This is the orginial english interview we had with the great Zen Studios,

!thanks again to Mel Kirk

!Enjoy

What is your most successful pinball table (or tables incase of a pack) yet?

I believe the Pinball FX2 Core pack is the most successful release to date. A lot of that was due to the fact that we were able to keep our original community intact by releasing Pinball FX2 as a free platform and including a free upgrade for the original Pinball FX tables.

Which pinball table you had the most fun working on?

They are all so much fun, but working with Marvel and Twisted Pixel has been really cool. Anytime you get to collaborate with really talented people you find yourself challenged and thinking in new ways.

How much time and effort do you put on one table?

Quite a bit! A single table takes roughly 8 months from start to finish. That is research, design, art, testing, submission to first party, certification and release.

What is the size (and roles) of the team working on a table?

It varies from time to time, but there are usually 4 people working on an individual table. You have a lead designer, an artist, a support and then some backend engineering to make sure the table fits into the platform correctly.

What is mostly the hardest part of creating a new pinball table?

One of the most challenging things is getting the design and flow of the table right. We are dealing with a lot of themes and characters, it is important to make good decisions with how to fit personalities and characteristics of environments within the table, and how that will affect modes, objectives and missions. Getting this formula correct is quite challenging.

Are there any features that you wish you could add to your games or will add in the future?

We are working on a number of updates for Pinball FX2. Tournament play is one area we are really focused on. We would really like to offer different tournament options such as time based objectives, single ball, etc. Other features include better tutorials and improvements to the social experience.

Have you seen an increase of pinball games demand?

Yes. We are seeing a lot of brand new pinball players talking to us on Facebook, Twitter and our forums. It’s really cool to see. There is a bit of a pinball renaissance I guess!

How did the relationship with Marvel started?

Our relationship with Marvel started years ago. We were able to secure a license to work with The Punisher, and we did a first person shooter for PlayStation Network. Things have definitely evolved and it is really cool to say that Marvel is more of a partner than a license holder for us.

Except from Ghost Rider, can you reveal any other table coming in the new Marvel tables pack?

Not at this time, but keep your ears open around New York Comic Con :).

Did you get any design help or guidelines from Marvel when working on the Marvel tables?

We sure did (and do). Marvel does a great job helping us understand the intricacies of each character in the universe, which helps us make an authentic experience. Their team is always offering valuable ideas and great feedback. A big shout out to TQ, Chris and Javon – you guys are great!

How many new tables are you working on at the moment?

New tables…wow, probably 10 – 12.

If you can reveal any, which ones for the X360 and the PS3?

I cannot reveal anything specifically, but we will announce a brand new, original design in late October or early November. This table will be released on XBLA and PSN before the end of the year and introduce some brand new features and concepts to our game. Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue will be out before the end of the year on both XBLA and PSN.

Will you team up in the near future with more brands for new themed pinball tables?

Yes, we already have other brands we are working on and I cannot wait to tell you about them!

Do you guys like to play any specific (real) pinball machine? and have you ever been inspired by any?

We absolutely love to play on real machines. I could tell you stories of days spent in old arcades draining pockets full coins! There is actually a great selection of tables in the studio – in fact, we just took over more office space to make room for the growing collection! You can always learn from the classic designers and get inspiration from playing on real machines.

Are you going to patch the older Pinball FX1 tables with the new FX2 missing features like local multiplayer etc' ?

Probably not. It would be quite an undertaking and we would essentially have to completely remake those tables.

We have all heard about you bringing your great pinball games to new platforms, what can you tell us about that? are these going to be a whole new tables or initially an existing ones?

Our goal is to release a free pinball platform on every digital storefront available, and then allow people to pick and choose what they want to buy. We just announced Zen Pinball 3D for 3DS, and Zen Pinball will soon release on Android and iOS devices. Further, you will see the game come to Vita and PC early next year.

Are you going to use the platform specific features of the 3DS, Vita and Wii-U (such as 3D, motion control, cameras, mic etc') to enhance the experience of the games or add new ways to control it?

Yes, each of these new devices offers new and exciting ways to play games. It is exciting for us to work with these new features and integrate them into our game, offering a new dynamic and experience.

Do you have any expected release date for these?

Zen Pinball 3D will be out for Nintendo 3DS before the end of October (hopefully), Android and iOS before the end of the year, Vita and PC sometime early next year. I think everyone is waiting to hear when Vita will be available!

On which new platform are you most excited to work?

I don’t think I can pick just one, it is always exciting to work with next generation technology. All I can say is that gamers have a lot to look forward to!

Have you ever thought about enabling cross-platform multiplayer on similar tables?

That might be possible one day, especially when you have companies like Sony and Steam working together. That would be really cool! It is a matter of sorting out leader board servers, scoring and tying things together correctly on the social front. We have some awesome engineers, I know they could figure it out.

Have you thought about a retail release for any platform? maybe a collection of tables?

Not at this time. Zen Studios has embraced digital download as a way of life. Being in control of our own destiny is something that really excites us, and digital distribution allows us to do that.

Do you have any plans for non-pinball related games? if yes, can you reveal any?

We sure do! Unfortunately I cannot reveal anything now, but look for announcements in the coming months.

What are your plans and goals for the near future in the industry?

We are going to continue working on pinball, improving the entire game and presentation while releasing on new devices and systems. It’s nice to have experienced a little success, it is allowing us to work on other types of games which we are very excited about. Hopefully the little hiccups experienced with digital distribution can be solved and these services will really improve for gamers. We are certainly excited for the future!

We hope that you've enjoyed our interview with Zen Studios, we will continue covering their great games while waiting for all those exciting announcements soon!