# Top 10 Zen Originals We Always Play

**Source:** BlahCade Pinball Podcast  
**Type:** podcast_episode  
**Published:** 2024-01-22  
**Duration:** 20m 21s  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/blahcade-pinball-podcast/episodes/Top-10-Zen-Originals-We-Always-Play-e2f2gfi

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## Analysis

Chris Freebus and Jared Morgan discuss their top 10 Zen Pinball FX original tables that they naturally gravitate toward playing, rather than ranking them objectively. The list emphasizes accessibility, shot variety, and entertainment value over difficulty or mastery, featuring titles like Epic Quest, Wild West Rampage, Jurassic Park, Curse of the Mummy, Butters, Samurai, Castle Storm, Excalibur, Sorcerer's Lair, and Verne's Mysterious Island, with detailed commentary on what makes each compelling for casual play.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Epic Quest is very close to what a real pinball table could be in digital form — _Chris explicitly states this opinion about Epic Quest's design philosophy and traditional layout_
- [HIGH] Wild West Rampage has an Addams Family-esque layout with similar shot patterns — _Chris directly compares the table layouts and notes this similarity drove his natural inclination to play it pre-release of actual Addams Family_
- [HIGH] Zen Pinball FX will feature separate top 10 lists for Star Wars and Marvel due to the volume of content in those categories — _Chris explicitly states they are purposely excluding Star Wars and Marvel from the Zen Originals list because they each deserve their own dedicated top 10_
- [HIGH] Curse of the Mummy allows mode stacking during multiball for high-scoring combinations — _Jared describes the mechanic in detail: 'when you're in multiball, you can also trigger the modes. So if you stack your modes then you just start naturally shooting the ramps. Everything is lit. Everything.'_
- [HIGH] Jurassic Park in Pinball FX uses callouts that sound similar to the original movie without being directly lifted from it — _Chris states the callouts 'don't think they're directly taken from the movie, but they sound really close to the movie if they aren't'_
- [HIGH] Sorcerer's Lair uses digital effects (floating ghosts) instead of insert lights to represent shot flow — _Jared explains: 'they don't use insert lights as such. They're very digital effects, like floating ghosts or things like that. But your ghosts are essentially your insert lights.'_
- [HIGH] Castle Storm has confusing rules that require reading the manual to understand, reducing its appeal as a casual play option — _Both hosts admit they repeatedly play it without understanding what's happening; Chris notes this doesn't make it a table you just naturally walk up to_
- [HIGH] Godzilla vs. Kong is primarily attractive for its visual design rather than engaging gameplay — _Chris states: 'I almost put Godzilla vs. Kong on here just because it's a pretty table... I find myself just going, Well, just have a game on it. And then I have a game on it and I go, I really don't care about this.'_

### Notable Quotes

> "It's not about whether we always walk up to—yeah, it's what we always walk up to. If they were physical in the arcade, it'd be like, 'Yeah, I'll have a go on this one today'"
> — **Chris Freebus / Jared Morgan**, ~0:02:00
> _Defines the core concept of the list: natural inclination to play casually, not objective ranking_

> "Epic Quest... it is very close to what I feel a real pinball table could be. There's not a whole lot of fantasy elements on it... It's a game that grows with you basically. Easy to learn, hard to master."
> — **Chris Freebus**, ~0:03:30
> _Establishes the design philosophy favored in the list: accessibility with depth_

> "Well, it's free."
> — **Jared Morgan**, ~0:05:00
> _Humorous moment revealing Wild West Rampage's appeal—included in collection by default as a free starter table_

> "If you have to read the rules, then that doesn't make it a table that you're just always going to go to."
> — **Chris Freebus**, ~0:17:00
> _Core philosophy: good 'go-to' tables are intuitive enough to jump into without study_

> "I actually played when I was sort of thinking about this list. I went there and I played it once and I thought, 'I actually want to have another game of that.' So I played it again."
> — **Jared Morgan**, ~0:19:30
> _Demonstrates the organic, rewarding play experience that defines tables on this list_

