The Mistress of the Dark
Back in their heyday, pinball tables were a reliable mark of what was dominating the pop culture scene. Pretty much every famous character or franchise made it, but Elriva may be one of the lesser known faces to grace the arcades.
Pinball FX – Williams Pinball: Elvira and the Party Monsters brings the first table to feature the titular character to Xbox in yet another addition to the ever growing Pinball FX collection. The Mistress of the Dark became a pop culture icon back in the 80s, blending horror, comedy and sex appeal.
For the uninitiated, Pinball FX offers digital recreations of classic pinball tables and is free to play, featuring a handful of complimentary tables to get you started. New ones are regularly released, and will cost you, but free trials can be downloaded to get an idea of what you’ll be buying.
Boogie Men and Big Ramps
Anyhow, Elvira brings the noise with her menagerie of monsters to a party themed table bordering on the risque. There are a couple of big ramps, one being the monster slide, which offers the opportunity to bag big points. There’s also a jackpot to be claimed by repeatedly locking pinballs in place under the illuminated green skull.
There’s also a bonus opportunity right at the top of the table, and it’s here where the wackiness of Elvira and the Party Monsters really shines through. This is thanks to the “Boogie Men”, two little fellas who merrily bop up and down to the music whilst rewarding you with some extra points. These are then duly thanked by Dracula, before the ball is released and play continues.
This is a table which requires the player to be patient and put in the hard work to build points. There are numerous hoops to jump through to reach the jackpot, and ramp angles and bumper placement increases the chance of the pinball heading straight down the drain. As is customary, the ball will be saved if lost too quickly, but this lifeline doesn’t last for long.
New Quests and Virtual Arcades
Elvira and the Party Monsters comes with all the features we have come to expect from Pinball FX. The table can be played across many different modes, including classic and arcade. The latter allows you to make use of ball modifiers, such as slow motion, to give you a helping hand. The ball physics can also be toggled away from being too realistic, making things a little less brutal.
There’s also a brand new questline for the table, made up of five different challenges. These include playing with only a single ball, racing to hit high scores against the clock, being limited to how many times you can use your flippers and more.
There are also appropriately themed items to be unlocked depending on how many bumpers you earn from the questline, as well as earning general mastery XP by playing the table across any mode. These can then be displayed in your pinhall, the virtual lobby where you can take a few moments to chill out and absorb yourself in the retro warmth of the arcade lights.
A Solid, Pricey, and Tonally Unique Addition
Pinball FX – Williams Pinball: Elvira and the Party Monsters is another solid addition to the collection, although feels quite pricey for one single table. It’ll cost you £8.39, whereas previously the same amount would have gotten you, for example, two Tomb Raider themed tables in one bundle.
Still, the B-Movie vibe is brilliantly realised thanks in no small part to the excellent voice work of Elvira herself, Cassandra Peterson. It’s this theme which makes the table feel unique and different from the others available in Pinball FX, deeming it essential for collectors and an interesting place to start for the casual player.
Pinball FX – Williams Pinball: Elvira and the Party Monsters offers something tonally different, a table with plenty of features, complete with the usual bells and whistles the series has become known for.
Important Links
Elvira, the Queen of Halloween, Takes Over Pinball FX – https://www.thexboxhub.com/elvira-the-queen-of-halloween-takes-over-pinball-fx/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/pinball-fx-williams-pinball-elvira-and-the-party-monsters/9N7LRM92PVKB/0010
