Adrenaline Gaming Zone: A new classic on PSN - ZEN Pinball Review. - Adrenaline Gaming Zone

There was a time when coin-operated arcade machines ruled America and Pinball machines were one of the favorite challenges of gamers, even if it wasn’t a videogame. Those times are over now but from time to time we get the chance to bring back those feelings.

Today we get to review a PSN exclusive pinball videogame. I was sincerely happy and grateful when I knew I was going to do this review because Pinball was one of the first gaming experiences I had and the nostalgic feeling is all over this game, prepare to remember.



ZEN Pinball is a very impressive pinball simulator, maybe superior to what we’ve seen so far. It is a simple game as expected, with intuitive controls and a general idea of what are you supposed to do from the beginning. ZEN Pinball has one of the better physics I’ve seen on a pinball simulator. The weight of the ball feels right, the reaction of the flippers seems almost real and the feeling is so familiar that I can guarantee anyone with experience on the original machine will be playing this like a pro in no time.



ZEN Pinball has 3 main modes; the single player mode is you with 3 balls against one of the four tables with the only goal of achieving points (and very specific trophies). Four tables may sound like a short game but they are actually enough, well executed and very fun to play. All four tables; V-12, Tesla, Shaman and El Dorado have their own identity and feeling each. With the promise of more tables via DLC this is going to be a bigger and better experience.

The second mode is multiplayer; local multiplayer is like playing on a real machine; you play with one control and pass it over to the next player once your turn is over. I have to say this was an excellent choice; it imitates the real machine and these kind of games are not meant to be played on a split screen, so good for ZEN Studios on making this choice. Online multiplayer is where the real deal is. The host player picks a goal consisting on a determined number of points (these are expressed in millions, so games can even take ½ hour to be completed, maybe more), penalties for lost balls, a table and language preferences, then up to other 3 players can join and play; the first player to get the points win. It sounds very simple but it is a lot of fun playing with real people. There is no way to see their tables but there is an indicator showing progress of each player towards the goal so you always know how you’re doing. This game is also compatible with the PlayStation Eye giving you the chance of video chat while playing. Watching the expressions of your fiends while you are taking the lead is priceless.

The final mode is actually composed of different tournaments that are held “from time to time” according to the info strip. However I was never able to find any tournament this weekend, hopefully I’ll be able to give you an update on this later via our message boards.
The user interface is fantastic; it simulates a real pinball table and goes from one part to another depending on the menus you are exploring. It also features, as I said before, a led-like info strip giving you real time info about other players, records and rankings. This info is always displayed on the menus and on loading screens so you will always have something to read.

ZEN Pinball uses al the sights and sounds of a real table, there is no room for fantasy or superpowers on this game. It is you against gravity and no more. There are many camera angles and you can choose between fixed or mobile angles. You also count on an info screen giving you real time info on score, balls remaining and some hints for extra points. This game also has a very impressive voice work to help you know what’s going on just in case you don’t like or can’t read the info screen, as well as some minor yet nice environmental sounds.



Replay value is actually quite good, it will take a lot for you to get bored of the multiplayer, and even if you do, you can tweak some settings, such as a slow motion option, in order to get a different experience. Trophies are hard to get and you will have to spend a decent amount of time on each table if you want to get them all. There is a lot to do here, and they sure know how to get you very motivated to try it all on ZEN Pinball.

Overall, this game is destined to become one classic experience on the PSN. I’m very glad we get to see this kind of simple yet very addictive games for the price of only $10. If you are looking for a classic experience, competitive casual gameplay and a good use for those PlayStation Eyes, then go buy this right now. It is the best Pinball game I’ve played in a very long time.




Thanks for reading and as always, I’m open for feedback and suggestions via comments or you can contact me at reeve.ryu@agzonline.com.