> "There are our top 10 Zen originals that are pretty much our go-tos that we can't help but play a game when we load up Pinball FX."
> — **Chris Freebus**, ~0:33:00
> _Reinforces the list's defining characteristic: tables with irresistible, habitual appeal_

> "This mini-playfield—it's that circular playfield where if you don't hit the shot, you just wind up sending the ball around and around in circles and hope that you don't drain."
> — **Jared Morgan**, ~0:21:00
> _Identifies specific mechanical frustration: poor shot feedback and unpredictable outcomes on mini-playfields_

> "Could it be a 'games with three flippers' challenge, right, or something weird like that?"
> — **Jared Morgan**, ~0:34:30
> _Community engagement strategy: creating thematic constraints to encourage fresh table exploration_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Chris Freebus | person | Co-host of Blockade Pinball Podcast; also known as 'Shut Your Trap'; primary podcast personality leading discussion |
| Jared Morgan | person | Co-host of Blockade Pinball Podcast; co-creator of top 10 list; located 'halfway across the world' from Chris |
| Blockade Pinball Podcast | organization | Podcast platform hosting this episode; known for pinball game analysis and top 10 discussions |
| Pinball FX | product | Zen Studios digital pinball simulation platform; primary platform being discussed; hosts Zen original tables and licensed content |
| Zen Studios | company | Developer of Pinball FX platform and all tables discussed in this episode |
| Epic Quest | game | Zen Studios original pinball table; appeared on both hosts' lists; praised for traditional design and depth |
| Wild West Rampage | game | Zen Studios original; free table in Pinball FX; noted for Addams Family-like layout and train mini-playfield |
| Jurassic Park | game | Licensed digital pinball table; praised for callouts, sound design, and accessibility; recreates Data East original with improved rules |
| Curse of the Mummy | game | Zen Studios original; featured for upper playfield bash toys and mode stacking in multiball |
| Butters | game | South Park-licensed Zen Studios table; preferred South Park option; praised for character-focused humor and callouts |
| Samurai | game | Zen Studios original; visually stunning; criticized for mini-playfield difficulty and inconsistent shot entry mechanics |
| Castle Storm | game | Zen Studios original; praised for lighting and visual appeal; criticized for opaque rules and unclear shot mechanics |
| Excalibur | game | Zen Studios original; received visual/mechanical updates in FX transition from FX3; features circular mini-playfield |
| Sorcerer's Lair | game | Zen Studios original; praised for well-explained rules and innovative use of digital effects as shot-flow indicators; long-standing popular title |
| Verne's Mysterious Island | game | Zen Studios original; praised for visual appeal despite rough edges; improved appreciation through focused five-minute challenge play |
| Godzilla vs. Kong | game | Zen Studios original; visually appealing but lacks engaging gameplay; nearly made the list but excluded for lack of natural appeal |
| South Park | game | Licensed Zen table; alternate South Park option; mentioned negatively in comparison to Butters variant |
| Addams Family | game | Licensed pinball table; referenced as comparison point for Wild West Rampage's layout and shot structure |
| Data East | company | Classic pinball manufacturer; original Jurassic Park pinball designer; Zen's FX version improves upon original rules |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Zen Pinball FX platform and digital pinball gaming, Table accessibility and casual play appeal vs. competitive depth, Mini-playfield mechanics and their role in table design, Rules clarity and shot feedback in digital pinball design
- **Secondary:** Content strategy: licensed vs. original tables and planned future top 10 lists, Visual design and lighting in digital pinball, Community engagement and audience participation in content creation
- **Mentioned:** Thematic comparison between digital and physical pinball design

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.78) — Hosts are enthusiastic about most tables discussed, with constructive criticism focused on specific mechanics (mini-playfields, rules clarity) rather than fundamental design failures. Tone is conversational and appreciative of Zen's work, with honest acknowledgment of personal preferences and disagreements.

