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The Pinball (digital and physical) ERA |OT| Full Tilt
- Thread starter Shaneus
- Start date
Thanks! The best I've gotten so far is 15 million. I'm sure I'm going to be stuck in this "I'm just trying not to lose" phase for awhile, but I'm having a lot of fun with it so far. Vertical mode and hd rumble on the switch is amazing.
I've been looking for a quick play type of game besides Kart and Tetris for awhile now, so this seems perfect.
Planning on picking up the Epic Quest and Skyrim tables once I need a break from DKC: Tropical Freeze.
I've been in the same position as you and feel like FX3 really helped me understand how you're supposed to play pinball. The physics and how the tables operate may not be realistic, but the way the set up goals and missions will really help you learn how to start aiming your shots and pursuing more lucrative scoring options. Pinball gets amazing once you get past the point of just trying not to lose a ball.
Looks like we're up to 31 participants in Hot Ham's tournament. Looks like there are a bunch of people new to the game (referring to player levels, not scores). To all of you: welcome to pinball! Remember, you have unlimited attempts. If you tried it once and weren't happy with your score, just try again! No one is going to get an amazing score on their first run, and you only need to find a couple good targets to get your numbers skyrocketing.
Here is a comprehensive guide for Sorcerer's Lair. Once you get a little comfortable aiming the ball, consider checking it out. Getting to Midnight Madness takes a little time (I think I was over 20 minutes into a game when I hit it last night), but man is it worth it. The screen was just covered in million-point notifications.
I stumbled into that link you posted around 4AM or so, it's really pretty fantsdtic!
Here are some write-up's for the rest of the tables too, from that source. Not sure if the reviews as excellent as that one, but man this definitely helps piece together ideas I really wasn't grasping entirely.
https://forum.zenstudios.com/showthread.php?17355-Official-Pinball-Table-Guides
And you're definitely spot on, getting to midnight seems to be the way to go from upper third level scores, to top tier scores!
Midnight madness is crazy, I think I ended up with 242mil in about 1 minute with 9 stones.
You can get to the wizard mode/midnight madness without completing any missions, just starting them, but beating them awards an obsidian stone that multiples the final wizard score.
You can get to the wizard mode/midnight madness without completing any missions, just starting them, but beating them awards an obsidian stone that multiples the final wizard score.
DAAAAAAAAAMN! Nice work!
I kinda figured that was the key to the best scores up there. I thought I hit it once, and sunk my ball very quickly.... Still struggling to get back there!
I didn't complete every mission leading up to MM, so I think I only got around 70 million during it. That's still a lot of points in a short span of time, but man it could've been so much better if I didn't suck at the mission where you have to tilt the beams as the ball falls. I still haven't been able to beat that one, and a lot of times I miss a single gate and ghost during their respective missions.
I was doing really badly at that one too. I finally got a handle on it by adjusting the direction on the first part, and remembering against willpower, that each gear is the opposite trigger button, and quickly too. The balancing bar part is easier, once you get there routinely.
I hate those wretched ghosts, one or two always pop back up on me......
So they are running a May 4th Star Wars Tourney. Last Jedi table. 5 minute challenge choosable upgrades, I will play it but ehh. If it was Ahch-To I would stand a decent chance of a top placement.
I've gotten the gears part down, I just mess up on the balancing section. Farthest I've gotten is to the second rung. I get too tense doing the gears part and end up tilting the beams too early every time.
Didn't hear that but it would make sense with it being the made up holiday and a sponsored tournament on.
True, wasn't trying to be demeaning actually, more a preventive call out, I wish their were more media related holidays with real benefits to be honest.
Important Tip to all new Pinball FX3 Players!!
Stop what you're doing, go to Settings, turn off annoying pop-up/guide notifications, make sure Licensed Music is on (off by default, not that there's much of it on Switch).
MORE IMPORTANTLY:
Change "Pop-Up Score Value" from 1,000 to 1,000,000
Change "Major Pop-Up Score Value" from 1,000,000 to 5,000,000
This will make the tables much easier to play as all those piddly score pop-ups are very distracting and useless. It will be much more satisfying to get those rare big score pop-ups now, too.
Optional: turn off "Ball Trails" mute annoying Voice Overs or Music.
