So I tried Zen pinball HD on android...

[danivempire]

yeah...
I was curious about this game, as I love TPA.

Now the free table that comes with the program is not very good looking, and kinda boring...
I bought the Darth Vader table and it was more pleasant to the eye. And a little less boring...

One thing I like, it's the physics, not as good as TPA but way better than Visual pinball or future pinball.

Do you have an idea for one table that is an absolute must, THE table that if I don't like it, then Zen pinball is not for me?
Like in TPA, if you make someone play Harley Davidson and just that one, I dont think it would be a good argument for the game ^^

I found the two tables I got so far too easy, way too easy. And the sound and music are not really entertaining so far.
Those two I have, they don't compare to stuff like fishtales, scared stiff, monster bash, attack from mars,...

So, any idea wich one I should try? ^^

 

[Heretic]

youll find all zen tables easy marathon games...10 hours isnt unheard of possibly a great deal more.

that beimg the case id buy whatever themes you enjoy and treat thrm as arcade pinball

 

[Baron Rubik]

'Wolverine' is the one I'd recommend if you're coming straight in from TPA.

But... 'Excalibur' or 'Captain America' are pretty close behind.
For something a bit different 'Epic Quest' (role play Pinball) - great table.
Or 'Fear Itself' is one of my favourites.

Edit - the in-game table guides are vague, but you can download more detailed pdf guides for each table from here...
https://forum.zenstudios.com/showthread.php?t=4859

 

[Kevlar]

I actually think Sorcerers Lair is one of the best once you learn how to play it.

 

[DrainoBraino]

I love Zen pinball, but sometimes the tables are just too easy. I do appreciate that you can save the game tho. I have a game of Paranormal going that may never end.

My faves are Excalibur, Blade, Epic Quest, Earth Defense, and Mars. Excalibur is probably the most challenging table.

 

[Kevlar]

Wait, you can save a game? I can't see that on iPad, if you can how?

 

[netizen]

I love Zen pinball, but sometimes the tables are just too easy. I do appreciate that you can save the game tho.

This feature is not available on mobile, as such it should not be brought up in every conversation about Zen.

 

[DrainoBraino]

Wait, you can save a game? I can't see that on iPad, if you can how?

Hmm..I only play PS3 version, so I don't know about ipad......

This feature is not available on mobile, as such it should not be brought up in every conversation about Zen.

SORRY THEN, DANG

 

[Tabe]

I actually think Sorcerers Lair is one of the best once you learn how to play it.

Far and away my favorite Zen table. No coincidence that it's the most "like a real table" table in the entire Zen catalog.

While it's true that Zen games can go long, an hour is more like it versus the 10 hours Heretic is describing.

 

[superballs]

Epic Quest. What a neat concept. A pinball RPG.

 

[danivempire]

I got wolverine and yes, it does play better.
Took me a while, and still does, to get over the pinball who isn't really a pinball ^^
I've seen that there's a few tables that were released a while on other platform but not om android!
Anybody knows why?

 

[Baron Rubik]

I got wolverine and yes, it does play better.
I've seen that there's a few tables that were released a while on other platform but not om android!
Anybody knows why?

Licensing agreements probably - you could have a sift through this forum here... https://forum.zenstudios.com/forumdisplay.php?32-ZEN-Pinball-HD-Android

All newer tables get released across all platforms now, but they do seem to have issues getting the older tables onto mobile.

'Spiderman' is available for Android but only in the standalone marvel app and you have to purchase 'Avengers' as it comes bundled, but it's only about £0.70 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zenstudios.MarvelPinball&hl=en
This again is a licencing loophole they managed to exploit.


To get more out of Zen...

Make sure you experiment with both Landscape and portrait and the different camera views.
My own favorites are... Portrait cam 3 / Landscape cam 5

It has controller support (but not for nudge).
Touchscreen inputs are similar to TPA, but the nudges are in the top 1/3 of the screen area and the areas are 3 off, being Left Nudge / Nudge Up / Nudge Right.

Try turning some options off / ball trails, score pop ups, that kind of thing. 'Arcade FX' in the options menu.

