The Pinball Arcade

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 90 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 90
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 90
  3. Negative: 21 out of 90
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  1. Pandur
    Nov 28, 2017
    8
    Nice game for pinball veterans and newcomers alike. Why? Because it has this great variety of real historic arcade tables and pretty solid physics to appeal to the pros and be interesting and accessable for the newbies at the same time. Concerning the strange ball-physics some reviews mention: sure you didnt't nudge the table through touching the left stick? Happens to me time after time.Nice game for pinball veterans and newcomers alike. Why? Because it has this great variety of real historic arcade tables and pretty solid physics to appeal to the pros and be interesting and accessable for the newbies at the same time. Concerning the strange ball-physics some reviews mention: sure you didnt't nudge the table through touching the left stick? Happens to me time after time. All in all a fully justified 8.… Expand
  2. Almighty-koz
    Jan 22, 2014
    10
    This game is great if you like classic pinball in the old school arcades you'll like this game, its not for those who like the flash of say Zen Pinball its more for the people who like REAL pinball tables me and my wife both have a blast playing this and trying to beat each others high scores. Again this is about a more realistic pinball experience vs what Zen Pinball gives you is allThis game is great if you like classic pinball in the old school arcades you'll like this game, its not for those who like the flash of say Zen Pinball its more for the people who like REAL pinball tables me and my wife both have a blast playing this and trying to beat each others high scores. Again this is about a more realistic pinball experience vs what Zen Pinball gives you is all flash no substance.... All the pinball machines in this game are based on real life pinball machines.… Expand
  3. captain9fingers
    Jan 2, 2015
    9
    I have all the Season 1 tables only. The tables are incredibly lifelike and the controls are responsive. Great Graphics and Sound it's almost as good as the real thing. Even nudging by using the analogue stick feels natural and useful. Some of the tables are boring but with so many tables available there are more good than bad
  4. Lime_4444
    Jan 23, 2014
    9
    Ah this is great if you want to play some oldschool pinball! This is really a must have, note you get one level free the rest you need to buy but i'm okay with that!
  5. platbr
    Feb 12, 2014
    10
    Excellent pinball game with great gameplay. I've wanted many of these tables IRL but couldn't afford them (who can?) and am thrilled to have them in one place. Can't say enough great things about this game.
  6. VGrantN
    Jan 14, 2014
    9
    Good game with nice pinball mechanics. I haven't purchased the other pinball machines but the stock one is great. I probably play this game once or twice a day, but not for long. I would say this is a pretty cool game!
  7. Nel
    May 2, 2017
    5
    If you are used to play on these machines as a kid you are going to have a blast, however the content is very restricted and I would rather have seen a "full game" not a free to play version which makes it far more expensive than it should be, other than that the controls feel very responsive, and the graphics are what you can expect.
  8. chicagossl
    Jun 24, 2014
    10
    This game brought back great memories of playing pinball. Plus you only have to pay for it one time, not 50 cents every few minutes. I think the sound, color and themes are just a lot of fun.
  9. disobedientlib
    Jan 6, 2014
    9
    The definitive version of Pinball Arcade in my view. Responsive controls (altho better controller customization would be great), beautiful tables and challenging...challenges(?). Although there isn't a lot of PS4 players on here yet, I have the disc version, which includes 22 amazing tables, and leaderboards include users from all platforms, which can humble a girl pretty quickly...
  10. massivechicken
    Jan 2, 2014
    9
    Been waiting for a good pinball sim my whole life I grew up playing Pinball Dreams/Fantasies/Illusions on the Amiga and nothing really has beaten them, until now. Ball physics are spot on and the tables are lovingly modelled with spectacular lighting reflections etc, I remember playing these at various arcades. Compared to the other PS4 offering of Zen Pinball, this just blows it out ofBeen waiting for a good pinball sim my whole life I grew up playing Pinball Dreams/Fantasies/Illusions on the Amiga and nothing really has beaten them, until now. Ball physics are spot on and the tables are lovingly modelled with spectacular lighting reflections etc, I remember playing these at various arcades. Compared to the other PS4 offering of Zen Pinball, this just blows it out of the water. I'm not sure why this game isn't more popular! The only thing I'd ask to be improved is the strange disjointed menu system, the need to pass the controller for more than one player (really?), the lack of online multiplayer (leaderboards only at this stage). Otherwise this game is perfect.… Expand
  11. sbizzle15
    Dec 17, 2013
    10
    although there is no competition at the moment, this is a great pinball game on ps4.... gameplay is smooth and crisp, graphics are pretty good and the lighting is pretty cool... overall if you aren't a pinball fan this probably isn't for you, but if you are this will satisfy your hunger
  12. Evil_Henry
    Dec 23, 2013
    9
