DLC Title: Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue
Core Title: Pinball FX2
Release Date: Dec 14, 2011
Price: 800 MSP
Platform: Xbox LIVE® Arcade
Zen studios brings more Pinball FX 2 love with a 4 pack of Marvel tables. The Four tables feature Moon Knight, Thor, Ghost Rider and X-Men. The Vengeance and Virtue pack is also available on PSN for $10. The following is based on the 360 version.
Moon Knight:
When I found out Moon Knight was going to be featured on one of the tables I thought out loud, “Who?” It would not be unfair to say this is an obscure marvel hero, but the table does a good job at conveying who this character is and some of his back story. This table also has what feels like a longer intro to the table, perhaps because of the little known character. The characters are brought to life with some good voice work and the music is very fitting. Loved the “Jackpot!” scream, very satisfying. The table has some nice artwork on it and plenty of objects all over it. It almost has too much stuff piled on to it. At times it’s hard to follow the ball and even harder to make skilled shots. The table has three flippers, but I found the third one to be mostly useless. It’s placed in a hard to access area and the player has seemingly a split second to hit ball. The timing frustration is doubled when the player is tasked to use the third flipper in a skilled shot while in multiball mode. This is clearly an advanced table and pinball veterans may appreciate the challenge, average players could find it off putting.
Thor:
I found the Thor table to be much more accessible. All four flippers were placed in useful spots. The mountain and ramps on this table bring a unique look to this table. There are some fun concepts for missions like keeping Thor’s temperature up while fighting Ymir, the frost giant. The animated characters on the table provide some fun action sequences. The table has many ramps, yet manages to feel open. Going through the table rules in mandatory, more so than most tables. Things like the trap door on the dragon ramp are not conveyed at all on the table. It’s a shame because the trap door is very useful in some missions. The artwork is great on this table, as with most Marvel tables. The Nordic musical theme adds to the Thor experience.
Ghost Rider:
The Ghost Rider table manages to capture the look and feel of the comic character well. The design of the table and the great musical riff totally suits the hero’s style. Fire is a theme that literally covers the table. A lot of care was put into this table, with loads of little details scattered about. Some of the flashes are over done though, and I found it quite disorienting. I would often lose the ball on the screen as a result. This table is another advanced table. The lanes are very cluttered and one ramp that has a timing mechanic to it. The Ghost Rider’s motorcycle wheel blocks the ramp and it’s only accessible when he lifts it. It’s a neat visual, unfortunately in some table views it’s impossible to see if the wheel is blocking the ramp. The table splits up the playfield into a couple of smaller areas, each area telling another part of the hero’s story. The table has some challenging missions, a lot of practice will be needed on this one.
X-Men:
This is the best looking table of the bunch. A very striking Cyclops beam splits the table’s fantastic artwork. A menacing Magneto floats in the center taunting you. The voice work is great on the table but the music felt a little too repetitive at times. The table has four flippers that feel connected producing satisfying combos. There is lots to do on the table, with changing ramps and sections of the table rising to access other areas. The battles with Magneto are challenging using multiball tactics. The difficulty of the battle is compounded by Magneto ripping up the table and projecting the debris around. The plunger on this table feels inadequate. The visual is an optic blast, but when used the ball seems to have no force behind it. A minor gripe on such a great table.
Most of the Pinball FX2 tables are easy to jump right into. There is a sense that these tables are advanced tables. Without going through the table rules and a lot of practice it will very hard to get decent scores. That’s not a bad thing. The players that are still playing this game will put the time in to master all these tables. Zen Studios has another great job with the Marvel tables, and this is a great deal for fans of Marvel and Pinball FX 2. Casual players be warned, you’ll have to invest a significant amount of time to reach higher scores on these tables. With these tables done, I’d like to see Zen go back to original table ideas or even licensed real tables. Would love to see Zen’s take on Pinbot.
