Review: Williams Pinball Volume 8 for Pinball FX on Nintendo Switch

Zen Studios has been facing some challenges while transitioning from FX3 on the Nintendo Switch, and their latest release, Pinball FX – Williams Pinball Volume 8, doesn’t seem to break that trend. A lingering question from fans might be, “Where’s Volume 7?” (spoiler: it didn’t make it to the Switch). But the more immediate query is likely, “How do these three tables stack up?” As you might expect, the answer isn’t straightforward as the results vary quite a bit.

Let’s dive into the standout of the collection first: Black Knight 2000. Despite what its name might suggest, this table actually dates back to 1989, following its 1980 predecessor. It’s a vivid flashback to the arcade days of my childhood, filled with vibrant lights and cheerful colors, even if I didn’t quite have personal memories of it from back then. What’s truly captivating, though, is its soundtrack—a medley that fires up your nostalgia with cheeky lyrics like, “You’ve got the power (ha ha ha ha ha), you’ve got the might (no way), get ready for battle (give me your money), beat the black knight.” It does have a bit of a learning curve, but that’s part of its charm, enticing you to come back for more as you aim for those enticing high scores by conquering drop targets, ramps, and more.

Banzai Run, one of the two tables designed by Pat Lawlor in this set, falls a bit short for me. While I admire Lawlor’s ’90s games more, like Funhouse and Addams Family, the motorcycle theme here doesn’t quite resonate. The design is ambitious but flawed; the vertical playfield doesn’t use its space efficiently, leaving it looking sparse and a tad unengaging. Couple that with occasional hiccups in the game’s flow (is Switch-specific stutter to blame?), and you get a table that doesn’t invite you back for more quarters. It’s a novel concept, sure, but it lacks the addictive pull you’d hope for in such pinball tables.

Then there’s Earthshaker, a table that’s arguably the most straightforward for racking up high scores. Its claim to fame is in the multiball feature, which impressively engages the Switch’s HD rumble like no other. It leans a bit into gimmicky territory but fits the earthquake theme rather well. Other than that, it’s a fairly standard table that’s likely to appeal to newbies testing the waters of pinball. Just don’t miss out on using a rumble-capable controller, or you’ll lose part of the experience.

In all, Williams Pinball Volume 8 presents a mixed offering. Black Knight 2000 captures the fun spirit of the ’80s, but at $14.99, the whole pack’s quality doesn’t quite meet expectations across the board. Earthshaker brings the HD Rumble flair, whereas Banzai Run feels like a project still ironing out the kinks, with its vacant design and performance issues on the Switch. You might want to keep this on your wishlist for a possible future discount or otherwise stick with the more stable Pinball FX3.