PINBALL FX 2 Arcade

Have you ever played on a real pinball table? Yeah, didn't think so. You may have seen them in Eighties movies, or played the built-in table on Windows XP, but nowadays real tables aren’t so common, except perhaps in trendy drinking establishments or old seaside arcades. But who needs ‘em, right? We’ve got Pinball FX 2, which takes boring old ‘real life’ tables then adds lasers and Marvel and Star Wars characters. Pinball purists might feel the tables skew a little too far from the classics they’re used to, but we’re big fans.

For owners of the game on 360, the good news is that you can import all the tables you currently own onto the Xbox One, and the system is incredibly straightforward. You’ll need card details associated with your account to confirm any transfers, but we had all our tables on the Xbox One in just a few minutes. And the table variety is excellent. The highlights are definitely the themed tables, with the aforementioned Marvel and Star Wars making up the majority of the available options. Our favourite? The Deadpool table, in which the hero dances, explodes your ball, and tells you that you suck if you lose it. Effectively, Pinball FX 2 is just a platform to buy these tables, or packs of tables, and with 37 options priced between £2.39 and £7.99, you’re bound to find something that suits you. You can play a trial version before you buy, too, so you can get a taste of what’s to come before shelling out any cash.

Playing alone is pretty good, but the game is an absolute blast when you’re pinballing with friends. There are options for split-screen and pass-and-play modes for when you’re sitting in the same room, as well as online modes. The games can get frantic, as you watch your friends’ score bars grow and desperately try to catch them. There are plenty of modes and customisable rules to make competitive games great fun.

You don’t have to be a pinball wizard to enjoy  Pinball FX 2, but without friends to play with and a chunk of budget set aside to buy several tables, you might find yourself getting a little bored. The tables all feel individual and unique, but it’s not really enough to justify a purchase unless you’re planning on getting additional tables. Or if you just love pinball. Don’t get us wrong, it’s great fun for a bit, but you might find yourself  turning  back  to Titanfall.