A Review of Pinball FX 2 for Xbox 360 Arcade

If you've ever enjoyed playing pinball in an arcade, then Pinball FX 2 was made just for you. Hot off the success of Chime (Related Article: A Review of Chime for Xbox 360 Arcade), this latest title from Zen Studios is a digital masterpiece.

Pinball FX 2 can be compared to Microsoft's Game Room (Related Article: An In-Depth Look at Game Room for Xbox 360). The program itself is downloaded for free and allows you to demo each pinball table before purchase. That means you only need to pay for the tables you enjoy rather than paying more up front for tables that don't appeal to you.

You must first decide if you'd like the "classic pack," which contains the original four tables from Pinball FX with enhanced graphics and a new physics system, or the "core pack" which has four brand new tables.

Owners of the original Pinball FX 2 can import all of their existing tables for free and benefit from the enhanced graphics, and the new physics system. Unfortunately, your old high scores will not transition over to the new platform - however that gives players another reason to revisit their old tables.

Additional tables can be purchased separately for 200 Microsoft points. Each pinball table has a distinct theme, and three challenging achievements to unlock. Unfortunately at this time there is no option to buy several or all the tables at a discounted price. However if you consider the fact that each table only costs $2.50 and provides unlimited plays compared to the countless amount of money you'd throw away in an arcade the savings is significant. That said, the price of additional pinball tables is just right.

Pinball FX 2 features detailed leader boards for each table, a "super score" that ranks your overall talent amongst all of the tables you've played, and a "wizard score" that incorporates your friend's scores too.

Unlike traditional pinball machines, Pinball FX 2 offers multiplayer modes where up to four players can compete at the same time to reach a target score or in a "time attack" mode. Pinball FX 2 truly shines when you have several people on your friends list who own it too. Every time you play a table and near one of your friend's scores, a pop up box will appear with your friend's gamer picture taunting you with how many points you need to beat them. This helps add tension while playing, and also gives a reason to keep playing a table you've already completed.

With fun game play, great graphics, fantastic multiplayer support, a wide selection of tables, and additional download content on the horizon, Pinball FX 2 doesn't disappoint. In fact it does quite the opposite. After playing this Xbox 360 Arcade title for the better half of a month I still find myself coming back to it - a feat that most other Xbox 360 Arcade titles fail to accomplish, rightly earning itself a solid nine out of ten.

For more information about Pinball FX 2, visit www.pinballfx.com.

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