Over the weekend at PAX East, we had the opportunity to talk with several folks about upcoming projects. Among them was Zen Studios, a company that didn’t have a booth on the floor, but still had some exciting details about what was coming down the line in the future in terms of pinball content. While we can’t reveal everything JUST yet (they’re saving some surprises for E3), we can talk about Zen Pinball 2, an improved pinball experience coming for the PlayStation 3 – and PlayStation Vita – starting next month.
Rather than being a full-blown sequel like Pinball FX 2 was on the Xbox 360, Zen Pinball 2 is instead a game that improves the interface of the original Zen release on PSN, merging previously bought tables from that game with Marvel Pinball into one seamless experience. And if you somehow missed out on some of these tables, not to worry, as the game will launch with all 26 tables, including the upcoming Avengers Chronicles pack that’s releasing for Marvel Pinball next month.
Available as a free download to PSN subscribers, Zen Pinball 2 will utilize a new menu system similar to that of Pinball FX 2, where you can choose your tables a lot easier than before, as well as getting a glimpse of who’s doing what on the leaderboards, so you can instantly challenge friends in ProScore, or team up with them to try and get the best TeamScore you possibly can, working with them through PlayStation Network.
For the first time in the series, you’ll also be able to share your pinball experiences through both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. Every purchase you make in the game will automatically spread across both platforms, without the need to pay again. Furthermore, you can also access the same global leaderboards, online friend challenges and messages without needing to get into a specific version of the game. If you do stick with the PS3 version, however, you’ll be able to access the new 3D-enabled graphics, where the tables literally pop right out at you in stereoscopic fashion.
