Are you ready for a new trio of tables for Pinball FX? Then check out our Williams Pinball Volume 8 review!
It’s time to dive back into Pinball FX with a new trio of tables thanks to the Williams Pinball Volume 8 DLC pack. This set includes Black Knight 2000, Earthshaker!, and Banzai Run. All three tables can be played with their original presentation or with the extra oomph we’ve come to expect when Zen Studios takes a classic pinball table for a spin. This includes a 3D tower and an angry 3D Black Knight, along with some improved lighting and some extra special effects here and there. For Earthshaker!, you also get improved lighting and more effects, as well as a 3D convertible on the bottom left part of the screen that is racing full-speed ahead, along with a 3D pocket seismograph on the bottom right corner of the pinball table. As for Banzai Run, it goes a bit overboard by having a 3B helmet, a 3D bike and rider, and 3D hand grips representing the motorcycle you’re driving by way of the ball you’re hitting around.
The Black Knight 2000 table features upper and lower playfields, which definitely changes how you’re going to approach things. Balls launched into play will first arrive on the upper playfield at the area above the WIN rollovers. From there, the ball will land at the lower playfield next to the Magna Save. You can then try to get the ball back up to the upper playfield by shooting it over the Skyway Ramp or Lightning Wheel Lane. This is crucial for getting the best high score possible since you can’t lose the ball while you’re boosting your score on the upper playfield!
What objectives will you be working on during your time with Black Knight 2000? You’ll have to hit all drop targets for the word KNIGHT to relight the left kickback. You’ll have to do this within a time limit, or else it will reset. At least you’ll get to keep completed bank letters! Lit all the letters to spell BLACK so that you can collect a big score bonus by shooting the ball to the Skyway Ramp. When the spin lamp is lit up, shoot the ball into the Lightning Wheel to collect a random award. If the spin lamp’s lights go out, you can relight it by hitting the left inlane rollover.
If you manage to spell WAR at the central rollovers, you can activate a Hurry Up at the Skyway Ramp. The value for the Hurry Up will increase after each successful shot, and it will reset after completing the 1.5M Hurry Up. Hit all three Drawbridge Targets to lower it. Once you shoot at the now-open Drawbridge Ramp will allow you to lock the ball for the eventual multiball extravaganza, which you can trigger when you’ve managed to lock three balls. Spell WIN with the corresponding rollovers to boost the bonus multipliers while also activating the RANSOM shots to the Drawbridge.
Earthshaker! is the second table in this set. For this one, you’ll be visiting zones to try and predict earthquakes and earn big bonuses. There are four exits on the spiral ending of the plunger lane that will reward you with big bonuses to your score if you launch the ball with enough speed. If you send the ball to the Shelter sinkhole, you can obtain a random reward that will rotate, which includes extra points, a quick multiball, zone completion, and more. The loop shots will raise the jet bumper scores.
By hitting the blinking ZONE targets and lanes to light up the ball lock at the shelter sinkhole. Lock two balls so that you can then send a third ball down to start the multiball. This will light up the center ramp, and you can try to hit the cross-ramp to collect the jackpot. Activating the multiball will also reward you with the tables trophy – more on trophies in a bit. Shooting the center ramp will increase the captive ball value for a timed bonus. The quick multiball will only send two balls into play, but that’s more than enough for you to boost your score in a jiffy!
The last table for this pack is the fast-paced Banzai Run. For this one, you’ll be challenging other racers as you try to win it all and make it to the #1 spot. You can challenge Red Hot by shooting the red targets. Challenge Blue Beard by shooting the blue targets. Challenge Yellow Belly by, you guessed it, hitting the yellow targets. Hit the green targets to challenge the Green Machine. When this happens, you’ll move to the vertical playing field at the top of the table, on the backglass that is usually used to show a table’s title and special artwork.
This is the Banzai Hill, where you’ll need to take the ball to the finish line on the upper left corner of the vertical playing field. Once all bikers have been defeated and you reach rank #2, you can jump into a multiball segment. During the multiball, Time Lock will be lit, and the center eject hole will lock one ball. To land the jackpot, you’ll have to lock a ball and then go to Banzai Hill with the other ball to get up to the top spot in the center and shoot the captive ball to defeat the King of the Hill.
There’s also a closed area on the vertical playfield’s upper right corner that can be accessed when the Freestyle Course is activated. Once it’s go time, the small ball will automatically be kicked to random targets. Challenge the other racers in the Freestyle Course as long as you’ve managed to beat them before in the regular course. Hit the laps on the left and right sides of the pinball table to add one lap to the race, or add two with the ramps if the double lap is currently lit.
And now, let’s talk about the trophies! Williams Pinball Volume 8 is part of the Additional Tables #6 DLC trophy list, which means we’re getting a trio of trophies to work on, with one new Bronze trophy for each of the tables. The objectives that you’ll have to complete are defeating all riders and get Rank#1 in the motocross race on the Banzai Run pinball table, spelling BLACK and shoot the Skyway on the Black Knight 2000 pinball table, and completing the zones and start the multiball on the Earthshaker! table.
Williams Pinball Volume 8 DLC pack includes Black Knight 2000, Earthshaker!, and Banzai Run. All three tables can be played with their original presentation or with the extra oomph we’ve come to expect when Zen Studios takes a classic pinball table for a spin. This includes a 3D tower and an angry 3D Black Knight, along with some improved lighting and some extra special effects here and there. For Earthshaker!, you also get improved lighting and more effects, as well as a 3D convertible on the bottom left part of the screen that is racing full-speed ahead, along with a 3D pocket seismograph on the bottom right corner of the pinball table. As for Banzai Run, it goes a bit overboard by having a 3B helmet, a 3D bike and rider, and 3D hand grips representing the motorcycle you’re driving by way of the ball you’re hitting around. Williams Pinball Volume 8 is available as a Cross-Buy DLC pack, so your $14.99 will allow you to download the three pinball tables for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions of Pinball FX.
Disclaimer
This Williams Pinball Volume 8 review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Zen Studios.
