Pinball FX just added Diner, Fire!, and Comet

Zen Studios has released Williams Pinball Volume 10 for Pinball FX today. The pack adds three classic tables to the digital arcade, including Diner (1990) and the first-ever official digital recreations of Fire! (1987) and Comet (1985).

The collection is available right now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. VR players can also pick up the pack through Pinball FX VR on the Meta Quest. Zen Studios dropped the release simultaneously across all current platforms, and the pricing structure matches previous three-table volumes.

The restaurant rush

Diner is the main attraction here for a lot of digital pinball players. Designed by Mark Ritchie and released in 1990, the machine tasks you with serving food to a cast of increasingly impatient customers. You have to hit specific ramps and targets to collect the D-I-N-E-R letters. Completing the word unlocks a massive "Dine-Time" score multiplier.

The original physical table is famous for its frantic pace and the mechanical cash register toy on the playfield. Zen Studios has recreated those elements in 3D to keep the chaotic, loud energy intact. The game constantly pushes you to hit tight shots before your virtual customers get angry and leave.

Two digital debuts

The other two machines in Volume 10 are making their official digital debut. Before today, playing Fire! or Comet on a screen required tracking down unlicensed fan recreations and loading them onto a custom machine.

Fire! is a 1987 release with a unique layout. The table has a mirrored playfield designed to look like a burning city street. You race against the clock to put out building fires and rescue victims. The physical machine actually had a bell on top of the backbox that would ring during gameplay. Zen Studios giving this table an official release means players finally get updated physics and a fully modeled environment without having to spend three weekends configuring emulator software.

Comet was released in 1985 and was the first machine to include a million-point shot. This kicked off an arms race of score inflation in the arcade industry. The carnival-themed board is famous for its roller coaster ramp and flashing midway lights. It later spawned two spiritual sequels, Cyclone and Hurricane, but Comet is the one that started the trilogy.

Cabinet support

For the hardcore crowd with physical virtual pinball setups, all three tables support Cabinet Mode out of the gate. This means the software will output the correct display signals for the main playfield, the backglass artwork, and the DMD score panel directly to your hardware.

This release arrives during a quiet transition period for Pinball FX. Zen Studios is dropping support for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in June. Because of this, Volume 10 is one of the final content packs launching during the cross-generation window.

It is a solid lineup that balances a highly requested 1990s table with two deep cuts from the 1980s. I am just glad I can finally play Diner without having to hunt down a physical machine in a dimly lit bowling alley.