GUNS N ROSES PINBALL

If you really want to rock out your game room or man cave, this new Guns N' Roses Pinball Game from Jersey Jack Pinball would be sure to give you the bragging rights on the block. At $6,700 dollars for the standard edition it isn't cheap but this amazing arcade quality cabinet would absolutely earn you to title of Pinball Wizard among your friends. If my wife would let me raid the kids college fund this pinball machine would be so in my basement!

Guns ‘N’ Roses ‘Not In This Lifetime’ is meant to mimic the experience of sitting in the front row of one of the band's concerts. The game is designed around playing through the Guns N’ Roses entire 21-song setlist with a concert stage and moving spotlights. Live footage and concert screen animations from the Not In This Lifetime World Tour are showcased on a 27” backbox display. Players need to get fans to cheer and get more pyrotechnics!

It comes set in Family Friendly default mode, but there is a switch to turn on Adult Only content which adds explicit songs, video content, and voice work. Speaking of vocals, the game includes voice recordings by Axl Rose, Slash, Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer, Dizzy Reed and GNR announcer MC Bob. Plus, full-length Studio Master Recordings of Guns N’ Roses songs are featured in this pinball game.

An avid pinball collector and longtime player, SLASH worked hands-on with Jersey Jack Pinball designer Eric Meunier for over two years, to develop the Guns N’ Roses ‘Not In This Lifetime’ game. As co-designer, SLASH crafted specific game plays and actions, recorded guitar riffs, music, voice, and video for the new game as well as, four unique guitar features for four playable modes in the game. Pinball designer Eric Meunier is widely known as the designer of one of the best-selling pinball games of all time, Pirates of The Caribbean, which currently sells for $5-7,000.00 over its original asking price. 

Hundreds of interactive LED lights and multiple LCD displays complimented by a 2.1 stereo sound system give players a front row seat to custom animations and hours of 'Not In This Lifetime' tour footage. The kinetic game brings together the band’s powerhouse live performance, signature sound and wild stage elements. Plus it adds some special touches like sculptures of Slash’s Iconic Top Hat, Screaming Axl Rose, and a Concert Speaker Stack. There is also a Drumstick Ramp featuring two Real Frank Ferrer Thunderchucker Vater Drumsticks as well as two Guitar Pick-shaped RGB Lit Spinners inside the game. Sweet!

Can't afford one of these to toss in your basement, home office or den? You can still plug getting one of these to the pub you hangout with your buddies at or the arcade you spend time at with your kids. You know you want to play this pinball game! I sure would be geeked to!

Zen Studios adds The Force Awakens to its line of Star Wars pinball video games

Most Saturdays I have an hour to kill while waiting for my daughter at the dance studio during her ballet lessons and often find myself spending the time playing the Star Wars themed digital pinball tables from Zen Studios that I've downloaded on my iPad.  There are a variety of games available representing the movies and televisions shows from the Star Wars saga plus a few digital pinball tables dedicated specifically to some of the more colorful characters from the sci-fi franchise.  In addition to imitating the play of traditional pinball machines these video games also add buzz and whistles like digital special effects and video to enhance their entertainment value.  Plus you don't have to keep stuffing them with quarters while you play which is nice.  I also have a few of these Star Wars pinball apps from Zen Studios on my iPhone which are nice to play around with when I have some down time during the day.

In addition to enjoying digital pinball on tables based off the characters and events in the first six Star Wars movies, soon players will be able to add The Force Awakens experience to their game play. On January 12, 2016 Zen Studios is releasing a Star Wars Pinball: The Force Awakens Pack which will have two new pinball tables featuring art, models, and sounds directly from the film and will be available on Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Mac, Windows 10, Steam, plus iOS, Android, and Amazon mobile devices.  The two new additions to Zen Studios video game pinball will be titled Star Wars Pinball: The Force Awakens Table and Star Wars Pinball: Might of the First Order which will allow players to choose whether they want to support the Light Side or the Dark Side of the Force.



With Star Wars Pinball: The Force Awakens Table players will team up with the Resistance and fight against the First Order alongside such heroes as Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron. It features all-new table-transforming environment mechanics that allow players to visit locations from the film and twelve action-packed story modes that incorporate some of the most thrilling moments from the motion picture into the game play.

Star Wars Pinball: Might of the First Order puts players in command of the First Order, tasked with extending its power across the galaxy.  This digital pinball table features an innovative two-level playfield where you must use a special ball-lock system tied to Kylo Ren to crush the Resistance, as well as the ability to control your own Star Destroyer with the help of a special magnetic upside-down ramp!

