Draft:Pinball FX

Pinball FX
Developer(s)	Zen Studios
Publisher(s)	Zen Studios
Series	Pinball FX
Engine	Unreal 4
Platform(s)	Steam, PS4, PS5, XBox One, XBox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, Epic Games
Release	February 16, 2023
Genre(s)	Video Pinball
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Pinball FX is the newest installment in Zen Studios' long-running pinball game series, succeeding Pinball FX (2007), Pinball FX2, and Pinball FX3 (2017). On certain platforms, earlier entries in the series were released under the titles Zen Pinball (from 2008) and Zen Pinball 2 (2012/2013).

The game features a growing collection of tables, including recreations of classic Williams/Bally tables from the 1980s and 1990s, licensed original designs, and entirely unique unlicensed creations.

Many tables from Zen's earlier pinball titles are also included, now remastered with significant enhancements to both graphics and physics.

Development

Released on Epic games store in early access on March 31, 2022 development continued for the next year until its full release on February 16, 2023 on Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PS4, PS5, and also moving from the early access phase on Epic to full release; and on April 13, 2023 for Steam. The Nintendo Switch required further optimization from the builds used for other platforms and was released with a smaller roster of tables on July 6, 2023.

Most of Zen's earlier pinball games were built on their in-house PinFX engine. With Pinball FX, development transitioned to Unreal Engine 4, enabling faster table releases, streamlined training for new staff, and easier cross-platform porting.

The game includes a cabinet mode designed for players with custom-built physical pinball cabinets featuring two or three screens. On desktop PCs, this mode also allows users to display a custom backglass image on a second monitor.

On all versions of Pinball FX, players can enable portrait mode, allowing the game to be displayed vertically rotated for a more authentic pinball machine experience.

The game features support for HDR, ray tracing, and upscaling, delivering enhanced visual fidelity compared to prior games.

Individual tables typically take 9 months to create after the initial stages of obtaining license agreements which can take years. Tables used for Williams/Bally recreations are typically sourced from the Budapest pinball museum, and 50% of sales from the charity pack are donated to support it (with the other 50% donated to Project pinball).

Pinball FX is designed to serve as Zen's primary pinball platform for the foreseeable future.

Marketing

During development and early access, The Pinball Show was hosted monthly by Bobby Marsh and Rose Camara, often featuring COO Mel Kirk and Marketing Manager Akos Györkei in the "Let’s Ask Akos" segment. Launched in January 2021, the series ended in January 2023 with a preview of The Addams Family table. Future table hints were often embedded in background details, with the show’s intro music gaining notable popularity.

After release, The Pinball Show was replaced by Pinball Bites, a shorter series for announcing new content, hosted by Akos and Linne (Zen’s Community Manager). Following Akos’s departure in 2024, Linne, now Marketing Manager, was joined by co-host Balti.

Linne and Akos also documented building a custom pinball cabinet in a series from February to September 2022, concluding with its successful test play.

Mel Kirk has also given annual interviews on the BlahCade pinball podcast, providing recaps of the year and insights into Zen’s plans for Pinball FX and related projects.

Purchasing

The base game is free and includes three playable tables: Wild West Rampage, Sorcerer’s Lair, and Fish Tales™ (a classic Williams table), with time-limited trials for sampling others. Additional tables are sold as DLC, individually, in packs, or as bundles (typically featuring older tables). On Steam, a legacy bundle system offers discounts for players upgrading remastered tables from Pinball FX3 to Pinball FX. Pinball FX3 remains available for purchase on all platforms except the Epic Games Store.

As of December 2024, Zen began offering remastered tables on Nintendo Switch at no cost to players who previously owned the FX3 versions. Similar approaches may be considered on other platforms, subject to platform holder approval. Zen also maintains a tradition of frequent, deep discount sales.

During early access, tables were purchased using a ticket system, which allowed for cross-platform access. However, due to platform limitations, this was abandoned before full release in favour of platform-specific DLC, with free table transfers offered to early access buyers. A subscription model, Pinball Pass, allowed access to many tables for a monthly or yearly fee but was discontinued in 2024 due to limited popularity and lack of cross-platform functionality.

Gameplay

Game modes

Players can choose from the following modes when selecting a table:

• Classic: The standard 3-ball game and the most popular choice.

• Pro (Williams only): Higher difficulty settings with no extra balls.

• Arcade: Similar to Classic but with optional power-ups; less commonly used.

• Hotseat: Local multiplayer for up to 4 players.

• Flips: Score as many points as possible using 200 flips. Losing a ball costs one flip (except during multiball), with infinite ball saves.

• 1 Ball: A single ball with no extras; the game ends after the bonus count when the ball is lost.

• Time: A 300-second mode to score as much as possible, with infinite ball saves.