    The free table is Arabian Nights, which is excellent and gives you a good idea of the quality of the other tables. For me, I've only bought the one pack, Pin bot and Medieval Madness tables, which are brilliant and surprisingly funny in parts (firing cows at the castle is a nice mini game). You can tell the makers have a lot of love for this stuff. I previously didn't like pinball (I'mThe free table is Arabian Nights, which is excellent and gives you a good idea of the quality of the other tables. For me, I've only bought the one pack, Pin bot and Medieval Madness tables, which are brilliant and surprisingly funny in parts (firing cows at the castle is a nice mini game). You can tell the makers have a lot of love for this stuff. I previously didn't like pinball (I'm terrible at the real machines, as I was at first with this simulation, but it doesn't cost £1 a go). Really don't understand the low reviews, it's very authentic and 1080/60 fps with not a pixel in sight. Lovely stuff, give it a go.… Expand
  13. Canadian365
    May 30, 2015
    9
    Best pinball game available that recreates digitally many great real world pinball tables. Company listens to feedback from customers, an patches minor user found bugs/glitches. Frequent tables added regularly such as Addams Family. They do Kickstarter campaigns for those high priced hard to get licensed tables fans of the silver ball request if viable. Next best thing to playing realBest pinball game available that recreates digitally many great real world pinball tables. Company listens to feedback from customers, an patches minor user found bugs/glitches. Frequent tables added regularly such as Addams Family. They do Kickstarter campaigns for those high priced hard to get licensed tables fans of the silver ball request if viable. Next best thing to playing real tables, great preservation. It takes skill, not just hitting flippers. Many table goals to achieve on each table, with tips. Some table goals are easy and some are very, very challenging. A game for all ages.… Expand
  14. jda824
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    If you love real Pinball games or just like to play a little, either way you can not miss with The Pin Ball Arcade! Farsight takes real Pinball games and recreates them down to every last detail in the tables. The first table Arabian Knights is free, so why not at least try it? They just made and released the Adams Family and it is like the Holy Grail of Pin Ball. There are a total of 56If you love real Pinball games or just like to play a little, either way you can not miss with The Pin Ball Arcade! Farsight takes real Pinball games and recreates them down to every last detail in the tables. The first table Arabian Knights is free, so why not at least try it? They just made and released the Adams Family and it is like the Holy Grail of Pin Ball. There are a total of 56 tables in all and I recommend saving money and buying the table season packs instead of getting the tables individually. There are only a few tables on here that I have had the pleasure to play in real life, like Pin Bot and Tales of Arabian Nights and they play just like they did in real life and even look better. Farsigt is a small company and to really understand what they do just pull them up on youtube. They show exactly how they take a real machine and take it all apart and make models of every part in the game. Really amazing, they also use the original programming from the tables.… Expand
  15. WaddleJrJr
    Jun 7, 2014
    4
    The Pinball Arcade recreates many classic and outstanding tables into the virtual world, and does a kind of okay job of it. Pretty much everything about this game is just okay. The physics are decent, with some weirdness and hiccups and such, the visuals are decent, nothing too outstanding. The problem with this game, however, is the amount of glitches it has. I have frequently had myThe Pinball Arcade recreates many classic and outstanding tables into the virtual world, and does a kind of okay job of it. Pretty much everything about this game is just okay. The physics are decent, with some weirdness and hiccups and such, the visuals are decent, nothing too outstanding. The problem with this game, however, is the amount of glitches it has. I have frequently had my game crash, or have had strange occurrences on tables. The only reason to be playing the Pinball Arcade is to be able to play those great tables without having to spend the money on the real things, and it's unfortunate that this seems to be the only option.… Expand
  16. TravelerLloyd
    Jan 19, 2014
    5
    I played it and I am not into pinball games really. This is cool and fun for younger gamers, not my bag of a game. Once you played a pinball game they all seem to be pretty much the same thing with few twists if any.
  17. FavoriteCritic
    Aug 8, 2014
    4
    Flawed ball physics make this game more of a novelty than a serious pinball game. Ball momentum and unusual movement is apparent especially during multiball events. Nice looking tables takes you down memory lane though, but not sure that's enough to justify the price of the game and additional price of the tables.
  18. CamyVero
    May 2, 2023
    7
    Compré este juego por pura nostalgia. Aparte de que me encantan las mesas de pinball, dentro de este disco hay algunas de las mesas que ya estaban disponibles en la entrega de PS2 a la que le eché un montón de horas, con el añadido de que incluye tambien algunas mesas que conozco de las salas de juego, como la de la Criatura del Lago. Explicado esto, decir que el juego está muy guay peroCompré este juego por pura nostalgia. Aparte de que me encantan las mesas de pinball, dentro de este disco hay algunas de las mesas que ya estaban disponibles en la entrega de PS2 a la que le eché un montón de horas, con el añadido de que incluye tambien algunas mesas que conozco de las salas de juego, como la de la Criatura del Lago. Explicado esto, decir que el juego está muy guay pero tiene luces y sombras. En primer lugar la recopilación base incluye 22 mesas con temáticas y retos muy diferentes. Dominar todas las mesas y sacerse los logros te va a llevar una temporada grande, esto es bueno. Pero el diseño de los menús y la nefasta traducción al español afea muchísimo el producto y es una pena. Además se incluye un montón de contenido de pago. Se ve que este disco se publicó antes de que el juego se pasara al modelo free to play y fueron sacando temporadas con mesas y bolas diferentes y los menús son tan poco intuitivos que no sabes que mesas tienes disponibles y cuales hay que pasar por caja.