The Voice Overs on some tables are very obnoxious, you can mute them!
Mute the music and enjoy your own soundtrack (Jurassic Park! Jaws! The Fallout OST!) or play pinball while listening to podcasts!
Stop what you're doing, go to Settings, turn off annoying pop-up/guide notifications, make sure Licensed Music is on (off by default, not that there's much of it on Switch).
MORE IMPORTANTLY:
Change "Pop-Up Score Value" from 1,000 to 1,000,000
Change "Major Pop-Up Score Value" from 1,000,000 to 5,000,000
This will make the tables much easier to play as all those piddly score pop-ups are very distracting and useless. It will be much more satisfying to get those rare big score pop-ups now, too.
Optional: turn off "Ball Trails" mute annoying Voice Overs or Music.
The Voice Overs on some tables are very obnoxious, you can mute them!
Mute the music and enjoy your own soundtrack (Jurassic Park! Jaws! The Fallout OST!) or play pinball while listening to podcasts!
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Jesus.
Bobnowhere isn't a human being, he's an AI.
I've been playing this game for years and even my personal all-time high score on this table is well short of that.
My own score in this tourney is embarassing. Tbh, I'm much better at real pinball than digital pinball, lol... guess i gotta step it up!
Nice score Bobnowhere, now I am inspired to work on the table (never really bothered with it to be honest) my own best is only about 50,000,000 so this makes me want to up my score.
I really thought I would beat Bob on that last game. I was 3 missions away from a second midnight madness, but I had two balls in a row go right down the middle of the table where neither flipper had a chance. I'm really bad at tilting when I'm playing with split joycons, so by the time I hit the stick it was already done.
This game, man. It really achieved its full potential with this patch. I would easily say it's my favorite game on the system. I'm about to surpass my playtime of Breath of the Wild with a pinball game. And I haven't even played all the tables yet. I've bought every pack, but there are a lot that I haven't even tried yet.
What are your favorites and what have you yet to get around to?
The tournament features really are awesome and when it's a tournament of people in the same forum or social network it makes it much more compelling than just joining random tournies or the intimidating official ones that bring out the beasts.
I've been waiting for this patch since the game released on Switch. I have it on PS4 but no portrait mode put me off, I really don't like the landscape views. So I've stuck with Zen Pinball 2 on my iPad and thus haveb't really messed with PBFX3 much until now.
Now that the game doesn't suck on Switch I've been buying tables and the app really is awesome and great at encouraging play. The new tournament rules and settings are pretty important to that, though. I'm not a fan of the perk upgrades and wizard powers.
It would be nice if PBFX3 came to mobile, I have every table on iPad and rebuying them on Switch for twice the price sucks.
Also, Switch needs the 39 Star Wars and Marvel tables before it's the ultimate version of the game. That's a shitload of good tables missing.
I'll always have to hold on to Zen 2 on iPad for South Park and Super League Football, it seems. I love those tables.
This is so true. I also for whatever reason really like the PvsZ table which is another lost one.
That one is good as well. I have it on PSN, never came to mobile.
Bobnowhere isn't a human being, he's an AI.
Just put in my first run and looked at the board...whoever Buddy is, that new score is criminal
If I had to pick 3 tables right now, I'd say Paranormal, Alien Isolation, and potentially Skyrim (I've only played it twice, but it seems insane). Alien is my favorite movie of all time, and Isolation is my favorite table in that pack. I really need those Marvel tables to come to the Switch. I'm a weekly comics guy, almost entirely Marvel stuff. I also love any table that's for an IP I like. I see a lot of people don't seem to enjoy the Universal pack, but I play those tables frequently just because I like the vibe.
I'm kicking myself right now for not getting into pinball games when I had a second monitor on my PC that mounted to the wall with a swivel. I used to play shmups on it, but I never bothered mounting it at my current apartment. Now we're probably moving this fall and I don't feel like bolting it to the wall.
I bet it wouldn't be that difficult to mount that monitor in a homemade cabinet. I know some woodworking, and a good friend of mine built a really nice table for TTGs. He keeps a TV inside his table, under a pane of glass. Built it by himself.
