Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Star Wars Pinball"

In 1977 George Lucas brought to light one of the most highly, and significantly influential sci-fi film sagas ever to grace the entertainment industry. Through this cinematic creation George Lucas set the standard for how a sci-fi film should be created. Many new Star Wars related story archs spawned from this award winning film franchise following the success of the original trilogy's theatrical release, and are still being introduced to this day. Star Wars related merchandise, clothing, novels, and even video game spin-offs have come, and gone over the years. To say Star Wars was popular would be an obvious understatement. Even too this day Star Wars has one of the largest cult followings of any sci-fi related fiction. You likely won't find many people who havn't heard of the many characters that make up the Star Wars universe. Often times you'll even find tons of new internet, and store content relating to the original trilogy, and it's many successors. Recently news about a new Star Wars movie was also leaked.

It's no surprise that a pinball giant such as Zen Studios would pay homage to the greatness that is Star Wars as well. In fact that's the reason why I'm here typing up this review for you today. In an unexpected, and most Awesome turn of events Zen Studios partnered up with Lucas Films in order to bring to us faithful 'Pinball FX2' players an official set of Star Wars movie tribute tables. Through inside information I have found out that there will be a total of 10 Star Wars themed tables released over time. The first set will be a mixture of the old, and new Star Wars film related features. In the following paragraphs I will give you a brief history on each of the table's themes. I'll also do a descriptive breakdown on all the features that each table has to offer. Without further adieu, sit back, relax and prepare yourself for one hell of an interesting read!

The Clone Wars

The "Clone Wars" movie trilogy has been deemed a thorn in the side of the Star Wars universe by many loyal fans. The questionable movie trilogy chronicled Anakin Skywalker's descent into madness, and his ultimate rise as the Sith lord known as Darth Vader. The tale began with Anakin struggling to survive as an enslaved boy, and followed him through his many life altering experiences. One of these events was the decisive moment when his mother was killed by tusken raiders. From that point in the story Anakin was taken under the guidance of the young Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi. He learned the ways of the force from his newly found master through training, and shared wisdom. Later on he met his wife which turned out to be Queen Amidala. The two wed, and enjoyed a somewhat happy existence until the Empire's warring placed them into a situation that would change both of their lives forever. By the end of "Episode III" Anakin was a full fledged Jedi master. Unfortunately for him though he was deceived by the emporer, and ended up turning to the darkside as a result. After being mortally wounded in a battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi the Jedi master known as Anakin Skywalker was saved by the Empire, restored, and turned into the Sith Lord we all recognize today, Darth Vader.

Even though this table borrows themes from the second trilogy of movies it is solely based on the encounters shown in the 2008 - 2013 animated series that followed the initial movie releases. The events that inspired the creation of the Pinball FX2 "The Clone Wars" table specifically take place sometime between the events of "Episode II", and "Episode III". At this point in time Anakin Skywalker has not yet turned to the darkside. He is still in the company of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and has also joined up with another female Jedi, Ahsoka Tano who was not shown in the original movie trilogy. The Jedi at this time are in the midst of a war with the empire, and are unable to help others who are affected due to the circumstances they find themselves in. In the end it's up to Anakin, and his two Jedi companions to sort things out for the rest of the Star Wars universe.

The Pinball FX table known as "The Clone Wars" utilizes all of the previously mentioned events, and combines them into a very intricate experience. The table's floor sports a large group image of Jedi masters, and Sith Lords with their lightsabers raised. Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Asajj Ventress, and Darth Maul's brother are all depicted in imagery similar to the animations you'd find within the animated series. When it comes to ramp placings they are located on both of the sides of the table as well as the top-center of it. All ramps are easily accessible, and make bonus scoring an easy reality. You'll find that some ramps on the table are used to trigger certain interactive events such as the "T-6 Multiball", or the "Escort Ship Mission". The main missions, on the other hand can be activated by spelling out "Clone Wars" via passes through both of the side ramps. Passing through a special interactive ramp on the right side of the table will then cause a dot matrix menu to appear from which you can select one of three main missions. In one such mission Ahsoka will battle it out Jedi style with Asajj Ventress at the back portion of the table. During this particular mission you will need to knock the pinball up the appropriate ramps, in order. In turn this will raise a virtual 3D ramp which can be used to complete the mission.

The second main mission is a duel with Darth Maul's brother. The title of the mission is "The Monster". The goal, or aim of this mission is to strike the opposing Sith lord with the pinball as his 3D model changes to various positions on the table. Completing this task will score you some serious points. The third selectable main mission is one in which a large bright pink force shield appears blocking a huge portion of the table. The only way around this is to knock the pinball up the left, or right side ramps. Once inside of the force shield area you must use the additional top flippers to destroy it. Aside from these three main selectable missions you also have other interactive events that can be triggered for additional bonus points. The "Liberation" event is triggered by passing through one of the upper ramps several times. When activated you will hear the announcer say "Liberation, Hurry up!". At this time an obtainable high score is counting down rapidly in the onscreen digital dot matrix. In order to snag the falling point bonus you most once again make passes through the same ramp that triggered the event. If done quickly enough you can score millions of points during this event. In retrospect it's probably your best chance at achieving a notably high score, especially if you can trigger the event multiple times during your playthrough.

