Pinball FX2 VR
Thanks for such an awesome game! It works fine on GTX Titan cards, smooth motion. The playfield is a lot easier to see and understand now, love how amazingly colorful it is with the OLED display, similar to the fun of playing on the PS Vita. Learning how to setup the HTV Vive headset took some time. I needed to update the firmware over USB on the LightBoxes to get them to shutdown when Steam VR exits, as well as install the bluetooth driver and update them over bluetooth too. Also, I needed to update to the latest nVidia drivers to get the HTC Vive to run in Direct Mode, before doing that it seemed like it was not working properly at all, just displaying a copy of the desktop, unusable as far as I could see. Anyways, once Direct Mode drivers were installed and working, everything was fine. Far exceeded any expectations I had for this system. Pinball FX2 VR is a must-buy, it’s amazing how many tables are working already. The HTC Vive controller support still needs a little work, as it seems that there’s no way to accurately control the plunger e.g. as needed for the skillshots to get the Wisdom upgrade in Biolab, so for now I’ve still been using the wired XBOX ONE controller. It’d be great to be able to fully use the HTC Vive controllers, though, as they’re two separate controllers, one for each hand. I was having the occasional 3-second black screen when using a 15ft DisplayPort cable, but after switching to a 15ft HDMI Monster cable, all is working fine, so I can have the PC 15 ft away from the HTC link box, keeping the main area nice and quiet for gaming. There’s also a headphone port at the back of the headset, and in-ear headphones are provided that are very convenient and sound fine. Having some easy way to control the volume in-game could be helpful, at the moment adjusting the volume is kinda awkward. My system is usually setup for nVidia Surround, so if I click on the overlapping squares menu button on the HTC controller to use the Steam virtual interface and view the PC desktop that way from within the headset, all of the icons are very tiny indeed, barely usable. Still, minor inconvenience. Love the sunrise, the way the sunbeams come in and light up the game room is very well done. The latest nVidia 378.92 driver still seems kinda buggy, because if I click to enable stereoscopic 3D (for playing ordinary Pinball FX2 in 3D Vision, which is awesome too), the entire system works fine only until the next reboot, at which point nothing works until I reinstall the nVidia driver again. Scary! The best driver for 3D VISION on GTX Titan seems to be the old 327.23 and I’d been using it up until March 2017 completely successfully. Sadly, it doesn’t have “Direct Mode” support, hence the need to update to the newer 378.92 driver. Well, perhaps nVidia will fix the driver some day, it’s very puzzling why rebooting doesn’t get the system back to a clean state if I enable stereoscopic 3D, and the 378.92 driver needs to be reinstalled. Overall, it’s amazing fun to play this, and to see the beautiful Zen tables really coming to life. Your work on this is really appreciated! Oh, by the way, the menus for the game are too “HUGE” when running the game in 3D Vision Surround on three monitors, it’d be great if you could render the menus in 1920x1080 rather than in 6000x1080.
– Real player with 51.4 hrs in game
Read More: Best Pinball Anime Games.
You can’t change the view so I guess they want it to feel like you’re playing a real (and most amazing) pinball machine.
I use an Xbox controller. I sit down get comfortable. Hold my HMD exactly arms length above my head, reaching for the ceiling. Press X on the controller to reset the view.
Put the HMD back on and it’s like you’re inside of the pinball machine. (or using view 5 or 6) And you’re looking UP for the mostpart with less strain on your neck. And I can get highscores for LONG periods of time. NOT STANDING and feeling like crap. Take my advice or suffice.
– Real player with 25.6 hrs in game
Oik 3D
Oik is now in 3D!
The return of your favorite game in new quality: now you have to solve a series of puzzles in three-dimensional space!
The player needs to deliver the blue cube to the desired point before getting rid of the blocking elements. A colorful clicker puzzle simulating the laws of physics will help your entire family relax at the computer!
Read More: Best Pinball Hand-drawn Games.
Orb and the Stars
Fun and challenging platformer where you have to reach the exit as an orb while you can collect star shards in each level. The graphics are rather simple, but the game is fun and challenging.
