Pinball on the Switch

[digdugnate]

I just did a brief thread search and didn't find any threads on Stern/Pinball FX/etc that weren't like four years old- if there's one I can 'add' onto I'd be happy to change discussion threads.  My memory sucks and I know that we talked about this off and on the last couple of years, but I just couldn't find the threads.

 

That being said, if anyone plays/has played Zaccaria or The Pinball Arcade, what do you think of them?  Zen/Pinball FX3 seems to get a lot more 'coverage' than stuff like Zaccaria.

 

(Copied and modified from another post)

 

One of my passions on the Switch, as it were, is digital pinball.  I've spent 50-odd hours playing the Zaccaria tables and boy can they be kind of weird if you've mostly only played the 'big names' in the States (Gottlieb, Stern, Williams, etc).  I really enjoy how the different tables play plus all the modes and achievements mix it up a lot for me.  

 

Having a crazy sale on the tables I didn't have yet on the eshop helped, too.    I finally relented and bought the 'Deluxe' tables, though they are probably the weakest of the 40-odd (im not sure exactly how many) tables Zaccaria offers.  I found with the Deluxe ones as well that they tend to 'lose' or 'stick' the ball in weird spots that you can't progress other than to exit the table and lose your progress.

[Asaki]

Haven't played it on Switch, but TPA used to be great on PC, and was pretty decent on the WiiU also.

 

AFAIK, the Switch port was released right after they lost the rights to Williams, so all of the best tables are completely unavailable on Switch (unless there's a way to hack them in, like on Android?).

 

I know on PC, Stern has always been pretty buggy, and they backported most of those tables to TPA. I think the Stern versions are supposed to have better ROM emulation, though?

[DavidD]

2 hours ago, Asaki said:

Haven't played it on Switch, but TPA used to be great on PC, and was pretty decent on the WiiU also.

 

AFAIK, the Switch port was released right after they lost the rights to Williams, so all of the best tables are completely unavailable on Switch (unless there's a way to hack them in, like on Android?).

 

I know on PC, Stern has always been pretty buggy, and they backported most of those tables to TPA. I think the Stern versions are supposed to have better ROM emulation, though?

I believe that if you downloaded and bought the packs on the day it was released, you have access to the Williams tables... they pulled them within 24 hours, though.  Supposedly folks who purchased them at launch still have access.

 

Zaccaria is interesting, but I don't think folks are that interested in that style of pinball.

 

I did pick up a physical copy of the Stern Pinball Arcade compilation for the Switch... and it seems decent enough.

[Asaki]

1 hour ago, DavidD said:

I believe that if you downloaded and bought the packs on the day it was released, you have access to the Williams tables... they pulled them within 24 hours, though.

Yeah, maybe. That does sound familiar.

  

1 hour ago, DavidD said:

Zaccaria is interesting, but I don't think folks are that interested in that style of pinball.

Yeah, I have a bunch of Zaccaria. It's pretty neat, and kind of fun when I'm in the mood for more EM style pinball, but I don't play it that often.

I kind of bugs me that the ball is not round, but I might dare to say that the tables are slightly more enjoyable than Gottlieb

[Daj]

I put a fair bit of time into Demon's Tilt, which is a spiritual successor to Alien Crush, Devil's Crush etc. It's very well-done but very video gamey of course, it's not a pinball simulation.

[Asaki]

7 hours ago, Daj said:

I put a fair bit of time into Demon's Tilt...

That one's on my Steam wishlist.

There was another game sort of like that, I can't remember the name though, let me see if I can find it...

 

Here we go, Yoku's Island Express. Pretty sure it's on Switch, anyway. It's supposed to be pretty good.

Again, not a straight pin-sim, but I don't usually mind as long as the game is fun. Looks a little closer to Kirby's Pinball, or Mario Pinball, or I guess Sonic Spinball. Metroid Pinball was fun, too (and the sequel, but I'm kind of going off topic here).

 

Edit: Oh, I guess I already own YIE for Steam. That's funny.

