Pinball is one of the most popular games of the past century, and with the advent of the PC, this age-old game has transitioned well to the virtual world. Pinball on the computer has risen in popularity over the years, but with so many to choose from, which pinball games are the best for PC?
The 10 best pinball games for PC are:
- Zaccaria Pinball – Gold Pack
- Pinball FX3 – Williams Pinball
- Yoku’s Island Express
- Pro Pinball Ultra
- Demon’s Tilt
- Pinball HD Collection
- Pinball FX2 – VR
- Pinball Deluxe – Reloaded
- Momonga Pinball Adventure
- Quantic Pinball
Pinball graphics can be easily rendered onto PC games, but the mechanics must be accurate. Two flippers and a shiny playfield aside, the player has to feel like the game is responsive, something the games below do well. This is what makes them the best pinball games for PC.
The 10 Best Pinball Games For PC
1. Zaccaria Pinball – Gold Pack
Players love game bundles, and Zaccaria Pinball – Gold Pack has more tables added to it than a player can play in a month. With the original 41 tables available from Zaccaria Pinball, plus a bronze pack and an additional 27 retro tables, the Gold Pack is a delight for players that crave variety.
With stunning artwork overlaying great gameplay, a player could be playing a robot table one minute, then move on to a magic castle the next. Available on Steam for both PC and Mac, Zaccaria Pinball – Gold Pack has a story mode and a campaign mode, which only increases playability.
A world leaderboard gives players a real target to aim for, the importance of which cannot be exaggerated. Most pinball players crave the top of the leaderboard more than any other gamer, and with over 75 playfields to choose from, boredom never sets in.
2. Yoku’s Island Express
This unique take on the classic pinball game is a must-have for any pinball lover, marrying both pinball and platform leveling to create a stunning game that players will keep returning to. Set on Mokumana Island, your character, Yoku, must traverse the island through a great blend of pinball-based adventures and open-world gameplay to awaken an old god and save the island.
Yoku’s Island Express is a great family game and has more than enough pinball in it to keep even the most hardened fan happy. With such a different twist to the usual pinball games available, it’s quickly become a fan favorite.
If you love pinball and enjoy puzzle games, then getting Yoku safely across the island through fast-paced pinball and problem-solving will be right up your alley. Yoku’s Island Express is available on Steam exclusively for the PC.
3. Pinball FX3 – Williams Pinball Volume 1-6
Another superb add-on bundle to a classic pinball game, Pinball FX3 – Williams Pinball has multiple volumes available, and the addition of Williams to the PC pinball scene, one of the greatest pinball machine makers in history, is a welcome one.
The upgraded graphics and physics, as well as the addition of some of William’s most famous pinball machines, has turned what was already a solid game into a world-class pinball simulator. The gameplay quality in the Williams Pinball add-ons cannot be overstated. The game mechanics make this one of the most realistic pinball games ever made.
For old-school pinball fans, the Williams Pinball volumes are a must-have. If buying real pinball machines is out of your price range, or you simply don’t have room for one, the virtual route could be your ticket back to a bygone era in pinball.
4. Pro Pinball Ultra
Pro Pinball Ultra could be considered the pinball player’s pinball simulator, given its attention to detail and theincredible ball physics on show in this lifelike pinball game. Pro Pinball is available on both Windows and Apple and offers 4K resolution, ambient light controls, a superb soundtrack, the ever-important world leaderboard, and the astoundingly good Timeshock table.
With photo-realistic playfields, Pro Pinball looks and feels great to play. It comes with a great feature called Glass-Off mode too, which allows you to remove the virtual glass from a table and move the ball around the playfield manually.
The soundtrack is excellent, with dozens of different tracks depending on the table, and the overall feel of the game is excellent. Pro Pinball Ultra is available on both PC and Mac and is available for download on Steam and is well worth a look due to the massive collection of features available, including Jet bumpers, Magnets, and Spinners.
5. Demon’s Tilt
One word that best describes Demon’s Tilt is “manic,” as this super-charged pinball machine plays like a shoot-em-up video game with flippers. It features a frenetic pace, unique playfields, retro graphics, and a classic soundtrack reminiscent of the 1980s 16-bit heyday. Demon’s Tilt has bosses to defeat, incredible jackpots, a story table, and loud explosions.
