To purists, the mere concept of video pinball may be wrong. But darling, Zen Studios makes it feel so very right. Time after time, they release detailed, deep, bright and blingy tables, and Marvel Pinball [$0.99] features some of their best work.

Their version of video pinball has 3D graphics, characters, stories, dialogue, twists and/or turns, and the kind of bonkers mechanics that just aren't possible in real life. Sure, they're defying the laws of physics, but if you're going to imitate real pinball, why not do it with some pizzazz? (You can't see it, but I'm typing with jazz hands.)

Before continuing, there's the IAP. Stay with me, it gets a bit obnoxious. So: Zen Studios has already released Zen Pinball [Free], which (in addition to one free machine), already features 14 out of 15 of the Marvel tables. Marvel Pinball only comes with one table, Marvel's The Avengers, and if you already own that table onZen Pinball, then the only reason to get Marvel Pinball is to buy the Spider-Manmachine, and it seems unfair to penalize diehards with a pointless admission fee. Every additional table is $1.99, the same price as if you'd purchased them on Zen Pinball. So the purpose of Marvel Pinball is dubious. That being said, you do getMarvel's The Avengers at half price, so that's something.

Read more via toucharcade.com

NEW YORK – Thursday, June 13, 2013 - Sony Music Entertainment today announced Pinball Rocks HD, a five-table pinball compilation game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch is now available on the App Store. The app includes a free rock-themed table with featured music from guitarist Richie Kotzen, Chevelle, The Sword, Filter, Red, All That Remains, Hatebreed and Nonpoint, as well as premium music content from artists like AC/DC, Alice in Chains, Bullet for My Valentine and Slayer available via In-App Purchase.

Pinball Rocks HD innovates on both discovery and a simplified purchase process of music featured in the game. For example, the game prominently features music that rotates on an ongoing basis, and allows players to seamlessly purchase those songs directly from iTunes without having to leave the app. These songs download in the background directly to the player’s iTunes library for permanent ownership.

“Pinball Rocks HD takes the combination of mobile gaming, music discovery and commerce to the next level,” said Brad Spahr, Vice President of Product Development, Global Digital Business, Sony Music Entertainment. “This exciting expansion of our acclaimed Pinball Rocks franchise not only makes it easier than ever to try the game, but also offers fans powerful new ways to engage with artists, discover new music, and purchase songs and other premium content without interrupting play.”

Sony Music previously released the best-selling and critically acclaimed titles AC/DC Pinball Rocks and Slayer Pinball Rocks which will now be offered as part of the overall Pinball Rocks HD compilation. Game add-ons such as multi-ball modes and extra ball packs will be offered as in-app purchases to enhance gameplay. Additional premium artist tables and featured music from Sony Music artists will be added over time.
Pinball Rocks HD is a joint collaboration between by Sony Music and Gameprom, the studio behind the top selling iOS app Pinball Collection HD.

The Pinball Rocks HD App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch or at www.AppStore.com/PinballRocksHD. Premium music content and game add-ons are available for $2.99 via In-App Purchase.
For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/pinballrocks.

Assets are available for download here.

Twitter link – http://www.twitter.com/pinballrocks

YouTube link – http://www.youtube.com/pinballrockshd

About Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including Arista Nashville, Beach Street/Reunion Records, Bystorm Entertainment, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Day 1, Epic Records, Essential Records, Kemosabe Records, Legacy Recordings, MASTERWORKS, Polo Grounds, RCA Inspiration, RCA Nashville, RCA Records, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Syco Music, Vested in Culture and Volcano. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.

If you love rock and metal and if the idea of playing a game of pinball gets you a bit misty-eyed for the past, you'll be glad to know that Sony Music's upcoming Pinball Rockscombines those into one rockin' game. The iOS app, developed by Game Prom, features tables inspired by rock legends and their music.

Gamers can play on pinball tables inspired by Alice in Chains, Bullet for My Valentine, AC/DC and Slayer. Each table is crafted to pay homage to the respective band's music.



SEE ALSO: The 15 Best Free iPad Games


The game will also feature rotating songs from Sony Music's stable of rock artists. When the game launches June 13, fans can play along with tracks by Chevelle, The Sword, Filter, Red, All That Remains, Hatebreed and Nonpoint. Fans also can purchase songs from the app through iTunes.

Pinball Rocks is meant to bring fans of rock music and gamers together and maybe introduce music fans to a new way to listen to songs, a Sony executive told Mashable. It will also bring exposure to a slew of rock artists as fans play along with their tracks.

The Alice in Chains, Bullet for My Valentine, AC/DC and Slayer tables are all premium and will cost $2.99 each to download. Sony said these tables are packed with Easter eggs for fans of those bands and nods to the bands' history. Alice in Chains' table, for instance, has a bonus game that unlocks the band's new single "Hollow."

The Slayer and AC/DC pinball games are already in the iTunes store, but Pinball Rocks brings all those games under one roof. Sony said there will be new premium tables for other rock artists in the future.

You can watch the trailer for the Alice in Chains table below.

Via http://mashable.com/2013/06/10/pinball-rocks-game-app/

The Android-powered OUYA console found its way to some lucky players, ourselves included.  With the tiny device ready to entertain, we fired up and captured footage of Star Trek: The Next Generation for The Pinball Arcade. Have to admit that it's quite impressive, with music from the TV series, along with iconic images of characters and familiar-looking ships.  Watch the video and let us know if you think it's better than Star Wars Pinball.

