In the past thirty years, Star Wars has been featured in nearly every genre imaginable. You can see the license pop up in kart racers, real-time strategy, first-person shooters, fighters, shoot-em-ups, dancing games and any other genre that had even a modicum of success. Sadly, very few were must-own titles, often settling on mediocre at best. Star Wars Pinball: Balance of the Force successfully bucks this trend, offering an engaging (and sometimes surprising) pinball experience.
This is not my first time playing one of Zen's pinball games. Three years ago I discovered the series through Marvel Pinball , which included a trio of pinball tables that were over-the-top, yet still somehow believable. Not long after reviewing the Marvel tables, I found myself enjoying MARS, Epic Quest and Fantastic Four. While not every download spoke to me, I was still impressed by the wide variety of tables offered by Zen Studios.
Despite logging dozens of hours into Pinball FX 2 on the Xbox 360, Star Wars Pinball is my first experience with the franchise on my PS Vita. I expected to pick right up from where I left off, barely noticing the change in platform. But that's not what happened. Much to my surprise and delight, I ended up having a strong reaction to this portable Star Wars game. Now I can't imagine playing Zen's pinball titles on any other system.
More than most games, Star Wars Pinball benefits from the portability of the PS Vita. From the smart leaderboard integration to the gorgeous graphics to the easy interface, the game is exactly the same as what you've come to expect on the home consoles. Only this time around it comes in an incredibly convenient package.
For better or worse, Star Wars Pinball game is, well, a pinball game. In that sense there really isn't much to say. You start with three balls and a dream to beat the high score. Along the way you'll trigger mini-games that offer both big point bonuses and short bits of Star Wars-related animation. Although there are a few fanciful flourishes, the three tables found in Balance of the Force are largely grounded in reality.
The good news is that all three tables are worth playing, even if, like me, you're not a huge Star Wars fan. Not only are the three tables surprisingly diverse, but they include some of Zen's most ambitious mini-games yet. Let's take a look at them one at a time.
Darth Vader:
With its burgundy coloring and giant mask looming in the distance, there's no question that this table belongs to one of the greatest villains in movie history. Here we are on the Death Star, where Darth Vader has kidnapped our hero, Luke Skywalker. Docked are some of Star Wars' most recognizable ships and the artwork makes clear that we are in the Stormtrooper's home court.
Fans of high scoring rounds will love this table. The stage only has a few lanes, but there are a number of hidden passageways to discover. You'll bounce around and spell out words like "SITH" and "REBEL" for multipliers. What seems like a low scoring game at first will quickly spiral out of control with multi-million point bonuses for easy tasks.
On the other hand, there are a bunch of fun missions that involve Obi Wan, Luke and other familiar faces. In one inspired bit, Mr. Skywalker busts out of his shackles and gets into a one-on-one duel with his sinister father. It's a fun bit of staging, even if it doesn't change what you're doing on the pinball table.
Starfighter Assault:
The next stage isn't confined inside the Death Star, but instead takes us into the far reaches of space. Like the name suggests, it's a full-on assault, and you're in the middle of the action. This table has a fun conceit involving splitting the two sides right down the middle. On the left side of the table are the Imperial forces, while the right features the Rebel Alliance. There's even a bar at the bottom that shows who is winning the war.
On the surface, Starfighter Assault looks like any other Pinball FX table. But don't worry; it won't take long for this stage to blow your mind. This game is more than a pinball table; it's also an overhead shoot-em-up, like Galaxian. And that's not all, there's also a mini-game that apes Wing Commander. These diversions are understandably simple, but they are a welcome change of pace from the usual bumpers and flippers.
Beyond the short (albeit cool) missions, this Starfighter Assault table is able to stand on its own. This stage is good at ratcheting up the intensity, making it the most exciting Star Wars table yet. You'll race to launch the ball in to the right spot in order to shoot down the incoming ships. Expect to see X-wings and TIE Fighters everywhere before this fight is over. This incredible level is worth the price of Star Wars Pinball.
Episode VI - Return of the Jedi:
The final table takes us to the temporary end of the trilogy, Return of the Jedi. Here we're tasked with aiding Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, C-3PO and more. This time around the table is built right into the forest moon of Endor. This gives the level a very wooden look, almost as if the entire stage was hand constructed by the Ewoks. While not the most exciting level, this is definitely the most interesting looking part of Star Wars Pinball.
Despite the good looks, I found myself bored by this table's design. The mini-games (including one that has you smacking pinballs while racing through the forest on a speeder bike) aren't much fun and the layout feels claustrophobic compared to the rest. It is by far the weakest of the three stages in Balance of the Force.
If you've played a Zen Pinball table before, then you already know that each stage is teaming with things to do. Even after putting hours into each table, I found that I barely scratched the surface of what they offer. There are so many lights, switches and missions I haven't completed. But I don't mind, because I can see myself picking these up whenever I have a few minutes to waste.
I knew Star Wars Pinball: Balance of the Force was going to be good, but I didn't expect it to suck me in quite like it did. Worse, it gave me a taste of what it's like to play this type of game on a handheld. I can't imagine going back to the stationary Xbox 360 version, even if that is where all my tables live. As it turns out, Zen Studios might be on to something with this pinball thing.