Edited January 6, 2021 by Asaki

[+wongojack]

I've done most of my Pinball gaming on Steam, but some on Gamepass for Xbox, and I have some physical copies of Farsight Studio's collections for PS2, Wii, Xbox 360 and even some for PS4 and XOne.  Most of my time in Pin FX, Pinball Arcade, and Zaccaria has been on Steam, but I played Demon's Tilt and Yoku through Xbox Gampass.

 

I love the variety that the Zaccaria tables add to my digital pinball collection.  Those tables don't go on sale very often, but when they do, you get A LOT of them which is fun.

 

Demon's Tilt didn't really do it for me.  I am not very nostalgic for the "Crush" games, and it really just kinda felt a little stale to me.  Yoku was more of a 2d platformer that used pinball mechanics to navigate some parts of its little world.  Unique game.  I had a ton of fun with that.

 

The most fun I've had with a digital pinball game in the last few weeks has been going back and playing Pinball of the Dead for the GBA.  I tried it years ago and didn't think much of it but played it again recently and really enjoyed it.  Another surprise was playing Little Mermaid 2: Pinball Frenzy for the Gameboy Color.  It has 2 tables and I think it is basically using the same base game as Pokemon Pinball, but I enjoyed those 2 tables a lot more than I thought I would.

[Tanooki]

Kind of surprised I missed this thread.

 

I've actively owned/used both of what you asked about first.

Zaccaria that one is interesting.  The psychics are solid, the tables are beautifully recreated to a solid degree like Pinball Arcade was known for too.  They're expensive though, the way they setup those packs of games in large price bundles sucks, but what you get back is nice, and they don't scam on you for normal pinball so called 'extra' settings TPA did with their double dipping price for 'pro versions' of the games.

 

That said The Pinball Arcade was the better package, and it disgusts me that Zen pulled the rug out from under them and took away the real fun life blood of that the Bally/Williams stuff as they really had the best tables in general from that whole 80s and 90s period.  They're fantastic, and for a time I could compare the real deal to the digital, and honestly the digital at times was better if for anything, lack of age wear and warping in surfaces, bubbling in mylar, and for damn certain not having to run maintenance either.   Accurate, just not to a fault, to an improvement, probably the other guy too but I don't have a hand into those weird Italian tables.

 

Zen though, they're party pinball, aka...crap.  Not overall, they're a great distraction and well enough made.  But the license the bandited away and what they've done with it since is a multi-layered travesty.  Censoring tables, wonky physics, weird other oddities that a real table or TPA would never do, truly a fall from grace.  Worst yet their pricing and lack of tables for that price just sucks.  It's like, if you had to not steal(android APK) the stuff, and had to buy the license to play digitally it's better than nothing, but it's not right.  Then again if you don't know the difference, it probably won't bother you either way.

[roots.genoa]

4 hours ago, Tanooki said:

The psychics are solid

?

[Asaki]

16 hours ago, Tanooki said:

It's like, if you had to not steal(android APK) the stuff, and had to buy the license to play digitally it's better than nothing, but it's not right.

I actually thought the Android Zen was alright, since it's all "pay to win", you can just unlock tables by playing for free.

But after I unlock a table, I don't tend to play it anymore. The framerates are pretty bad sometimes, and I haven't unlocked the "pro physics" yet or whatever it's called.

 

Also, yeah, sucks that a lot of tables won't be coming to Zen (no way will they ever release stuff like Elvira), and AFAIK, they've only released one new table, that TPA didn't already have. No way would I pay for tables I already own (with better physics) on PC or console.

Edited January 7, 2021 by Asaki

[digdugnate]

it's really cool to see everyone's opinions.    i think that given the choice of the three if i'm playing one, usually i lean towards Zaccaria because it's more fun for me to play.  TPA has some neat stuff, Zen has some neat stuff but i keep going back to Zaccaria.

[+jgkspsx]

I agree with most of the opinions in this thread. I like Zaccaria a lot, although I have more tables to buy. I really can't stand Zen, though ?

[Tanooki]

I'd have to agree with the last two posts.  The more I think back on it I kind of wish I hadn't taken it off my phone, but they also kept screwing around with what was free and not which got on my nerves at times too.  Ultimately being used to the Williams/Bally stuff and even owning a couple for a time TPA was an obvious draw, but Zaccaria is real too, and better yet, more or less untouchable in the states which makes it a bit more fun as it's exotic and also not over the top either.

