, Baby mode – Duke Nukem – t-minus 5
More guts, more glory mode – Duke Nukem – t-minus 6
Final Duke mode – Duke Nukem – t-minus 7
3-ball ready – Duke Nukem – triplets
Mystery lit – Firestorm – whodunnit
Kickbacks relit – Firestorm – bucket
2-ball ready – Firestorm – evil twin
Extra ball lit – Firestorm – freakshow
Car chase ready – Firestorm – road rage
Countdown – Firestorm – t-minus 1
Freeway chaos – Firestorm – t-minus 2
Bomb Scare – Firestorm – t-minus 3
Waterfront mode – Firestorm – t-minus 4
Airport mode – Firestorm – t-minus 5
Subway Alert – Firestorm – t-minus 6
Arson Attack – Firestorm – t-minus 7
Firestorm – Firestorm – t-minus 8
3-ball ready – Firestorm – triplets
Gift of the Gods – Barbarian – whodunnit
Death Savers lit – Barbarian – bucket
Extra ball lit – Barbarian – freakshow
Earth mode – Barbarian – dry
Air mode – Barbarian – cool
Fire mode – Barbarian – hot
Water mode – Barbarian – wet
Portal mode – Barbarian – yorick
Citadel ready – Barbarian – new york
Diamond mode – Barbarian – t-minus 1
Sapphire mode – Barbarian – t-minus 2
Ruby mode – Barbarian – t-minus 3
Opal mode – Barbarian – t-minus 4
Emerald mode – Barbarian – t-minus 5
Blade mode – Barbarian – t-minus 6
3-ball ready – Barbarian – triplets
Mystery award lit – Mutation – whodunnit
Kickbacks relit – Mutation – bucket
2-ball ready – Mutation – evil twin
Extra ball lit – Mutation – freakshow
Super pops lit – Mutation – popcorn
Toxic Spores lit – Mutation – toadstool
Red Alert lit – Mutation – t-minus 1
Atom smashing lit – Mutation – t-minus 2
Feed the Beasts lit – Mutation – t-minus 3
High Voltage lit – Mutation – t-minus 4
Radiation leak lit – Mutation – t-minus 5
Mutation lit – Mutation – t-minus 6
Outbreak lit – Mutation – t-minus 7
3-ball ready – Mutation – triplets