    En cuanto a mecánicas no hay que decir mucho. Es un simulador de pinball, si te gustan este tipo de máquinas, no veo porqué no te va a gustar. Se puede competir por las mejores puntuaciones online, se puede jugar a competir con colegas en modo local, las mesas tienen desafíos que superar, para lo cual tendrás que entender el juego y dominar la mesa. Es un excelente juego de pinball cuya presentación deja mucho que desear. Los menús son chapuceros y poco intuitivos, la traducción es nefasta y la inclusión de los micropagos es invasiva. Aún así una vez estás dentro de la representación de la mesa todo funciona de forma correcta, permitiendo personalizar los controles y las vistas, lo que te permitirá jugar cómodo y disfrutar de estos grandiosos juegos.    … Expand
  19. sebastianali
    Nov 23, 2019
    3
    LEAN LA REVIEW PRIMERO!
    Voy a dividir esta critica en 5 secciones para justificar por que le puse un 3:
    -Gráficos (4/10): Los gráficos, si bien recrean muy bien las maquinas de pinball reales, el entorno se ve muy feo, parece un juego de la PS1. Otro problema es la cámara, que constantemente se mueve (esto lo explicare mas en la jugabilidad), y no te deja ver bien. Ademas de que    LEAN LA REVIEW PRIMERO!
    Voy a dividir esta critica en 5 secciones para justificar por que le puse un 3:

    -Gráficos (4/10): Los gráficos, si bien recrean muy bien las maquinas de pinball reales, el entorno se ve muy feo, parece un juego de la PS1. Otro problema es la cámara, que constantemente se mueve (esto lo explicare mas en la jugabilidad), y no te deja ver bien. Ademas de que graficamente se ve pésimo, hay tiempos de carga! Otra cosa de la que me quejo es que los mini videos que aparecen en algunos tableros de pinball salen muy arriba, y no se pueden ver mientras estas jugando o...
    te distraes y pierdes.
    -Jugabilidad (4/10): Aunque alabo el esquema de controles, las físicas están muy mal hechas. Otra cosa mala que note es que si bien con L2 y R2 moves los flippers (cosa que esta muy bien, ya que parece que tuvieras una maquina de pinball real), uno esperaria apretar mas para darle mas fuerte a la bola, pero no. No hay mejor ejemplo de esto que el Space Cadet Pinball (otro juego de pinball gratuito, que esta para PC y es mil veces mejor). La sensibilidad de los flippers junto con las fisicas son sobresalientes en ese juego. Acá no podes pegarle despacito a la bola.
    -Sonido y BSO (8/10): Al fin un punto realmente positivo! Este juego recrea muy bien la música y los efectos de sonido de cada maquina arcade que hay para elegir (al menos de las pocas que hay, ya hablare de eso después). Cualquiera que haya jugado a las maquinas en la vida real, reconocerá los sonidos. Su punto mas destacable, la verdad.
    -Diversión (1/10): Ademas de los problemas que ya mencione de las fisicas y la falta de sensibilidad en los flippers, que hacen que pierdas todo el tiempo, sumemosle que hay muchos tableros parecidos, falta de rejugabilidad ya que se hace repetitivo y.... micropagos... Sip, este juego tiene micropagos... Y A MONTONES! Yo no critico los micropagos en un juego si: El juego es muy bueno, si se puede conseguir todo jugando y si el precio vale la pena (cosa que casi nunca lo vale). Ustedes me dirán: Pero si es gratuito! Tienen que ganar dinero de alguna forma... Nope, el Space Cadet Pinball es gratuito y no tiene micropagos y es mil veces mejor. Caso cerrado.
    -Rejugabilidad (0/10): La ultima sección. Haber, si el juego es malisimo... quien quiere volverlo a jugar? Si, tiene multijugador local, pero no tiene online y ademas no lo compensa.

    La nota real es un 3,4 redondeado a 3. Jugad al Space Cadet Pinball y este.... si que esta muy sobrevalorado. Que decepción. Lo puedo recomendar? Mirad, si sois muy fans del pinball y justo jugaron a esos durante su infancia y le quieren echar unas partidas... adelante. Pero hay mejores juegos de pinball incluso flash!!!    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best PS4 Game of 2013
21
#21 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2013
18
#18 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. InsideGamer.nl
    Apr 18, 2014
    75
    The Pinball Arcade is the best pinball simulation there is. We wouldn’t have elected for a retail-version and preferred a different system to play it on, since this one has less cabinets and it does have a tournament mode. Are you patient and can you enjoy the pretty cabinets in this version, then don’t let us stop you.
    Read full review
  2. PlaySense
    Apr 11, 2014
    90
    A return to the old days, in a very good way. If you're into pinball, you'll definitely want to pick this up.
    Read full review
  3. JeuxActu
    Apr 4, 2014
    80
    Pinball Arcade is a very good exclusive title for PS4 and at the same time the best pinball game we've seen for years. With 22 playfields (and 35 others to come) amongst the best, you've a huge content at your disposal. Furthermore, the Farsight game successfully retranscripts the sensations, visuals and noises of all those playfields of the past. Old-school.
    Read full review
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