The video game pinball wizards at Zen Studios are bringing Pinball FX 2 to the Xbox Live Arcade, with free graphical updates and new achievements to every Pinball FX table released so far.
Pinball FX 2 sounds like more of a dashboard update to the first game than a full-blown sequel. Perhaps that's why Zen Studios is releasing the game as a free download for everyone, whether they've purchased the original game or not.
Those who have purchased the original Pinball FX will simply download the new client and import their existing tables into the new dashboard, where they'll receive a little bit of polish to keep them competitive with the new tables like Pasha, seen below.
Players who haven't purchased the original can download the full game as a demo, purchasing tables as they choose directly from the menu system.
"We have been listening to our fans and building the pinball game that they envisioned," said Zsolt Kigyossy, Managing Director for ZEN Studios. "It took a little longer than expected, but we have designed a game that unifies the online community, and takes all the social features to the next level."
What's the next level? Leaderboards that combine your score across all tables is a start. Pinball Wizard adds your score to your friends' scores for even more leaderboard goodness. Add simultaneous online multiplayer competition and - a pinball first - split-screen local multiplayer, and you've got something much more social going on.
Zen suggests we stop thinking about FX Pinball as a pinball game, and start thinking of it as a pinball platform. That platform launches on October 13.