I’ve always loved pinball, and by extension their video game reproductions. When Zen Studios’ Pinball FX was announced for Xbox Live Arcade, and the screenshots released, I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on it. Unfortunately, the game has proven to be far from perfect. Inaccurate physics and poor layouts for two of the three game boards, means 800 points may be asking a lot from most gamers. Though this is the first pinball game for the Xbox 360, many people will want to wait for the next one.
Good physics make for a good pinball game, but Zen Studios incorporated some questionable physics in Pinball FX. The ball has a tendency to take off like a rocket, especially off the flippers. The flipper-to-flipper pass is the best tool in a pinball player’s arsenal, but because the ball plays so light, this is entirely impossible to pull off. There is no way to finesse the ball; its entirely brute force. Spin affects the ball much more than in a genuine pinball machine, and using the left stick to nudge the table is, for the most part, ineffective.
The first, and probably most enjoyable pinball board is the race inspired Speed Machine. This board features a wide-open center, several ramps, and side challenges that are easier to complete than the other two boards. The player can quickly rack up points with by completing the Stunt Challenge (hitting bumpers), the dB Challenge (spinning the spinner as many times as possible), the Escape Challenge (using a certain ramp), along with a few others. Don’t get the impression that Speed Machine is too easy; there are still a few challenges that will require some skill and a little luck to complete.
The second table is a two level board called Extreme, based mostly on skateboarding; with a few other extreme sports elements mixed in. This board features a somewhat annoying and repetitive soundtrack, with some equally annoying sound effects. The upper level takes up a large portion of the play surface, but it is difficult to get a ball up there, and more difficult to keep it there. Your ball will consistently go through the lower tier loop, rather than hit the spot you are aiming for.
