A New-School Twist on an Old-School Favorite: ‘Pinball FX2 VR’ Comes to Oculus Quest

No matter your age, the classic arcade game of pinball connects people across generations. Despite reaching its peak in the 1970s, the thrill of the bells and lights and the adrenaline rush of a well-timed ricochet keep our fingers glued to the triggers. And Hungarian video game developer Zen Studios are doing their part to keep the beloved game of pinball alive with their recent release of Pinball FX2 VR on Oculus Quest.

Zen Studios first brought this classic PC game to the Rift Platform in 2016 with a unique VR twist including advanced physics and detailed 3D graphics to create an immersive experience. Pinball FX2 VR recently received a makeover on its move to Quest last week. The Zen Studios graphics teams optimized texture and effects while their programmers and QA team worked tirelessly troubleshooting to ensure that the game would work on the new headset. The end result is a digital pinball game featuring original tables that will impress old-school fans and newcomers alike.

We chatted with Zen Studios Marketing Manager Akos Gyorkei about the game and its transition to Quest.

Akos Gyorkei: We had two ultimate goals ahead of us:

1. Make the 3D feel almost lifelike, something only possible in VR. When you move your head and look a little closer at the playfield of the tables, you have an entirely new understanding of the workings of the machine and where your ball is moving at all times.

2. Go big! In the VR version of these games, it’s not only the table that reacts to a jackpot or a start of a multiball. The whole VR environment reacts, so don’t be surprised when a shark bites your pinball machine, or a sun goes supernova right in our in-game fictional living room.

AG: We’ve released nine new tables as DLC, and with the help of the community, we’ve polished the game’s feel and gameplay even further to give the best experience possible.

AG: Yes, all content present on the Rift version of Pinball FX2 VR is present on the Quest version. This means the Season 1 DLC with five Zen original tables spanning from paranormal activity to the Wild West; the Universal Classics™ Pinball Pack with E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial, Back to the Future, and Jaws; and The Walking Dead table, based on Telltale Games’ award-winning series.

AG: Yes! If you have Pinball FX2 VR purchased on Rift, and you’re just unboxing your shiny new Quest, you can give these tables a go right away.

AG: We have seen a lot of requests for new tables added to Pinball FX2 VR—we even have some of our Facebook followers creating GIFs and posting them all the time in comments. Some of them are very creative! Right now, we don’t have any immediate news on new content but we are huge fans and supporters of VR, so we’d love to bring more of our creations over to the platform.

AG: These machines are all set to “free-play” :) But jokes aside, for most people, it’s hard to find a place to play pinball nowadays, despite the hobby getting more and more popular. The VR version is designed to give you the arcade feel in a convenient way in your home. Oh, and we have a flying DeLorean. :)

AG: First of all, if you play on the Rift Platform, Oculus Go, or now on Quest—THANK YOU! Additionally, if you can, go out to your local arcade or pub and throw a few quarters into the physical machines as well. It’s a great way to support pinball and have fun while doing it!

Thanks for chatting with us, Akos! We can’t wait for the Oculus community to check out Pinball Machine FX2 VR on Quest.