Pinball FX is the newest installment in the long-running pinball game series from Zen Studios, succeeding the original Pinball FX (2007), Pinball FX2 (2010), and Pinball FX3 (2017).
Pinball FX features a growing collection of tables that includes recreations of classic Williams/Bally tables from the 1980s and 1990s, original designs with licenses from Marvel, Star Wars, Universal, other popular sources, and entirely unique unlicensed creations. Many tables from previous titles have been remastered and included.
Tables unsuitable for the age rating of Pinball FX are released in Pinball M.
Development
The new Pinball FX platform was released on the Epic Games Store in early access on March 31, 2022..[1][2] Development continued for the next year until its full release on February 16, 2023, on Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5, and the Epic Games Store[3]. The platform was released later on Steam on April 13, 2023[4], and on the Nintendo Switch on July 6, 2023[5], albeit with a limited roster. The Nintendo Switch version also has a hybrid of physics simulations and separate leaderboards.
Zen Studios' earlier pinball games were coded using their in-house PinFX engine. With Pinball FX, development was moved to Unreal Engine 4. The game features support for HDR, ray tracing, and upscaling, delivering enhanced visual fidelity compared to prior games. On all versions of Pinball FX, players can enable portrait mode, allowing the game to be displayed vertically rotated for a more authentic pinball machine experience.
The game includes a cabinet mode designed for players with custom-built physical pinball cabinets featuring two or three video screens. On desktop PCs, this mode also allows users to display a custom backglass image on a second monitor.
Individual tables typically require about nine months to develop following the initial licensing agreements, which can take several years to finalise. For recreations of Williams/Bally tables, the originals are often sourced from the Budapest pinball museum. As a result, a percentage of sales from the Charity Pack is donated to the museum, with the remainder supporting Project Pinball[6].
Remastered and Williams tables use a DMD type display with animations made from dots; most newer tables use a LCD type display which on some tables incorporates video clips.
Marketing
During development and early access, The Pinball Show was hosted monthly on YouTube by Bobby Marsh and Rose Camara, beginning in January 2021[7]. The show often featured questions and answers with COO Mel Kirk and a "Let’s Ask Akos" segment with Marketing Manager Akos Györkei. Future table hints were often embedded in background details, and the final episode featured a preview of The Addams Family table.
After the release of Pinball FX, The Pinball Show was transitioned to Pinball Bites, a series of shorter announcement videos, hosted by Akos and Linne (Zen’s Community Manager). Following Akos’s departure in 2024, Linne, now Marketing Manager, was joined by co-host and Community Manager, Balti[8]. Linne also regularly streams new tables on the official Twitch channel[9].
Mel Kirk has also given annual interviews on the BlahCade pinball podcast[10], providing recaps of the year and insights into Zen Studios' plans for Pinball FX and related projects going forward.
Purchasing
The base game is free and includes three fully playable tables, with time-limited trials for sampling others. Additional tables are sold individually, in packs, or in larger bundles/collections as DLC. On Steam, a legacy bundle system offers discounts for players who purchased tables in Pinball FX3 on Steam and are repurchasing the same titles in Pinball FX. Pinball FX3 remains available for purchase on all platforms except the Epic Games Store.
As of December 2024, Zen began offering remastered tables on Nintendo Switch at no cost to players who previously owned the FX3 versions. Similar approaches may be considered on other platforms, subject to platform holder approval.
During early access, tables were purchased using a ticket system involving in-game currency[11], which was intended to allow for cross-platform access. However, due to platform limitations and fan feedback[12], this was abandoned before full release in favour of platform-specific DLC, with free table transfers offered to early access buyers. A subscription model, Pinball Pass, allowed access to many tables for a monthly or yearly fee[12] but was discontinued in 2024 due to limited popularity and lack of cross-platform functionality.
Gameplay
In addition to standard 3-ball games, 1-ball and time challenges return from Pinball FX3, with flips and distance challenges new to Pinball FX.
The Nintendo Switch version has its own leaderboards, but leaderboards on all other platforms are unified, a change from Pinball FX3.
All tables feature "realistic" physics, while tables released after December 7, 2023, also include a more forgiving "normal" physics option.
Like in Pinball FX3, Williams/Bally tables can be played in two visual modes: a classic mode that replicates the realistic appearance of the original pinball machines and an enhanced mode that adds animated elements and effects. Players can toggle between these modes during gameplay.
Tournaments
Zen tournaments, called Events, award season points that unlock collectibles. Each season lasts three months.
