Review: Captain America - Pinball FX2

The classic hero comes to Pinball FX2 with a star spangled table.

Developer: Zen Studios
Publisher: Zen Studios
Platforms: PS3/ Xbox 360 [Xbox 360 reviewed]

Zen Studios is a company after my own heart. The most popular purveyors of digital pinball, Zen Studios stands out as one of the foremost developers of pinball software and the sheer quality of their titles solidifies this claim. From the ridiculously amazing physics engine to the unique table designs and rule sets, Zen Studios proves time and time again that they know pinball…

… and their latest table only further bolsters their greatness.

Following up on the success of “Fantastic Four”, Zen Studio’s latest release follows another tried and true Marvel franchise - “Captain America”. Truth be told, the table itself is less about the franchise and more inspired by the 65th anniversary “Captain America” special penned by Ed Brubaker in 2006. Brubaker’s storyline, focusing more on the Steve Rogers made famous in Marvel’s silver age “Captain America” comics, takes place in Germany during World War II and sees Cap fighting alongside his trusty sidekick Bucky (known to the world in present day as “Captain America”), as well as Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos. Together, they’ll encounter and be forced to defeat some of the more famous villains to grace the pages of “Captain America”, including the ominous Red Skull and the notorious Baron Zemo.

Sound good on paper, I know, but how does it compare to all of Zen Studio’s other tables?

Simply, put – it’s one of the best.

The table layout is incredible, a tad bit simpler than previous tables, but certainly not overly easy to play on. Featuring a variety of well placed ramps and orbits, the action on the table comes fast and furious – you’ll be searching the table for the Howling Commandos, enter Baron Zemo’s castle, engage both the Red Skull and Baron Zemo in a number of amusing modes of play and more. Many of the special modes follow classic “Captain America” storylines, such as the Adhesive X saga, Zemo’s Death Ray and, of course, going hand to hand with the Red Skull himself. Each mode has the player traversing different ramps and orbits or striking different bumpers and each sequence is coupled with some fantastic visuals and sound.

In terms of visuals, the table is gorgeous and features models of Captain America, the Red Skull and Baron Zemo. As with previous Zen tables, different modes trigger actions that cause the characters to move from their normal resting place and engage in some kind of unique sequence. For example, if you choose to spar with the Red Skull, the Red Skull will leap in at Cap and engage in fisticuffs! Activating the Death Ray mode allow Baron Zemo to step forth and fire his death ray at Cap, causing Cap to drop to his knees! In all honesty, it enhances the experience ten fold and really adds to the experience.

The voice acting is decent, as is how I generally feel with Zen Studio’s titles, and it gets the job done. I did like the different voices for the different Howling Commandos – that was a nice touch. The music is well done, however, offering up ambiance that really matches well the action on the table.

I’m not going to bother going into a lengthy diatribe about the physics at this point, though I will say this – if you’ve played any of Zen Studio’s previous offerings, you’ll feel right at home with the incredibly well created pinball physics they’ve somehow managed to create. All of their games play like a dream come true for pinball aficionados and “Captain America” is certainly no different when it comes down to the ball physics.

I do feel that the rule set for the game is a tad complex, but that doesn’t stop it from being an enjoyable table. If anything, it has given me more cause to really practice, practice, practice. It’s nowhere near as complex as “Blade”, but it’s nowhere near as easy as many of the earlier tables. It has a nice balance to it, where novice players can play for a decent high score and unlock a few game modes and advanced gamers can pull out all the stops – either one having fun along the way.

In the end, I think this is one of my favorite tables and Zen Studio’s continues to impress with their high quality products. Whichever system you purchase it for, “Captain America” is a machine that will keep you playing time and time again – it’s that fun. With fantastic attention to backstory, wonderful animated sequences, and one of the best rule sets/table layouts to date, this is a table you really shouldn’t be without. Pinball lover’s – this one’s a no-brainer!

Galaxy Minute