Pinball FX - Reception

Reception

Pinball FX received mixed reviews from critics. On the aggregate sites GameRankings and Metacritic, it holds a score of 70.56% and 69/100, respectively. The game was a commercial success, selling over 362,000 copies as of July 28, 2010. Eurogamer's Dan Whitehead described the game as "a fantastic virtual pinball engine", comparing it to Pinball Dreams. PinballAddicts praised the cost-to-value ratio, stating "at around US$10 you really can't go wrong." GameZone's reviewer stated Pinball FX was "a visual treat and a solid challenge."

GameSpot's Jeff Gerstmann praised the addition of online multiplayer, stating that it "has some neat ideas that keep things interesting a bit longer." Eurogamer's Dan Whitehead was more critical, stating use of the Xbox Live Vision camera was "an oddly remote and distant way of playing." GameZone's reviewer disagreed, noting that use of the camera set the game apart from other titles. The reviewer further praised the game's sound effects, saying that they "carried the game forward."

Pinball FX's physics system was a common point of criticism among reviewers. While some praised the physics, others felt the system had issues. Dan Whitehead of Eurogamer felt the physics were precise. The reviewer from GameZone agreed, stating they "handled very well." "For the most part the physics in Pinball FX hold up, but there are a few issues that harm the overall experience" stated Hilary Goldstein of IGN. Jeff Gerstmann felt that the "ball movement never feels realistic."

Reviewers were critical of the variety in the game. Hilary Goldstein of IGN felt the game did not have enough features, stating it had "three mediocre boards, a couple-hundred Achievement Points, and little else." Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot also criticized the variety, calling the table designs "generic", adding that they "grow old quickly." GamePro's Will Herring agreed, saying that the tables were "a little blander than might have been hoped for."