Yeah, MM is an incredibly satisfying to trigger. They just throw millions of points at you, and it's a multiball with seemingly endless balls.
Who is Buddy??? Holy shit.
HotHamBoy's Pinball FX3 Table Pack Ratings & Recommendations: Nintendo Switch Edition!
We keep getting this question since lots of fresh blood is coming in so I've got a handy little guide for you guys based on my SUBJECTIVE opinion as someone who has been playing Zen tables for years.
*Keep in my that pinball can be very divisive and very often one man's trash is another man's treasure*
Feel free to elevate the status of a pack based on your interest in the themes or license. I will be grading these tables based solely on how fun they are to play IMO.
~$10 3-4 Table Packs
Bethesda Pinball BUY
The best pack on Switch. A great place to start for anyone. 3 varied tables based on 3 different licenses: Doom, Skyrim & Fallout. In Skyrim your progress on the table carries over from game to game. You create a character, acquire loot, fight monsters, level up and travel to cities and dungeons, trying to get through the main quest of defeating all the dragons. Fallout is similar but progress resets after each game. Doom is my favorite.
Jurassic Park Pinball BUY
A fantastic 3 pack of well-designed tables that feature big dinosaurs stomping around. Original voices from the films but no original music. Play the soundtrack from YouTube! This is my 2nd favorite pack on Switch
Aliens vs Pinball BUY
Another great pack of 3 tables. In Aliens you'll play through the events of the film in one of Zen's best tables. Original voices, no original music. In AvP you'll play as a Predator fighting xenomorphs and humans alike. In Alien Isolation you'll act out moments from the game. This is a solid, fun pack.
Balls of Glory MAYBE
Four tables, of which two are pretty good and two are just okay. I enjoy the Family Guy and Bob's Burgers tables but foubd the American Dad and Archer tables lacking. None of them reach the heights ofnthe best tables described above but this is a decent pack for the asking price.
Universal Classics DON'T BUY
A perfect storm of blandness. Back to the Future leads the pack and has some fun stuff going on, but it's severely hurt by a bland presentation, a lack of licensed music, no licensed actor likenesses and lame sound-alike voice actors. E.T. and Jaws also have the same cons but in addition are just very dull to play.
Zen Classics DON'T BUY
Zen has come a long way since these tables made many years ago. The four tables featured in this pack are very mediocre, especially when compared to the above. Probably the worst pack on Switch.
Zen Core MAYBE
Like Zen Classics, these are pretty old tables. Unlike Zen Classics, two are actually prettt solid. Pasha is actually quite excellent, and Biolab is solid and fun. Unfortunately, secrets of the Deep and Rome are total snoozefests. Still, if you don't care for the Balls of Glory Fox Animation shows this is probably a better buy as a $10 4 -pack.
Sci Fi Pack DON'T BUY
Did I say Zen Classics was the worst pack? Well Sci Fi gives it a run for its money. 3 old Zen tables for $10 rather than 4 makes it one of the worst values. Earth Defense Force is better than any of the tables in Zen Classics, but it's still not a great table. Mars is up there with Rome as one of the most boring tables they've ever made. Paranormal is actually pretty good, better than any of the Classics tables, which is a shame because it's not worth $10 alone.
$5-7 Two Table Packs
Carnivals & Legends BUY
While the priciest of the 2-packs, Carnivals & Legends is also the newest and best. Son of Zeus and Adventure Land are both awesome, with the former having you assist Hercules in his battle against Hera and her minions, and the latter having you run through an amusement park. I love this set and if you downloaded PBFX3 when it first launched on Switch you already got it for free!
Iron & Steel BUY
Another high-quality 2-pack that comes strongly recommended. In Wild West Rampage you'll do battle against outlaws and a corrupt sheriff to protect a town, eventually stopping a train heist. Castlestorm is based on Zen's tower defense game and sports a fun medieval fantasy theme with dragons and castle seiges.
Medieval Pack BUY
This two-pack of older Zen tables is actually not bad. Epic Quest is a great table with persistent character progression like the Skyrim table. Excalibur is a little less exciting but solid none the less and features an Arthurian Legend theme.
