According to GlaDOS, I’m a horrible pinball player.
Zen Studios has been pumping out new tables for their platform at a really fast rate. If you’re a pinball fan, you should be on cloud 9 right about now because even though some were “just ok” they still put up some pretty fun times. Now we move on to the newest table released, Portal Pinball.
Based on the puzzle game that I think everyone has heard of, at least heard the ending song “Still Alive” players take on the role of Chell as she tries to make it through test chambers with the guidance of the bumbling Wheatley.
Platforms: PS3, PS4, 360, XB1, PC, Vita
MSRP: $2.99
Price I’d pay: $2.99
The board features multiple lanes all of which are relatively easy to hit. The top of the board has an elevated platform that holds an extra right flipper for trick shots that can actually be rather difficult to pull off to begin with. After some practice with it, I could hit the ball enough for a full round around the table. There are multiple chances for multiballs via Atlas and P-Body (the co-op robots from portal 2) and a fast paced mini game that can really rack up some points if done correctly. It has the trappings of a very well made table for sure, and it capitalizes on them.
Portals will open up on the board and shooting the ball into them will transport them to another area of the table. Usually, the ball it appear right in front of the upper right flipper a nice set up for some quick points. The board itself is capable of some rather high scores which is always fun to see. It is an intermediate table. After about an hour or so of practice, players will get the hang of the mechanics. It does take a bit of getting used to.
The music, sound effects, and esthetic of the table are very well done. The entire board looks like a test chamber that is halfway falling apart. Along with turret sentries and laser lights shooting around, Chell will move around the board using portals during different sections and missions and the comments from Wheatley and GLaDOS are clever and add just a bit more to the experience. It’s never annoying or overly used, and it really does give off this Portal vibe to the entire thing.
Zen Studios has done a great job with this table that both pinball and Portal fans can enjoy. They have been on a roll lately and even when they had a lackluster table it was by no means “bad.” Venom, Wild West Rampage, and Star Wars: Rebels really knocked it out of the park and Portal is yet another one. It takes a bit of skill to get the entire thing down, but Portal Pinball is a solid table for sure that I think Zen Pinball fans will enjoy. I recommend picking this one up.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