### Signals

- **[community_signal]** Blockade Podcast expanding content strategy with themed top 10 series; explicitly planning separate lists for Star Wars and Marvel due to volume; soliciting unusual/creative challenge concepts from audience (e.g., 'games with three flippers') to drive fresh table exploration and reinterpretation (confidence: high) — Chris: 'Star Wars and Marvel because they each get their own top 10. They're gonna get their own because there's a lot going on in there.' Jared: 'Could it be a games with three flippers challenge... or something weird like that?'
- **[design_philosophy]** Mini-playfield implementation emerging as divisive design choice: consistently criticized for unintuitive shot mechanics, unpredictable outcomes, and gameplay disruption (Samurai, Excalibur, Castle Storm all feature problematic mini-playfields); Chris explicitly avoids mini-playfield games; feature appears to fragment audience preference (confidence: high) — Chris: 'I think the mini-playfield actually ruins this table [Excalibur].' Jared on Samurai: 'you end up there so often... you have to get the ball in there and just kind of randomly whack.' Chris: 'you don't playfield games at all.'
- **[design_philosophy]** Zen Studios innovating rule-communication in digital space: Sorcerer's Lair demonstrates alternative to traditional insert-light design (floating ghosts as indicators); suggests broader experimental approach to translating physical pinball UI to digital medium (confidence: high) — Jared: 'they don't use insert lights as such. They're very digital effects... your ghosts are essentially your insert lights. That's a really neat way of representing shot flow on the table.'
- **[design_philosophy]** Zen Studios demonstrating clear design intent toward 'easy to learn, hard to master' accessibility: Epic Quest praised for this balance; Sorcerer's Lair recognized for innovative visual rule-communication (digital ghosts as insert lights substitute); contrast with over-complex titles (confidence: high) — Chris on Epic Quest: 'Easy to learn, hard to master.' Jared on Sorcerer's Lair: 'they don't use insert lights... floating ghosts... your ghosts are essentially your insert lights. That's a really neat way of representing shot flow.'
- **[market_signal]** Digital pinball library composition: Zen originals remain core draws for casual/repeat players despite competition from licensed content (Marvel, Star Wars); free tables (Wild West Rampage) function as entry points but don't necessarily generate long-term engagement without compelling mechanics (confidence: medium) — Jared plays Wild West Rampage 'because it was free' but admits engagement is contingent on layout similarity to Addams Family; library diversity allows targeted episode series (upcoming Marvel/Star Wars top 10s)
- **[product_strategy]** Zen Studios executing visual/mechanical updates to legacy original tables during FX2→FX transition: Excalibur received 'a bit of a lick of paint'; physics engine improvements potentially improving playability (Sorcerer's Lair noted as improved but hosts haven't fully tested new physics) (confidence: medium) — Jared on Excalibur: 'it's back in Pinball FX and it's had a bit of a lick of paint.' Chris on Sorcerer's Lair: 'I haven't given it a true go in Pinball FX to see if any of the new physics make things better for me.'
- **[product_concern]** Godzilla vs. Kong identified as design failure in engagement: visually beautiful but mechanically uninspiring—players unable to sustain interest despite aesthetic appeal; suggests disconnect between art direction and gameplay iteration (confidence: high) — Chris: 'I almost put Godzilla vs. Kong on here just because it's a pretty table... I find myself just going, Well, just have a game on it. And then I have a game on it and I go, I really don't care about this.'
- **[product_concern]** Multiple Zen original tables criticized for confusing or overly complex rules that discourage casual play (Castle Storm, Excalibur); mini-playfield implementation inconsistently executed, with some tables (Samurai, Excalibur) having unintuitive shot entry mechanics and circular designs that produce random outcomes (confidence: high) — Chris: 'I really have no clue what's going on... I don't know what starts what... there's some weird angles on some shots.' Jared on Samurai: 'you end up there so often, and it's just kind of randomly whack. It just doesn't feel like a dialed-in shot.'
- **[technology_signal]** Pinball FX (Zen's current platform) showing meaningful physics/visual improvements over FX3 legacy; hosts notice graphic updates and upgraded mechanics but adoption/awareness appears uneven (some hosts haven't retested improved physics on legacy tables) (confidence: medium) — Jared: 'it's back in Pinball FX and it's had a bit of a lick of paint.' Chris uncertain whether new physics in FX improve Sorcerer's Lair; suggests incremental rollout awareness

