

But pinball's orientation, form factor, and tactile nature have always precluded it from feeling authentic when virtualized on something like an Xbox. When I play classics like Pac-Man or Donkey Kong on a console, I generally feel like it's the same experience as standing up with chunky joysticks (your mileage may vary, in which case, there are tons of products for you). Yet while stand-up arcade multi-cabinets have rarely gotten me excited, virtual pinball is another story. A replica arcade experience seems like a great antidote for any nerd going stir-crazy in a pandemic.

If you'd told me at the beginning of 2021 that I'd review not one but two virtual pinball options for the home, I would have nodded and said, sure, that sounds entirely unsurprising.
