There is a hole is my gaming life. Ever since the demise of Windows XP, there has been something missing. An itch which nothing has been able to scratch. Yes, I’m talking about Space Cadet Pinball, the free 2D pinball game that shipped as one of the best parts of Windows XP. My siblings and I used to spend an inordinate amount of time using it to annoy each other, and it wasn’t uncommon to log onto your computer to find that you had been knocked off the top spot on the leader board. Unfortunately, this brilliant little game (which itself was part of the now technologically obsolete Full Tilt! Pinball by Maxis Software), went the way of the dinosaur along with Windows XP. I’ve tried finding other substitutes over the years, but have rejected them all. Until now.
Enter Pinball FX3, which is undoubtedly one of the best (if not the best) pinball simulator around. I use the word simulator deliberately, because while it does have a number of strictly digital pinball machines which can exist only in the virtual realms of computers, it also has dozens of carefully digitized real-world pinball machines, thanks to a licencing arrangement with Bally and Williams (who, along with the likes of Gottlieb, are some of the main pinball manufacturers). These digitized machines look, sound, and appear to play (from comparison with footage of actual machines on Youtube – not great I know, but without access to a real machine it’s the best I can do) pretty closely to their real-world counterparts. They also come in two distinct flavours: a spruced-up PC version of the game, complete with floating score-numbers and animated characters to better distract the player, and a classic mode which strips all this out and presents the machine as you would find it in the real world. It also includes a handy guide to each table, letting you know which targets (or sequence of targets) trigger what. The game also features online leader-boards, and an XP progression feature for those who like that sort of thing (and which can be completely ignored by those who don’t).
While both the completely virtual pinball machines, and the spruced-up version of real-world cabinets are fun, it’s in the classic mode that I’ve been playing the most, and been having an absolute blast. And while the blunt instruments that are digital controls can’t hope to replicate the nuance of nudging a pinball table in real life, there’s still enough control to be able to use tactics and skill. Yes, pinball actually requires a fair amount of skill, both in foresight, reaction speed and timing to be able to aim the ball. It’s far from the game of random luck that it first appears to be. And while there is an element of luck to keep things interesting, the best players use their skill to minimize it as much as possible – and a quick search on Youtube will throw up dozens of videos explaining the different moves and tactics employed. (Actually, the very first versions of pinball, which date to over 100 years ago and consisted of wooden boards with nails or ‘pins’ hammered into them, did largely depend on luck, but not so their modern counterparts.)
While the base version of Pinball FX3 is free to download and play, it only comes with a few Tables unlocked, though you can have a time-limited go of the other tables in the game. To play the other tables for longer, you have to purchase them separately as DLC bundles. Don’t let this turn you off, however, as the bundles regularly go on sale with massive discounts (usually 50%) which means that for around $20 you can grab more tables than you’ll ever need (unless you’re a die-hard pinball fanatic). Personally, I’ve been having a lot of fun with the Attack from Mars, Medieval Madness, and Theatre of Magic tables, but there’s plenty for people to choose from. (If you really want an in-depth review of each table, there are websites for that as well.)
While flashy special effects, stunning cinematics and deep, engaging stories all have their place, sometimes you simply find yourself wanting, well, a game. Short, sweet, with clear rules and goals, and infinitely replayable. And while Pinball FX3 simply can’t come close to replicating the thrill of a good, real-life pinball machine, it’s the closest you’re going to find on the computer and it’s an awful lot of fun. Easy to play, hard to master, and oh so easy to recommend. ■