– Real player with 7.6 hrs in game
Read More: Best Pinball Mythology Games.
Yoku’s Island Express
WOW! Just “WOW”. This reviewer rarely plays big games, and frequently doesn’t have an overwhelmingly favorable opinion of platformers. But somehow the synergy of it all (especially the incredibly successful risk of heavily integrating pinball), along with an interesting puzzle aspect created some kinda Big Magic with “Yoku’s Island Express”.
There are plenty of good reviews available, so this review will attempt to focus on what this reviewer knows best – Yoku’s Island Express’s (YIE) pinball aspect. Is this really pinball? Yes…and no. (I’ve been playing pinball off and on for over fifty years, and have served as a moderator on one of Steam’s more successful pinball game’s discussion forums, just as background.)
– Real player with 18.3 hrs in game
Yoku’s Island Express
A provocative and thoughtful combination of well-known gaming mechanics as we all know can make for some seriously entertaining and popular new prospects, and Yoku’s Island Express really takes the cake when it comes to a profound and creative hybrid of genres.
A brave and unique potpourri of gameplay mechanics featuring the quick reflexive action of tight-knit and well designed pinball tables spread throughout an expansive and gorgeous platforming journey with the deep exploration of a Metroidvania, this is not only a long-overdue experiment of combined mechanics but a really well executed one!
– Real player with 13.9 hrs in game
Pinball FX3
FX3 could have been decent enough update even with the addition of the XP/leveling up mechanics to the tables that are required for maximizing your high scores. This was tolerable and even somewhat amusing to do for the first few tables but after playing a few more on top of that the novelty wears off and you quickly realize that the grind just gets in the way of enjoying the pure pinball experience (it isn’t strictly required since there’s a ‘classic mode’ but all the real competition is on the now regular mode, and unfortunately the level up mechanic is still active in this mode as well). The biggest issue with all this XP accumulation and leveling up is that it causes performance issues and random lag that in pinball means missed shots and needless gutter drains that are about the worst thing that can happen in this type of game where one single delayed input could mean the difference between a new high score or not. Multiply that by it happening continuously throughout your play session and its just a recipe for frustration.
– Real player with 532.7 hrs in game
Pinball FX 3 is a continuation of a great pinball series, that has continued to grow in number of tables as well as improvements in game play and modes. I have played the full Pinball FX series and am not disappointed in how the game has progressed.
Most tables from FX 2 have made the climb into FX 3, with the tables from FX 2 getting somewhat of a overhaul if there were issues with the table, so some of the problems/bugs with tables from FX 2 have been corrected. With 90 tables available, there is a wide selection of fun tables to pick from. There is however a little bit of a glut of Marvel and Star Wars based tables, which isn’t horrible, but I would like to see more new fresh IP tables based on other movies, and non movie connected totally new concepts etc. Also, Zen studios has recently acquired the Williams pinball contract giving them a new base to make tables for. The tables so far have been good, but as an owner of The Pinball Arcade it’s kind of not such a big thing to get the new tables on release.
– Real player with 522.6 hrs in game
Snowball!
I’ve had this game for a number of years now and even though I take breaks from it, I always find myself coming back to it. It’s a very nice diversion and quite a challenge at that. Many different things to discover on the table.
A basic pinball game it may be, but it is mighty in the enjoyment category. The game has two modes, a classic which basically is a “day mode” and also a night mode. There are many different ways to score, running over jewels, hitting drop targets and pine trees, a pong type of area, collecting mega jewels and making it to the castle at the top of the table via a circular power up lane.
– Real player with 14.3 hrs in game
I tend to have high standards. But I also have low expectations, so I can be pleasantly surprised occasionally.
I didn’t expect much of Snowball! from looking at the store page. It looked like a simplistic little flash game (yes, it is flash), but, hey, it’s pinball, so I bought it anyway.
Turns out, it’s actually excellent!
There’s only one “table”, but it’s quite expansive (camera scrolls up and down), and the mechanics are surprisingly deep.
