Review: Zen Pinball 2

Zen Pinball 2 is available on the Wii U. If you’ve played the Steam version of Pinball FX2, then you will know what to expect. The difference between the two is really just branding on separate devices. Today we’ll be looking closely at the Wii U version.

30 Second Review

+ Great pinball physics

+ Effects that could never happen on a physical table

+ Nice variety of tables from the Zen Studios library

– Not as many tables available on the Wii U compared to the Steam version

– Little tweaks will have to be made per table for Off TV Mode play

Notable Features

• Action cameras to guide and emphasize spectacular moments
• Ranking support for all tables and social features added as well
• Local Hotseat multiplayer and split-screen multiplayer game modes

Pinball Wizards, Line Up

Zen Studios has some of the best physical pinball table effects in digital format in the world. That is a bold statement, but it’s a fact. Zen Pinball 2 plays just as well on the Wii U as it does on any other device. If you love playing pinball in real life but haven’t tried any of the digital tables yet, then I highly recommend taking a look at any of the Zen Studios product line.

The effects while playing Zen Pinball 2 are simply amazing. Most of these would not even be possible on a physical table. I love watching the different table modes play out in this style. I find the tables to be fun and alluring.

The Wii U has 40 tables currently available on Zen Pinball 2. That is more than enough to keep anyone busy for hours on end. It is a very wide variety of tables selected from Zen Studios’ catalog. I know more tables will be added, but I am hoping that one day we will see every table Zen Studios has to offer on this console.

Show Me the Difference

Pinball FX2 is amazing and available on Steam. However, once I discovered it was available in the form of Zen Pinball 2 on the Wii U, I immediately had to get it. I fell into this trap of buying the same tables on multiple platforms. Every table that Zen Studios has created is held to a standard of excellence. A few of the tables that are available on the Steam version are just missing from the Wii U, but that could be due to licensing issues, porting issues, or possibly Zen Studios just hasn’t had enough time to bring all of the tables to the Wii U yet.

A more complete and definitive version can be found in the form of Pinball FX2 on Steam. However, the Wii U version is still excellent, and if you’re looking for another title to play using the Wii U GamePad screen, this game is easily the one for you.

One thing a player has to understand about playing it in Off TV Mode–a few of the tables will manually have to be customized for play. It’s only slightly annoying, though. If a player attempts to play some of the tables in Zen Pinball 2 using the default settings, the scoreboard will be blocking their view of the ball at critical top table flippers. The problem only occurs when viewing the ball from a fixed camera angle. The Paranormal table is a prime example. I had to move the scoreboard from the left side of the screen to the right side. I’m glad the option to customize was available, but I kind of wish Zen Studios would have noticed it during their testing phase.

Try Before You Buy

The nice thing about Zen Pinball 2 is a player can try each table for free before purchasing any of them, so go ahead and download Zen Pinball 2 from the Nintendo eShop for free and enjoy!