Player-created tournaments are listed under the Tournaments section and can be filtered using various criteria. An assigned 4-character alphanumeric code can also be shared and typed in for direct access to a specific tournament. Some third-party tournaments are regularly announced on the official Discord server and subreddit.
PinHall
The PinHall is a customizable space where collectibles can be displayed, a concept which was first used a year earlier in Star Wars Pinball VR[13]. Items include small objects for shelves, large statues, carpets, posters, and trophies earned in Grand Tournament events. These collectibles can be obtained from playing the tables, or from questlines - each a series of 10 challenges across 3 tables.
The pinhall is also used as the environment to show tables before they are played, showing off the cabinet art.
Table List
As of December 2024, Pinball FX features 130 tables on Steam and 132 on PlayStation, Xbox, and Epic Games Store. The discrepancy arises because System Shock and Camp Bloodbrook are currently exclusive to Pinball M on Steam. The Nintendo Switch has a smaller library, as some older tables have not been ported to the platform; however, all tables not carried forward from FX3 have been released on it.
Note: EAL indicates table was released at launch of early access, and EA indicated it was launched within early access
"Pack" refers to the table pack on Steam; some remastered tables are included in larger collections on other platforms. Zen Originals are tables created by Zen Studios without third-party IP. Williams tables are digital recreations of physical tables by Williams/Bally, some of which include additional third-party licenses. Wild Cards are standalone tables based on individual IPs, grouped into a general category.
Reception
Early feedback during the Pinball FX early access period was mixed, with criticism focusing on performance issues and certain design choices[14] However, subsequent updates addressed many of these concerns. Notably, a patch on May 5, 2022, improved performance and upgraded lighting, while the addition of numerous remastered and new tables throughout 2022 and into 2023 - including the highly regarded The Addams Family helped bolster its appeal.
By the time of its full release on February 16, 2023, the removal of the unpopular ticket system further improved public perception.
Critical reception following the full release was more favorable. Gaming Nexus awarded the game an 8/10, praising its extensive table library and gameplay improvements.[15] Meanwhile, Game Critics gave it a more reserved score of 6.5/10, reflecting ongoing debates about pricing models and content value[16] , and Push Square took issue with the high price of the (later removed) pinball pass[17] while appreciating the improvement in remastered tables leading to a score of 6/10. Other reviews included softpedia[18] and PS Universe[19] who both gave the game 8.5/10, and Gaming Age[20] who gave it a "grade A". Overall the game has a Metacritic score of 74%[21], and 69% average rating on Open Critic[22]. A YouTube video titled "Pinball FX | Is It Way Too Expensive OR The Best Value in Gaming?" highlighted the pricing debate but ultimately concluded that the game offers excellent value, particularly during sales.[23]
On Steam, initial user reviews were mixed but have steadily improved over time as new tables and features have been added. The game's evolving reception underscores its ability to address community feedback effectively.[24]
For in-depth analysis of individual tables, The Pinball Chick provides detailed reviews and ratings from her pinball-playing family, offering valuable insights for enthusiasts.[25]
Pinball M is Zen's pinball platform for tables not suitable for the PEGI 12 (T for Teen) rating of Pinball FX. A few Pinball M tables have had the gore reduced for a less bloody version and simultaneously released in Pinball FX (with cross-buy between the 2 platforms on consoles and Epic).
It was released on November 30, 2023[26] for Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5, and the Epic Games Store; with the Nintendo Switch version following on December 28, 2023[27]. Wrath of the Elder Gods: Director's Cut released as a free table for Pinball M, all other tables are bought as single table DLC, with an optional bundle for 4 of the tables.
In addition to 3-ball games and the 4 challenge modes in Pinball FX, there are 5 further challenge modes, including one with limited lighting, and another to reach ever increasing score targets within a time limit.
Each table has its own play corner with cosmetics that can be unlocked by playing campaign challenges. Tokens are obtained by playing the game which can be used to unlock further cosmetics including alternate table cabinet designs, flippers, ball skins, sounds, and lights. Each table has 3 achievements.
The game features 3 daily limited-attempt challenges; in addition there are player created tournaments similar to those in Pinball FX.
Push Square rated the game at 7/10[28] rating all 5 of the launch tables as excellent. Gaming Nexus rated it more highly at 8.5/10[29] enjoying the levelling up and cosmetic system. Eurogamer appreciated the improved physics, but preferred some of the classic Williams tables such as Attack from Mars.[30]
Other Related Games
Zen Pinball World (released December 12, 2024)[31] is the new mobile platform featuring many tables released in Pinball FX. Additional releases for mobile include Zen Pinball Party (released September 3, 2021)[32] on Apple Arcade and Pinball Masters (released on February 12, 2024)[33] as a part of Netflix games.
