Zen Studios

Zen Studios has recently confirmed that a new PopCap themed pinball table will be releasing for Pinball FX2 later this summer. It is tough to say quite what the …
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Pinball moguls, Zen Studios have announced their newest intellectual property, CastleStorm, and gamers will be interested to here that there’s not a flipper in sight. The game is being described as “a new breed of 2D archery projectile warfare and 2D physics-based structure destruction”. Set in a colourful medieval world, CastleStorm is set to bring a challenging mix of real time strategy and resource management to XBLA. Players will make use of a medieval ballista and launch an assortment of explosive weapons including Morningstars, Apple Grenades, Homing Eagles, and even flying sheep, as well as training a fearsome ground attack in the form of swordsmen, knights, and donkey riders, to defeat the onslaught of enemies trying to capture your flag and destroy your castle.

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Zen Studios have released a new trailer for the next Pinball FX2 table heading to XBLA. The Avengers table is based on the recently released Avengers Assemble movie which …
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Archer, the lead character of the animated FX show of the same name, may very well be getting his own pinball table in developer Zen Studios’ Pinball FX2, and fans of the show and game have Twitter to thank for it. Earlier this afternoon, Neil Holman, the production designer and art director of Archer, responded to a tweet proposing an exchange of “dead hookers” (yes, you read that right) for his cartoon spy to get his own table with, “Man, if they’re up for it, I will put them in touch with whoever they need. End of the day, it’s FX’s call though.”

Both tweets were also directed at Zen Studios’ Twitter account, and the developer was apparently quite smitten with the idea, tweeting back “Please do,” in all caps, complete with a smiley face.

Finally, Holman responded to Zen’s tweet by requesting their contact info be privately sent to him so that he the two sides could make this thing happen. “DM me a contact email/info! I’ll put the wheels in motion,” tweeted Holman. Nothing is confirmed at this time, but it looks very likely that FX’s narcissistic spy is destined to get the silver-ball treatment through future DLC.

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If you’re a fan of comic books or pinball, then you probably already know about the huge success that Zen Studios and Marvel have had together. In their upcoming DLC table pack, Avengers Chronicles, we finally get a table dedicated to the Jade Giant himself, Hulk. Although this isn’t just any iteration of Hulk, this is World War Hulk. In this story line Hulk has just gotten back to earth from an involuntary trip to space and he is mad and out for revenge. Stopping at nothing, Hulk took on heroes and villains alike to achieve the justice he felt was owed. In this new trailer we get a chance to see that Zen Studios will be holding nothing back, as they deliver this hectic adventure as only their digital pinball table can. And just in case that wasn’t enough, you can always take a closer look at the new World War Hulk table via screenshots we have just after the break.

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Last week, Zen Studios filled Game Informer in on the details to the newest Marvel Pinball tables for Pinball FX2; however we finally have a look at gameplay footage from each table. The newest four pack is comprised of The Avengers, Infinity Gauntlet, Fear Itself and World War Hulk. In our Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue review, we praised the production values but did question if the team had stopped taking risks. After Zen Studio’s most recent table, Epic Quest, which seamlessly integrated RPG mechanics into the pinball experience that fear has mostly been relieved.

We had the opportunity to speak briefly with Zen Studio’s VP of Marketing, Mel Kirk at GDC. He mentioned that the team was constantly working on ways to improve and mentioned players should be inline for more of a cinematic experience with these tables than past ones. Mel mentioned that Moon Knight was the first time they had brought this cinematic experience to Marvel Pinball and that it was something they truly felt worked well within the game.  We’re looking forward to getting more details on the tables, like an official date. Given the tie-in, it seems likely that it is planned to coincide or lead into the upcoming Avengers film. For now these screenshots will have to tide us over. One can’t help but notice the Avengers table is conspicuously missing…

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Zen Studios’ Mel Kirk, vice president of marketing and public relations, has confirmed that another four-pack of tables is coming as DLC for the developer’s Marvel Pinball. The Avengers, World War Hulk, the Infinity Gauntlet and Fear Itself will make up the quartet of digital pinball tables included in the content pack that will be titled Avengers Chronicles. Kirk’s statements substantiated what appeared to be a Game Informer article betraying the pack’s existence that hit the internet over the weekend.

The manner through which these particular motifs were chosen for this fourth downloadable grouping (a couple of four-packs and a two-pack were previously released) is detailed in the Game Informer piece. “The customers liked the tables based on characters, but they wanted to see some variety,” Neil Sorens, creative director at Zen, explained to Game Informer. “The storylines are a way of providing that.”

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What was once to be rumored but now looks all but confirmed that we’ll be getting green and incredible soon. During Game Informer‘s April cover reveal, we were treated …
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The latest Pinball FX2 tournament starts tomorrow giving fans the chance to prove their skills on the Thor table. A message was posted on the Zen Studios forum today …
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Pinball FX 2: Epic Quest was developed by Zen Studios and published by Microsoft Studios. It was released February 15, 2012 for 240 MSP. A copy was provided for review purposes.

Werewolves, vampires and goblins, oh my! These are just a few of the monsters you’ll encounter in Pinball FX 2‘s new table, Epic Quest. In this new table we take a knight on his journey against evil to rescue his kidnapped princess. What separates this new installment from other tables is the addition of RPG-like elements. The adventure carries on from game to game, giving you the ability to level up your character, pick armor and even your weapon. It this enough to make pinball feel fresh and revitalized, or will this be another one of those things that should have never been?

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