Zen Pinball 3D (3DS) Review

Play downloadable games across a variety of platforms, and you'll eventually stumble across a pinball game from Zen Studios. The talented developer essentially dominates the space with a handful of critically acclaimed hits, including Pinball FX, Marvel Pinball and of course, Zen Pinball.

Previously, only Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 fans had the privilege of enjoying these titles, but now 3DS owners can join this exclusive club with the arrival of Zen Pinball 3D (Jan. 12, $6.99), a super addictive port of the console classic that delivers arcade style fun alongside one of the best features of all, online leaderboards.

The package comes with four unique tables, each offering individual challenges to complete and distinct scenery. Earth Defense pits you against swarms of aliens as you desperately attempt to save the planet. As such, expect to see a giant and menacing robot dominate the table.

Excalibur, on the other hand, takes you back to the Kingdom of Camelot as you propel the ball onto the table via catapult and engage in a jousting mini-game; of course, no medieval themed environment would be complete without a huge castle in the background.

From there, you'll do your best Indiana Jones (or perhaps Nathan Drake) impression while exploring the jungles of Eldorado, searching for treasure and uncovering remnants of a lost civilization. Finally, there's Shaman, which grants you access to powerful spells, or something to that effect.

Regardless of which table you choose, the goal remains the same: score as many points as possible, significantly more than the competition. This is ultimately what makes Zen Pinball 3D enjoyable, as the developers did an outstanding job integrating online leaderboards that break down into global, local and friend scores. No friend codes required. Simply enable score sharing, create a nickname and you're good to go.

Of course, if you prefer more intimate competition, there's local hot seat multiplayer for up to four people, where you pass the 3DS to the next person once a ball is lost.

Aside from these excellent social elements, we're also huge fans of the 3D effects. Adjusting the 3D slider makes it seem like you're looking down into each table, as various objects (that evil robot, for example) rise from the screen, and with eight different perspectives (as well as a free look mode that works in tandem with the circle pad), you can get a nice view of the action while admiring the many details for each pinball machine.

We just wish the game was in high definition. Ultimately, it pales in comparison to its crisp and gorgeous console counterparts. That's no fault of Zen Studios. The company had to wrestle with the limited 3DS hardware. At the same time, it may take you a little while adjusting to the visuals. Even Zen Pinball for iPad looks better.

That said, don't let the graphics prevent you from experiencing this expertly designed and thoroughly entertaining pinball effort. Zen Pinball 3D may not have the eye candy of its big brothers, but it's without question one of the best games on the eShop. See if you can beat our high scores this Thursday.

Review code provided by Zen Studios.