Zen Classics for Pinball FX2 Review - ExtremeGamer's Blog

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Zen Classics for Pinball FX2 Review

Posted on December 12, 2012 at 05:47 AM.

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If there's one thing I love to relax and play, it's pinball. I've never been the best at pinball, but I've loved to play it since I first stepped foot into an arcade. I've always got the new pinball game for every generation of console over the years starting back with Pinball for the Atari 2600. Until Pinball FX2 hit for the Xbox Live Arcade, no one went in with an approach of having a core game and adding new tables via DLC over time. We are over 2 years removed from the launch of Pinball FX2 and with multiple Marvel, licensed, original and retro tables released, Zen Studios is still pumping out new content on a regular basis. Releasing today is the Zen Classics set for 800 MS Points ($10), which re-masters four of Zen Studio's earlier pinball attempts and places them in Pinball FX2 for the first time.

The pack contains Tesla, Shaman, El Dorado and V12. I played through all four and found all of them entertaining in their own way. I tend to go back all the time to play some of the older tables that have been released, especially the Marvel tables, but all 4 of these will enter my regular rotation.

I enjoyed Shaman the most, it just had a good flow to it and felt like there was a lot to do and explore on the table. It's a more wide open table which allows the ball to have breathing room, opens it up for more scoring. Note, all these tables seem to have a lower scoring range than some of the Marvel tables for instance, either that or I'm just not as good at these ones yet.

Tesla is a fun table, seems to give you a lot of time with a shoot again light blinking and felt like my ball could stay on the table for a long time without losing it. Just wasn't scoring much while it was out there, but that's okay. Well paced table which is one that I'll be going back to time and time again. I love the fact that it just feels like if you placed a quarter in this machine in an arcade, you would always feel like you got your money's worth.

V12 is a nice set up, has a lot of ramps, but is one I couldn't get the hang of yet. Couldn't seem to get a good feel of where the main scoring is, although got the achievement for it (Highly flammable - Ball locked in the Nitro Tank on the V12 table) within minutes of my first game. Reminds me a lot of an earlier released table, Speed. Only because both involve cars, the overall table layout is different.

My least favorite table was El Dorado. Now the funny thing with this is, while it was my least favorite, I kept going back to it to play it, as it kept defeating me. The flippers seem a little farther apart which lead to some frustrating losses of my ball, but overall it became addicting as it was the table I felt I could score the most points on. Funny how that happens. This table would be the one I'd keep throwing quarters in and yelling it, saying I could defeat it. I will defeat El Dorado at some point!

If you already have Pinball FX2 (and play it regularly due to the fantastic social integration) then this is a must own. If you haven't picked up Pinball FX2 yet (and why not, it's free) then this is a great set to start your collection along with the Marvel sets.

Score - 9/10

(NOTE - Review copy of the DLC provided by publisher.)