6 iOS Pinball Games That Play Like the Real Thing

6 iOS Pinball Games That Play Like the Real Thing

Posted 06/28/2012 at 5:00am | by Andrew Hayward

Digital representations of pinball machines seem to get better and better with each new passing genre entry, and they've proven particularly well-suited to the iPad and iPhone. Several slick apps are available on both devices that deliver a mix of original and classic tables, including many based on beloved characters and properties, and typically deliver a large array of perspectives and options to satisfy even the most avid pinball nut. Some fantastical options exist, like Frogger Pinball and Undead Attack Pinball, but for those players seeking a real-life experience on their iOS device of choice, these six apps can satisfy that need.

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Pinball Games for iOS

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After finding success on consoles, Zen Pinball (Free, Universal) did much the same on iPhone and iPad earlier this year, delivering a realistic pinball experience with a gratis built-in table and numerous available viewpoints. Extra tables can be purchased from within, including other original themes and a few based on Marvel Comics characters like Wolverine and Captain America.
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It might seem a surprising theme for a dedicated pinball app, but War Pinball HD ($2.99, iPad) takes the settings of a trio of dated action flicks -- Platoon, Missing in Action, and Navy Seals -- and turns them into excellent digital tables. There's nothing quite like flicking a gleaming ball on the table and passing an animated facsimile of Chuck Norris, or rolling atop Charlie Sheen's dirt-covered face.
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The game that set the standard for iOS pinball simulations, Pinball HD ($1.99, iPad or iPhone) still shines today thanks to Retina-optimized visuals, additional downloadable tables, and incredibly realistic ball physics and gameplay. Built-in Wild West, The Deep, and Jungle Style tables are all quite entertaining, and can be played in multiple portrait or landscape perspectives.
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While many tables aim to create arcade-like digital tables, Pinball Arcade (Free, Universal) instead recreates a variety of actual classic tables from the past. Familiar relics from Williams, Bally, Stern, and Gottlieb are available for purchase, such as Ripley's Believe It or Not and Monster Bash, with more promised down the line. Tales of the Arabian Nights is included free of charge with the app.
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It might seem an odd pairing, but Slayer Pinball Rocks HD ($2.99, iPad) is almost as heavy as the metal band's catalog, with gruesome sights and familiar tunes matched with arcade-quality gameplay. It's a little pricey for a single table, but a must-have for fans. And AC/DC aficionados have their own version, AC/DC Pinball Rocks HD, to check out as well.
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The tables in Age of Pinballs (Free, Universal) aren't quite as elaborate or attractive as some of the other games on this list, though it does have one very notable advantage: the game has 12 whole tables available free of charge. Additional ones are sold within, along with various bonus features, but for casual pinball fans, it's a lot of solid pinball with no required investment.