• Distance: Score points over 200 distance units, with infinite ball saves.

• Practice: Unlimited ball saves for up to 1 hour, but scores do not appear on leaderboards.

Leaderboards display the top 100 scores for each mode and challenge, along with scores closest to the player's own.

All tables feature "realistic" physics, while newer releases also include a more forgiving "normal" physics option.

Tournaments

Zen tournaments, called Events, award season points that unlock collectibles. Each season lasts three months.

Player-created tournaments are listed under the Tournaments section and include filters to find specific events. A 4-digit code can also be shared for direct access. Many tournament series are organized via Discord, including LUP's Club (which also hosts its own forum and occasional external tournaments) and ConsGang, known for its variety of formats.

Questlines

Questlines consist of 10 challenges across 3 tables from the same pack. Completing these unlocks 5 collectible items that can be displayed in the pinhall or used for profile customization.

Pinhall

The pinhall is a customizable space where collectibles can be displayed. Items include small objects for shelves, large statues, carpets, posters, and trophies earned in Grand Tournament events. Each table has 6 of these collectables, one for reaching an objective (which for tables released December 2023 onwards also gives an achievement), and the other 5 for accumulating score on that table.

The pinhall is also used as the environment to show tables before they are played, showing off the cabinet art.

Table List

As of December 2024, Pinball FX features 130 tables on Steam and 132 on PlayStation, Xbox, and Epic Games Store. The discrepancy arises because System Shock and Camp Bloodbrook are currently exclusive to Pinball M on Steam. The Nintendo Switch has a smaller library, as some older tables have not been ported to the platform; however, all tables not carried forward from FX3 have been released on it.

