What's everyone's thoughts on pinball FX3?

[reaop9]

I know, virtual will never be a proper replacement for the real thing. With the original and licensed tables though I just can't get into any of them. I think they look and sound great for the most part, the gameplay just falls completely flat for me on almost every single one. Having every game mode on a strict timer to make highly specific shots just ruins it for me, it's like everything is on a hurry up countdown. I'm pretty stoked about the Williams tables making their way over though, the physics and graphics are fall superior to PA. I played virtual pinball a ton due to having nowhere close to play. That being said after we bought our pin I want nothing to do with virtual. It has it's place sure, but is far, far inferior. I played a lot of Pinball Arcade and now I'll occasionally spend some time on the Williams machines on FX3, but the original tables all seem pretty uninspired and struggle to hold my interest.https://192168ll.onl/ https://xender.vip/ https://testmyspeed.onl/

[DMR140]

Virtual isn’t supposed to be a replacement for real pinball. I don’t get the confusing and comparisons people make? Why do we have race simulators and race arcades? Even F1 race drivers use simulators to train their reflexes, brake timing and the race lines they use.

What bothers me are these “old school” people who want to be hardcore about pinball. It’s bs. Yeah, nothing beats the real thing, sure we’ve all played a real machine. So what? Get over it and enjoy the gameplay modern pinball games offer. Or at least, let other people enjoy the possibility of a pinball experience in their homes. None of us can get a seat in F1 and most pinball fans don’t have the space or money to buy a bunch of real pinball cabinets.

[Cloda]

I can't speak for everyone, but I love Pinball FX and have done so since around 2008. I'm a big fan of the Williams Volume 4 tables especially, with the new flipper physics but I still have many favourites under the Zen originals. I have poured endless hours into FX2 and now FX3 and I just keep on coming back.

I can't compare it to real life tables because I don't have access to any and I can't warrant purchasing one, especially considering that you'll have to maintain it, something that I'm utterly useless with ;-) Anyway, sorry for you that you can't enjoy the Zen originals, just mean one less score to chase down on the leaderboards for me

[tfhfony]

Well, I have always loved pinball, both in real life, as in digital form. In the 80's I started with Rollerball on the MSX (Play here: https://www.file-hunter.com/MSX/index.php?id=rollerball) and Pinball Dreams/Fantasies on the Amiga (Play here: https://www.file-hunter.com/AMIGA/#Pinball_Dreams, https://www.file-hunter.com/AMIGA/#Pinball_Fantasies).
Later on I ended up with the Gotlieb collection on the Wii which I quite liked, and I was kinda disappointed when I started with TPA on the PS4, as I expected a bigger upgrade from the Wii then I got. I did buy all the talbes on the PS4, but I spent more time on Zen Pinball 2 to be quite honest, mainly due to the fact it looked & sounded way, way better.
I also visit the Dutch Pinball Museum on a regular basis, just to keep the feeling of how real tables play.
Since FX3 started releasing real life Williams tables, I am unable to play these tables on TPA anymore. The tables feel alive on FX3, and like playing in a water filles table with slow-motion in TPA. So TPA is down the drain for me. Unless they give TPA a huge overhaul, TPA/SPA won't be booted anymore on my PS4.
I'm quite unhappy with the censorship though. Especially considering the audience it's a really weird decission. Also the fact that ZEN isn't really taking about the subject anymore (Zen has quite a track-record of ignoring questions they don't like).

[GruffMckenzie]

Probably a waste of time to restate the obvious advantages of pinball on the xbox at home. 90 odd tables on Zen whereas i don't have the finances or space for one real cabinet.

Real pinball is amazing.
It's also amazing fun of a different kind (yet hitting the same fun notes) with digital pinball.

But, yeah, that's blindingly obvious.
What's also obvious is the aging nature and rarity of those great tables in real life.

[rmaultra]

Response

I have a real pinball machine at home and have been playing pinball machine since I was in high school the pinball that I have at home is Star Trek next generation. Frankly I prefer playing FX 3 over real pinball tables I like the competition, I like the achievements and I like the challenges of FX3. It is absolutely awesome. I like the idea that I can play the Zen created tables and get into the depth of them and play for a while and then I like the alternative or choice of playing the Williams tables that don't take so long to play. I only wish that Zen would come out with more tables more often.

[gundamme1ster]

I enjoy playing digital pinball as much as real pinball but in a different way. Real tables are the pinnacle for me in terms of the aesthetics, what the game and technology has achieved, the artwork, the clunky physicality of it all. Digital Pinball as in recreation has the upper hand in terms of availability, ease of access, I can sit in the quiet with my own music and just play with ease. Even on older games with poorer physics (*cough* Pinball Arcade* it’s still a great gaming experience and immense fun to play_ But then … Zen’s tables are their own thing that apply concepts, themes and ideas that just can’t be done on a real table and play and offer a game in a remarkably different way from real-world tables. Aside from that I love having a library of 15+ unique Star Wars tables and all the other wonderful themes that Zen have cooked up and created for us.
Short answer – why do we need to prefer one to the other, exactly?

[The Omega M4n]

Apart from the censorship on the tables they do quite a good job.

[MadMuffin]

One (if not) the best games (fx, fx2 & fx3) I ever played!

[macadamianutgm]

😁

Digital pinball gives me a satisfying fix, I feel no need to go and play a real pinball.
I get the fame fix playing digital bowling with my Xbox 360 Kinect.