Read the pdf guides https://forum.zenstudios.com/showth...in-s-Table-Guides-for-PFX2-amp-Marvel-Pinball

And remember Zen isn't trying to be traditional Pinball so don't treat it like it is. Thanks to Zens physics you can pull off super human Pinball feats like the Zen Nudge up flipper Pass...

A lot of TPA players don't get Zen, then tend to be quite vocal in their opinion of it, which I personally find quite funny as most real table owners I know shun TPA.
I mostly TPA, but love Zen as well for other aspects that TPA doesn't give. It's really good if you keep an open mind. Remember it's a video game and not Pinball.

Good luck and watch for sales, Zen Studios regularly have them and you can pick up some real bargains

 

[superballs]

Zen is fun.

It's not the most realistic in ways, but it's fun, and it very much is pinball in the way that epic pinball and some of the older games we seem to cherish are pinball, even if they fall short on realism.

The nice thing is that they are not bound by reality so they can do things we will never see on a real pinball table. It's fun and that's all it tries to be. Yes games can be long and it's easy to save the ball from draining. To some that's a strength and to others it's a weakness, but really, it is what it is.

I like Zen, and I like TPA and I like Pro Pinball and I like Sonic Spinball and I like Rob-o-Bot, and I like the new Unity3D Pinball that was just released in pre-alpha. If you embrace the differences it's a wonderful world.

 

[vpalmer]

dont know what from Zen catalog is available on mobiles but, i can strongly recommend Fear Itself, Civil War (i LOVE the the whole drama of this table's theme), ms Splosian man - is very funny table, Captain America, and all tables from Classic and Core packs except Shaman and Creature Lab. and Paranormal if you are Banzai Run fan )

 

[Baron Rubik]

dont know what from Zen catalog is available on mobiles but, i can strongly recommend Fear Itself, Civil War (i LOVE the the whole drama of this table's theme), ms Splosian man - is very funny table, Captain America, and all tables from Classic and Core packs except Shaman and Creature Lab. and Paranormal if you are Banzai Run fan )

Here's the current Android tables & Spiderman (but in Marvel app)

Forgot to mention in previous post - operator settings are included free with all Zen tables, so you can alter playfield angle, mode timers, extra balls, and there are pre-set difficulties, easy/med/hard/extra hard.
Good fun to play with - but stops you posting to leaderboards unless in default.

 

[danivempire]

thanks for the links with the pdf guides ^^
It's sad they didn't put their whole catalogue on android, and pretty stupid that the spiderman table is only available on the marvel pinball app...

I'm gonna check more table later ^^

 

[Zaphod77]

The tables are often pretty fun, but many of them have rulesets that you'd never see in a real pinball because they are wayyyy too exploitable.

Many tables let you relight the ballsaver repeatedly and easily, for example. Abusing this can result in long ball times.

With real pinball, an hour long game is a godly performance. with many zen pinball tables, it's par for the course.

 

[danivempire]

So... it's been a few week.
I bought a few tables and i played them but i don't like the overall feeling.
I don't really enjoy playing those tables. It looks like pinball but the feeling is not there.
I prefer TPA by far...

 

[Rayder]

The problem I had with Zen Pinball is that it seems far too easy. I mean, I play and play and play and then just get bored of the table I'm playing and shut it down because it just never seems to end. I could play through every table in TPA in the time I spend playing just one Zen table. Even if the table initially seemed fun, I'm sick of it after playing one game for what seems like forever.

I made the mistake of buying up all available for Zen2.....well, except for the more recent sports tables (not a big sports fan). I made the assumption that it was pinball, so I would automatically love it. I was wrong. I regret spending all that money on Zen as I never play it anymore. It's not likely I will bother with anything further for Zen. They need to bump up the difficulty so you don't burn yourself out on the very first play of any given table.

 

[Captain B. Zarre]

I also don't like the "theming" of Zen's tables. Instead of having anything to do with advancing a plot (ie. The Addams Family, The Shadow) you're just spelling stuff on the playfield to start multiballs. I can deal with that in moderation but in Zen it just gets way out of control.

Also Nightmare Mansion... who would make a primary multi ball activate by hitting 20 slingshots? No ball locks?