iPhone pachinko game

[sharmoni]

Sho Chiku Bai
** SALE!**
Sho Chiku Bai Lite has hit the Top 10 in the Japanese App Store, and to say thanks, we are running a limited time sale. Now you can get Sho Chiku Bai for nearly 40% off!

Pachinko -- the most popular game in Japan -- is now available on iPhone and iPod Touch! With its anime-style characters, vivid lights and animation, and authentic gameplay, Sho Chiku Bai is the closest thing to being in a pachinko parlor itself. And if you're new to pachinko, Sho Chiku Bai's instructions will give you the perfect introduction.

Sho Chiku Bai also features an original J-Pop single composed by Norihiko Hibino (Gem Impact, Inc.), famed composer from the Metal Gear Solid series!

Features:
- Japanese anime-style art and animation, with a theme based on Japanese culture.
- Authentic pachinko gameplay, with a realistic physics engine and true pachinko rules.
- Features the original J-Pop song "Sho Chiku Bai" by Norihiko Hibino of Metal Gear Solid fame.
- Unlockable character art, board designs, and more!
- Presented in the original Japanese with English menus and instructions.

This game is a pretty good simulation of a modern digi-pachi, with wonderful graphics and music. Here's the link to a typical Japanese pachinko ad featuring only the song and graphics—no shot of the machine at all: Mission One.

The balls are very kinetic and you can leave the handle on and just watch the numbers spin and hope for reaches. Many funny little reach cartoons of cats trying to catch birds as the numbers roll on the screen. If you hit the fever you get to see an animation of the girl singing the theme song. Once you win enough balls your prizes are new backgrounds, anime characters and artwork for your iPhone or iPod touch.

Room for improvement: handle can never quite be set to bounce balls off the top pin so they have a chance of going down either side. Also the handle obscures the playfield, where it would be better (and more authentic) to have it on top of the part of the window showing the balls falling in the tray. At least it does collapse out of sight, but again, since you can't set the handle in a really good spot, you have to keep it open with your finger in the way of the right side of the playfield.