ATGames has partnered with Zen Studios to release many Pinball FX tables on the range of Legends 4K pinball machines.[34] These are full-sized physical pinball machines with a playfield monitor, backglass monitor, and DMD. The ATGames platform also includes recreations of Gottlieb games as featured in The Pinball Arcade, tables from Magic Pixel's Zaccaria Pinball, and ATGames original tables made by Magic Pixel.
Related Research Articles
The Addams Family is a pinball machine released in March 1992. It was designed by Pat Lawlor and Larry DeMar and released by Midway. It was based on the 1991 film of the same name, and features custom speech by the stars of the film, Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia. It is the best-selling solid state pinball machine of all time with 20,270 units sold.
Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure is a 1993 widebody pinball game designed by Mark Ritchie and released by Williams. It was based on the first three Indiana Jones movies. It was also part of WMS' SuperPin series of widebody games.
Pinball FX is a pinball machine video game for the Xbox 360. It was developed by Zen Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released on April 25, 2007 via the Xbox Live Arcade service. The game features three tables, with six more available as downloadable content, leaderboards and online multiplayer. A sequel to the game, Pinball FX 2 was released on October 27, 2010.
Monster Bash is a pinball machine produced by Williams. The game features some Universal Monsters including The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein's monster, the Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy.
South Park is a 1999 pinball game based on the American adult animated sitcom of the same name and released by Sega Pinball.
Zen Studios is a Hungarian video game developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software with headquarters in Budapest, Hungary and offices in the United States. It is known for its game franchises, Pinball FX and Zen Pinball, as well as CastleStorm, a tower defense hybrid which received the Apple Store's Editor’s Choice award. The company is considered "synonymous with licensed pinball tables," having produced well over a hundred tables with characters and themes from the Star Wars and Marvel universes, films like Guardians of the Galaxy, TV series like Archer, South Park, Family Guy and Bob's Burgers, and video game franchises such as Plants vs. Zombies, Portal, Street Fighter, and The Walking Dead.
Several video games and genres have been created as a result of the release of the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial based on the story and themes of the original game.
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Zen Pinball is a series of pinball machine video games developed and published by Zen Studios. It was originally released on iOS as two separate applications, each containing one table; Zen Pinball: Rollercoaster, released July 7, 2008, and Zen Pinball: Inferno, released October 31, 2008. Zen Pinball for the PlayStation 3 features four tables, plus an additional six tables as downloadable content. It was released on the PlayStation Network on May 14, 2009. It is the non-Microsoft counterpart to the Pinball FX series on the Xbox 360, and the first pinball game on the PlayStation 3. The game was also released on Android devices as Zen Pinball THD on December 1, 2011, and the Nintendo 3DS as Zen Pinball 3D via the Nintendo eShop on December 1, 2011 in Europe and January 12, 2012 in North America.
Pinball FX 2 is a pinball video game for Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows and is the sequel to Pinball FX. It was developed by Zen Studios and published by Microsoft Studios. It was released on October 27, 2010, via the Xbox Live Arcade service. The game includes several new features, such as local multiplayer and the ability to tweak table settings. Players can also import all of the tables from Pinball FX they had previously purchased. The Windows 8 version of Pinball FX 2 was released on the Windows Store on October 27, 2012, two years after the original XBLA release. The game was subsequently released for other Windows platforms via Steam on May 10, 2013. Pinball FX 2 was announced for Windows Phone in February 2012. A sequel, Pinball FX 3 was released in September 2017.
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The Pinball Arcade is a pinball video game developed by FarSight Studios. The game is a simulated collection of 100 real pinball tables licensed by Gottlieb, Alvin G. and Company, and Stern Pinball, a company which also owns the rights of machines from Data East and Sega Pinball. Williams and Bally games are no longer available since June 30, 2018, as FarSight had lost the license to WMS properties, which has since passed to Zen Studios.
Tales of the Arabian Nights is a 1996 pinball machine produced by Williams. The game is based on the stories of One Thousand and One Nights and features a blue jinn. The marketing slogan is "Your Wish is Granted".
CastleStorm is a 2013 game developed by Zen Studios for Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and Wii U. A remastered version titled CastleStorm: Definitive Edition was released in 2014 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A free-to-play mobile version titled CastleStorm: Free to Siege was released in 2014 for Amazon, Android, and iOS. The game also received a virtual reality adaptation for Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, and PlayStation VR. A sequel titled CastleStorm 2 was released on July 31, 2020.
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