Today at Zen Studios, we couldn’t be happier than to announce free DLC for Star Wars Pinball VR here on the iGamesNews. The classic Han Solo table from the Star Wars Pinball: Heroes Within pack, enters the game as the incredible ninth table, joining tables from the Classic Trilogy, Rogue One, The Mandalorian and more. But what goes into creating a table like Han Solo? If you haven’t already rushed to download it (and I really can’t blame you), let’s take a look behind the curtain.
1. Choose the theme
First of all, we need to understand our topic – something that we are working very closely with Lucasfilm Games to decide. Sometimes the topic ends up being a show like Star Wars Rebels, sometimes it’s a general topic like Jedi vs. Sith in Masters of the Force; in the case of this table, he’s a cunning Correllian passer. Han Solo was a natural fit to get his own board, as his life is filled with fun shenanigans, thrilling moments, besides stealing the fastest piece of junk in the galaxy.
2. Layout of the pinball table
Once we agree on the topic, this is where things get technical. As pinball legend Roger Sharpe, famous for lifting the pinball ban in New York in 1976, told Vox, “Every game is different – every game has a different geometry, every game has different rules.” That means we need a solid foundation of tracks, rails, chasms, and whatever else you might recognize on any machine. This gives you the main game layer, where a satisfying ramp shot can make or break a table, no matter what theme you put there.
3. Translate emblematic moments into missions
Once we’ve nailed the concepts, that’s when we turn on the spice! All the different rules, multiball, lamps and animated characters come into play. This is where we have to nail the best moments and translate them into pinball form. For Han Solo, our design team got together and created a comprehensive list of classic-era events involving our favorite nerf breeder – and his loyal co-pilot.
The different “modes” (which are missions on a pinball table, each requiring you to shoot a different part of the table, or a combination) will take you back to epic moments like freeing Princess Leia from the Death Star in A New Hope, navigate the asteroid field from Empire Strikes Back and escape from Jabba in Return of the Jedi. If you complete all of Han’s adventures, it all ends up in what we call “ wizard mode ” (someone like The Who?) Named General Solo. This is an epic mode where four balls are put into play and a huge jackpot activates – a difficult mission to complete but endlessly rewarding to reward you for your efforts.
I urge you to get into Full Immersion mode – something only VR can achieve – where you’ll be about the size of a bullet and take a close look at every piece of Han’s life. Like the Carbonite Chamber (you can lock three balls in there and start a multiball!) Or the Space Slug to the right of the table which – just like in the movie – has a big mouth to swallow your pinballs and reward you later.
You can build on what we’ve learned here – and sooner than you might think. Han Solo pinball table is available for Star Wars Pinball VR at present.
There are plenty of jackpots to be won and high scores to be broken, but remember: don’t be pushy, kid!