Zen Pinball Review (Sony Playstation Network)

What is it about a game that revolves around two mechanical flippers that makes it so darn appealing and timeless? Maybe, it’s the bright flashing lights or the movement of a round silver ball that moves, seemingly, at the speed of light. Or, it could be the fact that nudging the actual board to manipulate the game is actually considered “okay.” Then again it could be that this is the one game that you can call by a million other names, dress it up in different colors, change around the entire scoring system by redressing the entire game board and still end up with the same fundamental game at its core.

I’m referring to Pinball of course: a game that urges you to play wherever and whenever you see it. The game has come long way since the 4-legged monstrosity that was the graced soda shops and arcades where Centipede was king. Pinball has found a home in the digital era. I still remember the first digital game of Pinball I played, it came packed with Windows 98 and I played it in my school’s computer lab every time I got an excuse to cut out of class. But, Pinball on Windows 98 is a refuge of the 2D era, and we live in a 3D world.

Now, thanks to the folks at Zen Studios, Zen Pinball has made its glorious debut on the PS3’s Playstation Network (PSN). Zen Pinball is a 3D game with all the bells and whistles that made you fall in love with the classic gears, bumpers, springs and lights of the mechanical game.

The game features four tables: V12, Tesla, Shaman and El Dorado. Each table’s theme fits its name and is beautifully depicted with vibrant colors and detailed graphics. So, when you play Shaman everything from the tribal idols to the Voice Over to the ambient animal sound gives you the impression of being at the front door of a jungle witchdoctor.

Stunning Graphics, Just Beware the Power of the Tiki Statue!

Each board is packed with several hidden secrets and unique ways to score, like getting lost in the jungle on Shaman. Zen Studios is also promising more boards available as DLC (downloadable content) in the future. The Realistic Operators Menu is designed to look like an official pinball table. You can also change your view of the table from several different options in case you’d prefer the camera to follow the movements of the ball, get an overhead view, or simply have the camera sit calmly behind the flippers. Gamers can even give the table a little nudge with the left-analogue stick.

What’s really unique about this game is its fully immersive experience in the PSN. While you’re navigating through the menus, Zen Pinball totes a scrolling ticker at the bottom of the screen to alert you to real time updates of other PSN members’ Pinball achievements. Even the leaderboard here is unique. Gamers compete for the highest score obtained in a single minute of play and score speed, scoring average per second.

And, now the coup de gras: the Zen Pinball multiplayer is great. Gamers can compete either online or locally in 4 person matches. In the local multiplayer, you exchange turns with your opponents much like in an actual Pinball contest. While, in the online multiplayer, you can either meet up with a friend or joint a game in progress with three strangers. In online play, gamers compete against one another simultaneously as they race to get to that matches scoring objective. There are also Tournaments that show up on the PSN. This really makes Zen Pinball rock. Just bear in mind that load times can be outrageously long. But, the end result is a ton of fun.

If you get sick of the in game music, you can just tap into your Operators’ Menu and swap in your favorite music.

Zen Pinball is an exciting, addictive and visually stunning remake of the classic Pinball machine. The multiplayer and online tourneys make this one title worth picking up, as it will provide hours of ongoing fun. Hardcore gamers can even adjust the difficulty for an added challenge. So kickback on the PSN; and, get retro with Zen Pinball.