Review: Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles

Surprise, surprise, Zen Studios has just released some new pinball tables and they're all great. I don't even know if I should waste my time and yours reviewing the newest pack; I mean, if you're already a fan you won't need a review to convince you into buying it, and if you're not a fan I'd recommend a trip to your local psychiatrist. The latest addition to Pinball FX2 (or Marvel Pinball on PSN) is Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles, a collection of four new Marvel-themed pinball tables—"The Avengers," "Fear Itself," "Infinity Gauntlet," and "World War Hulk."

Despite already releasing numerous tables, Zen Studios still somehow manages to throw in new elements that switch up the way one plays a table. The "Avengers" table has a team system in play where you get a choice between one of six character-based balls, each with their own powers. It adds an extra layer of strategy and kept me coming back to see how other balls played, as well as learning when to use a specific ball over the others. I did find it a bit overwhelming at first, but I quickly got the hang of it and ended up enjoying the "Avengers" table quite a bit.

The "Fear Itself" table is rather beautiful and features some fun mini-games that add variety; and as stupid as it sounds, I really got a kick out of the way the ball launches in the "Fear Itself" table. I found the "World War Hulk" table to be the low point of the pack, but that's like saying Raphael is the worst turtle in TMNT—all the turtles are great, but one has come in fourth place—and Hulk's table is still great and worth playing, it's just not the best. The "World War Hulk" table was just a bit too repetitive and I found myself going through the same experience fat too frequently.

Alright. There's only one table left to talk about and I saved it for last because it is by far my favorite table of the bunch; hell, it's one of my favorite Pinball FX2 tables period. That which I am referring to is the "Infinity Gauntlet" table—an extremely colorful table full of unique missions that play around with how the ball is handled and one of the most mind-bending twists I've seen in a pinball table. The "Infinity Gauntlet" table's twist is that if the right circumstances are met, the table turns upside down. It may sound simple, but it freaked me out the first time it happened and took some getting used to. It's a twist that makes the table more exciting and I've been hooked ever since.

It may sound odd, but I kind of hope Zen Studios releases some real stinkers in the future so I can stop repeating myself over and over again—the music is great; the voice acting is great; and, unsurprisingly, the visuals are also great. Honestly, I don't know why I write anything more than simply, "Why are you still reading this? Just buy the damn pack already stupid-head!"  Disclaimer: I don't really think you're a stupid-head if you don't buy Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles, you're just depriving yourself of something wonderful and why would you ever want to do that?

Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles (800 MS Points | $9.99)