Star Wars Pinball (Standalone) Hits PSN Next Week, New Features Detailed

43 15
Star Wars Pinball (Standalone) Hits PSN Next Week, New Features Detailed

Star Wars Pinball

Wait, what? Didn’t Star Wars Pinball already launch on PSN? YES! And you are telling me it is launching again? YES! Okay, that was probably super confusing, so let me try to explain. Believe me, it’s a good thing. The initial Star Wars Pinball pack was released in February for Zen Pinball 2 on PS3 and PS Vita. That pack included Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Boba Fett and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and it’s coming back… this time, with even more features. *Cue Star Wars opening crawl text*

From the very beginning of the Star Wars Pinball project, we’ve been working on a special standalone version of the game that would offer some really fun community features and would be fully branded Star Wars. We managed to finish that project, and it’s releasing next week, exclusively on PS3 and PS Vita!

Now you’re probably wondering, “Why did I buy this for Zen Pinball 2 when I could have bought a game with different features?” Don’t worry, young Padawan, we thought about that too. If you’ve already bought the tables in Zen Pinball 2, you are entitled to download Star Wars Pinball at no charge! This means you can unlock the tables in Zen Pinball 2 and in Star Wars Pinball with one purchase – and both games are Cross Buy entitled with Vita, so if you’re huge Star Wars fans like us, you can have the game under four different roofs for the price of one.

Star Wars Pinball

Here are some of the cool features (ultimately the reasons we did a standalone game) that we could not include in Zen Pinball 2, but are in Star Wars Pinball:

  • You can choose to support the Galactic Empire or the Rebel Alliance! Once you do, your high scores contribute to the side you choose, creating a Star Wars Pinball community fight for the Balance of the Force! The main game user interface will change dynamically, based on how the community chooses to support each side. You can see who is winning the overall battle at www.starwarspinball.com.
  • An XP progression system allowing you to move up the ranks based on Galactic Empire or Rebel Alliance support.
  • The game looks, sounds, and is authentic Star Wars!

Are you thoroughly confused? If so, I’ll be here all day and beyond to answer your questions. May the Force be with you!

Comments are closed.

43 Comments

15 Author Replies

  • This is really cool, and the new features are an excellent touch. This should have been announced Saturday though… :)

  • Already got the tables and love them but this sounds really cool, especially the choosing of which side to support. Great of you guys to allow people who already bought the tables to get this standalone free. Between Zen Pinball 2 and Pinball Arcade my Vita has become the ultimate pinball machine.

    Looking forward to future tables and KickBeat.

  • I wish buying in zen pinball 2 unlocked tables in marvel pinball… i learned its not posible the hard way …. lol if i would have known i would have bought the Avengers Pack in marvel pinball and imported it … hopefully you can buy this star wars pinball and import it to zen pinball 2 …. maybe …. :)

    • Bobby Loertscher

      Sorry about the confusion with Marvel Pinball, Zen Pinball 2 was the first game we created with the import feature, so imports could only go from MP to ZP2 and not the other way. That’s not the case with Star Wars Pinball though, imports can go from SWP to ZP2 and from ZP2 to SWP! :D

  • and a zen pinball 2 sale would be nice :)

  • and those empty spaces mean more star wars stages? cool

  • Shared trophy?

  • I’m not very good at those Star Wars tables, but i enjoy them nonetheless… have all the Zen2 tables and definitely look forward to more in the (near?) future…

  • Very cool. I have always been a fan of the Zen Studios. And man, their Social Media Conquistador is AMAZING!

  • COOL;) I got the 3 tables already & this feature looks cool. One thing tho, the Trophies are to hard(well i am not that good at Pinball anyway so maybe it’s just me) :D & there should be more Trophies for each Table & not just 2 each??? :( Apart from that i can’t wait for the next Tables :P :P :P

  • love the Zen tables ! you guys do a top notch job & consistently hit home runs with your work …. bought the bundle Day 1 & am looking fwd. to picking sides & giving the new features a try … sounds like I just DL them again & will have a new SW set …. would love a discount on additional tables, missing 10 or so …. have a nice collection though – Tesla calls to me.

    • Bobby Loertscher

      Thanks! We’re really striving to keep pinball relevant and exciting, I’m very glad to hear people are so into it!

  • So I guess it means all my scores from ZP 2 gets transferred over to the standalone version too or are the scores separate?

  • Are there any differences in the physics engine? I’ve been playing Clone Wars a ton in ZP2 and I’m curious if there will be anything to relearn if I decide to switch to Star Wars Pinball instead. Either way, I’m not seeing anything too compelling in terms of switching – the progressions system might be neat but unless it offers content unlocks (wallpapers? avatars? ball effects?) I don’t know if it’ll be worth launching a separate app when the base Zen Pinball 2 has ALL of my tables…

    • Bobby Loertscher

      Nope, the physics engine is the same.

