Together Retro: Pinball Arcade

[Kidpanda]

Yea I blasted through a couple of tables on vita and felt fine. It did slowdown in a couple of spots on the tale of the Arabian nights, but nothing game breaking.

[dsheinem]

How is the Vita port of this? Is it up to par with the more powerful consoles?

The TR article says it's on PSP but wikipedia claims it's Vita. Which is it?

The Vita port (which is cross-buy with PS3 fwiw) is certainly up to snuff.

I really wish they had added cross-buy with PS4. I bought pretty much every table for the first couple of seasons but once the PS4 came out and the stuff didn't transfer I got a bit bummed out.

Still, I have been extolling the virtures of this game/collection since day 1 and have done most of my playing on the Vita. As a long time collector of pinball games, I feel qualified to declare these the best video game pinball tables to ever exist

[ExedExes]

Got the 5th wizard goal on Black Hole just now (500K bonus on lower level).

4 tables now have all goals complete!

Playing here has helped me do much better on the real thing.

[ExedExes]

I got the final standard goal for Flight 2000 (sweep the 3 right-side drop targets with one hit). I never thought I'd do that. On the next game, I then got 4 out of the 5 wizard goals. One away from completing this table!

[Ivo]

I'm on the PC/Steam and played the free Arabian Nights (TOTAN). I'm very impressed with the table design.

Someone mentioned the camel race, I got second place, how many times does one need to hit the targets to get 1st?

The simulation itself I can't comment, the camera wasn't so far a detriment and the physics seems good.

I got just over 38 million on my first go, I think I collected two gems on the sword (?), didn't quite get where I got the 1st from but 2nd was the flying horse/statues one. I wasn't too sure what I was doing but I managed to throw fireballs back at the genie, got one extra ball, and got all goals except the harem multiball. Would really like to know how to activate the outlane protections reliably, as the table design looks like a SDTM isn't so likely.
Will definitely want to spend more time with the table, it seems to live up to the reputation as very high quality.

I'm also still playing the Timeshock! table from the Pro Pinball series (virtual tables) and I wanted to get a top score while I'm still familiar with that table before I move on, but pinball skills are mostly transferable between tables (less so between different games with very different physics, but even then some concepts are always there).

Are there other commercial pinball series "transcribing" real tables, or is it only Pinball Arcade and others like Zen focus on creating new virtual tables?

[ejamer]

Awesome timing - had been looking at Pinball Arcade recently on Vita (actually PSTV) after finding out it was compatible, and then this week found out the first two seasons of tables are on sale, and then see this thread...

How can you argue with that?
Ended up grabbing the game plus the first season of tables.

After playing a ton of Pinball Hall of Fame: Williams Collection on Wii, many of the tables are already familiar. Really looking forward to playing Arabian Nights (tried a little bit last night and left a good first impression), Twilight Zone, Attack from Mars, and Star Trek.


As a general request, does anyone have opinions about the second season of tables? I really like Whirlwind and Firepower but nothing else really stood out to me as "must plays"... Feel like buying individual tables from later packs is probably the best approach.

...
Are there other commercial pinball series "transcribing" real tables, or is it only Pinball Arcade and others like Zen focus on creating new virtual tables?

Good question.

Zen does good work and has some fun designs, but there is something special about the old classic tables. Being able to replay classic tables that I played before in real arcades is a blast (even if the digital recreation really isn't as good).

[retrosportsgamer]

Season 1 really is loaded, especially with the Star Trek TNG and Twilight Zone being late releases in the season. I know a lot of those were tables from previous games (upgraded of course) but being new for me, that season is absolutely my favorite.

I purchased each pack for season 2 as they were released but didn't have as many really stick with me as the first season. Cactus Canyon, Tee'd Off and Terminator 2 were my most played. The Champion Pub is pretty fun also.

Around this time they stopped being 2 packs for $5 and each individual table was $5 (created from scratch I suppose).

In season 3 I just grabbed Fish Tales, Black Rose and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

For season 4 I only picked up Phantom of the Opera, The Addams Family and Starship Troopers.

I was a bit of a mark for the bigger name tables with more things going on than some of the older counterparts. Probably not completely fair so could eventually go back and layer in others.

Of course handpicking those loses any value entire season sales would have down the road.

[fastbilly1]

Camel Race is five hits for first place, I have trouble getting more than one. Just a mental block I guess. The outerlane protection you asked about is called Shooting Stars. They activate by hitting the drop targets on the left side and just to the right of the djinn. They are the red targets in these images:

Bottom left

Middle right

I know Zaccaria is recreating pinball tables by the famous Italian maker, and have made about forty of them (so all but about ten). It is iOS and Android only right now, but the PC port is coming. Zaccaria tables are unique EM styled machines. No DMD, handful of flashy effects, but solid gameplay. The PC port is rumored to have a table editor, but word is they are in talks with Farsight. So hopefully that means Farsight focuses on SS tables and Ask Homework can focus on EMs.


As for the seasons
- Season 1 is chocked full of great titles you should just buy it - Twilight Zone is my favorite table period.
- Season 2 standouts are Dr Dude, Firepower, Whitewater, Pinbot, Champion Pub, Whirlwind, T2, Haunted House, and Goin Nuts
- Season 3 standouts are Black Rose, Who dunnit, and High Speed - this is the weakest season for me.
- Season 4 - Addams Family, Phantom of the Opera, Red and Ted, Xenon, Safecracker, and Starship Troopers. This is the second best season for me.

I would say season 1 and 4 are pretty much must buys with 2 and 3 you are safe to pick over. I bought Seasons 1-3 during the last Steam summer sale, and have not regretted it. I want to buy season 4 but money is alittle tight right now. Season 5 is starting with The Getaway: Highspeed 2, which features music by ZZ Top and was a staple in my college gaming experience.

I waiver between love of EMs and more modern tables. I just love that through Pinball Arcade I get to play tables that I would never get to play - case in point Goin Nuts was never released past prototype stage and I have never seen a Black Rose table in person despite over 20 years of haunting arcades. If Farsight could get the Capcom license and release Big Bang Bar you would see people lose themselves. I do wish they were more vocal to their customers and faster to squash bugs, well and cab support, but it is a solid product.

[ExedExes]

Completed the final wizard goal on Flight 2000. 5 tables now have all goals completed!

As a general request, does anyone have opinions about the second season of tables? I really like Whirlwind and Firepower but nothing else really stood out to me as "must plays"... Feel like buying individual tables from later packs is probably the best approach.

Season 2 had Terminator 2, enough of a reason to get at least that table. Pinbot was also in that season, as well as the Gottlieb prototype Goin' Nuts. Cue Ball Wizard was only originally available on the Microsoft Pinball Arcade collection. Whitewater, Champion Pub, and Haunted House are other solid choices.

Season 3 had Black Knight 2000, easily one of my favorite tables of all time, so it will always be a good season.

I got to play Black Rose for only a few months, so I was happy to see it finally come out here.

Season 5 is starting later this month. Besides what we already know about High Speed II, there's rumors swirling around of F-14 Tomcat possibly being included this season. Hell. Yes.

Finally, check out the forums at pinballarcadefans.com, there's a lot of good stuff in there as well as places you can submit bugs for all versions of TPA.

[fastbilly1]

Season 3 had Black Knight 2000, easily one of my favorite tables of all time, so it will always be a good season.

I forgot BK2k was in Season 3, hmm. It is still the weakest season to me, but just barely.