As a kid, I wanted to check out new arcade locations just to see if there wasn't a Pinball machine. At the time Pinball tables were already being replaced by video game arcades. Home versions of Pinball existed but mostly lacked on all fronts. Pinball Fantasies released in '92 was the closest to a real experience but it was still very far. At the time Williams tables dominated the Pinball scene so there wasn't a reason to play at home and I have very fond memories from playing on them.
Through the years many people forgot what Pinball is. One game studio - Zen Studioes - didn't forget and wanted to recreate the best Pinball experience. They created Pinball games for different platforms and became known for their realistic tables and physics. In 2016 they ventured into the world of VR releasing Pinball FX2. As many Oculus titles from 2016, the game was way ahead of its time and probably didn't get as much praise as it should. This year, a new VR game was released for Meta Quest headsets - Pinball FX VR - taking it to the next level.
When I launched the game for the first time and appeared in a basement full of Pinball tables, I reminisced of old times. I walked around, enjoyed the 80s atmosphere. Then I stood by a Williams table, Star Trek TNG, took out a coin and put it inside the coin door. The machine suddenly came to life and I could start my first game playing on a virtual table. I put my hands on a real life controller, slightly bend over the virtual table and shoot the first virtual ball. The game provided me with real life physics, authentic sound, and various special effects reminding me that I was in virtual reality. Enterprise floated on the right side of the table and was attacked by a Romulan or Klingon ship when I lost the game. When I was about to shoot asteroids, they spawned above the table and when I shoot them in game they exploded. I thought the special effects would be distracting but they added more to the virtual experience and I came to appreciate them (but they can also be turned off for those that prefer to play without the effects).
Apart from spatial special effects the game also brings different kind of challenges and achievements that give players more reasons to come back to the game and experience it with a different perspective in mind than just getting a high score. There are leaderboards for all the high scores one can get and it is possible to see how your friends are doing and how well you do compared to the rest of the world.
The digitized real life tables are exact replicas as the machines were taken apart and scanned part by part. The audio also comes from the machines. The physics is as close as it gets which is very important as Pinball is a game of skill. In VR this is twice as important. Those not ready for a Williams table action might experience the harsh physics and quick game over. Thankfully losing a credit in Pinball FX VR doesn't cost money and one can simply start another game. Considering a credit of one traditional Pinball game can cost 1-2 USD nowadays instead of quarter from the past, buying a 10-15USD DLC is pretty cheap.
The base game features three Zen Studios tables - Curse of the Mummy, Sky Pirates: Treasures of the Clouds, and Pinball Noir. All of them are very well done and each of them has their own style both visually and game mechanically. Last month they released a DLC featuring two original Tomb Raider tables which both bring great unique experiences. Another DLC contains a selection from Universal Pinball: TV classics - Xena, Warrior Princess, Battlestar Galactica and Knight Rider.
The game has several DLCs featuring a digital replicas of a selection of Williams tables like Indiana Jones, Twilight Zone or Star Trek TNG. The newest DLC, Williams Pinball Volume 9 - features another batch of Williams tables - PIN-BOT, TAXI and WHO dunnit. Since the non-VR game features many more tables we can assume that more and more tables will find their way into the VR version.
Pinball FX VR is a game made with love. Zen Studios worked hard to bring authentic Pinball experience into the digital world and this game was truly made for virtual reality. Seeing the whole table in front of you and playing the game as one should, brings the experience to a whole new level. I hope that many new players will discover the world of Pinball and will enjoy Zen Studios tables and replicas of tables from decades ago.