      Why switch? We like to give players options. Some people like all their tables under one roof, others like separate games with different features. Just depends on what you prefer.

  • BillyBoiDaPrince

    is is coming out this tuesday or next tuesday?

  • Excelent news. buy for sure. =D~~~~~~

  • Sorry, but yet another Demo, better left forgotten.

    Love Star Wars.

    Would like to see it grace my Vita, on more than pinball.

    Do not get me wrong, if you like pinball,then it is definitely worth playing.

    Just not so crazy, about so many advertised old school “quarter eaters”.

    Do all the people that do not sponsor this stuff get the boot?
    I am seriously surprised, so many people have great things to say about something like pinball, for a handheld system or otherwise.

  • Bearded_Warrior

    Awesome! I’ve been waiting for this. One question – how many more of the Star Wars tables will be released this year?

  • I think you’re the same person who said this other guy was a ‘troll’ when he wasn’t.

    I dunno why people are seriously surprised when other people like things that they themselves don’t like. That’s a thing called ‘opinion.’ Just because you don’t care for it doesn’t mean nobody else does. I love pinball. It’s one of my favourite genres and I wish I had actually played some real ones when I was growing up. I think they’re more fun than arcade games.

    Are you one of those people who have no idea what pinball is like and say they require no skill whatsoever? That’s the misconception lots of pinball non-fans have about pinball.

  • @ #15 You are a regular Negative Nancy today, here and elsewhere on the site. I hope EA grants your wish for a portable Star Wars game for Vita, but a lot of us love the pinball games for PS3 & Vita, so that’s why we come onto the post and comment positively. No game is everyone’s cup of tea, but I don’t spend my time commenting where my interests don’t lie.

  • I thought for sure that the title of this post meant the table pack was being separated so I could just buy the empire strikes back table alone.

  • TY for answering me, Bobby. I don’t actually need the standalone, but I’ll try it anyway. If I choose a side, and then later decide to switch sides, can I do that? I’m guessing tons more people would pick the dark side though.

  • @15 – lots of folks really enjoy pinball …. & Zen does some pretty cool things with their tables – take Plants vs Zombies for example – very cool celebration of the franchise ….. anyway, if pinball isn’t your thing, why are you posting to the thread ? this is for Star Wars PINBALL – not a Vita game other than Pinball.

  • Picked up the Star Wars pinball on Android (awesome sale, already had it on PSN, but still wish you’d run it here as well), and really liked the different interface and the “training” concept – and was very slightly disappointed my PS3 version didn’t have it. And now, you surprise us with this! Cool!

  • So I’m guessing this is probably the reason why we didn’t get the Star Wars Pinball sale that every other console and handheld got.

    Hope this goes on sale soon, I’d love to pick it up for half price.

  • Have you guys announced other Star Wars tables or is that still a mystery for us?

    • Bobby Loertscher

      No announcement as of yet, but we’re working on the next set. We’ll reveal it once we get closer to releasing it :)

  • @21 saskamazon – Franchise? From a single game (retooled as much as SFII)? Well, okay, though with PcZ2 announced, will ZEN be making a table to follow up? Or *dies of ecstacy* maybe a Bejeweled table? Okay, not as much character, there…

    And @that one Negative Nancy (it’s easier to remember): None of these games are detracting attention away from the games you vie for. Heck, they bring in extra revenue which could be put toward those very games (Sony gets a cut regardless, and EA’s undoubtedly getting a get from these). I could understand if this was a PlayStation Plus update you didn’t like, since that’s been paid by those applicable (I was groaning seeing Starhawk again after its zeitgeist of pre-release Blog presence), but seriously, if all you have to chime in is, “I’m not interested, and never tried to understand why anyone is,” you’re contributing nothing. Even informed criticism is better conversation than just a bewildered, apathetic shrug.

  • I’m not a pinball wizard like some I’ve seen with the RIDICULOUS scores in the leaderboards but I’m pretty good at it. That being said, I bought the Star Wars pack when it came out and the only table I’ve played so far is the Empire Strikes Back table.
    The main table missions are too long and frustrating and get boring because you keep having to do it over and over, lighting the kickbacks are annoying because you have to light up all the sidelanes and THEN hit a ramp and it only gives you about 3 seconds to do it. Why put that ramp hit in to light the kickbacks? None of the other tables do that.
    I’m just not having fun with it and why buy another if that’s the case? Love the other 17 tables I have.

    • Bobby Loertscher

      You should try out the other Star Wars tables! If you’re struggling with the ESB table, you might try Clone Wars, it’s a bit more forgiving :)

  • Yeah but the ESB table is the headliner and I really want to like it :(

    I was 9 years old when that came out at the movie theater and I went to a Saturday 12:00 showing and watched it 3 times in a row that day!

    I don’t mind difficult as long as it’s fun difficult. The Iron Man and Fantastic Four tables come to mind being fun difficult. I’ll give the other tables a try though. Thanks for the response!

