Pinball FX3 Reviews
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.
Pinball FX3 is the best way to play Pinball in a game featuring a wide range of well crafted and high class tables.
I'm currently working on my review for the Universal Classics Pinball Pack, so be sure to stick around at PS4Blog.net to see if its three tables are a worthy addition to the Zen Studios legacy.
It doesn't feel as much like a ball merely mimicking the movements of a pinball but it feels like the real thing.
There are several reasons to be excited about the release of Pinball FX3, from improved visuals to retooled online options and a bevy of new modes. Having long been a fan of the Zen Pinball / Pinball FX games, I am pretty excited to see that Pinball FX3 is a considerable leap forward for the series.
Minus a few framerate hiccups on a handful of tables, Pinball FX3 delivers an abundance of flipper-oriented action with a slick, vibrant, and engaging presentation.
Performance and controller nit-picks aside, Pinball FX3 is a solid pinball simulator with an impressive amount of content, only let down by the inclusion of overbearing progression systems and annoying UI design.
Pinball FX3 is a game that makes no excuses for being a tried-and-true game with the standard jackpot fix that arcade junkies need. The "free-ness" wears off quickly and there will be trepidation for spending "X" amounts of money on multiple boards, but the challenges and rivalries will earn a bunch of those coins back. My take on Pinball FX3 is to wait for the prices to plummet on the extra boards. That infusion of 30 boards or more will make the game shine… like the quarters you once put into the machines.
Zen has done a fantastic job of replicating the Pinball experience from a player's console, and providing the closest possible encounter to the real thing.
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.
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.
Pinball FX 3 provides some new ways to enjoy your pinball collection, even if your rivalries are a bit more buried
Zen Studios haven't faltered yet, and their Pinball FX series continues to be a bright spot in the digital pinball landscape. Outside of licensing troubles and new tables featuring less than accurate presentation, there's a great game of skill to be had here.
Pinball FX3 is a must for pinball fans, and the Universal Classics Pinball Pack is definitely worth the price of admission. Two of the tables are great, and maybe you will have more fun with the Jaws table than I did. The visuals of all three tables in the pack are great, with superb animations, voice acting and sound effects that lure you in. Being able to import most of your Zen Pinball 2 purchases into the new platform is a great way to handle things, so kudos to Zen Studios for the support.
This is the best pinball game I have ever played the mix of realistic ball physics and unrealistic but awesome table features, it really is a hell of a lot of fun. Add in the competitive features and the fact that all major systems can compete together in the tournaments and you have an amazing game.
Pinball FX3 is an incredible platform for pinball tables, and while a lot of the focus is still on high score chasing, the variety of modes and options makes this deeper than the typical pinball game. The future of this game will depend on how much Zen Studios supports it with new tables, but with 30 out there to start (with one free forever and two free for the first week), the diversity is there on day one. If the craft of each table matches the presentation in the platform, this should be a regular staple of any pinball-enjoying Switch owner.
The actual experience of playing the game is so much better. Pinball runs smoothly on the Switch, and it's even possible to flip the console to a vertical orientation so you can play the game with a form factor that more closely approximates the shape of actual pinball tables.
Considering it is a free download, and comes with a feature-complete, fully-playable table that has no time or play limit, there shouldn’t be much holding you back from checking Pinball FX3 out. With a multitude of available tables to purchase that will appeal to a wide variety of tastes, both in terms of table style and theming (including many popular licenses), you’ll then be able to add to your collection as you choose. As a lifelong pinball fan who has played through the many generations of digital pinball games from the beginning it has been a fascinating evolution to watch. Zen has really hit its stride now both in terms of the quality of its engine and the diversity of the tables it offers to own the crown for the best overall digital pinball option out there on any platform.
Pinball FX3 leaves some things to be desired on the technical side of things, which can only be hoped to see fixed in the near future through an update since it looks and performs rougher than even its predecessor on the Wii U and, at least in terms of performance in handheld mode, worse than on the 3DS. Nevertheless, Pinball FX3 is an excellent way to experience original virtual pinball tables in this day and age, if not the go-to and indispensable way of doing so. Fans of pinball and/or Zen Studios' previous efforts in that area should then definitely give this new hub game a flip, but bear in mind the current technical limitations that are hard to fathom and which are yet to be resolved.