$3 Single Tables
The Walking Dead MAYBE
Based on TellTale's Season 1 of TWD. Another solid game, kind of middle-road. Not bad by any means but not near the top, either. Features original voices and missions based on each episode in which you'll have to make some of the decisions from the game which will impact the way modes play.
Portal MAYBE
Based on Portal 2, specifically. This is a combo-heavy table with some tricky shotd as portals will send the ball out to unexpected places. I like this one but it does have a sort of bland look to it. The voices from the game are present which helps. I put it on the same level as The Walking Dead.
Sorcerer's Lair YOU OWN IT!
Wait, this is the FREE table! It also just so happens to be one of Zen's best! This an older one bit it holds up winderfully. It was also given a new coat of paint for PBFX3, the playfield art being vastly improved.
Now let's look at the two bundles:
Season 1 Bundle - $19.99 DONT BUY
Contains Medieval, Classic, Sci fi packs. As the $5 Medieval pack is the only quality one this is a definite no.
Season 2 Bundle - $17.99 MAYBE
Contains: Core, Carnivals & Legends, Iron & Steel packs. If the Core set interests you then this is a pretty good deal! Otherwise you're better off getting the other two packs seperately.
You can play in table top or with a single Joy-Con attached.
Works on your TV or Monitor, too!
Hot Tips for PBFX3 newbies:
Go into Settings and disable the guide pop-ups. Annoying!
Change Pop-up Score value from 10,000 to 1,000,000 and Major Pop-up Score value from 1,000,000 to 5,000,000. That's much better!
You can turn off ball trails, mute annoying voice overs and mute music.
Classic Mode means no perks, no gimmicks, but you can still level up perks while playing Classic Mode. Handy for tournaments that DO allow perks, these give a huge advantage!
Note: You must level up perks on each table individually
Hot Tips for Pinball Beginners:
Don't Double Flip - aka don't press both flippers simultaneously
Try to control the ball, try to bring it to a stop on the flippers so you can look at the board and plan your next shot. There are many ways to do this.
Pinball is mostly skill, not luck. The board is designed to punish a bad shot with the powers geometry and physics
Don't be afraid to use the analog stick to nudge! It can dampen ball momentum and change its trajectory. If you do it too much you'll TILT and lose your ball and bonus points, so be careful!
Once you have a feel for the shots on a table its time to examine the playfied to see what you should do. Look at the DMD (Dot-Matrix Display) for hints on what to do during modes. Consider reading the rules of the game!
When in doubt, shoot at the flashing lights!
Relax, have fun, failure is the stepping stone to success and pinball has a STEEP learning curve!
Consider playing real pinball somewhere in your town or city! It's even better!
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Is there a way to do keep the password hidden from people not on Era, like how you could hide text in email tags on gaf so it would only be seen when quoting the post? I like the idea of keeping it in the community.
My recommendations for tables to buy in FX3 on Switch is all of them. They're not that expensive. Just buy them all. Variety is the spice of life. It's not that much money.
Sure, but most people want to know where to start. Lots of people just want to dip their toes in before fully committing.
I saw a pinball machine in a mini arcade the other day, the first time I've seen once since getting into pinball recently. It was one of the rock band tables, don't remember which one. I guess I need to get an adjustable stool or something and bring it to an arcade because it's beginning to frustrate me that I can't play real pinball.
HotHamBoy's Pinball FX3 Table Pack Ratings & Recommendations: Nintendo Switch Edition!
We keep getting this question since lots of fresh blood is coming in so I've got a handy little guide for you guys based on my SUBJECTIVE opinion as someone who has been playing Zen tables for years.
*Keep in my that pinball can be very divisive and very often one man's trash is another man's treasure*
Feel free to elevate the status of a pack based on your interest in the themes or license. I will be grading these tables based solely on how fun they are to play IMO.
~$10 3-4 Table Packs
Bethesda Pinball BUY
The best pack on Switch. A great place to start for anyone. 3 varied tables based on 3 different licenses: Doom, Skyrim & Fallout. In Skyrim your progress on the table carries over from game to game. You create a character, acquire loot, fight monsters, level up and travel to cities and dungeons, trying to get through the main quest of defeating all the dragons. Fallout is similar but progress resets after each game. Doom is my favorite.
