Zen Studios has partnered with TellTale Games and Skybound to release the Walking Dead Pinball on iOS devices, both as a standalone game, and as a DLC table on the Zen Pinball platform. Based on the first season of the TellTale Games series, rather than the AMC television show, The Walking Dead Pinball sees players joining Clementine, Lee and more on a quest to earn points while completing missions in line with the episodic video game.The pinball table contains multiple set pieces from the video games, including the bell tower and motel. Zombies and heroes alike are present on and / or surrounding the table, and players trigger voice clips and missions by sending the ball to certain locations.
The game brings the series' famous decision-making mechanic into the experience, by centering missions on choices such as who to save during a walker attack or finding the right tools to survive. For instance, this may ask players to hit certain portions of the table with the ball to gather supplies, but with a limited time to do so.Text prompts appear in a small window in the top-left corner of the device's screen, and help players determine what to do in these circumstances. A table guide is also available, which gives users an overview of the key areas and episodic missions in the game.
Controls are basic, and see players tapping on the left side of the device's screen to activate the left flipper, and tapping on the right to activate the right flippers. An isolated zone at the top of the table contains flippers of its own, but with the flippers on opposite sides (that is, tapping left activates the right flipper and vice versa). Gamers have three balls to earn as many points as possible, and can compare their scores with friends via Facebook Connect, or against strangers on overall leaderboards. Achievements are also available via Game Center.
In addition to single player gameplay, users can play with others via the game's 2-4 player Hotseat mode. This sees users passing the same device back and forth in a competition to earn the most points.
The Walking Dead Pinball is now available to download as a standalone app for $1.99 on iOS. The game is monetized via token packs, which can be used to keep a game going after the first three balls are exhausted. This table can also be downloaded for $1.99 within the main Zen Pinball app.