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## Transcript

 BlahCade Pinball Podcast this is the BlahCade Pinball Podcast i'm your host chris freebus aka shut your trap and joining me as always halfway across the world it's jared morgan well hey everyone how's it going so we're going to do another top 10 list because you guys enjoyed our last one so much we figured let's do a whole series of these and do yet another one uh today's top 10 though is going to be the top 10 tables that we just naturally always play in pinball effects not that they're the best not that they're what we are the greatest at it's just what we tend to always at least play a game or two on while in zen it's not about we always walk up to yeah it's what we always walk up to if they were physical in the in the arcade it'd be like yeah i'll have a go in this one today i think you know yeah all right so with that being said i think we're going to jump right into a table that uh actually wound up on both mine and jared's list and that would be Epic Quest. Oh, yeah. I'll just state, Epic Quest, for myself, it is very close to what I feel a real pinball table could be. There's not a whole lot of fantasy elements on it. And as such, it's also laid out like a traditional pinball with lots and lots of insert lights to educate yourself on. It's just a game that the more you play, the more fun you have. and I just always naturally am like, even if I'm only going to play one game, I'll play at least one game on Epic Quest. Yeah, it is an interesting table. I find that it does have a more humorous theme to it. It's quite lighthearted, which makes it easier to play if you're just looking for that sort of casual game you were talking about, Chris. But the call-outs, unlike some titles in the collection, they don't necessarily get tired after hearing them all the time i don't really feel that about them no and you know it looks like a simple game on the outset but really there's quite a bit of depth to the rules in this table and you got to read them to actually have a lot of fun i think on the table yeah um it's a game that grows with you basically it's something you just flip and flip on it or if you actually want to get deep you can go deep um easy to learn hard to master Yes, so very glad that Epic Quest finally made its way to Pinball FX. That's why it's able to be put onto this list and why other tables aren't going to be on this list. All right. For our next table, also a table that made both of our lists, I think for different reasons it made it onto our list, though. So that next table would be Wild West Rampage. Jared, I'll let you speak to this first. Well, it's free. Okay. Is that really the only reason why you go to it and play it? Because it was free? No, this was like... I think it was free. It's like... I don't know. It's a Spell of Rama, which is not my favorite. No, that's why I'm surprised it's here on your list. Yeah, it's more like I was... I don't know. It's fun to shoot. It's got reasonably good feeling shots. but I think I don't know it it's a tricky one for me how about you tell me what yours are like I said at the start of this this isn't necessarily that there are favorite tables or anything it's just what we naturally play for myself I'm not good at this table at all I don't know how to start a lot of things it is a spell-o-rama which isn't my favorite thing but that being said i'm just gonna throw it back up here it is very adam's family-esque in its layout and i have a feeling that that is what i liked about it so much um prior to us actually getting adam's family uh it just there's a lot of shots that are very similar to adam's family um you know what that's actually a really good point i think you've just touched on why it's on my list the other thing i really like about this game is the the train mini play field um that's a really cool take on a mini play field uh and i really enjoy that mode a lot in this table yeah um all right so for our next one this one is going to be my pick uh and my next pick for a table that i just always tend to play no matter what, it would be Jurassic Park Again it not a table that I am particularly great at but I am able to advance into it a bit I love the call-outs. I don't think they're directly taken from the movie, but they sound really close to the movie if they aren't. The only thing that's really missing from it is the actual Jurassic Park music, but otherwise the sound design on it is great i think it's a fun shooting table um it's very easy to just walk into and not be like okay what do i gotta remember how to do on this table again so that's why i picked jurassic park so you you're on the money there um i was i'll caveat this because it might seem weird that i didn't pick this one as well i love love this table for the exactly the same reasons that you said there um chris it is it reminds me so much of the original data east one but with actually fun rules that you can play with because of that big long ramp that goes around it has really it has that dna from from from the data east release without all the silliness in it but yeah i i was just just focusing on the zen originals group in um in the thing and i didn't i we we know that we with this particular one in the future um we'll be doing marvel and we're doing all the other license groups yeah we purposely left out star wars and marvel because they each get their own top 10 they're gonna get their own because