Zen Studios’ Zen Pinball 2 on the PlayStation 4 will soon be getting new themed pinball tables starting next week; in addition, players can also now export their favorite tables from the PS Vita and PS3 versions of the game for free, at no addition cost or charge.

“Since we began working on the PS4 version of Zen Pinball 2, we’ve been considering the best possible way to bring all of our tables to PlayStation 4 fans,” said Mel Kirk, VP of Publishing at Zen Studios. “We couldn’t be more pleased to not only bring over the vast majority of fan-favorite tables to the new system, but provide it to them at no additional cost for those who purchased them originally.”

The full list of the DLC, additionally, is as follows:

• Marvel Pinball Vengeance and Virtue –Ghost Rider, X-Men, Thor, Moon Knight ($9.99/€9,99/£7.99)
• Classic Pack –Tesla, V12, Shaman, El Dorado ($9.99/€9,99/£7.99)
• Fantastic Four ($2.99/€2,99/£2.49)
• Captain America ($2.99/€2,99/£2.49)
• Marvel Civil War ($2.99/€2,99/£2.49)
• Super Street Fighter II Tribute ($2.99/€2,99/£2.49)
• Mars ($2.49/€2,49/£2.15)
• Excalibur ($2.49/€2,49/£2.15)

Zen Pinball 2 is available to purchase on the PSN Store on the PS4 now.

In between Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time and the recently release Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, both cartoonishly appropriate factions will also feature as DLC when Plants vs. Zombies Pinball releases on March 6th. It will be a DLC for Pinball FX2 for Steam and Zen Pinball 2 on Mac and retail for $2.99. Check out the announcement trailer above.

For those wondering, Plants vs. Zombies Pinball is also available for PS4, PS3, PS Vita, Wii U eShop and Xbox Live Arcade.

As for Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, it takes a shooter/tower defense approach to its gameplay. You can control a unique class and either shoot down and snipe enemies or heal team-mates while also building up defensive Plant towers for support. The game is currently available for Xbox One and Xbox 360, with a PC release coming soon in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more updates and let us know what you think of Garden Warfare in the comments.

Despite the hype accompanying its release – or as much hype as is possible with a pinball game – Zen Studios has confirmed that their PS4 port of Zen Pinball 2 has been delayed in North America. This is following the game’s absence in this week’s PlayStation Store NA update.

However, the developer did mention that it would be available on December 24th in North America so there’s a Christmas Eve to look forward. European PSN players can still expect the game to arrive on time tomorrow.

Zen Pinball 2 on the PlayStation 4 is very much like its original release, just with improved graphics in the form of 1080p resolution and 60 FPS frame rate, and the ability to import any tables you downloaded from the PS3 release into the PS4 version for free. Will you be picking it up when it launches in North America next week? Let us know in the comments below.

Update: The game has been delayed to 24th, December 2013 in North America.

Ravi Sinha: When Zen Studios first started out, it felt as though Pinball titles were more of a side-focus with games such as Ghostbusters and The Punisher being bigger names. How did that focus shift over the years?

Mel Kirk: The focus on pinball became real once we were able to publish the original Pinball FX to Xbox LIVE Arcade. We were not sure what to expect, but it ended up far exceeding any level of goals we had in our minds, paving the way for us to expand the vision of the game. The result has been a true evolution of pinball and a very successful business that has allowed us to grow the studio quite comfortably and try different types of games (i.e. CastleStorm and KickBeat).

Ravi Sinha: Zen Pinball 2 released earlier this year. How has the reception been to the game and will it be justifying a sequel any time in the near future?

Mel Kirk: Zen Pinball 2 continues to do very well. We have a great model, offering new content all the time and keeping players connected to the game. I think people know us quite well now and know what to expect when we release a new game. Their trust is so important, and I think we have proven that we will deliver a good experience each time. We definitely have plans for future Zen Pinball platforms.

"If you previously purchased any of the tables coming to PS4 on PS3 or PS Vita, you are able to download them for free on PS4."

