Review: Zen Pinball 2, Plants vs. Zombies

I know Zen Pinball 2 has been out for a while on other formats, and it provides so many tables that a review is probably redundant. Instead, I'll just take a peek at the new Plants vs. Zombies table that you can buy for £2.99 on PSN.

 To get it, install the free Zen Pinball 2 component from PSN, then launch the game. Go to the Collection page and choose Plants vs Zombies and buy the table, a spot more downloading and you're good to go. The Plants vs. Zombies table provides a decent facsimile of the action from the very popular smartphone/Vita title.

And, when you open the table up, the view really is spectacular. For a start, it shows the Vita's screen off at its best with the smallest detail crystal clear and pin-sharp, and the colours are very vibrant. Shooting your seedling peas up the table, you need to defeat the zombie hordes through well-timed slaps to launch the ball into the vital areas, triggering a series of power-ups and mini-games.

Collecting sunlight increases your seed power, and money allows you to buy extras from Crazy Dave's car sale. Most of the features, zombies and weapons from the original game are represented and there's plenty of challenge in activating features like the melon-pult, an ideal way to slow the zombies as they lurch toward the welcome mat between the two main flippers.

With missions, high score challenges and multiplayer (local hotseat) with your PSN friends or the world, and stats for every element of the game, there is plenty to keep you playing, but only a couple of Trophies to collect, if you're just here for the silverware. About the only thing I don't like is the touchscreen tick that appears on the right, it is often hard to know what it will do and can easily distract you from the table action.

Just take time to savour the detail as the view pans around the table before you play, you certainly won't have time to stop and stare once the multiballs start rolling. The game is fun on its own, with previous experience of the progenitor game not needed.

Price: £2.99 (PSN)
Score: 8/10
Progress: 48 million
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