Basically, you collect jewels, which disappear as you roll over them with a snowball. There are also targets that disappear when you hit them. There are teleporter holes, gates (one that you can control), multiple launchers, multiple flippers, multiple multiball sources (one based on locks, and a quick one for hitting snowmen). Many trees that serve as bumpers. There’s a little breakout game in one of the mini-playfields. There are tesla coil magnets you can control to make the ball orbit around them. There’s an igloo and a castle. There are big fans you can control. There’s a little triangular bumper you can raise. There are acceleration lanes. There are score multipliers and streaks. Some targets and jewels appear when you do certain things. Mini-jewels respawn (as a different color) when you collect enough of them (it takes more each time). Megajewels respawn too if you manage to collect them all (not easy!) You can nudge (but it costs points). And probably something I’m forgetting.
– Real player with 2.6 hrs in game
Whizz Ball
A friend recommended Whizz Ball to me as a good party game, and we have had a lot of fun playing with 4 players. Using the after touch feature to redirect the ball towards other players creates a great sense of competitive fun. Single player is still a challenge, but playing against friends is really what it’s about, even if it’s you and one other.
Good selection of powerups, although they might need a bit more balancing, but these can be turned off in the options. Also came across a couple of minor issues but nothing game breaking, which is fine by me.
– Real player with 6.8 hrs in game
At time of review (Aug 2020) this is currently early access. I’m really enjoying the concept and the style but at the moment there is a significant playability issue. Each player simply has too little to control. You can only move your bat in a very short range above your blocks (essentially three positions). Sometimes you can redirect the ball in flight (the rules on this are a little unclear) and sometimes you can shoot. Most of the time is spent watching the ball bounce around and waiting often for quite a long time before it hits you.
– Real player with 0.9 hrs in game
Pinball Lockdown
Good tables, another effort in development and it will soon perfect ( especially several cameras)
– Real player with 2.3 hrs in game
not a bad game, needs some general cleanup ( minor portrait mode issues, some interface cleanup/button work) overall tho, fun I’m not going to compare this to TPA, or FX3, it’s not a fair fight. it works well, good flow to tables, good themes, fun to play… its developing quite well.
– Real player with 1.9 hrs in game
Star Wars™ Pinball VR
Update: There was a patch today and the locomotion / safety issues seem resolved. I spent some time trying to reproduce them and could not. As this was my only real problem with the software, I am changing my recommendation, since almost everything else was really well done. I do play with a game controller, though, so I am unsure if the vive controller issues persist.
TLDR: It’s fun if you can get to the part where you actually play. Getting to a table can be a trial and an actual safety risk for people who are new to VR. Some great gameplay and privacy policy choices are overshadowed by horrible UI design and negligent locomotion QA. Good value for dollar if you can overcome the locomotion.
– Real player with 29.9 hrs in game
Short Review for the Busy Gamer
Amazing Virtual Reality Pinball
Totally Recommended 9/10
Here is some gameplay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DI3LEX7f-8
I’ve been playing pinballs since my first table … XENON, Pinballs in Virtual Reality are by now one of my TOP TEN gaming experiences ever !
I want even more tables in VR so keep them coming :)
Long Review for the involved connoisseur
As I keep playing and enjoying it sooooo much, it’s time to share a review.
– Real player with 28.9 hrs in game
Oik 5
I really like Oik 5! With the DLC I have 9 hours of playtime, which is a great value. I find it very relaxing and it feels good to solve some of the more difficult puzzles.
– Real player with 9.0 hrs in game
### Full Game Video Walkthrough here
If you’re reading this you’ve probably played ZUP or the previous OIKs. Yes, it’s still the same GameMaker physics game that unlocks quintuple achievements per level. While there is nothing new to the series here, I am voting this one up because the levels are actually challenging for a change. Time and consideration went into the design, and it shows.
As for the negatives, well, 1-2 hours tops gameplay. Little to no replayability. Some people say that the games have RNG. This isn’t true in my experience. Once objects are in momentum, fractions of a second can completely change the result. If you use a stopwatch (or landmarks), you will produce repeatable results.
– Real player with 6.8 hrs in game