Ravi Sinha: Zen Pinball 2 will feature a cross-buy ability in which any tables downloaded on the PS3 and PS vita will be available free for the PS4. The game itself is otherwise free. While this plan will encourage veterans to pick up the game on PS4, how will you work to attract new players for the PS4 version?

Mel Kirk: Correct, if you previously purchased any of the tables coming to PS4 on PS3 or PS Vita, you are able to download them for free on PS4. We did this for a few reasons, mostly to thank players for sticking with us for so long. Another reason is that we want to keep this community intact and engaged while we work behind the scenes on new content and platforms. Lastly, we’re fans of the PS4, we want to brag that we have a game available on the system! As far as attracting new players, we are offering the Sorcerer’s Lair table for everyone to play at no charge. Everyone has a reason to at least give it a try and see if it is something they might enjoy.

Ravi Sinha: Does Zen Pinball 2 take advantage of the PS4’s touchpad or any other console-specific features to enhance the experience?

Mel Kirk: No, Zen Pinball 2 does not take advantage of the touchpad. The game is basically a juiced up port, but we did make major gains in performance, running 1080p @ 60 FPS! Feature wise, you will have to wait for the next iteration of the platform. I guess I keep hinting at this, right?

"We will have an amazing 2014, packed full of new releases – both branded an original content. New Marvel and Star Wars tables will release, as well as new tables based on brands that the entire team is so excited about."

Ravi Sinha: Can you please the game’s engine development and how it was ported over to PS4?

Mel Kirk: We use our own internal proprietary technology and it has been evolving over the past 8 – 9 years. The process to PS4 was not that bad for us, we had to adjust a few things in the engine but our engineers are top notch so it was pretty smooth.

Ravi Sinha: We also know that there will be new tables for the game going forward. Could you tell us a bit more about these tables and whether they’ll feature franchises such as Marvel, Star Wars, etc.?

Mel Kirk: We will have an amazing 2014, packed full of new releases – both branded an original content. New Marvel and Star Wars tables will release, as well as new tables based on brands that the entire team is so excited about. I cannot gush about all the details just yet, but it will be fun when we can finally talk about it.

Ravi Sinha: Will Zen Pinball 2 on the PS4 be at 1080p and 60 frames per second (as indicated by a comment on the PS Blog US)? How will this benefit the gameplay and presentation going forward?

Mel Kirk: Yes, the game is running silky-smooth at 1080p and 60 FPS. You will immediately recognize how sharp the artwork looks, better reaction from the flippers and an all-around better looking experience.

"The ability to make your game look top notch is something that we are excited about, so we paid close attention to detail with all artwork and assets."

Ravi Sinha: What strategies were laid out for asset creation along with optimization for 1080p resolution for the PS4 version?

Mel Kirk: Anytime you are producing or capturing in true HD you have more polys at your disposal. The ability to make your game look top notch is something that we are excited about, so we paid close attention to detail with all artwork and assets. You want the color contrasts to be right, you do not want to be overexposed – and of course you have no control over what monitors or TVs players have so you try to set defaults to the best of your knowledge.

Ravi Sinha: Given that display resolutions have become a big deal with next gen console releases as of late, do you feel that it is a necessary evil when working on the PS4?

Mel Kirk: Not really, you just have to trust that players, especially early adopters have some sense of scale. You also hope they know how to adjust settings and figure out basic adjustments to ensure they are getting the most out of their setup. Very few players have 4K sets yet, but we would love to hear what they think!

You can choose to purchase additional tables but the core game will be free to download for everyone, and also includes free trials for each tables. The game is supposed to take advantage of what the Wii U has to offer, and they have listed a huge list of features.

The gamepad features include controlling the plunger on the touch screen, rotating camera views, accessing information via the dot matrix and Free View control by titling the Wii U gamepad. It uses the sensors inside the Wii U to achieve that.

There are some bonus tables like Super Hero, zombie themed Plants vs. Zombies table and more.

You can check out the complete feature list below.

