Review by dannixamy
Pinball has been done a million times. A long-standing favourite arcade game that has been brought into the digital world, Star Wars Pinball is definitely bringing Pinball into the 21 st Century.
Going into the game I was sceptical, how much different can this pinball be from all the others? Asides for some familiar Star Wars characters, all other aspects of the game are the same right? Oh, I was so wrong.
Star Wars Pinball features 19 different tables each with a different theme and setting my favourite has definitely got to be the Battle of Mimban. Unlike the usual physical pinball, these tables don’t even look like tables. Yes, they have the standard pinball paddles and bumpers but they aren’t set in a table. Depending on which table you choose you will get different characters that interact with the table. At one point my goal was to hit as many stormtroopers as possible to dramatically increase your score.
Star Wars Pinball has several modes including a career, single-player and hot-seat multiplayer mode. For me, the easiest way to play was with the joy-cons. Although you can use the touch screen and play in vertical mode, it does make it harder to see what you’re doing.
All the controls are exactly as you’d expect, ZL and ZR move the respective paddles but even better, just like in real life you can nudge the table to move the ball from one side to the other. The dedication and time they have put into this game definitely show.
The characters move and even interact with the pinball table in various ways. Some of my favourite interactions include Flametroopers setting fire to an area of the table which you then have to put out, Porgs watching the ball fly around the table and Bobba Fett shooting your balls. The design of every table is exquisite; everything has a purpose and makes the experience more enjoyable.
Their dedication that Zen Studios has put into making Star Wars Pinball realistic even includes the reflection of the ball in the table’s surface. There’s nothing I can fault about this game, it brings a whole new life to classic pinball. Everything about this game is fantastic and whether you’re a Star Wars fan or not, you definitely need to invest in this game.
It is a port of the Star Wars tables on the PS4 but where those tables cost between £5 and £8 each the entire 19 table collection is available on physical cartridge on the Switch for around £25! An absolute bargain!
I give this game a 10/10, they’ve taken so much care and dedication to create something that truly is exquisite and modern but also stays true to classic pinball.
1 thought on “Star Wars Pinball”