While it is nice to see Zen Studios adding The Force Awakens to their pinball table themes, as a player who already enjoys these video games I'm even more excited that they are also adding new mechanics and elements that will provide different game play experiences. Star Wars Pinball: The Force Awakens Pack will be available as a digital download for console, PC, and mobile device beginning the week of January 12, 2016.  Visit starwarspinball.com for more information.

New Star Wars Video Game Pinball Tables Launched in Time for May the Fourth

Zen Studios has launched four new Star Wars video game pinball tables just in time for Star Wars Day (May the Fourth).  The four new tables themes are Han Solo, Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars Pinball: Droids, and Masters of the Force.  The tables can be purchased individually or combined as a pack called "Heroes Within" that provides all 4 games bundled together for the price of 3.  Star Wars Pinball can be played on Play Station 4, Play Station 3 and PS Vita, Xbox 360, Steam, IOS, Google Play, Kindle tablets and Fire TV, and the Mac App Store.

The new HAN SOLO table looks to be my favorite of the new pinball tables.  The Star Wars' Cantina  Band sets the stage for this game providing the theme music for what looks to be a fun game with highlights that include a wookiee rage multi-ball sequence and shooting down tie-fighter pinballs.  Zen Studios has done a nice job of incorporating 3D visual effects and video game style action while maintaining a traditional pinball theme to their Star Wars tables.

The Episode IV: A New Hope table does a nice job of bringing the feel of the real life Star Wars pinball table to a video game.  It expands on the original pinball machine with 3D images that provide mini skits of scenes from the movie.  The game also features a fun bonus sequence games where your pinball is trapped in the Death Star garbage disposal and you need to hunt down the monster that lurks within or make the Death Star trench run in an X-wing fighter.  Special effects that include the Death Star laser shooting at you and Ben Kenobi swiping at pinballs with his lightsaber make this game superb!

If you are a fan of R2D2 & C3PO you'll enjoy the new DROIDS table which also has an interesting jawa theme going on:

The final game has more of a Clone Wars/Prequel Movie vibe to it compared to original Star Wars movie feel of the three others, but if you are into those aspects of the franchise and like Yoda & Darth Vader check out MASTERS OF THE FORCE:

I've downloaded Zen Studios Star Wars pinball games to my iPad & iPhone and find them "impressive, most impressive"  (to quote Darth Vader).  The one gripe I have about Zen Studios and their pinball games, ,and you should be aware of it if you juggle apps between an iPad & iPhone like I do, is that the tables aren't compatible between the two apps.  So if you have an iPad you can't use the pinball tables you buy on it for your iPhone, similarly if you download a table onto your iPhone you can't use it on your iPad.  So if you want all your tables playable on both your iPad and iPhone you need to buy them separately for each device.  That is really annoying and I find Zen Studios is being just a little greedy dipping into consumers pockets with that move.

For more information visit:  starwarspinball.com

New STAR WARS Pinball Tables coming from Zen Studios

I've appreciated playing a good game of pinball on a "real machine" since my college days where I diverted a lot of quarters from my laundry money to the Star Wars pinball machine in my college dorm's student lounge.  Unfortunately, it can be cost or space prohibitive to own one in your own home, and you don't see pin ball machines featured at restaurants, movie theaters and other public establishments to play when you are out and about as much as you used to.  In fact there are only 2 manufacturers left of traditional pinball machines, long time manufacturer STERN (whose current table models include Avengers, Star Trek, Transformers, and the Ford Mustang themes) and a new start up company called Jersey Jack Pinball that has the licenses to create Wizard of OZ and Hobbit branded ones.  If you can't play the real thing you may want to check out the video game versions.

One of the leaders in producing digital pinball games is ZEN STUDIOS.  Zen Studios has the license for Marvel Comics and has made some great themed boards for Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, Spiderman & Wolverine).  They also have the license for STAR WARS which I wrote about in an earlier post.  I've downloaded their Star Wars pinball tables on my iPhone and iPad (one complaint is that you can't download compatible tables for each ios format and have to buy the same table twice if you want to be able to play it on both devices) and have found them a fun way to pass some time.  They've had two releases of games so far with each generation of the game being enhanced with new features to make it more fun to play than the previous ones.  The first round of games featured one of my favorite Star Wars characters (Boba Fett),  my least favorite part of Star Wars (The Clones Wars) and the best Star Wars movie (Empire Strikes Back) themed pinball boards.  The second round featured some really impressive boards that included Darth Vader, Xwings versus Tie Fighters, and Return of the Jedi.  Now a third and final round of games is scheduled to come out for Spring 2014 that look to be the most impressive yet.

