Review: Marvel Pinball - Vengeance and Virtue (XBLA)

I am going to start at the end like so many stories and say, right away, if you're a fan of pinball you owe it to yourself to pick up Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue right away. I have exclaimed my love for Pinball FX2 and many of their tables time and time again, so it should come as no surprise that I'm about to do it once more. The Vengeance and Virtue pack collects four tables—X-Men, Thor, Moon Knight, and Ghost Rider—and regardless of Marvel fanboyism, all four tables are as fun as Moon Knight is crazy.

Speaking of Moon Knight, his table really is a bit crazy and I love it for that. The occasional interactions with Khonshu and his dialog are fun and there's just a charm about the table, such as the way Bushman sneaks up on Moon Knight when triggering his fight. The table is a bit dull stylistically and palette-wise, but Moon Knight has never been the most colorful character; speaking purely literal here. What the table lacks in color it makes up for in charm and personality and that makes for a great Moon Knight table and a great table overall.

The Thor table is damn beautiful, damn beautiful indeed.

The X-Men table is immediately lovable for not shoving Wolverine in my face; Wolverine has his own table and as much as I love him, there's way more to the X-Men than Mr. Hairy Grumpy Man. The X-Men table is very much so a team table with a lot of Magneto and some interesting actions utilizing his magnetic abilities—i.e. destroying the Brooklyn Bridge. The table is just a lot of fun table and reminds me of watching the ol' 90's cartoon, which is always a plus in my book. My only real complaint is I would have liked to see a few more 3D models of characters other than Magneto and Professor X, but then again, how can one pick just a few from a rather large cast?

The Thor table is probably my favorite—Moon Knight is a strong and surprising contender—and damn exciting. I have grown into a Thor fan after reading Walter Simonson's run and the recent film, and the table does a great job of delivering the Thor I have come to love. That said, being a fan is not important as the Thor table is fundamentally a great table with lots of variety and action, all wrapped up in a beautiful, vibrant, colorful table. Every time I start a new game, I can't wait to travel up the rainbow bridge and whoop some Loki ass, and that's just a small fraction of the action.

Last and kind of least is the Ghost Rider table. It's a well-made table and the most exciting overall, but I am not a fan of Ghost Rider, nor am I fan of the red, fiery, brimstone-esque style that accompanies the character. The Ghost Rider table feels like the Mountain Dew of the Vengeance and Virtue pack, but despite my distaste for the character and visuals, I still enjoyed the table, just not as much as the other three. It's a very nitpicky complaint and why I'm not that hot (get it) for the table; however, I can easily see the Ghost Rider table being a favorite for most. Now, going to the beginning to get to the end, let me say, once again, this pack is fantastic and yet another great addition to one's ever-growing pinball library.

Marvel Pinball: Vengeance & Virtue [DLC] (800MS Points/$9.99 -- Also available on PSN)