Via http://www.gametrailers.com/mobile-apps/53955/the-pinball-arcade-star-trek-the-next-generation-ouya-gameplay

Curbed Network’s popular food blog Eater has introduced its free Eater app. Eater’s app offers dining recommendations from the site, allowing users to find the Eater 38 and Eater Heatmap restaurants and bars in their location. Keep in mind that only selected cities will have Eater recommendations, due to the site’s focus on major population centers. A list of all restaurants can also be perused, and Eater stories can also be viewed right through the app.

Zen Studios’ new Marvel Pinball ($1) is a prime example of how in-app purchases can work properly. The game begins by including a full-fledged Avengers pinball table in 3-D, complete with all of the 2012 film’s major characters — it’s a good game on its own. Another 14 extra tables are offered for $2 each, focusing narrowly on specific Marvel comic books (including Captain America, The Amazing Spider Man, Ghost Rider) or series (Civil War, The Infinity Gauntlet, World War Hulk). Every table adds enough new voice samples, art, and music to give each table its own distinctive theme and collection of 3-D models to see. Tables always have multiple levels thanks to ramps, intensity comparable to the best real-world pinball machines, and occasional opportunities for camera-zoomed close-ups on individual character models.

COntinue reading via ilounge.com

Sony has a new portable game in the works for music fans who can play a mean pinball.

Pinball Rocks HD, due later this month for iOS devices, is a free game that has a rotating soundtrack from bands such as Filter, The Sword, Chevelle, Red, All That Remains, Hatebreed, Nonpoint and guitarist Richie Kotzen.

The game, developed with Gameprom, marks Sony Music's first attempt at a freemium game. Within the game are multiple ways players can spend a bit to upgrade their music and game experience.

If players hear a song that they like, they can seamlessly buy the music on iTunes from within the game. Also within the game are upgrades for premium pinball tables devoted to artists AC/DC, Alice in Chains, Bullet for My Valentine and Slayer ($2.99 each). Sony and Gameprom previously collaborated on the AC/DC and Slayer-themed pinball games, which have been available individually. They will remain available as standalone apps ($2.99 each) and as part of the Pinball Rocks HDcompilation.

Among the power-ups available for purchase are multiball and ball saver (10 each for 99 cents) and extra ball (5 for 99 cents), with more to be added in subsequent releases.

Read more via usatoday.com

This week on the Post Arcade podcast, we’re joined by Tony Walsh of the developer Phantom Compass. Much like David S. Gallant a couple of weeks ago, Phantom Compass is trying to get a game “Green Lit” on Steam.

In this case, it’s the pinball/RPG cross-over Rollers of The Realm.

Rollers is a passion project for the team, but isn’t the only thing Phantom Compass is working on. Listen in to find out more about the Canadian developer.

Read more and listen via http://business.financialpost.com/2013/05/28/post-arcade-podcast-14-tony-walsh-dishes-about-pinball-rpg-rollers-of-the-realm/

Despite the ongoing court proceedings regarding the DLC for The Pinball Arcade, it seemed like game developer's FarSight Studios were still fairly confident that future DLC for the XBLA title was still going to be making it's way to the Xbox 360. Although it's not been announced with a solid story or press release, the newly released trailer does state that the DLC will ineed be making its way to consoles. 

"Table Pack 14" will showcase Centaur and Pinbot, as the Half Man Half Motorcycle looks to make pinballing even more memorable and entertaining for the fans. Check out the newly released trailer to see the upcoming table in action:

"Table Pack 14" will be "coming soon" to the XBLA. A price is also yet to be confirmed.


Via http://www.trueachievements.com/n13282/centaur-and-pinbot-enter-the-pinball-arcade.htm

Pinball FX2 is about to get a healthy dose of Steam power as Zen Studios’ virtual pinball title, already a hit on pretty much every console out there in some form or another, gears up to arrive on Valve’s digital gaming service on May 10. 

Over the past five or so years, Zen Studios has been churning out some pretty fantastic original pinball tables. While some of their earlier offerings could have been pulled off on a physical table, most of their later work involves effects, interactive pieces and animations that could never be duplicated in the real world. The result is a massive collection of fantastic tables that should keep any pinhead busy for weeks on end. 

Zen announced today that their Pinball FX2 platform will be available on Steam starting May 10 as a free download. Within the free version of the game, players will be able to try out a demo version of any of the tables currently available to the PC version of the game. If you find something you like, you can pick it up solo or as a part of a bundle, depending on the table. 

While Zen’s collection includes lots of original works, some of their best-known tables are the licensed offerings from such universes as Marvel and Star Wars. 

When Pinball FX2 launches on Steam, six table packs will initially be available, each going for $9.99. These include the Star Wars tables, Marvel Pinball, Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue, Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles, the Pinball FX2 Core Collection and Zen Classics. 

For more details, head on over to the Zen Studios official website. 


Via cinemablend.com

Polygon has released news that Zen studio's will be releasing a new stand alone version of the Star Wars pinball table.


Zen Pinball developer Zen Studios will launch Star Wars Pinball as a standalone pinball title May 14 on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita via PlayStation Network, the studio announced today.

The game will launch with the three tables that were released earlier this year in the Star Wars Pinball pack for Zen Pinball 2 and the other Zen Pinball titles — Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Boba Fett and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. PSN users who already bought that $9.99 table pack will be able to download Star Wars Pinball at no extra cost.

Zen Studios is planning to release seven additional Star Wars tables in the future, said community manager Bobby Loertscher in a comment on the PlayStation Blog. All Star Wars tables can be imported from Zen Pinball 2 into Star Wars Pinball and vice versa, and because both titles support Sony's PS3/PS Vita Cross-Buy system, the tables can be played within both games on both platforms.

Read here via Polygon