Indiana Jones™: The Pinball Adventure Remaster | Xbox One Review

March 25, 2022 Scott Clark

In all my years of playing pinball, I’ve never gotten my hands around the 1993 table from Williams called Indiana Jones: the Pinball Adventure. Thankfully, the masters over at Zen Studios have faithfully recreated this classic in digital form on their Pinball FX platform. I’m happy to report that this table has become an instant favorite.

Top Men Working on It

Much like the other real-life tables brought to digital life, Indiana Jones: the Pinball Adventure has an incredibly high attention to detail. The original music and sounds from the game are present, as are all twelve games modes. Some require precise shots to lit ramps and holes on the playing field. Others will have you play mini games on the digital display, just like on the physical table. Each mode is based on scenes from the first three films, complete with dialogue lifted straight from the script.

In my experience, I’ve struggled with Pinball FX table remasters. They always felt much more challenging than Zen Studios’ originals. I’m not sure if I simply felt more at home with the Indiana Jones theme song running through my head or not, but I found this one to much more accessible. The scoring system feels very forgiving, and rarely does a lost ball feel like anything but my fault. This would be a perfect table to introduce new players to the platform, or even pinball itself. It’s easy to pick up and play while still offering a challenge to seasoned veterans.

It Belongs in a Museum

Indiana Jones: the Pinball Adventure is also one of the more inviting tables to see. It begs to be played almost immediately. Zen has also included fun animations to the table. You’ll see Indy himself swing across the table, twist an idol into place, and deliver his recognizable quips. There’s even animated airplanes flying about and simulated rain effects during certain scenes. Much like the other tables, these effects can be turned off if you find them too distracting.

My only real issue here is the price point. Since other packages offer multiple tables for the same price, this one seems a bit hard to swallow. My guess is that the licensing for this particular property is rather expensive. Although die hard fans of the genre will probably still pick it up, the cost of this one might keep others away for now.

It’s Not the Years, Honey, It’s the Mileage

If you’re a fan of pinball like I am, this table is a must-own. I may not have the nostalgia for it that others might, but within seconds of firing it up, I saw why it’s so beloved. Fans of the films will enjoy the recognizable moments and lines of dialogue. They’ll also find it easy to slide into. I don’t normally recommend tables based on real ones as a starter, but this one is great for any player.

Now if you’ll excuse me, but I need to go place this in a museum, because that’s where it belongs.

To hear me talk more about Indiana Jones: the Pinball Adventure, be sure to listen to Episode 389 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 57:00 time stamp.

This review is based off an Xbox one copy of Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure for Pinball FX provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation, Switch, Steam, the Epic Games Store, iOS, and Android.