ZEN Studios has announced the Captain America Marvel Pinball table downloadable content just in time for the movie which is also set in the classic World War II environment inspired by Ed Brubaker’s Captain America, 65th Anniversary Special. The table has Captain America, Bucky and members of the resistance movement the Howling Commandos fighting it out with Baron Zemo, Red Skull and even The Sleeper as the Captain and his crew storm Zemo’s Castle.
Atmosphere: When it comes to pinball machine atmosphere there needs to be a combination of animated entertainment and real life physics if the machine is going to work. And just like most of the Marvel Pinball games it manages to do just that. It has animated mini-games to keep it entertaining but the ball, flippers and ramps all follow real life pinball machine physics. Add to this a variety of super hero musical scores and this game is instantly entertaining and can appeal to the hardcore pinball wizard and the Marvel video game fan.
Graphics And Sound:
The game simulates a pinball machine very well showing outstanding graphics but at the same time when a part of the machine comes to life and performs actions outside the realm of reality all the graphics are beautifully detailed and very realistic. You see Captain America block Zemo’s Death Ray with his shield then watch as a very realistic looking pinball starts hitting bumpers and flippers causing the characters to react. The graphics are well done for a video game and excellently done for a pinball machine right down to the details on the inside walls of the table and the jeep and barbed wire resting at the bottom behind the flippers. Other wonderful graphic details include the ball launch as a machine gun barrel and periodically Zemo just walks onto the table from out of frame. The sounds of the game all add to the setting too with bumpers that sound like rifle fire to ramps that sound like airplane flybys this game doesn’t miss an opportunity to wow the player with a sight or a sound. Even the ball lost voice changes as does the phrasing to keep the game fresh while playing addictively over and over.
Gameplay:
To a certain degree gameplay on all pinball machines that follow the rules of physics are all the same. However this game forces the balls, bumpers and flippers to follow the rules of physics and just has fun with the rest of it. And this introduces the idea of mini-games which are there to keep the game fun and challenging and give the player a break from the regular play to try what amounts to video games inserted into their pinball table. In one of the video games the Captain America figure standing on the table jumps up on a platform and starts blocking balls coming at him with his shield. Another has him blocking Zemo’s Death Ray with his shield and losing his strength which he recovers with the players help by scoring bumper hits. Each game involves Captain America’s figure on the machine to come to life and fight one of his foes in one way or another while you help with your flippers or the ball. I could go right down the list of all the special mini games on the board because I had a blast finding them all but it is far more fun for players to be surprised and find them themselves rather than be a spoiler.
A Good Addition?:
The Marvel Pinball tables all work off the same physics design for the principle table play it is just the extra animated games and the table design itself that make them different. If you like a table crowded with things to do this is probably going to be one of your favorites if not becoming your favorite over all the other tables. I am still a huge fan of the Blade table but I think this one easily outshined the Fantastic Four and Wolverine tables and actually was not only a good addition to the set but improved it.
Add Another Token:
The table and the whole game in general also includes multiplayer in two ways, hot seat and online. Those who have never heard of hot seat multiplayer the idea is pretty simple, someone sits in the “hot seat” in front of the television, plays player 1’s ball then hands the controller off to someone else putting them in the “hot seat” as player 2 for up to four players. The online is pretty straight forward too, they have a game lobby, you log into it and wait for enough players to match up and away you go into a game.
Cost/Playtime:
The table is going to cost about $3, which when you consider how many hours of play you can get from it by yourself yet alone playing your buddies or making it a party game is a very good deal. Heck at that price you might as well add on any other tables you don’t have.
Last Call:
Captain America Marvel Pinball Table is coming out at a perfect time to get people interested in the franchise again with the movie right around the corner but even if the movie wasn’t on it’s way this new table is an excellent addition to the Marvel Pinball set and is a whole lot of fun while keeping true to the physics of a mean pinball.