Jurassic Park Pinball BUY
A fantastic 3 pack of well-designed tables that feature big dinosaurs stomping around. Original voices from the films but no original music. Play the soundtrack from YouTube! This is my 2nd favorite pack on Switch
Aliens vs Pinball BUY
Another great pack of 3 tables. In Aliens you'll play through the events of the film in one of Zen's best tables. Original voices, no original music. In AvP you'll play as a Predator fighting xenomorphs and humans alike. In Alien Isolation you'll act out moments from the game. This is a solid, fun pack.
Balls of Glory MAYBE
Four tables, of which two are pretty good and two are just okay. I enjoy the Family Guy and Bob's Burgers tables but foubd the American Dad and Archer tables lacking. None of them reach the heights ofnthe best tables described above but this is a decent pack for the asking price.
Universal Classics DON'T BUY
A perfect storm of blandness. Back to the Future leads the pack and has some fun stuff going on, but it's severely hurt by a bland presentation, a lack of licensed music, no licensed actor likenesses and lame sound-alike voice actors. E.T. and Jaws also have the same cons but in addition are just very dull to play.
Zen Classics DON'T BUY
Zen has come a long way since these tables made many years ago. The four tables featured in this pack are very mediocre, especially when compared to the above. Probably the worst pack on Switch.
Zen Core MAYBE
Like Zen Classics, these are pretty old tables. Unlike Zen Classics, two are actually prettt solid. Pasha is actually quite excellent, and Biolab is solid and fun. Unfortunately, secrets of the Deep and Rome are total snoozefests. Still, if you don't care for the Balls of Glory Fox Animation shows this is probably a better buy as a $10 4 -pack.
Sci Fi Pack DON'T BUY
Did I say Zen Classics was the worst pack? Well Sci Fi gives it a run for its money. 3 old Zen tables for $10 rather than 4 makes it one of the worst values. Earth Defense Force is better than any of the tables in Zen Classics, but it's still not a great table. Mars is up there with Rome as one of the most boring tables they've ever made. Paranormal is actually pretty good, better than any of the Classics tables, which is a shame because it's not worth $10 alone.
$5-7 Two Table Packs
Carnivals & Legends BUY
While the priciest of the 2-packs, Carnivals & Legends is also the newest and best. Son of Zeus and Adventure Land are both awesome, with the former having you assist Hercules in his battle against Hera and her minions, and the latter having you run through an amusement park. I love this set and if you downloaded PBFX3 when it first launched on Switch you already got it for free!
Iron & Steel BUY
Another high-quality 2-pack that comes strongly recommended. In Wild West Rampage you'll do battle against outlaws and a corrupt sheriff to protect a town, eventually stopping a train heist. Castlestorm is based on Zen's tower defense game and sports a fun medieval fantasy theme with dragons and castle seiges.
Medieval Pack BUY
This two-pack of older Zen tables is actually not bad. Epic Quest is a great table with persistent character progression like the Skyrim table. Excalibur is a little less exciting but solid none the less and features an Arthurian Legend theme.
$3 Single Tables
The Walking Dead MAYBE
Based on TellTale's Season 1 of TWD. Another solid game, kind of middle-road. Not bad by any means but not near the top, either. Features original voices and missions based on each episode in which you'll have to make some of the decisions from the game which will impact the way modes play.
Portal MAYBE
Based on Portal 2, specifically. This is a combo-heavy table with some tricky shotd as portals will send the ball out to unexpected places. I like this one but it does have a sort of bland look to it. The voices from the game are present which helps. I put it on the same level as The Walking Dead.
Sorcerer's Lair YOU OWN IT!
Wait, this is the FREE table! It also just so happens to be one of Zen's best! This an older one bit it holds up winderfully. It was also given a new coat of paint for PBFX3, the playfield art being vastly improved.
Now let's look at the two bundles:
Season 1 Bundle - $19.99 DONT BUY
Contains Medieval, Classic, Sci fi packs. As the $5 Medieval pack is the only quality one this is a definite no.
Season 2 Bundle - $17.99 MAYBE
Contains: Core, Carnivals & Legends, Iron & Steel packs. If the Core set interests you then this is a pretty good deal! Otherwise you're better off getting the other two packs seperately.
You can play in table top or with a single Joy-Con attached.
