In space, no one can hear you tilt. Zen Studios has a new pack of pinball tables for their Zen Pinball 2 and Pinball FX 2 games, and they’re based on the Aliens movie and video game franchises.  You can download and play the new Aliens vs. Pinball pack on consoles that support Zen Studios pinball platforms (PS3 version reviewed here). When you download Pinball FX 2 or Zen Pinball 2 (depending on which game console you own), you’re just downloading the hub.  It’s free, and then you purchase separate tables for play in the game.  Here are the three tables in the Aliens vs. Pinball pack.

Aliens Pinball

This table is based on the hit movie sequel. This movie also has a personal significance as I believe it was the first rated R movie I saw in theaters.  The missions on this table are based on scenes from the movie, and activating them is pretty easy to do.  There is even a fun mini-game where you use the flipper buttons to steer the armored car around obstacles.  It’s fun, but nigh impossible to pass!  It’s a very high scoring table and easy to understand, so it’s definitely my favorite game on this set.  And of course, when you lose all your balls, they say, “It’s Game Over, man!”

Aliens vs. Predator

I’m not sure if this table is based on the movies, comics, other video games, or just the franchise in general. You have the Predator on one side of the table and Aliens on the other side, with a pyramid taking center stage at the top.  The table has plenty of alien egg targets that make a satisfying ‘crunch’ when you roll over them with the ball.  There’s even a fun mini-game where you use the flipper buttons to rotate a stone talisman to trap balls into holes for points.  While I like the Aliens Pinball table better, this one is still pretty fun.

Alien: Isolation

And finally, this table is based on the video game that came out a couple of years ago. It’s my least favorite table in the set, because I’m not familiar with the game, and the table was a little harder to understand and play.  You must shoot up ramps and flip targets as you keep Ripley’s health and ammo full, as you find new weapons to destroy the alien targets!  I think fans of the Alien franchise and pinball will definitely want to download this pack, though.

Kid Factor:

All Zen Pinball games are rated E-10 with ESRB descriptors of Fantasy Violence and Mild Language. While the Aliens vs Pinball tables aren’t even close to being as violent as the movies and games they’re based on, some of the monsters and scary sounds may frighten very young kids.

Tags: Game Reviews, Movies with Children