As you can probably imagine the guys, and gals of Zen Studios have included an extra area of the table that serves as an off-table scoring opportunity. It is triggered in a similar way as all of the other events on the table. It will ultimately require ramp passes to trigger. Once activated the table will zoom in beyond the table's backboard, and will reveal a tabletop image of an Emperial soldier sporting two guns. The point of this event is to knock out all of the targets through pinball strikes. You of course have two flippers with which to do this. As of now I have yet to complete this event, so I'm clueless as to what the point value is.

When it comes to audio presentation this table does alright. You'll get to hear repetitive quotes from Yoda as well as an occasional quote from Anakin, Ahsoka, and Asajj Ventress. The Yoda voices do not seem to be from the original voice actor/actress, but instead seem to be ripped from the animated television show. The same goes for Anakin's, Ahsoka's, and Asajj Ventress's voice. Oddly enough Yoda's wisdom holds true to both life situations, and pinball table situations. It's added things like these that definitely set Pinball FX2 tables apart from the rest. As far as visual appeal goes the table is truly a sight to behold. It's not overly congested with blinding imagery, which is definitely a good thing. The several moving 3D models (Anakin, Ahsoka, Asajj Ventress, Savage Opress, Droid Army) all look impressive as usual, and bring the fight to virtual life. I should also mention that the escort ship also makes a 3D appearance as it moves about the table in one of the triggered events. With everything considered this is definitely my favorite table of the set. It's beginner friendly, and isn't to hard to get into. You simply need to get a rhythm going in order to score big.

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

In the original movie trilogy this is where the sh*t really hit the fan. While it is not the first movie in the saga it is most definitely the most pivotal point in the series. Luke Skywalker begins to realize his true worth, and destiny as he teams up with an odd assortment of friends in a quest to save the galaxy.While training with Master Yoda, and learning the ways of the force Luke is "forced" to make an important decision. Either he can stay, and finish his training, or go help his friends who are in mortal danger. As most of you reading this know Luke chose the latter choice, and went to aid his troubled friends. Many other things happen throughout the movie such as Han Solo's capture, and imprisonment in carbonite. In the end Luke faces Darth Vader only to lose his hand, and find out that Darth Vader is actually his father.

The Pinball FX2 table of the same name sports all of the noteworthy features that the movie was all about. You'll hear audio voice-overs ripped directly from the feature film as well as see table art, and 3D interactive models that deliver a beautiful tribute to the movie. At the dead center of the table there is a collection of images that seem to be directly inspired by the movie including a group montage consisting of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2-D2, C3P0, Princess Leia, and an X-Wing fighter. Above this iconic group is an ominous image of Darth Vader who acts as a trigger point to certain events, and movie scene missions. His neck flap will raise up during these said events, and reveal a center bank for the pinball to enter in. Aside from that the table is also populated by other well known Star Wars droids, and locales. At the top of the table you'll find four multi-colored R2-D2 droids that act as a bonus trigger. Once hit enough times they will light up in neon, and will enhance your point value. Just above the R2-D2 units is the floating Sky City. This too acts as an interactive part of on of the movie scene oriented missions.

Other unique features included are the Jedi lightsaber that acts as a part of mission 1/scene 1's event. The launcher this time around is a Sith lightsaber which is obviously Darth Vader's. When you launch the ball in the game you'll have a chance to earn a skillshot bonus by striking the probe droid rising, and descending spinner that is located above the launcher area. You should also note that there are three center targets that change according to what mission/scene you are currently taking part in. Sometimes the target boards will have "Vader", or "Star Wars" on them while sometimes the targets disappear entirely allowing access to the U-turn area that is located directly behind them. Another thing to note is that there are a total of four flippers on the table. Two are located at the center in order to aid with certain missions/scenes while the initial two are located at the bottom of the table where they usually are.

The table also features a large selection of audio quotes ripped directly from the movie. You'll hear Han Solo (Harrison Ford) speak to Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) says some of the more memorable scene quotes that he's known for, Yoda shares his words of wisdom as well as some quotes pertaining to Luke's Jedi training, C3P0 rambles on about being broken up, Darth Vader delivers several well known lines, and even Chewie makes his audio debut with his signature chirping sounds. Even the dot matrix plays on the movie's nostalgia with some digital action scenes taken straight from the film.

As far as the scene oriented missions go there are a total of five of them that can be triggered by entering the center Darth Vader bank when the appropriate conditions are met. The first scene oriented mission is titled "Get The Lightsaber". In this mission you must land the pinball in the upper left corner hole that sits above the center target/flipper area. This must be done three times in order to score the bonus points. The next scene, or scene two as it is known is titled "Eliminate the Stormtrooper Attack". When this mission is triggered a 3D model of a kneeling stormtrooper will appear in front of the three center targets. Your goal, or aim is to hit the storm trooper by bounce the pinball off of the center flippers, and into the stormtrooper. This task is complicated by the fact that the Darth Vader bank is raised directly below it. If you flip the pinball into the open bank it will reset the ball from a different position. You'll also have to avoid the stormtrooper's laser fire which will explode the pinball if it makes contact. The only way around this is to hit him from behind.