The new round of pin ball tables by Zen Studios will be titled "STAR WARS PINBALL: HEROES WITHIN" will feature FOUR brand new games with Han Solo, Droids: The Adventures of R2D2 & C3PO, Masters of the Force and Episode IV: A New Hope themes.  From the teasers I've seen they are going to feature more 3D character interactions than past games and a new in-table mini game feature that look really impressive.  The STAR WARS PINBALL: HEROES WITHIN games will be available for Playstation 4, Playstation 3, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Steam, IOS, Google Play, Amazon, and the Mac App Store.  The actual release date and information on some of the pinball tables has yet to be announced yet so keep an eye out for game teasers and the date when they will go on sale.

Some images and video of the HAN SOLO game have been made public and it looks to be a blast to play. The game leads off with the famous movie line by the character, "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side", so you know you're in for some classic Star Wars fun.  Include the games theme music as the Cantina Band from the original Star Wars movie and scenes of Chewbacca jumping across the table interacting with your game and this pinball action looks to be a wild ride!

The Episode IV game looks to be geared towards die-hard Star Wars fans too with lots of 3D elements taken from the movie and a great mini-game featuring the trash compactor scene from the Death Star. Check out these screen captures:

This screen capture from Droids also has a classic Star Wars vibe to it:

* Screen captures courtesy of Zen Studios and LucasArts for game promotional purposes.

If you enjoy pinball and appreciate the classic Star Wars movies and characters you'll absolutely want to check out these new Zen Studios games coming out soon. Check out this video trailer from AOL for the new Episode IV: A New Hope pinball game and for more information, visit:  www.starwarspinball.com

Are you a Pinball Wizard?

When was the last time you played a game of Pinball, not a video game, on a real machine that squawked and rocked as a silver metal ball bounced around a board lit up by a multitude of colored lights?  I was a kid in the 70's/80's when pinball machines went from being the "hot" thing to do in the early to mid 70s to pushed aside  during the  "Golden Age" of video game arcades (1978-1986).  As a kid and teen, my friends and I skipped instead of competing to get the highest score on pinball machines gave our attention, and quarters, to the new "high tech" video games like Atari's Astroids, Namco's Pacman, Nintendo's Donkey Kong, and Konami's Frogger.   So I can easily relate to the famous Frogger storyline from that classic Seinfield episode:

I fell in love with pinball machines during my college years.  There was a Star Wars one in the rec room next door to my dorm's laundry room that ate up a lot of my time, and quarters that should have been used for washing and drying my clothes. I developed an appreciation for the "mechanical" nature of the beast when it comes to pinball machines that just isn't there in a video game.  The feel of the the flippers, the ball bouncing against bumpers, the vibrations from the game play, the colors and sounds that envelope you when you are in the zone focusing on a silver sphere and getting just the right tilt to beat your previous high score provides a sensational element that is lacking from video games.  I have found memories of epic battles for high score on that "Star Wars" pinball machine against my buddies from the 5th floor.  You'll always find a few quarters in my pocket and I'll take a timeout for some pinball if I stumble across a machine.

This weekend there is a great annual event that is hosted at a college down the street from my house called the MICHIGAN PINBALL EXPO.  The event features more than 100 pinball machines ranging from classic models to brand new ones with cool high tech features.  They are all set to FREE PLAY, so you don't need to bring quarters, you just pay $20 adults/$15 kids for unlimited play while you are there.  Children 4 and under are FREE too!  This free play option is nice especially if you aren't a pinball wizard but enjoy playing the games.  In addition to the general game play, the Michigan Pinball Expo has sessions for children with tips on playing called "Wizards in Training", speakers, vendors who sell and/or repair machines for home and business uses, and tournaments ranging in skill and age from rookie children to adults competing for the "Michigan Pinball Champion" trophy.  If you are in the Metro Detroit area this weekend, whether you have a love of pinball or are just looking for a family outing to check out something new, swing by the Michigan Pinball Expo for a fun time.

If you aren't in the area and the MICHIGAN PINBALL EXPO peaked your interest there are a variety of similar events taking place across the country that you may want to attend:

APRIL 24-26 PINBALL @ THE 'ZOO (KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN) 2014 will be this event's 15th year.  Enjoy the free play gallery or participate in a tournament.