All of this together makes you feel like you need to hurry before something happens to your ball. A modern take on an old classic, the ball physics are very well done, and you will need to hone your skills to be able to topple the many game bosses that all have diverse attack styles. Demon’s Tilt is available on both PC and Mac and is available for download on Steam.
6. Pinball HD Collection
With multiple pinball tables beautifully rendered in 3D, Pinball HD Collection is another great addition to any pinball player’s collection. This PC pinball game has 15 tables in a variety of themes, ranging from the Wild West to a Jungle or Tech theme. It offers a local and global scoreboard, which is great for testing your skills against other players.
The artwork on the playfields is vibrant and bright, although more control over the viewing angles would be a plus. Each theme has an individual feel to it, and every table comes with its own unique soundtrack and atmospheric music, which makes each table feel very different from the last. Pinball HD Collection is available on both the PC and Mac and is available for download from Steam.
7. Pinball FX2 – VR
If you’relucky enough to own any VR equipment, such as an Oculus Quest, then Pinball FX2 – VR could be just the game you are looking for. With true VR-designed gameplay and huge environments in which to play your new VR pinball machine, Pinball FX2 is a unique and fun way to experience pinball.
A great feature of the game is that the environment alters around you depending on which table you are playing. Play the Mars table and rocket ships and meteors zoom by around you. Sea creatures swim by as you play the Secrets Of The Deep table. While not earth-shattering, it’s still a great touch.
Immersing yourself in this VR world, you can relax on a couch while frantically bashing the flippers on your handsets as you aim to smash the global leaderboard. With extra add-on tables available, such as Jaws, Back To The Future, and E.T, you have the chance to expand your virtual table collection.
8. Pinball Deluxe – Reloaded
Pinball Deluxe – Reloaded is all about customization and variety, with dozens of different playfields and multiple genres to explore as you immerse yourself in this excellent addition to the pinball world. Customizable tables, realistic ball physics, and great musicturn what could have been just another 2D pinball game into a very impressive entry.
Unlike many pinball games that aim for more realistic 3D looks, Pinball Deluxe sticks to a tried and trusted 2D system that works really well within the game mechanics, focusing on gameplay and a realistic feel to the play over the looks.
A fan favorite thanks to its interesting and varied tables, mods are often released to add to the series and improve its look and feel. Overall, it’s a fantastic game with great value for money. Pinball Deluxe – Reloaded is available on both PC and Mac and is available for download on Steam.
9. Momonga Pinball Adventure
Featuring pinball with a flying squirrelin a cartoon world where you fight enemies and destroy bosses, Momonga Pinball Adventure is another twist on the pinball universe. It comes with nine storyline levels, minigames, and 45 challenges to complete.
Hardened pinball fans may find this game a little rudimentary for their tastes, but as a standalone game with a twist, this is a highly enjoyable and interesting pinball game that is perhaps suited to younger players who are making their first foray into pinball.
Momonga is available for download on Steam for a small cost and is compatible with both Windows and Mac, andfor a younger age group, could be a great investment, the graphics are colorful and entertaining, the storyline is simple to understand, and the pinball-based movement is fun and adds an element of skill to the game.
10. Quantic Pinball
Unlike most pinball games for the PC that stick to the tried-and-true method of replicating a pinball playfield, Quantic Pinball offers players very unusual playfields that look very different. With six original tables that offer very organic-looking gameplay, ball teleportation, multiball, and a hid and seek ramp, Quantic brings a new take to the genre.
The neon artwork looks sleek and futuristic,and it offers a crisp and clear playfield on which to play. To escape from each table, the player must open a gateway by hitting the targets. Quantic suffers from only having one soundtrack, which can become a little monotonous, but for a low price, this is an interesting pinball game that offers something different.
The game’s ball physics are very solid, and the shoot-em-up feelto the game does make it more engaging, as does the special retro-arcade table. Quantic Pinball is only available on Windows PC and can be downloaded through Steam.
The 10 Best Free Pinball Games For Windows/Mac
There is an abundance of free games available today for the PC and Mac, especially on Steam, and pinball games are no exception. As with many free things, some are acceptable, and some are poorly designed with little value, even at zero cost. So, which free pinball games are worth playing on PC and Mac, and where can they be found?
