Everyone knows how to play pinball, correct? You stand over a table with a couple of buttons on either side to flip the flippers. Smashing a metal ball around to score as many points as possible. It’s been a fun pastime for decades. But what if you’re inside the table, and those flippers become your hands? Welcome to Racket Pinball, which 131XR’s latest review finds to be an enjoyable mashup on Meta Quest.
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What is Racket Pinball?
We say mashup because, as the name implies, Racket Pinball combines attributes of both pinball and tennis/squash. In this single-player game, you literally stand on the inside of a pinball machine with all the colourful designs and flashing lights you’d expect.
With a racket in hand, you then have to hit the ball around the environment, aiming for certain sections to score more points and unlock new hidden extras. As 131XR notes in its review, it can’t imagine a better way of combining the two mediums.
Racket Pinball Review
Featuring four themed arenas (or tables), from the Wild West and Sci-fi to an adrenaline-fueled Speed arena, each has its own unique variables. Central to this are the unlockable mini-games. Hit the right sequence of targets around the arena, and you’ll be transported to a new location where you can shoot zombies or navigate seafaring ships. Before instantly being whisked back to the table again.
However, to do all of this, you need to master hitting the ball in the first place. You’re provided two racket variations, one flat like a tennis racket. The other is curved around your hand. Depending on your play style, both offer different attributes that can make or break a successful run. Whichever is picked, it’s important to note that Racket Pinball is a physically energetic game.
The ball will react differently depending on how soft or hard you hit it, as well as the direction. If you’re a pinball fan used to simply hitting buttons, this is certainly going to challenge you. For further details, watch 131XR’s Racket Pinball review below.
The Pinball Collective
Pinball has always been a rather niche activity, seeing a resurgence in recent years thanks to more arcades popping up and companies creating uniquely branded tables. In VR it’s even more niche, but titles like Pinball FX VR and Star Wars Pinball VR have highlighted how well the medium blends with immersive technology.
Which is why it’s great to see this unusual take with Racket Pinball. What are your thoughts, should pinball stay as is, or be expanded with new ideas? Let us know in the comments.
