Star Wars Pinball Gets Darth Vader Table, Two More Next Week

Next Tuesday, Zen Studios invites pinball fanatics to come to the dark side with the release of the “Balance of the Force” table pack for Star Wars Pinball and The Pinball Arcade 2 on PSN. Featured amongst those tables is one themed after the granddaddy of the Dark Side himself, Darth Vader.

The sound of Darth Vader breathing through his mask is as big a cultural phenomenon as the Star Wars movies themselves. Even folks who haven't seen the movies can easily pick out that hollow, mechanical draw of breath. In short: Daddy V is kind of a big deal.

Which is exactly why Zen Studios has decided to give the guy his very own table for the second expansion in the Star Wars lineup for their games.

Zen announced last week that Balance of the Force would be arriving on Oct. 15, adding an additional three tables based on the storied franchise to the collection. Tables included in the pack include Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi, Starfighter Assault (see video below) and, of course, one focusing solely on Darth Vader's rise to power.

While Return of the Jedi will highlight highlight some of the biggest moments from the series' second original film, complete with all of the standard Zen 3D animations and interactions, the Starfighter Assault table is all about space combat, featuring ships from both the Alliance and the Empire, special video modes that put you in control of the ships, and plenty of interactive bits and baubles to enjoy on the table proper.

With the Darth Vader table, players will join the emo-turned-badass-Jedi on his quest from creation to downfall, allowing players to “flip your way through the biggest moments in Lord Vader's life, packed with his most memorable quotes and scenes from the beloved Star Wars films,” according to the official announcement.

Star Wars fans will be treated to an authentic Darth Vader experience, as the entire table lives and breathes a highly stylized Darth Vader atmosphere complete with iconic lines from the films and Darth Vader's meditation pod,” said Zen Community Manager Bobby Loertscher.

As with all things Zen Pinball, this three-pack of tables will be cross-buy, meaning you can purchase it for the PS3 or Vita and download it on the other platform at no additional charge. The Balance of the Force table pack will be available next Tuesday for $9.99.

Ryan Winslett

Staff Writer for CinemaBlend.