The 10 best free pinball games for Windows/Mac are:
- Pinball FX3
- Pinball Star
- Pinball Space Adventure
- Zen Pinball 2
- Zacarias Pinball
- Pinball Deluxe Reloaded 3D
- Pinball Arcade
- Malzbie’s Pinball Collection
- Pinball Inside: A VR Arcade Game
- Stern Pinball Arcade
With the cost of many games rising dramatically, finding a free game that offers excellent playability for no cost can really help out. Many talented game designers wish to share their games for free, and when you find that one game that you love, at a price that can’t be beaten, it’s worth sharing.
The 10 Best Free Pinball Games For Windows/Mac
1. Pinball FX3
Ridiculously addictive and fun to play, Pinball FX is the cut-down version of Pinball FX3 – Williams Collection, with only a few of the huge collection of tables available. Even with the small number of free tables, Pinball FX3 is great value for the price.
Sorcerer’s Lair and Fish Tails are the two free tables, and both are lots of fun to play. Sorcerer’s Lair is a modern 3D pinball game that has a variety of features, great sounds, mini-games, and tons of replay value.
Fish Tails is one of Williams’ real pinball machines. The 3D cabinet has a very authentic feel to it, the physics of the ball on both games is superb, graphically stunning, and hard to put down. Considering the game costs nothing, this is a superb game, but it is very tempting to buy the complete package just to try out the other tables.
There are dozens of add-on packs available to purchase for Pinball FX3, all of which have their own themes, from Marvel to Indiana Jones. The sheer amount available should be telling. This great game just cries out for more tables to play.
2. Pinball Star
Once upon a time, a free pinball game used to be shipped with every version of Windows. Along with Minesweeper and Solitaire, pinball was a stalwart of free-to-play games on the PC. Since the emergence of the Microsoft Store, Pinball Star is now the de-facto free pinball game for the PC.
A fairly basic look and feel belie a surprisingly addictive playfield, a playfield that doesn’t seem to have changed since Windows 95, but for a quick pinball game, free of ads and easy to play, Pinball Star fits the bill.
Free to download through the Microsoft Store, Pinball Star only has one playfield, the background music is not too intrusive, and you may surprise yourself trying for one more game just to beat your high score.
3. Pinball Space Adventure
Another free-to-play pinball release on the Microsoft Store is Pinball Space Adventure, a quirky if basic pinball game that is easy to pick up and put down, much like Pinball Star.
The ball physics are reasonable, and the playfield itself hasa clean and easy on the eyecartoon-like quality to it.
Pinball Space Adventure is aimed primarily at younger players, so hardcore pinball fanatics probably won’t find much to get excited about. For kids, however, this is an ideal starting point on their pinball journey and at no cost. The game is small, so it doesn’t take up much hard drive space.
4. Zen Pinball 2
Zen Pinball 2 is an Apple-only release that has the option for paid extras, such as the Bethesda table pack available for it. The ball physics, game mechanics, and artwork of the available tables are very solid and offer hours of free entertainment.
Like Pinball FX3, Zen Pinball has the Sorcerer’s Lair table available for free, which is worth the download alone. Along for the ride are many great side games to keep players aiming for the correct targets. The sounds, voiceovers, and graphics are all first-class, although a lack of tables is irritating.
Overall, Zen Pinball 2 is a worthy free download for the Mac. Due to its superb gameplay and ball physics, you could find yourself, much in the same way Pinball FX3 does, tempted into paying for the additional tables.
5. Zaccaria Pinball
While Zaccaria Pinball is only a work in progress, this great-looking pinball game has a lot of potential. As well as including VR support, Zaccaria has multiplayer mode, superb lighting and shadows, and excellent ball physics.
On the free version of Zaccaria, you get the Time Machine table for free. You can also get the retro TIme Machine table simply by joining the games community page. The rest of the tables are available indefinitely but have a score limit before they restart. This version also comes with story mode, which is also great fun to play.
Zaccaria Pinball is very customizable, with multiple user-defined camera angles available, as well as tweaking the game physics should you want to. To have full access to the entire table collection, you would need to purchase the Bronze Pack DLC, but by the time that becomes necessary, you will have already decided if Zaccaria is for you or not.
