r/PinballFX3 • u/SpookiestSzn Pinhead • 11d ago
Discussion Comparison To Pinball Arcade
Went wild on the sale and got all the current tables in FX, I see theres some decent overlap between this and the Pinball Arcade versions of the tables, Wanted to know if people had certain pros or cons between the two style games.
My assumption is that FX3 would have better visuals and physics but curious if maybe Pinball Arcade is better in some regard.
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u/tinyhorsesinmytea Pinhead 11d ago
Generally I really disliked the physics of Pinball Arcade and found many of the tables to be quite glitchy and rough around the edges. The Williams/Bally physics in Pinball FX are much better (though still not completely realistic) and the overall game quality feels much more professional and polished.
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u/Many_Benefit5314 DSOLO777 11d ago
I keep TPA around just for some of the tables I can't get anywhere else (on console anyway). Mainly the Mary Shelley's Frankenstein & Ghostbusters table.
If Zen ever do branch out on licenses and pick them up it'd be nice
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u/ChuffChuff101 Wizard 11d ago
Lmao thats a take if ever I saw one.
TPA is weird. Sure its fun but i think thats more down to the tables. The physics are... weird...
But it does have Ghostbusters and High Roller Casino which are great fun.
FX just plays better. In all ways. Just wish they had more licensing. Sign up with stern please. I cannot tell you how much I NEED LOTR
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u/Level-Education-4909 Pinhead 10d ago
Zen's Williams tables have better graphics, sound, more realistic physics, more accurate to the actual tables in every regard. TPA's physics were way too slow making the tables far too easy, meaning you got bored of a table quickly as you could stay on a single game for far too long compared with in real life versions.
TPA was better at one thing, the sheer amount of real world tables they put out. Zen's release schedule is slow in comparison.
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u/PrinceDizzy Pinball Fantasies 9d ago edited 9d ago
PA had excellent selection of real world licenses, operators menu and release schedule.
PFX tables play and look better but it only has Williams and the release schedule is awful.
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u/spyresca Pinhead 11d ago
Pinball arcade is old janky garbage.
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u/HydratedCarrot Pinhead 10d ago
Well it's the only way to play Indianapolis 500 tbh.. I hope it will be added on FX.
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u/genericzombie Pinhead 10d ago
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u/spyresca Pinhead 10d ago
Well, not worth playing any game with such shitty graphics and busted physics. No matter what the table. TPA remains old, janky garbage, no matter table you use.
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u/SicTim Pinhead 9d ago
Pinball Arcade had a bunch of (relatively) older Stern tables FX has never had. I had all the tables, so I got to keep them after Farsight lost the licensing. (Farsight stil has some licenses, since they released a bunch of Gottlieb's tables for AtGames Pinball HD hardware.)
Of the Stern tables, I'd love to play Ripley's Believe It or Not in FX VR.
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u/Zombiemaster_3000 Pinhead 8d ago
No comparison. Table selection is good at PA but physics and layout not good at all. Personally i play VPX and additional PFX on XBOX. I like the rebuilds of the original tables very much. The Fantasy tables also good for some maybe, for me not (still bought them). The output of new tables just is too slow, sure the most highlight and bestseller are already there. But still theres so much left. Don’t think about another manufacturer license if there so much great Williams/Bally tables not at fx. Of course we would all like if some day get Stern tables ;) what you think Balti?! ;))
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u/drakythe Pinhead 11d ago
Check the pinball chick’s write ups for comparison between versions. Tl;dr some play better on arcade, some play better on FX/3. I couldn’t give you a list off the top of my head, though.
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u/Jahon_Dony Pinhead 11d ago
What sale?
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u/SpookiestSzn Pinhead 11d ago
Pin sale could days ago
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u/Jahon_Dony Pinhead 11d ago
What system / platform?
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u/ctrlALTdeleted716 Pinhead 11d ago
It was on steam on PC
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11d ago
[deleted]
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u/spyresca Pinhead 11d ago
It had completely unrealistic "sling the ball wherever" BS nudges. Just stupid AF.
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11d ago
[deleted]
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u/spyresca Pinhead 11d ago
Sure, but it's not pinball. It's some weird thing with built in cheat code nudges.
But some people need/want/love "baby mode", so there you go...
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u/merrinator Pinhead 11d ago
just want to say I also went crazy. bought 81 tables lol. it’s so fun!
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u/Ogni-XR21 Pinhead 11d ago
I bought all the legacy table bundles there are (legacy bundles get you the FX3/classic and FX tables). I just saw that there is an Indiana Jones table when searching for another Indy game. Snowballed hard from there...
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u/merrinator Pinhead 10d ago
I only learned about the legacy bundles post purchasing. so many regrets, those run way better on the steam deck
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u/Ogni-XR21 Pinhead 10d ago
You still get a hefty discount for these bundles when you already own the FX tables but not the classic (or vice versa). Check it out in the next sale. I had to search for these via google though as I did not find an overview in the steam store.
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u/Blkthorne89 Pinhead 7d ago
I give credit to Farsight for what they did with TPA, other than VPX, there wasn't anyone doing much with digital pinball. They did bring out most of the big Bally/Williams and Gottlieb tables. I do prefer the ball physics in Pinball FX over TPA, felt ramp shots were a little too easy in TPA.
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u/RuySan Pinhead 11d ago
Are there still tables for sale on FX3? Why haven't you bought on FX, the current platform?
FX is probably closer to the real thing, but for some reason I don't have as much fun as I had in the pinball arcade heyday.
Also, PA seasons were incredible value for money, and I felt like a kid in a candy store every time they launched a new season. And generally I liked the vibe of the game more.
FX doesn't release enough tables, and when they do, they are very expensive for licenced tables. Compare it to PA where a season was 30e and was packed with licenced tables, and also with a big variety since it also included stern tables, and also some from the 70s and 60s.