Marvel Pinball
SCORE: 81
ZEN Studios has crafted four amazing
pinball tables based on some of your favorite Marvel Superheroes. These
four tables are based on Wolverine, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Blade. If
you’re a fan of any or all of these iconic heroes you’ll definitely want
to check out Marvel Pinball.
The visual presentation of Marvel Pinball is outstanding. Not only has
the Marvel license been used to its fullest potential, it has also been
done extremely well with great respect for the source material. Each
table contains an insane amount of detail creating the closest thing
you’ll find to an actual pinball table. As if creating visually stunning
tables weren’t enough, the extent to which the Marvel characters are
utilized is sure to please fans. Each table takes on the personality of
its hero. The Wolverine table for example has a rugged, worn look with
slashes gouged into the wooden frame while the Iron Man table looks
high-tech and pristine. The tables all feature an animated 3D figure of
each hero as well as villains with whom to do battle. Spidey’s table for
instance features 3D animated versions of the Green Goblin, Doctor
Octopus, and Mysterio. And if enjoying these tables during gameplay
isn’t enough, you can enter “Free View” mode for a close up look at the
table where you’ll really see just how much time was put into designing
these layouts. For parents wondering what potentially offensive content
may have found its way into the game, you’ll be pleased to know that it
is very minimal. The only real issue I can see here for parents is the
Blade table in general. If you’re not familiar with Blade, he’s a
vampire and thus his table features much imagery along these lines.
While Blade is a vamp of the friendly, sun loving variety, his foes are
not. Parents can expect to see demon-like imagery while playing this
table as well as a dark and depressing theme. Wolverine, Spider-Man, and
Iron Man all have tables featuring bright colors and virtually no
negative imagery. I should note that Peter Parker can be seen briefly
smooching his special lady and a scantily clad female appears on
Wolverine’s table.
The audio in Marvel Pinball matches the quality of the graphics. The
music is sure to get your heart pumping and perfectly suits each hero.
The sound effects are top notch and help to create a realistic pinball
experience. One of my favorite aspects of the audio in this game is the
banter that takes place between heroes and villains as you play.
Spider-Man and the Green Goblin have some particularly amusing dialog
and you’ll definitely feel the rivalry between Wolverine and Sabertooth.
Again the downside here will be the Blade table where Frost proclaims
himself a “god among the undead” and the “first vampiric deity”. I
didn’t detect any other potentially offensive audio on the other tables
with the exception of Wolverine and Sabertooth occasionally threatening
to kill one another.
If you’re looking for replay value, Marvel Pinball fits the bill. This
is one of those games that you can just pick up and play…and then find
it hard to put down and stop. With several different modes, missions,
and battles on each table to partake in, players will have plenty of
excuses to come back for more. Players can also compete locally or
on-line with friends. With on-line leaderboards you can try to dethrone
the top scorers and work your name to the top of the list. The
PlayStation 3 version of the game also features trophies that are
awarded for certain accomplishments within each table. Marvel Pinball
carries a price tag of about $10. You’ll be hard pressed to find a game
with a better cost to replay ratio.
The gameplay of Marvel Pinball is just plain fun (if you like pinball
that is). The design of the tables is great and the physics in the game
will make you feel like you’re playing an actual game of pinball. The
controls are simple: press and hold X to determine the strength you want
to put behind the plunger and then use L1 & R1 for your flippers. The
game makes great use of the vibration feature on the PS3 controller to
give you a little feedback during gameplay. Each table definitely has
its own unique feel to it and you’ll need to adapt your style to be
successful. While all of the tables are truly fun, I personally found
the Wolverine and Blade tables to be the most enjoyable overall. This is
certainly subjective and will vary depending on the player. Each table
also provides players with a “Rule Sheet” in the options menu. These
sheets will give you tips on how to win battles and enter the different
modes of play.
Marvel Pinball is a great family friendly game for fans of the world of
Marvel Superheroes. Pinball is simple enough for even young players to
grasp and yet provides plenty of challenges for older family members. I
must again caution parents that the Blade table may be too intense for
younger family members and does contain a demonic tone. Marvel Pinball
allows players to choose which tables they want to play, so if you feel
that you’d like to enjoy the game’s other tables you can simple avoid
playing Blade. ZEN Studios has produced a top notch pinball game that is
certain to get Marvel Comic fans drooling. ZEN has also promised to
offer players more tables in the future, which is definitely something
I’ll be looking forward to.
-Roger
Graphics: 77%
Sound: 78%
Replay/Extras: 86%
Gameplay: 87%
Family Friendly Factor: 78%
System: Playstation 3/Xbox 360
Publisher: ZEN Studios
Rating: 'E' for Everyone
{Mild
Fantasy Violence}
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