And there is no reason why it shouldn’t be, this is a superbly put together game, with a lot to recommend it, the tables look great, and for pinball aficionados, the Zaccaria tie-in is also a bonus, with the three Zaccaria brothers creating many top pinball machines between 1974 and 1987, becoming the third-largest pinball manufacturers in the world, behind Bally and Williams.
6. Pinball Deluxe Reloaded 3D
It may not be the prettiest pinball game available, but Pinball Deluxe Reloaded 3D is a good starting point for young beginners. Free through the Microsoft Store, this single table game has a jungle theme to it and has fairly few features to confuse newer players.
Because Pinball Deluxe Reloaded 3D was never aimed at serious pinball gamers, it is hard to take fault with the fairly poor ball physics. Again, for the price, and for the target audience of younger players, this is a solid free pinball game that could ignite a passion for the genre.
7. Pinball Arcade
Fans of Stern and Gottlieb Pinball machines could find Pinball Arcade a real blast from the past, as this excellent mobile game adaptation is packed with features, tables, and quality throughout.
Pinball Arcade is a standalone product that is available for download on Steam for both PC and Mac. With realistic physics, superb tables, including Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, is a must-have in any Steam collection.
Each table is carefully drawn to emulate one of either Stern or Gottlieb’s original classics, the playfields look crisp and authentic, and even the sound effects will have die-hard fans misty-eyed with nostalgia.
One disappointing thing to note, however, is that the creators of the game have lost the licensing for many of the tables. As such, there is unlikely to be any further additions to the collection, which is a shame, as Pinball Arcade is a triumph in pinball recreation for the PC.
8. Malzbie’s Pinball Collection
With onlyone free table, you may think it may not be worth downloading the free version of Malzbie’s Pinball Collection, but with extra tables available for under a dollar each, this nicely designed pinball game for Windows should not be dismissed lightly.
Designed in 2D with a 90s feel, the free table has an array of features to keep players entertained, including five missions with up to five multiballs on the playfield at once. As the designer is aiming to only have features that could feasibly be found on a real pinball machine, this game could appeal to fans of pure pinball.
Fan reviews are positive for Malzbie’s, and all agree that while not a premium pinball game, it doesn’t claim to be. What it does offer are quality physics, bright and attractive playfields, and solid gameplay for zero cost. That DLCs are extremely cheap and offer good value is another added bonus.
9. Pinball Inside: A VR Arcade Game
Pinball Inside: A VR Arcade Game is not the only VR pinball game available, but it is one of the only free ones you can get. Downloadable through Steam, the game is compatible with HTC Hive, Oculus Touch, Xbox controller, and Keyboard.
There is only one table available on Pinball inside, but the graphics look impressive, and the area surrounding the pinball cabinet is surprisingly inviting and gives the game a very open feel to it. One minor issue with the game, at least in respect to it offering a realistic pinball experience, is the unlimited number of balls, essentially making the game an endless loop.
However, for a free download that takes up less than 2GB of hard drive space, Pinball Inside is an excellent free addition to your Steam collection. The graphics are bright, and the playfield is interesting, and offers great replay value.
10. Stern Pinball Arcade
If it isultra-realistic Stern Pinball machines you crave, then Stern Pinball Arcade is the game for you. This expertly crafted game uses actual ROM emulation from real-life tables, and it shows. Stern Pinball offers one of the most accurate recreations of some of the most beloved pinball machines ever built by Stern.
Stern Pinball offers one free table, and two extra free tables that are changed every month, so it is worth checking back in to see what the next month has to offer. There are several DLC packs available for purchase too, should you wish to own every Stern table available.
Stern Pinball is hard to master. The developers have leaned heavily towards a simulator rather than an arcade game. To get the really high scores, you will need to practice, because realism is the big selling point of Stern Pinball. Stern Pinball is only available on Windows and can be downloaded through Steam.
Final Thoughts
It’s hard not to be astonished at just how good the quality of pinball games for the PC is today. With choices for pinball purists, and everything a modern arcade pinball enthusiast could ever need, you may be out of reasons not to download some of the best pinball games for PC or Mac.