The Walking Dead Pinball (PS3) Review

For those who think of pinball as a straightforward no frills kind of game, Zen Studios Walking Dead pinball table will come as quite a surprise. From spot on graphics and spooky sound effects to the ability to drive a story element with the click of a flipper, this is not your ordinary pinball table. Whether you’re looking for a great new pinball table to test your skills with amazing shots and challenging missions, or a cool Walking Dead spin-off to play fan service to your favorite series, there is a lot to love in the latest Zen Pinball table.

If you’re familiar with the previous Zen Pinball tables, you probably know enough to expect some pretty groundbreaking table elements, and an accurate set of graphics to go along with them – and you won’t be disappointed in either regard. I’ve long been impressed with Zen Studios’ ability to tell a story on a simple pinball table, but by collaborating with Telltale Games to recreate a fitting recreation of their adventure game they’ve really outdone themselves with this table. As you begin the game, you will be treated to a soaring overhead “tour” of the table, and it makes it immediately clear that no attention to detail has been spared.

Lee and Clementine stand at the front of the table (often playing soccer or fighting off the undead), and the entire table has an eerie, retro look to it. At nighttime, darkness falls and the entire table darkens, setting the scene for a showdown with walkers. There are spooky trees, a zombie head lineup, chilling sound effects, and an actual zombie jutting up from the middle of the table, waiting for your best shots to take it down and trigger a mission. There’s even a cool mini game of sorts, where you are swept away from the table for a moment to act as a sniper, taking out zombies in windows and on streets with the click of a button.

The missions themselves are one of the best elements of the game, mirroring the five episodes of the Telltale Games Walking Dead game – A New Day, Starved For Help, Long Road Home, Around Every Corner, and No Time Left – and also like the Telltale game, these missions will require you to make some nerve wracking choices. Hide a bite or reveal it to seek help? Save one character or another? Forage for food? You’ll make the choice with the click of your flipper, and it’s often made more difficult by quick cutscenes that set up your choice.

It’s obvious that the collaboration with Telltale Games was taken pretty seriously, and what results is a game that pays homage to the adventure game while adding all the best elements of a challenging pinball table at the same time. If you’ve played the Telltale game, you’ll immediately recognize everything from graphics to story, and all of it perfectly blended into the table. That’s not to say you won’t enjoy The Walking Dead Pinball if you haven’t played the adventure game. Although some of the story elements won’t be as meaningful if you don’t have the complete background, they’ve done a great job of making it all work well together, regardless of your familiarity with the story.

Whether you’re a Walking Dead superfan, a pinball aficionado, or just a gamer looking for a good time, The Walking Pinball does not disappoint. The spooky story elements, impressive graphics, and challenging table elements all perfectly blend into a game that anyone can enjoy. That a simple pinball table will keep you coming back to see what happens next is a testament to the work and attention to detail that went into this table, and it’s sure to be a favorite addition to your collection.