Slot Shots Pinball Ultimate Edition | Steam Review
After over thirty years of enjoyment, I’m still finding new ways to love the game of pinball. While physical machines are obviously the preferred way to play, digital pinball has become a much more economical way for me to enjoy the silver ball. I’ve been a huge proponent of the Pinball FX series over the years, but I’m always on the lookout for new outlets to experience. This was my first time diving into the world of Slot Shots from Pinblend Studios. Although the physics aren’t quite as polished as other digital pinball experiences, it ranks right up there with the best. These tables also have a unique flavor that make them stand out from others in a way that I find refreshing. If you’re a fan, you can’t go wrong, especially at this price point.
No Disney Character in Sight
The first thing I noticed right away about Slot Shots were the non-licensed themes of the multitude of tables available. I’m so used to others based on familiar films, TV shows, or even board games. This was a refreshing change of pace for me and allowed me to focus more on the table itself. Sometimes I feel a tad distracted by the sound clips from others. This feels very old-school pinball to me, where it was mostly about the score instead of relying on a pop culture reference to draw me in. There’s tables based on Dracula, a casino, or even 8-bit video games (a personal favorite for obvious reasons). Each one fits the mood of its theme and draws you in by the design alone. I really appreciate the work put into making these pinball showcases so inviting.
As the name of the game implies, slots play a key component as well. Every table has a three-tumbler slot machine in the center of the table. Specific shots will activate these tumblers, and awards are based on what pops up. This adds a fun element of luck to pinball, which is much more fun than getting unlucky with an unfair drain shot on the outside of a table. That’s not to say that doesn’t happen here on occasion, but it feels more like losing a ball is because of an error you made. In other games, I often lose despite feeling like there was nothing I could have done to prevent it.
Pointing Out the Obvious
What I appreciated the most about Slot Shots was how the score economy across all the tables seems very much the same. When playing on other services, I have to remember what a high score looks like on individual tables. While one table might expect hundreds of millions of points on one table, others might have a top score in the lower millions. Here, unless I’m misinterpreting it, every table has roughly the same point economy. That may sound like a weird thing to get excited about, but there’s something liberating about always knowing what score I should be going after. This is especially helpful if I don’t have a lot of friends with which to compare scores.
I also can’t pass up talking about the music. Each table has its own theme, and they simply never get old or annoying. I’ve gotten in the habit of turning off music on certain digital tables, but I never did once here. They fit entirely too well and are never overbearing or distracting. Plus, the music adds an element of charm that I feel has been missing from similar games that otherwise rely on familiarity.
I did have one small issue with the collection. I’m playing on Steam Deck, and the controls wouldn’t work right out the gate. This was a surprise, since most of the game is played with two buttons. But try as I could, I couldn’t get the flippers to work once the ball was launched. After some research, I was able to install a control setting put together by a community that made it work for me. Hopefully Steam Deck optimization is complete by the time this review publishes. Also, the developer warned me to not press both flippers at the same time, as it might cause some slow down. I don’t tend to do this anyway, but I hope it’s patched out by the time you get to play.
Slot Shots Pinball Ultimate Edition Final Verdict
I get it. You may not be as big a fan of pinball as I am. Slot Shots isn’t going to push you over the edge like licensed tables might. But if you love flipping flippers as much as I do, this is an easy recommend. The physics are solid and less “floaty” than the ones on which I’ve spent countless hours. I also love the variety of themes and how this collection comes across as a throwback to the glory days of pinball. It would definitely be more fun if I had some friends who also played. It’s much more fun to chase friends’ scores than my own.
To hear me talk more about Slot Shots Pinball Ultimate Edition, be sure to listen to our February 7th podcast episode around the 1:12:20 time stamp.
Slot Slots Pinball Ultimate Edition
$19.99
Pros
- Refreshingly License-Free Themes
- Quality Physics
- Parallel Point Economy
- Added Element of Luck is Fun
Cons
- Lack of Licensing Might Turn Off Some