The third scene mission titled "Escape the Empire" involves a 3D model of a TIE Fighter that zooms about the stage. Along with this 3D model are to asteroids placed at the back end of the table. Your goal is to shoot the pinball up an illuminated center ramp, and hit the TIE Fighter enough times to end the scene. The center ramp is only visible during this event, and disappears into the table after you lose a ball, or win the bonus points. The fourth scene, or mission is titled "Land the Falcon in Sky City". It's a fairly straightforward mission that requires the player to shoot the pinball through the right ramp, and into the 3D model of Sky City which is located at the back/top left corner of the playing field. You do this three times, and you will score yourself some significant bonus points. Last, but not least is scene/mission number five. In this fifth mission titled "Defend Han with Chewie" you must simply shoot the pinball up the left ramp three times. Each time you do so. Chewie will make a worried chirping sound letting you know that you did it correctly.

Aside from the main scene oriented missions there are also a couple of secondary missions that can be completed for additional bonus points. One such mission involves a 3D model of an AT-AT Walker that rises from the center playing field during a certain event trigger. Another secondary mission occurs when Darth Vader rises from the center of the playing field speaking one of his signature quotes. He then paces back, and forth until you have met the requirements to complete the mission. At this point in time I'm unable to give you specifics on those requirements though. I do apologize for that.

When it's all said, and done this is the table that most Star Wars fans, and Pinball FX2 players are going to enjoy. It has plenty of nostalgic features, and looks like a true movie tribute table. While it is definitely a sight to behold scoring high on this table can be somewhat challenging. It takes some time to get used to, but once you do the possibility of gaining a high score will seem much more reachable than when you first began your initial playthrough. In essence this table poses a medium range difficulty challenge.

Boba Fett

The "Boba Fett" tribute table is more of a spin-off than a true movie tribute. Sure it brings to light the famous intergalactic bounty hunter that we've all grown to recognize, but it seems to be more of a stretched fiction about the character than anything else. Things like his voice (Australian) which was hardly heard during the movies are added to the narrative quotes in a fashion that fleshes the fictional character out more than he initially was. While this is defenitely not a bad thing by any means, it's the sort of thing that not all tried, and true Boba Fett fans are going to like. With that being said though the table itself does look alright for the most part. The table itself features a center image of various Star Wars bounty hunters, some of which you likely won't be able to name (Unless you are a diehard Star Wars fanatic). At the back of the table you'll also catch a glimpse of 'Jabba the Hut' on occasions. He acts as your bounty provider for the various bounty based missions you trigger on the table. The rest of the board is littered with odd features that looked as if they belonged in an intergalactic shipyard. In summary the table is a very busy one with lots of distracting visuals that make tracking the pinball's path a difficult one.

As with every new Pinball FX2 set there has to be a truly challenging table, and the "Boba Fett" table falls neck deep into this category. There are an interesting assortment of winding ramps, and alleys located on both sides of the table. Also for some reason unknown to myself there's a see-saw like ramp with some sort of pinball looking bomb device resting on it. I realize that this is one of the event/mission triggers, but it's place in the Star Wars universe is a total mystery to me. Also included is the more noteworthy Han Solo in carbonite spinner which is dangling not far from a interactive Sarlaac pit (pit with tentacles). As far as the 3D models go there is a very interesting selection including Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and a Stromtrooper guard. The two remaining interactive 3D models include "Fett's Slave I" ship, and " a TIE Fighter.  Most, or all of the missions within this table are dealing with bounties assigned to the Empire, and to Jabba the Hut. In order to trigger the Empire bounties you must send the pinball up the correct ramps, ultimately spelling out "EMPIRE" in the process. The 'Jabba the Hut' bounties on the other hand are triggered by knocking the pinball into the sinkhole under the see-saw that I previously mentioned. Doing this a certain amount of times will spell out the word "HUTTS" and allow you to select one of the missions associated with it.

At this time I've been able to do little at all with this table since the difficulty was past my skill range. As such I noticeably skimped out on a lot of the details about mission interactions, and mission titles. I do apologize for this lack of information. Perhaps you will be able to succeed where I have failed, and gain that respectable high score for this table in the process. As far as my verdict goes this table is hands down the most difficult of the set. The table's graphics, and features were to busy for me to focus on. As a result I often times lost track of the ball. For me it was the least enjoyable of the set. I'll just leave it at that.

Thank you for enduring yet another of my lengthy reviews. I hope you enjoyed it, and that what I said will give you enough insight on whether, or not this is a Pinball FX2 set you'd be interested in getting your hands on. Until next time I bid you farewell. May the Force be with you!

NOTE: There are only 3 new XBL achievements available with the set. All of the usual multiplayer modes, and options are also included with this set.