Table	License/Category	Pack	Pinball FX release date	Table first released in
Fish Tales	Williams	free table	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX3
Medieval Madness	Williams	Volume 1	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
The Getaway: High Speed II	Williams	Volume 1	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Junk Yard	Williams	Volume 1	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Attack from Mars	Williams	Volume 2	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
The Party Zone	Williams	Volume 2	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Black Rose	Williams	Volume 2	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Theatre of Magic	Williams	Volume 3	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
The Champion Pub	Williams	Volume 3	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Safe Cracker	Williams	Volume 3	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
White Water	Williams	Volume 4	May 26, 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Red and Ted's Road Show	Williams	Volume 4	May 26, 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Hurricane	Williams	Volume 4	May 26, 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Tales of the Arabian Nights	Williams	Volume 5	May 26, 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Cirqus Voltaire	Williams	Volume 5	May 26, 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
No Good Gofers	Williams	Volume 5	May 26, 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Funhouse	Williams	Volume 6	June 30, 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Space Station	Williams	Volume 6	June 30, 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Dr. Dude and His Excellent Ray	Williams	Volume 6	June 30, 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Swords of Fury	Williams	Volume 7	May 26, 2022, early access	Pinball FX
The Machine: Bride of Pin-Bot	Williams	Volume 7	June 30, 2022, early access	Pinball FX
Whirlwind	Williams	Volume 7	June 8, 2023	Pinball FX
Black Knight 2000	Williams	Volume 8	December 12, 2024	Pinball FX
Banzai Run	Williams	Volume 8	December 12, 2024	Pinball FX
Earthshaker	Williams	Volume 8	December 12, 2024	Pinball FX
Monster Bash	Williams	Universal Monsters	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Creature from the Black Lagoon	Williams	Universal Monsters	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure	Williams	single table	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX/FX3
World Cup Soccer	Williams	single table	October 20, 2022, early access	Pinball FX
The Addams Family	Williams	single table	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX
Twilight Zone	Williams	single table	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX
Star Trek: The Next Generation	Williams	single table	August 24, 2023	Pinball FX
Sorcerer's Lair	Zen Originals	free table	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Wild West Rampage	Zen Originals	free table	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Castlestorm	Zen Originals	single table	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Adventure Land	Zen Originals	Carnivals & Legends	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Son of Zeus	Zen Originals	Carnivals & Legends	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Rome	Zen Originals	Core Collection	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Biolab	Zen Originals	Core Collection	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Pasha	Zen Originals	Core Collection	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Secrets of the Deep	Zen Originals	Core Collection	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Epic Quest	Zen Originals	Charity Pack	December 7, 2023	Pinball FX2
Excalibur	Zen Originals	Charity Pack	December 7, 2023	Pinball FX1
Curse of the Mummy	Zen Originals	Secrets & Shadows	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX
Pinball Noir	Zen Originals	Secrets & Shadows	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX
Sky Pirates	Zen Originals	Secrets & Shadows	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX
Grimm Tales	Zen Originals	single table	July 21, 2022, early access	Pinball FX
Wrath of the Elder Gods	Zen Originals	single table	17 November 2022, early access	Pinball FX
A Samurai’s Vengeance	Zen Originals	Honor and Legacy	June 8, 2023	Pinball FX
Verne’s Mysterious Island	Zen Originals	Honor and Legacy	June 8, 2023	Pinball FX
Super League Football	Zen Originals	single table	May 16, 2024	Pinball FX2
Camp Bloodbrook	Zen Originals	single table	October 24, 2024	Pinball M/FX
Star Wars™: Episode IV: A New Hope	Star Wars	Heroes Within	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Han Solo	Star Wars	Heroes Within	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Droids	Star Wars	Heroes Within	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™ Pinball: Masters of the Force	Star Wars	Heroes Within	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back	Star Wars	Star Wars Pinball	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™: The Clone Wars	Star Wars	Star Wars Pinball	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Boba Fett	Star Wars	Star Wars Pinball	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi	Star Wars	Balance of the Force	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™: Starfighter Assault	Star Wars	Balance of the Force	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX2
Darth Vader	Star Wars	Balance of the Force	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™ Pinball: The Force Awakens	Star Wars	The Force Awakens	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™ Pinball: Might of the First Order	Star Wars	The Force Awakens	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™ Pinball: Rogue One	Star Wars	Unsung Heroes	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™ Pinball: Star Wars Rebels	Star Wars	Unsung Heroes	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX2
Star Wars™ Pinball: The Last Jedi	Star Wars	The Last Jedi	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Star Wars™ Pinball: Ahch-To Island	Star Wars	The Last Jedi	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Star Wars™ Pinball: Solo	Star Wars	Solo	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Star Wars™ Pinball: Calrissian Chronicles	Star Wars	Solo	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
Star Wars™ Pinball: Battle of Mimban	Star Wars	Solo	22 September 2022, early access	Pinball FX3
The Mandalorian	Star Wars	Thrill of the Hunt	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Star Wars Pinball VR
Classic Collectibles	Star Wars	Thrill of the Hunt	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Star Wars Pinball VR
Spider-Man	Marvel	Marvel Pinball Original	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Wolverine	Marvel	Marvel Pinball Original	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Iron Man	Marvel	Marvel Pinball Original	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Blade	Marvel	Marvel Pinball Original	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Captain America	Marvel	Marvel Legends	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Doctor Strange	Marvel	Marvel Legends	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Fantastic Four	Marvel	Marvel Legends	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Ghost Rider	Marvel	Vengeance and Virtue	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Moon Knight	Marvel	Vengeance and Virtue	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Thor	Marvel	Vengeance and Virtue	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
X-Men	Marvel	Vengeance and Virtue	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX2
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy	Marvel	Cinematic	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron	Marvel	Cinematic	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Ant-Man	Marvel	Cinematic	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Civil War	Marvel	Heavy Hitters	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Venom	Marvel	Heavy Hitters	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Deadpool	Marvel	Heavy Hitters	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Marvel’s The Avengers	Marvel	Avengers Chronicles	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Fear Itself	Marvel	Avengers Chronicles	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
The Infinity Gauntlet	Marvel	Avengers Chronicles	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
World War Hulk	Marvel	Avengers Chronicles	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Marvel’s Women of Power: A-Force	Marvel	Women of Power	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Marvel’s Women of Power: Champions	Marvel	Women of Power	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX2
Jurassic Park	Universal	Jurassic World	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Jurassic Park Pinball Mayhem	Universal	Jurassic World	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Jurassic World	Universal	Jurassic World	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Back to the Future	Universal	Universal Classics	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
Jaws	Universal	Universal Classics	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
E.T.	Universal	Universal Classics	March 31, 2022, early access launch	Pinball FX3
World War Z	Paramount	single table	April 21, 2022, early access	Pinball FX
Garfield	Nickelodeon	single table	February 16, 2023	Zen Pinball Party
My Little Pony	Hasbro	single table	22 September 2022, early access	Zen Pinball Party
Trolls	DreamWorks	DreamWorks	15 December 2022, early access	Zen Pinball Party
Kung Fu Panda	DreamWorks	DreamWorks	15 December 2022, early access	Zen Pinball Party
How to Train Your Dragon	DreamWorks	DreamWorks	15 December 2022, early access	Zen Pinball Party
Homeworld: Journey to Hiigara	Gearbox	Gearbox or single table	August 25, 2022, early access	Pinball FX
Borderlands: Vault Hunter Pinball	Gearbox	Gearbox or single table	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX
Brothers in Arms: Win the War	Gearbox	Gearbox or single table	February 16, 2023	Pinball FX
Peanuts Snoopy	Peanuts	single table	15 December 2022, early access	Pinball FX
A Charlie Brown Christmas	Peanuts	single table	December 7, 2024	Pinball FX
Crypt of the Necrodancer	Brace Yourself Games	single table	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX
Godzilla	Legendary	Godzilla vs. Kong	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX
Kong	Legendary	Godzilla vs. Kong	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX
Godzilla vs. Kong	Legendary	Godzilla vs. Kong	April 13, 2023	Pinball FX
Super Sweet Pinball	South Park	South Park	October 12, 2023	Pinball FX2
Butters Very Own Pinball Game	South Park	South Park	October 12, 2023	Pinball FX2
Star Trek™ Pinball: Kelvin Timeline	Star Trek	Star Trek Pinball	December 7, 2024	Pinball FX
Star Trek™ Pinball: Discovery	Star Trek	Star Trek Pinball	December 7, 2024	Pinball FX
Star Trek™ Pinball: Deep Space Nine	Star Trek	Star Trek Pinball	December 7, 2024	Pinball FX
Terraforming Mars	Game Night Pinball	Game Night Pinball volume 1	December 7, 2024	Pinball FX
Gloomhaven	Game Night Pinball	Game Night Pinball volume 1	December 7, 2024	Pinball FX
Exploding Kittens	Game Night Pinball	Game Night Pinball volume 1	December 7, 2024	Pinball FX
System Shock		single table	February 15, 2024	Pinball M/FX
Pacific Rim	Legendary	single table	May 16, 2024	Pinball FX
Knight Rider	Universal	Universal Pinball: TV Classics	May 16, 2024	Pinball FX
Battlestar Galactica	Universal	Universal Pinball: TV Classics	May 16, 2024	Pinball FX
Xena: Warrior Princess	Universal	Universal Pinball: TV Classics	May 16, 2024	Pinball FX
Goat Simulator	Wild Cards	single table	August 29, 2024	Pinball FX
The Princess Bride	Wild Cards	single table	August 29, 2024	Pinball FX

