Zen Studios continues to demonstrate its “force†with its new Star Wars Pinball add-on titled Heroes Within. Whether you’re a fan of the Star Wars phenomenon or you enjoy the gameplay that Zen Pinball 2 has to offer, this add-on will most likely blow you away with four new tables to enhance your experience as well as put your pinball abilities to the test.
First, you have the table featuring Han Solo table, a well-known main character for Star Wars episodes 4 to 6. Here, you embark on various mission that allow you to relive the moments from the movies. At times,you’ll need to repair the malfunctions that occur. Did I mention that this is a pinball game?You use the flippers to hit different lanes as you try to get the ball into the other mini tables which involve making repairs, engaging in smuggling adventures and avoiding asteroids during your travels. Featured are Chewbecca, who acts as a repairman for the table, and the Millennium Falcon, which serves to display a mini game that can potentially lead you to another area within this table. This is a very well-designed pinball table that will give you various moments of nostalgia.
 
The second table offered in this add-on is the Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. You’ll be able to hear all the sound effects and voice acting from the original movie. Furthermore, the animations are pretty neat as they stay true to the spirit of the film. As you unlock the missions, you’ll be battling against storm troopers with the objective of rescuing Princess Leia. You’ll even get to attack the Death Star! This table also has a mini-game featuring a Tusken Raider. Regardless, there’s plenty of fun here with the sandcrawler, trash compactor, and trench run all packed into this pinball playfield.
The third table included to this Star Wars Pinball add-on features the Droids, specifically where you have to help C-3PO and R2-D2 escape from the Jawas on Tatooine. If you fail during your missions, C-3PO falls apart, which adds a little humor to the gameplay. Of course, R2-D2 is there to fix him up, that is, if you are unable to do so yourself. There’s also opportunity for you to help other Droids, which gives you bonus points. This pinball table is really designed well with the various tracks that loop around along with ramps that feature liquid metal that you have to jump at different occasions.
The final table, Masters of the Force, is probably one of the most beautiful within this add-on. Each side of the table is features the light and dark sides of the Force as the table is colored red on the left side and blue on the right. The voice acting is top-notch here, although hearing Yoda saying, “bullseye, you hit†can get distracting. For this particular pinball table, you’ll be swaying back and forth between either sides of the Force depending on the missions you complete. The battles you see taking place on table are totally awesome and a treat that you’ll never forget!
While the presentation is of high quality and the gameplay is phenomenal, the challenges can be pretty tough for some. However, at the end of the day, this Star Wars Pinball add-on does live up to its $9.99 value. Whether on your home console or the Playstation Vita, the Heroes Within content has plenty to offer with various eye candy for your pleasures.
