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The Pinball Thread


Sly Reflex
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In short, it's excellent. I'd have been happy for more of the same really, but Zen went above and beyond the call of duty here.

The 4 core tables are excellent. They each play differently, have good music and SFX. The SFX are stand out good, sounds like they recorded a real machine, the clunks, clicks and general pinball noises are spot on. The idea's they have put in this time are great as well, I get sick of playing racing style or horror tables, but not one of the 4 on offer fall into the typical genres you usually find with pinball tables. Whether you chose to pilot a submarine, play with genetics and create your own monster, travel the deserts in an Arabian themed table or fight through lots of Centurions battles. Each table is brimming with goals to hit and things to do.

The old tables are a mixed bag. Tables I used to beast all over I struggle to do now, maybe because I have the tricks and stuff ingrained into my mind I suffer because of it. The way the ball reacts can make some sure fire easy shots that you would do without thinking a full on fucking test. I have noticed that the ball reacts more realistically to the surface it is touching, slap saves cause the ball to spin now, and hitting the flipper from a distance seems to make the ball bounce more than you would be used to. However, that's the way these things work and it's something you would get used to. It's good news for the DLC tables with this physics model though, the old one would make Excalibur and to an extent Earth Defence force impossible to play do to the ball heading straight for the outlanes. This doesn't happen now, and Excalibur really shines as a table now you can play for more than it takes for you to piss your 3 balls away on bad design. I must note that the new skins they have given each old table are lovely, they have made them photo-realistic to a point and Zen must be commended for doing all this work when they really didn't have to. Again, Excalibur and Earth Defence Force really feel the benefit of having new skins, no longer to they look messy or so noisy you lose the ball on its travels. Some music and all SFX have been redone.

Other gameplay improvements include a proper plunger for launching the ball (assigned to right stick) along with better camera angles. I know a lot of people complained about the camera angles in FX, but they are sorted here. Some tables are best placed in certain views, but I find view 6 is probably the best of the lot for me. There is a slow motion function if you would like to use it, although it wont record your scores to leaderboards if you do use it. Speaking of which, the front end is amazingly well presented. Each table you own, along with trails for tables you don't own are all laid out, and as you put the cursor over them, it reels info off about everything you would need to know. Tiles also have a rosette for any table you own the tops score for on your friends list, along with up to 3 trophies signifying achievements you have unlocked. You can see which friends have which achievement by looking at the info panel that scrolls through various information. A nice feature is that you can press 'x' after beating somebody's score and send them a pre-written message telling them you just beat their best, something which Rob has been getting all night.

If you already have FX, then pick this up. It will cost you nothing and you will get a taste of what you are missing. If you have gotten DLC from FX, then it is a no brainer. However, if you have nothing then it is sort of hard to recommend. I mean you have 800 for the core tables, 800 for the old school tables, then 5 x 200 for the rest of the DLC tables. 2600 is a lot of money to drop on something and I can't see anyone who hasn't already dived in doing so.

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I download PFX2 and the Street Fighter trial, i got shit bored.

At least you tried it dude. If you don't try you don't know.

Spent the night hammering this and I am now top of every table in the game on my friendlist. It's pretty addictive and there is nothing that follows the feeling when you get a message from you taunting you on how they beat your best. Maybe sending one back saying that you beat their score. :D

I've noticed a glitch or something where the pad just constantly vibrates, which is really fucking annoying. Eventually I turned the vibration of as playing each session for 20 or 30 minutes with the constant revving of the motors in the controller is distracting. Hopefully Zen picked up on this and will patch it out.

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Got a good write-up on EG, thought you might like to read it, if you haven't already done:

All hail Zen Studios for ensuring that we can all officially shut the hell up about DICE's fantastic early '90s pinball games on the Amiga.

Simulating the ancient art of Pinball might seem like one of the most pointless wastes of time in the history of videogames, but put your preconceptions to one side, and you may be surprised at how much fun they can be. Especially when they've been lavished with as much lifelike attention to detail as Pinball FX 2.

Sensibly, you can try out each of the new tables for free, as well as updated versions of the four tables that featured in the 2007 original (backwardly compatible if you own the original), and new versions of the various downloadable ones as well (again, backwardly compatible if you've bought them already).