[digdugnate]

oh! which reminded me, there's also 'Senran Kagura Peach Ball', but.. I'm not sure who would want to admit they purchased it.  ?

 

(incidentally when i was playing it, my son was super embarrassed by the game, hahaha)

[Tanooki]

I wanted that game, it looks legitimately like a lot of fun, but it's just so close to edging with hentai/doujin stuff and I'm not single.   I'm the only guy in the house too, 2 to 1, not happening.  I mean I could get it, play at night, but I don't want to like have to find a hiding place for the thing both in reality and on the switch menu if someone ever just picks it up for whatever reason.

[digdugnate]

15 hours ago, Tanooki said:

I wanted that game, it looks legitimately like a lot of fun, but it's just so close to edging with hentai/doujin stuff and I'm not single.   I'm the only guy in the house too, 2 to 1, not happening.  I mean I could get it, play at night, but I don't want to like have to find a hiding place for the thing both in reality and on the switch menu if someone ever just picks it up for whatever reason.

lol- my wife saw the game and just kind of rolled her eyes.  it *is* a lot of fun to play as far as the actual pinball piece, but yes, there is a TON of doujin-type stuff.

[Asaki]

Probably similar to my reluctance to buy the only TPA Stern pack that I'm missing. $15 for a pack with only two games, and those games are Big Juicy Melons (a table full of "large boobies" jokes) and Big Buck Hunter??

 

I'll pass.

[+wongojack]

A friend of my bought me Brave Pinball on Steam for Christmas, and I got around to playing it last night.  It is fine.  It reminds me of a Gameboy or GBC pinball game.  It has a 3 level playfield with the middle level being a sort of cave or dungeon segment.  There's a boss at the end to beat too.  If that sounds like your sort of thing then I would recommend it, but at $9.99, I think I'd wait for a sale.

[+wongojack]

double post

[Tanooki]

That's a strange one, if you like steam and digital pinball take a peek at Demon's Tilt.  It's basically an unofficial sequel to Alien Crush, Devils Crash both on PCE/TG16 and Jaki Crush on Super Famicom.  It's stunningly well done and it's multi-screen high too.

[Mockduck]

I have the Stern Pinball for Switch on an actual game cart and have found it to be one of the better pinball games so far. I am just not a fan of Zen; I have yet to play a table that felt like I was playing a physical object, and they tend to go into the realm of fantasy pinball design too often. The Stern stuff is solid, and I have not had bugs with it. I really miss Farsight, they have been the only ones to get it right so far. 

[+wongojack]

On 1/5/2021 at 11:40 PM, wongojack said:

 

 

Demon's Tilt didn't really do it for me.  I am not very nostalgic for the "Crush" games, and it really just kinda felt a little stale to me.  Yoku was more of a 2d platformer that used pinball mechanics to navigate some parts of its little world.  Unique game.  I had a ton of fun with that.

 

 

 

19 hours ago, Tanooki said:

That's a strange one, if you like steam and digital pinball take a peek at Demon's Tilt.  It's basically an unofficial sequel to Alien Crush, Devils Crash both on PCE/TG16 and Jaki Crush on Super Famicom.  It's stunningly well done and it's multi-screen high too.

 

I play A LOT of digital pinball games - LOL

[Asaki]

5 hours ago, Mockduck said:

I really miss Farsight, they have been the only ones to get it right so far. 

Yeah, I know...they keep promising that there'll be new pinball tables...

 

...still waiting...

[digdugnate]

On 1/12/2021 at 1:47 PM, wongojack said:

 

 

I play A LOT of digital pinball games - LOL

yay, i'm not alone! LOL

[Tanooki]

I still do, not as much as when I had the table.

 

I was shocked to find a week or two ago that the old WIndows 95/98se Space Pinball freebie, someone converted it to iOS and stuffed it for free up on the app store, it does have a teeny banner ad at the bottom, and you only get 2 balls, getting a 3rd is buying the add-free unlock of like $2 which isn't bad at all.  Such memories playing that one, and it works nicely.  I hate it has no 5 ball option, pretty sure the original did play with that many.