An obvious point to all VR users - that folks never trying the format might not be fully aware of - is the fact that in VR, everything is in 3D. This is normally a pretty cool feature (and yes,you can watch 3D films in VR and it rocks), but it does eventually become something that you just take for granted. Of course everything is in 3D - how else would the pinball tables in Pinball FX VR feel tactile when you plop them into the real world in mixed reality?
But every now and then, some little added bonus feature jumps out at you when you are playing a VR game that makes you think "Oh, that's pretty cool". And that's the moment I had when first trying out the new Creature From the Black Lagoon table in Pinball FX VR.
Creature From the Black Lagoon was released today as part of the Williams Pinball Universal Monsters Pack, which continues expanding Pinball FX VR's sprawling arcade basement (A Charlie Brown Christmas Pinball and the Godzilla vs. Kong Pinball Pack are also new additions to the setting, which is now big enough that you can get kinda lost). If you haven't played it, the Creature table is a fantastic tribute to not just the legendary 3D movie, but also 1950s drive-in culture, with features representing the snack bar, the playground, the projection booth, etc. Bouncy synthesized versions of 50s hits play in the background. The whole experience is just a vibe.
But the coolest thing about the original Creature table is the 3D center plate, which is inlaid down into the table's surface as an homage to the original 3D nature of the film. From Wikipedia:
The centerpiece of the table's playfield is a holographic depiction of the titular Creature, illuminated and in motion during multiball play within its "Black Lagoon habitat" (the space beneath the playfield visible through a customized window). The green hologram was produced by Polaroid and is affixed to a metal plate that is divided into three sections which are designed so that the hologram appears to float. A cam behind one section presses against the back of the plate, gently bending the hologram's surface, so that the Creature appears to "ripple" as if underwater and to swipe at the player with its claw. A second motor mounted in the bottom of the cabinet oscillates the light-reflecting mirror, changing the direction of the light source and causing the image of the creature to slowly turn from side to side.
It's a really great effect when you see it in real life, and it is recreated and enhanced to stunning effect when you play the table in VR. The default effect has a bubble field with some very cool depth to it. The Creature actively swims around under the surface of the table, occasionally snagging the ball when the player experiences a ball out and paddling away into the depths with it. In between balls, the Creature swims to the surface and pops his head up onto the table and peers around. It's a stellar effect that really commits to the 3D of the film, the table, the game, and VR in general.
The trailer for the flat version, which shows off the creature effects a bit.
Zen Studios continues to innovate in ways to both recreate and enhance Williams/Bally tables, but in a basement arcade full of super cool effects, this is one the very best I've seen. If you have a Meta Quest 3 and you don't have Pinball FX VR, you are absolutely missing out on one of the very best experiences available for the platform.
