Marvel Pinball on Playstation® Network – $2.99

Xbox LIVE Arcade – 240 Points

Developer: Zen Studios

Release: June 28/29, 2011

When I think of pinball, I think of the arcades. Going in, hearing the flippers bouncing, the good old tilt sounds, and of course, the size of your pockets going from bursting, to empty. Arcades have great memories for me.

Sadly, arcades have all but vanished in this day and age. However, thanks to the folks at Zen Studios, we have great virtual pinball tables with realistic physics, amazing visuals, and very true to life sounds.  While it doesn’t replace a true pinball table, this is just fine with me. However, what do you get when you add Marvel to the already successful Pinball FX2? You get me jumping up and down like a little schoolgirl, having a blast playing through this table.

The table I am talking about is the Captain America Marvel Pinball. You can get this for both Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. Something I have heard a lot of since the days of Pinball on Atari, is that the physics are not true to life. The folks at Zen did a amazing job replicating true physics of pinball, and at times, you can barely tell the difference between a true pinball table, and the Captain America table.  Everything just looks, and feels true to life, and makes the experience very enjoyable. All the lights, sounds, and the traditional scoreboard are even replicated true to life.

Captain America, Red Skull, Baron Zemo, and The Sleeper are 3D models on the board, and they look great. They also have voice-overs, and they sound fantastic. Captain America will comment in situations just like in the comic books. Different modes are something I love in pinball. They add such a amazing level of depth. Captain America shines in this aspect as well, as you have multiple modes to gain points, that trying to get them all in one go will make even the most veterened pinball player sweat. The game is easy to pick up and play, but difficult to master. While this may turn some players away, it keeps the game fresh and keeps me wanting to come back for more.

Any fan of Marvel, or of comic books in general, should check this add-on out. The table contains many elements of the 65th Anniversary Special comic. However with that being said, I can see people who have never opened a comic book going towards another table. Thankfully, Zen Studios has other wonderful tables to choose from.

In closing, I commend Zen Studios for designing new tables for pinball enthusiasts. While it is not the real thing, this is the closest you will get to a real pinball table in your Game room, without spending mucho dinero. Captain America will have all of us Marvel fans jumping for joy, and hoping for even more fantastic creations.

Now Zen Studios, please make me a handheld version!! 🙂

Score: 9/10