Right now it’s the absolute king of console pinball games, so we expect a lot from Pinball FX 2’s frequent add-ons. Thankfully, the four tables in this latest team-up with Marvel Comics display welcome variety in their pace and style.
The new Moon Knight table is probably the most familiar: it plays much like this summer’s great Captain America table, with similar flow, character animations, and table dynamics.
On the other hand, the Thor table immediately suggests an older-school style, with a beautifully painted playfield and what sounds like some authentically retro sound effects for each flipper. Because it has four flippers, you need to watch the entire field all the time, but the table still uses special event formats (like a Thor-on-Loki challenge) that you’ll likely have seen on other tables.
Phew! The Ghost Rider table is based on comics from the early 2000s, not the questionable Nicolas Cage film.The Ghost Rider table admirably delivers a totally different play mechanic, while incorporating a shotgun for firing targeted hits (much like the phaser in the classic Star Trek: The Next Generation arcade pinball game). It features bold characters as well as unique ramp placements that require precision and timing, making for a table that plays differently from so many others in the stable.
Even the weakest of the bunch, the X-Men table, has some strengths. Besides pitting the good guys in missions against Magneto, its ramps and hit points are less obvious than the other tables’, which makes reaching the high-level challenges much more difficult.
The Moon Knight and Ghost Rider tables are definitely our favorites here, but all four are fun enough and replayable enough to make this DLC pack well worth the $10.
PUBLISHER: Zen Studios • DEVELOPER: Zen Studios • ESRB: Teen • MULTIPLAYER: 4 locally or over Xbox Live • ACHIEVEMENTS: Three per table • COST: 800 Microsoft Points ($10)
+ Fluid flipper fun.
+ Marvel-ous characters.
– Familiar formula.
? Will we see more Marvel tables for Pinball FX 2? If so, how about a Daredevil table that plays with your senses somehow?