  • Do scores & trophies earned on either platform translate back and forth between the games with PS network updates? Or os it a case of two platforms (Zen 2 & Star Wars Pinball) with two different sets of scores/trophy unlocks?

  • Oh wait…guess they’re seperate. Missed the other response to this question above. Hmmmpf.

  • I know someone mentioned it earlier, but I would have loved to have known before I bought EVERY ZP 2 table that if I bought them on ZP2, they WOULD NOT transfer to the Marvel Table. But, if I would have bought them on the Marvel table they would have transferred to ZP2. Is there no way this can be fixed, I would love to be able to get the trophies for those tables on Marvel Pinball as well. I mean I love the great tables you guys (and gals) bring to us the consumer, just wish this problem could be fixed in some way without having to repurchase the same tables.

  • To anyone asking about trophies. To date, all the trophy lists have been completely separate. There is a PS3 Marvel Pinball trophy set, a PS3 Zen Pinball 2 trophy set and a Vita Zen Pinball 2 trophy set (including the same trophies again for the Marvel tables), and I’m sure that Star Wars Pinball with have separate trophy lists for both PS3 and Vita as well. For those that care about trophies and are good at pinball, that makes these games a valuable purchase, as with the Star Wars tables, we can now earn the same trophies 4 times across two consoles. The fact that the tables are fun and imaginative on top of that is just icing on the cake. :D

    Thanks for this update, Bobby/Zen + company! More pinball is always appreciated and I’m looking forward to the next release.

    PS> I think my favorite table is Sorcerer’s Lair. I have a high score of 295MM on it, but I’m still nowhere near top of the leaderboards on that table, lol.

  • is there any chance that those tables will be sold seperately, it seems like a ripoff to have to buy 3 tables when you only want one of the three, i know that they do this to justify making bad tables and meeting quotas, but come on, it would be nice to be able to buy individual tables, especially if you just want ones for the original star wars and not the cartoon or first three or in future probably lego themed.

  • I definately have to pick this up, looks great as any table as usual!!!!!!!

  • @32, I can understand why you’d want to buy them separate. I’d like to have that option too, but then again, I can also understand why they put tables in a pack. It’s basically a way to try out tables you normally wouldn’t want to try.

    Like you, I only know about the movies, and I’ve never seen the cartoon or care about the Boba Fett character. If it were up to me, I’d just get the ESB table. However, you shouldn’t judge a table merely on the theme alone. There’s also the sounds, the dialogue, the layout of the table, the missions/goals, etc to take into consideration. That said, the Clone Wars table ended up being my favourite table of the three, and I know absolutely nothing about the characters. You may also end up liking another table as well.

  • Will the base game be free to download (like ZP2)? And then buy individual packs after?

  • @35, SW Pinball standalone costs $9.99, and then you buy other tables (when they come out) later. Dunno if they’ll be individual tables or more packs though.

    If you already have ZP2 though, SW Standalone is freeeeee!

  • @Bobby, thanks a lot for the update, loving the Star Wars tables! Can you give any info of those seven other tables you mentioned? I’m actually hoping for two things, tables which correspond to each episode, and a Yoda table where you can reach the rank of Jedi Master! And yes, I am a major nerd!

  • The Empire Strikes Back table is the best pinball table I have ever played. Once I start playing it, I really can’t stop. I’m hoping you guys make a Return of the Jedi table or Revenge of the Sith. A Star Wars pinball table that’s all about Jedi would be awesome too! I’m glad the Star Wars Pinball is a standalone and it’s free! Looking forward to other Star Wars tables. Give us more! Even the expanded universe! Shadows of the Empire, yes?!

  • The backwards-compatible re-download support is brilliant, so great that you guys are doing it this way! And I like the social features, that’s a really cool way of expanding the game challenges. Looking forward to the release.

  • I like the Star Wars demos and I plan on getting them, but does this mean we can only expect Star Wars tables for Zen Pinball 2 from now on?

  • When will new tables come out June or July? I really enjoyed the Star Wars tables they are very fun to play.

  • So, if I go on PSN right now and get the SW tables for Zen, I will get the stand-alone for free on the 14th?

  • The Star Wars tables, esp the Boba Fett one(!!), are very well done. And the graphics are so much better than the other Zen pinball games. Add in the awesome license with fabulous music and nostalgia factor, and yes, even though I am not a big pinball player, I can’t wait for the other SW packs.

    I imagine there will be more trophies per board in the Star Wars standalone game than there are in the Zen Pinball 2 Star Wars add-on, which only 6, 2 for each. This is the way it is for other boards, like Blade, Spider-man, etc.

    Bobby, are you able to confirm how many trophies for each board?

    To the previous poster, I understand that the Star Wars boards can’t go on sale (too new!), but hopefully, some of the older content will soon. It would get a lot more purchases, including myself.

Please enter your date of birth.

Date of birth fields