Works on your TV or Monitor, too!
Hot Tips for PBFX3 newbies:
Go into Settings and disable the guide pop-ups. Annoying!
Change Pop-up Score value from 10,000 to 1,000,000 and Major Pop-up Score value from 1,000,000 to 5,000,000. That's much better!
You can turn off ball trails, mute annoying voice overs and mute music.
Classic Mode means no perks, no gimmicks, but you can still level up perks while playing Classic Mode. Handy for tournaments that DO allow perks, these give a huge advantage!
Note: You must level up perks on each table individually
Hot Tips for Pinball Beginners:
Don't Double Flip - aka don't press both flippers simultaneously
Try to control the ball, try to bring it to a stop on the flippers so you can look at the board and plan your next shot. There are many ways to do this.
Pinball is mostly skill, not luck. The board is designed to punish a bad shot with the powers geometry and physics
Don't be afraid to use the analog stick to nudge! It can dampen ball momentum and change its trajectory. If you do it too much you'll TILT and lose your ball and bonus points, so be careful!
Once you have a feel for the shots on a table its time to examine the playfied to see what you should do. Look at the DMD (Dot-Matrix Display) for hints on what to do during modes. Consider reading the rules of the game!
When in doubt, shoot at the flashing lights!
Relax, have fun, failure is the stepping stone to success and pinball has a STEEP learning curve!
Consider playing real pinball somewhere in your town or city! It's even better!
Thanks for this!
So what table would you guys want to do for the next tournament?
I'd like to pick one from a pack most people own or are willing to buy, so I'm leaning Bethesda or Jurassic Park. Or Carnivals and Legends since a lot of people should already have it and it's one of the cheaper packs.
I'd like to pick one from a pack most people own or are willing to buy, so I'm leaning Bethesda or Jurassic Park. Or Carnivals and Legends since a lot of people should already have it and it's one of the cheaper packs.
Thanks for this. I had only figured out a small percentage of this by playing a couple hours last night, and some of this I probably never would have figured out. Really helpful!
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Right now the tourney is only for Switch, Xbox and Steam due to the lack of cross-play with PS4 and the lack of PBFX3 on mobile.
Anyone can join if they have the password!
Tournament name: Hot Ham
Password: resetera
OP
OP
Holy shit it's been a while since I came into this thread. Really don't like how notifications work on Era, makes some threads very easy to miss :/
Wound up buying the Carnival & Whatever pack for PFX3 on Switch and I've entered the comp on there too (only played the one game, will need to do another run on it).
Wound up buying the Carnival & Whatever pack for PFX3 on Switch and I've entered the comp on there too (only played the one game, will need to do another run on it).
Nah, I find the rules too convoluted. But then again, I'm more of a fan of games that have easier to understand rules and less ones that love to reward stacking but require huge amounts of game knowledge (like AC/DC).
I hope we all agree V12 is the worst table in exsistance. Played a bit of Han Solo earlier and it finally clicked somewhat, hit a score around 300 in the world, before that my best was around 5k or so!
Tried another couple of games for the Tourney, bombed out at about 10mil each time!
Tried another couple of games for the Tourney, bombed out at about 10mil each time!
Bobnowhere isn't a human being, he's an AI.
FWIW, Nintendo Life is currently doing a competition on the same table (competition is called "NL").
3,549,689,666 is the highest score there.
I have created a new Nintendo Account/Pinball FX3 profile named ResetEra exclusively for hosting Pinball FX3 tournaments. All future Era tournaments will now be named "ResetEra" and you will see them labeled as such when browsing or searching tournaments in-game.
Thinking about the amount of time it would take to reach that score makes bile rise in my throat.
Bobnowhere isn't a human being, he's an AI.
Jeeesh guys, those scores! Great work! Let's see if I can get back to play a bit today. I have a work project to finish and have no time. Argh!
On Portable mode touch only I think it lacks some controls...dont get how to nudge the table neither how to enter name for high score using the old dot matrix look. Oh and couldn't start a game with an unresponsive controller few minutes ago. Other than that it's a nice game, too bad I suck.
If it's like the mobile version you may need to either swipe or tap the upper half of the screen
I dug deep for that one, man