• Unprecedented table visuals and the most advanced ball physics on Wii U
• Trial version for all tables, try them out before you buy!
• Local Hotseat multiplayer, and fast paced Split-screen multiplayer game modes
• Action cameras to guide and emphasize spectacular moments
• Ranking support for all tables, National Ranking, and Worldwide tournaments
• Continue playing on the Wii U GamePad if the TV is occupied!
• Robust social features with Challenges, Pro Score, and Team Score. It’s up to you to become the Pinball Champion!
• Awards for each table
• Regular table releases through the Nintendo eShop
• Zen Pinball 2 is a free download for any user on the Nintendo eShop on Wii U, featuring demos of each table.
• Zen Pinball 2 on Wii U will release with a huge content library available, including three Marvel Pinball packs, a collection of Zen Studios’ original designs, and several individual tables:
• Zen Classic Pack featuring Tesla, El Dorado, V12, Shaman
• Marvel Pinball featuring Spider-Man, Wolverine, Blade and Iron Man
• Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles featuring Marvel’s The Avengers, Infinity Gauntlet, World War Hulk, Fear Itself
• Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue featuring X-Men, Thor, Ghost Rider, Moon Knight
• Individual DLC Tables: Plants vs. Zombies, Excalibur, Earth Defense, Sorcerer’s Lair, Paranormal, Mars, Epic Quest, Captain America, Fantastic Four

This new table reflect the current Avengers film, where all six Avengers face off against Loki and his army of no-good aliens (yes, yes, we’ve heard the Hulk joke). The awesome part is that each character gets their own customised ball and power set. This would seem to imply that Nick Fury is the player that you’ll be controlling, which really makes all the sense in the world.

Even if The Avengers in-app DLC doesn’t entice you, it’s worth noting that Zen Pinball on iOS/Mac and Zen Pinball THD for Android are both free downloads, and include the Sorcerer’s Lair table for free. For cooking up spells and something, we imagine.

Check out the trailer for Plants vs Zombies Pinball table which is headed to Zen Pinball 2 next week.

“Mmmm….pinball! Based on PopCap’s hit title, Plants vs. Zombies, Zen Studios is bringing the zombie invasion to the pinball playfield! Plant your defenses and prepare your flippers for a Plants vs. Zombies pinball adventure!

“Coming September 4th as DLC on PlayStation Network for Zen Pinball 2 on PlayStation 3 and Play Station Vita, and on Xbox LIVE Arcade as DLC for Pinball FX2 on Xbox 360.”

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Zen Studios have announced that Zen Pinball 2 will release for the PS3 and PS Vita on September 4th via the Playstation Network. They have also announced one extra table which will be released one day later on September 5th. The table is a mystery so far with it being based on PopCap Games’ mega hit.

The table will be unveiled at PAX Prime and it will also be playable at the booth. There is also cross platform support between PS3 and PS Vita.

“Zen Pinball 2 features an abundance of exciting new features and updates. Best of all, Zen Pinball 2 is a free update for existing Zen Pinball and Marvel Pinball owners, while new users can download the pinball platform and try every pinball table for free before deciding to purchase.”

Here are the Zen Pinball 2 features:

Zen Pinball 2 is coming for the PlayStation 3 system and PlayStation Vita.

Zen Pinball 2 features an abundance of exciting new features and updates, making it the premiere pinball platform on any digital distribution network. Best of all, Zen Pinball 2 is a free update for existing Zen Pinball and Marvel Pinball owners, while new users can download the pinball platform and try every pinball table for free. All told, Zen Pinball 2 will launch with twenty-six pinball tables.

“We are so excited about the future of videogame pinball, and Zen Pinball 2 is the most advanced pinball platform available on any digital network. We are happy to upgrade physics, provide new trophies and introduce compelling new social features and more to all of our existing players at no charge,” said Mel Kirk, Zen Studios Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations. “We have really focused on keeping the community intact, offering compelling new features and connecting the cross-platform experience between the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Vita.”

Zen Pinball 2 will be a free download for any PlayStatation Network user on the PlayStation 3 system and the PlayStation Vita system.