MAY 2-3 ALLENTOWN PINFEST (PENNSYLVANIA) features over 200 pinball machines at the Agri-plex Expo Center.

MAY 16-18 PIN-A-GO-GO PINBALL SHOW (CALIFORNIA) in its 18th year features more than 250 pinball machines includes "pinball celebrity" demonstrations, pinball school to help you become a better player, tournaments and a free play gallery.  Proceeds from this event benefit local youth charities. 

MAY 16-18 ANN ARBOR PINBALL SHOW CASE (MICHIGAN) I had no clue that pinball was still so popular in Michigan but in addition to the pinball expos in Oakland County and Kalamazoo there is a pinball museum just outside Ann Arbor (home of the University of Michigan).  The Ann Arbor Pinball Museum called VINTAGE FLIPPER WORLD (located in Green Oaks Township which is about 8 miles north of Ann Arbor) is hosting their first ever showcase event in 2014 which will feature 200 machines.  There will be free play and tournament opportunities at this event.

SEPTEMBER 26-28 FRASER VALLEY FLIPOUT (BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA) is the largest pinball tournament in Canada.  All skill levels are welcome! 

OCTOBER 15-19 PINBALL EXPO 2014 (CHICAGO ILLINOIS) this is the premiere pinball event of the year hosting its 30th annual show in 2014.  Attendees can register for a group tour of the STERN pinball machine factory.  Open to the general public but this show also has huge turnout of industry manufacturers, sales, and service companies and an emphasis to appeal to pinball collectors and enthusiasts.  The event includes autograph sessions with pinball design artists, seminars, pinball-related merchandise, free play gallery, and tournaments.

If you haven't played Pinball lately...why not?  If you know of a pinball expo that you'd like to add to this list please leave a post with the info or email: thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Zen Studios launches new Star Wars Video Pin Ball Game

 I lost a lot of laundry money in college throwing quarters into the Star Wars pinball machine on campus but it was well worth occassionally wearing some dirty clothes an extra week for the blast I had playing that game.  Zen Studios is launching a brand new video game this week that will give you unlimited play of a cool Star Wars themed pin ball table for under $3. Wow! I used to spend that much in an afternoon playing on the mechanical maching in the student lounge. This game should be even better than that older game providing you the fun of playing a mechanical machine combined with great special effects that can only be incorporated into a digital environment. 

Star Wars video pin ball will feature 3 themed tables: Empire Strikes Back, Clone Wars & Boba Fett. It appears you can buy them individually or as a combined package. Additional tables will be introduced later that can be purchased as add-ons at an additional cost. I'm really revved up to purchase this new  pin ball game myself after seeing this promo video for the Boba Fett table:

 

 

As you can see from the Boba Fett trailer, by reaching certain scores or hitting various patterns on the table you can trigger 3D special effects and video segments during the game.  You can tell that Zen Studios didn't just throw this game together to make some money using the Star Wars name from this trailer as it really appears some great production work went into this game.  The Empire Strikes Back pin ball table appears to even have more 3D sequences that include a Luke Skywalker versus Darth Vader lightsaber duel and the AT-AT invasion of the rebel base on Hoth. 

 

 

 

I'm not a big fan of the 3 prequel movies and the Clone Wars tv show - those battle droids are just so annoying and we won't go into Jar Jar Binks but I have to admit from looking at the trailer for that pin ball table I'm pretty impressed by the artwork and special effects in that game.  It looks really fun to play which is what is nice about these video pin ball games is that they appear to be designed so that you don't have to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy them but if you are a fan you'll probably love it!

 

 

Zen Studios' has posted the following about the release of Star Wars Pin Ball on their website:

 

It will be available on Tuesday February 26 on the PlayStation Network for download to PlayStation 3 & Playstation Vita for $9.99 for a package with all three tables.

 

It will be available on Wednesday February 27 to download on XboxLive for the Xbox360 through the Pinball FX2 game for 800 MSPs.

 

You can download the tables individually through the IOS-based Zen Pinball game for your iPad, iPhone or iTouch for $1.99 per table as of February 27.

 

You can download the tables individually for Mac App store through Zen Pinball 2 game for your  for $2.99 per table as of February 27.

 

Will be available on February 27 for $1.99 per table through Zen Pinball HD Google Play.

 

It also appears that you can purchase the Star Wars tables as a stand alone pinball game called Star Wars Pinball  on Apple App Store and through Google Play from the Zen Studios posted information. 

 

Check out www.starwarspinball.com for more information about the game, its pricing and to see some neat screen shot previews.