Common Sense Media Review
By Chris Morris
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Amusing, challenging pinball/tower defense hybrid is a hit.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
In ZOMBIE ROLLERZ: PINBALL HEROES, players take on hordes of zombies in this unique twist on the tower defense genre, moving around a map to collect treasure and fighting the undead in a pinball-like environment (complete with flippers, bumpers and hidden areas). You'll try to knock down the health bar of zombies by hitting them with the ball, using power-ups such as setting the ball aflame for short periods or shooting missiles from the ball at a specific target. Some enemies wear armor and are immune to certain kinds of attacks, and those who get too close can be shooed away with the flipper. You have unlimited balls, but should you lose one, it takes a significant toll on your health -- and health doesn't reset between levels, so there's a strategic element in choosing your next move. Zombie bosses present a different sort of challenge, requiring you to change up your pinball style to defeat them. And the story is told via captions in a humerous fashion that winks at video game stereotypes.
Is It Any Good?
Tower defense and pinball might seem like the odd couple of the gaming world, but they work remarkably well together. Zombie Rollerz: Pinball Heroes isn't perfect, but it's an enjoyable and unique take on a pair of familiar gameplay styles. The game's also different enough every time you play that even when you lose (and, make no mistake, you will lose frequently), you don't feel like you're stepping on the same treadmill the next time.
It's a game that doesn't take itself too seriously, poking fun at some gaming themes (like the hero having amnesia). And the power-ups during pinball increase the fun factor and improve the replayability (since you can choose different ones each time). The biggest complaint is the flippers on your screen are very close to the power-up buttons, which can cause you to misfire from time to time, either wasting a power-up or holding a flipper in the wrong position and losing a ball. It might not be as addictive as some other tower defense games, but it's a standout in an increasingly crowded genre.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about strategy. Is it better to react in the moment or think ahead and plan?
Does the digital pinball experience feel the same to you as playing on a physical machine? What's better, and what's worse?
Game Details
- Platform : Apple Arcade
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Firefly Games
- Release date : December 3, 2020
- Genre : Strategy
- Topics : Adventures , Fantasy
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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