"Pack" refers to the table pack on Steam; some remastered tables are included in larger collections on other platforms. Zen Originals are tables created by Zen Studios without third-party IP. Williams tables are digital recreations of physical tables by Williams/Bally, some of which include additional third-party licenses. Wild Cards are standalone tables based on individual IPs, grouped into a general category.

Table Guides

Each table includes an in-game guide, though it does not reveal all of the table's secrets. Three primary online resources are available: the Pinball FX Fandom Wiki, LUPs Club, and Zen's official table guides, which cover all FX3 tables and most Williams tables. Some tables, particularly newer ones, lack guides beyond what is provided in-game.

Reception

Early feedback during the Pinball FX early access period was mixed, with criticism focusing on performance issues and certain design choices. However, subsequent updates addressed many of these concerns. Notably, a patch on May 5, 2022, improved performance and upgraded lighting, while the addition of numerous remastered and new tables throughout 2022 - including the highly regarded "The Addams Family" helped bolster its appeal.

By the time of its full release on February 16, 2023, the later removal of the unpopular ticket system further improved public perception.

Critical reception following the full release was more favorable. Gaming Nexus awarded the game an 8/10, praising its extensive table library and gameplay improvements. Meanwhile, Game Critics gave it a more reserved score of 6.5/10, reflecting ongoing debates about pricing models and content value. A YouTube video titled "Pinball FX | Is It Way Too Expensive OR The Best Value in Gaming?" highlighted this debate but ultimately concluded that the game offers excellent value, particularly during sales.

On Steam, initial reviews were mixed but have steadily improved over time. Recent reviews are now rated as "very positive", with lifetime reviews trending toward "mostly positive." The game's evolving reception underscores its ability to address community feedback effectively.

For in-depth analysis of individual tables, The Pinball Chick provides detailed reviews and ratings from her pinball-playing family, offering valuable insights for enthusiasts.

Related Games

Pinball M is Zen's pinball platform for tables not suitable for the PEGI 12 (T for Teen) rating of Pinball FX. A few Pinball M tables have had the gore reduced for a less bloody version and released in Pinball FX too (with cross-buy between the 2 platforms on consoles and Epic).

Zen Pinball World (released December 12, 2024) is the new mobile platform featuring many tables released in Pinball FX. Additional releases for mobile include Zen Pinball Party (released September 3, 2021) on Apple Arcade and Pinball Masters as a part of Netflix games.

ATGames has partnered with Zen Studios to release many Pinball FX tables on the range of Legends 4K pinball machines. These are full-sized physical pinball machines with a playfield monitor, backglass monitor, and DMD. The ATGames platform also includes recreations of Gottlieb games as featured in The Pinball Arcade, tables from Magic Pixel's Zaccaria Pinball, and ATgames original tables made by Magic Pixel.

References