A decent pinball game from Amtex that is short on graphics and animation but long on gameplay, Tristan Pinball is billed as a "solid state pinball simulation," and it actually comes quite close to that claim.
The game brings many innovations in real pinball tables to the computer screen for the first time, including Multiball, Double Scoring, Time Features, and many surprises. Ball physics are reasonably realistic, and the manual even includes primer on basic pinball skills (e.g. double flip, deflect pass, beat down, and nudging) that can be used in the game. There is only one table, and a very standard, blocky one at that, but the game more than makes up for this lack of variety and graphics by excellent ball controls and true-to-life pinball physics.
Overall, Tristan Pinball is one of those games that seem very boring and average by today's standards. However, it deserves recognition as being one of the first true pinball simulation games that bring many features to the PC for the first time. Recommended for its historical significance, even if you'll get bored with the table.
Review By HOTUD
English 
Comments and reviews
I played this Tristan back in time, was a pirate copy, altough, It was fu for some minutes, I dind´t know It had so many new improvements over the classical Pinball video games.
Keys are Enter to launch, flippers controlled with Left Shift and Right Shift.
DOSBox needs cycles=max
Never played it until now. But man is its good. Sometimes simple is better
Can't seem to figure out which keys operate the flippers. Tried Z and / as called for in the Mac version of the manual, but those don't seem to work with Win 10.
Many moons ago I played one game for 2 solid hours. It was like a trance. The highscore was off the chart. I never played it since.
Not the best and not the first pinball for DOS.
The first were Macadam Bumper, Night Mission Pinball v3.0 and Pinball Magic.
This must be the first good pinball game for computers. Before this one, you had stuff like Pinball Construction Set and Night Mission Pinball, and various others with even more questionable ball physics. My very first pinball game was Macadam Bumper (Amstrad CPC), and some years later Pinball Dreams (Amiga 500). Until I found this game, I thought PD was the first good simulation, but this one came out a year earlier.
Anyway, I grew up playing real pinball tables in the 80's, and this one feels very authentic. It's one of the games I always have installed in dosbox, and keep going back to now and again for a quick game, or a dozen.
Apparently I am the only one who didn't like this pinball game. Then again, I grew up with games like slam tilt, Epic Pinball, Silverball and the like and got this one later.
I used to love this game, please let it come without any irrating semi-virus programs that I don't want or need.
One of my first games I played on PC.
The manual for the game is needed to play...
and they only have MAC version:
http://www.littlewingpinball.com/doc/en/gameinfo/tristan/index.html
where is the manual?
Geweldig spel
Wow, that game remembers oooold memories :P
Do you have a LIFE?
very good
No comment nor review for this game at the moment.