Pinball FX3
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Pinball FX3 Trailers
Critic Reviews for Pinball FX3
Pinball FX 3 provides some new ways to enjoy your pinball collection, even if your rivalries are a bit more buried
Pinball FX 3 is a fantastic sequel and offers everything a fan of the series could hope for. It brings added sheen and shine to every conceivable area that was lacking in Pinball FX2. The true test of its longetivity will be in its forthcoming table packs but judging on the quality of the Universal Film Studios pack, we've nothing to be worried about.
I hope they patch these issues out because the game itself with progression, content, and the lovely gameplay is well worth checking out.
The overall fun on offer in Pinball FX3 really depends on the amount of coin dropped. Certain tables are made free from time to time, but in order to experience the entire package, purchases must be made. Digital pinball fans will likely lap up the amount of content on offer, whereas those who are testing the waters might find the purchase of a single table or package is enough to sustain them for a prolonged period. The developer's decision to stick with the existing DLC model means the player can select exactly which tables they want to play and completely ignore any that perhaps do not appeal to them. The choice on the level of investment in this game really does rest on the player.Anyone who is in the mood for a fun arcade take on the classic pinball genre will most certainly get the satisfaction they are seeking from Zen Studio's latest release. Even if it doesn't necessarily revolutionise the series, it still expands on it. In some cases it is hard to enhance given the source material. It has all the necessities including global leader boards, multiplayer action and fills each table with enough content to justify purchases – including challenges and a levelling system. With the game free to try out, there's no harm in downloading it and taking a look at what the definitive pinball experience on the market offers.
Pinball FX 3 is a decent step forward for Zen Studios' long appreciated pinball series. There are some fun new single player modes that provide multiple challenges, some competitive modes, and plenty of practice options. The game also provides some direct competition and tournament style online options, though they aren't much different in practice that the single player games. Overall, this is a nice update for the game and makes it much more diverse and interesting to explore, and the backwards compatibility means you have no real reason not to update and enjoy.
If you're already invested in the Zen Pinball games, then Pinball FX3 with its roster of new gameplay options is an essential upgrade. It's a shame that licensing issues mean that some tables have been left behind, but the new progression system adds replayability to every other table that you already own. The user interface is disappointing, but it's feature packed, and depending on the number of tables you've bought, you could quite feasibly spend thousands of hours trying to dominate the leaderboards in this game.
It doesn't feel as much like a ball merely mimicking the movements of a pinball but it feels like the real thing.
Pinball FX3 delivers a great pinball experience much like its predecessors. The touch screen controls with the Switch's vertical orientation option work surprisingly well and are really responsive, though I personally prefer using the Joy-Cons for a more machine-like feel. As a free download and three free tables (one with the game and two as free DLC),as well as cross-play with PC and Xbox One players, you can't really go wrong with this one.
