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Pinball games may not sound that flashy at first mention but keep in mind that there is a whole generation of games who grew up with 3D Pinball on Windows XP, meaning there is a huge market for not only the game type but nostalgia baiting as well.
Pinball M does exactly that and it does it in a spectacular fashion. The game is aimed at older audiences, as hinted by the "M" in the name, as the available tables are inspired by horrors and other mature themes.
In the demo, there are only four tables available - Wrath of the Elder Gods, Duke Nukem, Dead by Daylight and Chucky's Killer Pinball. Three out of four are horrors or at least slashers while Duke Nukem has his signature colourful language at all times.
Variation and gameplay
All of the tables present an enjoyable experience for those who love the arcade game of old, with each of them offering a unique flavour but the gameplay variation is not all that different.
Speaking of gameplay, the game has a ton of dopamine triggers, much like a real table would, and the developers did a fantastic job making it feel like one. Players will control the flippers with left and right shift on keyboard or left and right triggers on gamepads to emulate you pressing the buttons on the side of an arcade table.
One part that is significantly different from the real thing is that the balls will launch automatically after the first one which is sometimes immersion-breaking.
Progression and monetisation
The game features a lot of cosmetics that can be unlocked with the currency you earn for setting high scores and levelling up but while it's unknown in the demo, it is quite possible that the monetisation will continue the way the older Pinball games from Zen Studios operated. Namely, the game sells additional tables for the players to enjoy which can be a deal breaker for some but they were often priced fairly and offered a good bang for the buck.
However, the shadow of doubt looms after Pinball FX, which was essentially double dipping on the players who already bought the tables in FX3, which is why it has Mixed reviews on Steam.
Pinball M's fate ultimately lies in the path it chooses - that of FX or FX3 and it's really monetisation that will decide in the end.
Demo recommendation
The game is very chill and easy on the PC as it doesn't take up too many resources, making it a perfect thing for a pause in your workflow or anything else where you may have some time to kill. Just fire up a game, shoot some balls and enjoy the colourful display as you rack up tens of millions in points, when you hit that good match.
In other words, give it a shot - it is a small download and hell of a great time, nothing to lose and much to gain. I highly recommend this particular demo.