In all, you'll have access to 12 excellent tables, each now playable in the new split-screen mode, and benefitting from noticeably improved visuals and a spanking new physics model.

The real genius of this revamped version, though, is the new social gaming features, which lure you back in by letting you know when a friend has topped your score. Even in the two days between the game's release and writing the review, I couldn't help but make sure that EG's own Rich Leadbetter was comprehensively conquered.

Real pinball fanatics will be in tinkering heaven, too, thanks to the ability to fiddle endlessly with all manner of settings. Just don't get into a conversation with anyone who does this, ok?

If you've even vaguely have the urge to flip a steel ball around a pretend pinball table, then Zen have a little something for you. Just don't dare start beating my scores.

9/10

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There are 13 tables. Split screen only works with the 4 new 'core' tables, Apart from that he is correct. Best game to come out on XBLA this year imho. You'll spend more time than anything else that came out this year if you get into it, that's for sure.

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I downloaded the FX2 trial last night and imported my FX tables from when I bought it on a 50% off deal back along. I then proceeded to try out the new tables, and purchase the Street Fighter II one from the original Pinball FX DLC. Well, I think I'm going to end up getting all the others too. I was proper addicted last night, was meant to start Fable III but played loads of this instead. Brilliant.

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Giant Bomb Quick Look:

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Gerstmann knows his pinball, I have to agree with him, the SFII one looks boring.

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Yeah, sounds like he knows his stuff. I would also like them to do some real world tables, Victory by Gottlieb would be very nice thanks. Outside that I want to see more game tie in tables. They could do a hell of a lot with a Gears table as far as aesthetics and features go. I'd like to see tables from everything, maybe even package them into special edition of the actual game or something.

I quite like the SFII table, but that's mainly because it's SFII. Sly has an insanely high score on it also. Actually, that statement is correct for every table.

I'm with Ed on the SFII table it's excellent, although a little harsh. There is fuck loads to do on it as well, I have never finished it either so fuck knows what other features it hides deep down.

Smashing the car, the barrels and the wall.

Shooting the Akuma ramp and then hitting orbits and ramps to knock him out.

Getting Zangief dizzy then sucker punching him by hitting the mushrooms repeatedly.

Fighting Balrog after Akuma by getting a ball into the plane. You can also get a 3 times multiball by locking balls into the plane.

Fighting Vega, although I have no idea how the fuck I did this, but I assume you have to beat the other dudes first. I assume M.Bison is after that, or Sagat. Maybe both.

Lighting 'police' up via the orbits makes Chun Li fight Cammy.

Plus much more. Those are what I go for personally when playing, I know there are loads more like boarding the boat and you can do something with Blanka as well. I don't think I've ever come across a pinball table where I have understood 100% of all the features, or even known about them in some case. Also, the music on this table is excellent. It's a good table man, my top 2 DLC tables, the other being Rocky and Bullwinkle.

EDIT: I think the music to the SFII table might be a modified version of this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iof5pRAIZmw

EDIT 2: Now I'm not actually sure, it sounds like they ripped parts of it out, maybe the other bits are to do with other street fighters themes? I really have no idea, never been into SF all that much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fwb8lBz82s

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I hate the skate board table. I'm forever hitting the section between the holes and nothing good ever seems to happen to make you realise what it is that scores big.

That's the hardest table of the old ones imho. You have to light airwalk up, then put the ball in the sink hole. That starts the competition. Once that has started you do the tricks on the table and you have to beat a set score to come 1st. Rinse and repeat with the 1st place score getting higher and higher.I think I normally fail to get 1st place on the 3rd competition. I am not a fan of that table in general. The music is fucking wank too.

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  • 2 weeks later...

http://www.marvelpinball.com/

Marvel tables look like they are going to hit down in PBFX2.

First batch includes Wolverine, Spiderman, Ironman and Blade. Dunno what pricing they will follow, I am hoping 800 points for the lot.

You can vote for the table after from a selection of Captain America, The Hulk, Ghost Rider and the Fantastic Four.

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