Review: Pinball FX [Xbox 360]

Ah, the joy of Pinball. It was one genre that Xbox Live Arcade was missing, but now Zen Studios has brought us Pinball FX, a three table pinball game with high def graphics and great sound.

Graphics: 80/100
The visuals are really nice in this game, and the high def graphics really give it polish. The themed tables are great, with all the gimmicks and tricks we all remember from the good old days of pinball. The only thing that is a real issue is that there is a lot going on in game. The flashing lights and other visual delights can sometimes distract you from paying attention to your ball though it’s not that much of an issue when you get use to all that is going on.

Sound: 90/100
The sounds are great especially if you have a 5.1 stereo system hooked up, you will really get the impression your playing a real pinball machine as the sounds are exactly what you would expect to hear in the heat of a game. The sounds of the ball hitting the bumpers and the themed sound effects will really draw you in and the music is quite nice as well.

Gameplay: 70/100
The gameplay is without a doubt solid, and the controls are great with the perfect placement of the left and right triggers on the controller for the bumpers. Also the game supports a tilt function if your ball should get stuck via the d-pad, also like a real machine over do it and you will tilt the game costing you a ball, adds to the realism quite nicely. As with most Pinball machines this game also suffers from the cheap placement of some objects on the boards, so you’ll have those moments where one ball will bounce off of a barrier and down between your bumpers for a Ball Out. In particular the Hardcore board has the worst setup of the 3 boards included with a rather large section where you’ll find your ball getting stuck most of the time. Otherwise the game plays great and the minor annoyances can be overlooked.

Replay: 68/100
The game is like any other Pinball game in the way it plays, there is not necessarily anything new added to the formula but thats not necessarily a bad thing either. The genre has passed the test of time and doesn’t need to be changed but a little originality in the themes and layout of the tables is always a welcome factor in a great pinball game and Pinball FX meets that requirement in my opinion. The lack of more tables though does put a hamper on the replay value of this game in the long run though the new table Buccaneers was released and for free and I must say the board is fantastic! If Zen gives us more tables then this game will not get old as fast.

Overall this game is a must have if your looking for a Pinball game for your 360, though it only having 3 boards knocked it down a bit but with the release of the great Buccaneer table adds to the overall replay value of this game.