there's a lot going on in there um but yes if i was looking outside of that zen originals category in pimple effects this this is probably a number two or number one for me this is an amazing recreation or amazing table all right so this next pick is from jared and it's a table that i don't particularly like but jared does and that would be curse of the mummy there is something about this table um that keeps me coming back it's the upper playfields because i love them um I love getting the ball up there. I love bashing around on the big bash toys that are up there. It's like about, I don't know, three bash toys in total, just in the upper play field itself. The modes are Spellorama, but this table is unique in that when you're in multiball, you can also trigger the modes. So if you stack your, like get your multiball ready, you stack your modes, then you just start naturally shooting the ramps. Everything is lit. Everything. and your points just go through the roof it is a really satisfying stack based table to play i will be curious to know if it grows on me more once i start playing it in a cabinet because i have a feeling that that might change my opinion when i see the entire play field the entire time yeah yeah yeah yeah no i understand what you mean yep yeah there are different camera zoom moments in there which do take you out of the moment yeah i 100 agree okay uh my next uh or the next pick is my pick i should say uh and that is butters um i it's definitely the better of the two south park tables so if i'm going to play south park table this is the table that i play um i just love butters as a character in general um the call outs on it make me crack up the modes make me crack up um it's not the greatest shooting pinball that's out there but i'm just i'm drawn to it i always wind up putting a game or two in on it um sometimes i have really extraordinary games i'm like oh that was kind of cool and other times it's three and done it's chopping wood it's chopping wood um you know yeah i i gotta say that yeah if i had to if you put me in front of these two tables in an arcade it would be butters all day um south park can not get any money and not get any of my dollar coins whatsoever if this was sitting in a arcade but as has has the theme really nicely integrated um and it is it's a good example of zen focusing in on just one character yeah on a table and really understanding that character and really understanding that um ecosystem for that particular or the story in that character so that's the reason why it works i think speaking of a table that uh jared would plunk lots and lots of dollary do's into samurai shut up and take my money this thing it is a gorgeous table and i was debating it really is but then i realized i don't play it a whole lot just because of that little mini playfield area that you're constantly in and it just drives me bunkers yeah you yes and with that little it i think right hand side there yeah yeah there lots of mini playfield action here and you that not your bag and we we know this you don playfield games at all It not just that it not my bag It that it is You up there so often and it not a flowy shot You have to get the ball in there and just kind of randomly whack. It just doesn't feel like a dialed-in shot. That's all. I certainly agree with you. Then I would agree. It would be awesome. The thing that makes this table so hard for me is the entry from the sheath up into the mini play field. That, I just cannot make that a consistent shot. I don't know where on the flipper I need to be hitting to get it up into that shot. It feels like I just flail around and flick my way in there, basically. But the thing I like about this, it's like the champion pub of Samurai Tables, right? It looks very much like the champion pub of Samurai Tables and it's it's really hard as well like you i i enjoy this in five minute challenge because i don't drain constantly and lose the ball and in that sort of mode it's really fun i think to do well on the table you really need to learn the bounces and learn how the got out there uh yeah it's uh i was saying yeah you gotta know the bounces and sort of um just basically learn how the the ball travels around the play field okay um yeah um all right uh next one is uh my pick here it is a table that i think is gorgeous in lighting and uh i really have no clue what's going on castle storm i really want to know how to play i'd agree i really want to know how to play this table and i think that's why i constantly try and play it and then i just go i have no clue what's going on i'm i don't know what starts what i don't know what does what i don't there's some weird angles on some shots um but i go back to it over and over again so i don't know you guys tell us is it actually a good table or not it looks pretty there's no doubt about that i don't know it's it's a spell around for sure yeah um and i just i really love the layout of this table it's got fun shots to shoot but it it is i i don't know what's going on either and yes you know i i guess dear audience i hear you going read the rules jared it's like fine but it just it still doesn't help me if you have to read the rules then that doesn't make it a table that you're just always going to go to uh again this is kind of that you got five minutes you want to play some pinball you pop in pinball effects you go to a table you don't want to spend five minutes reading the rules um that's yes i don't know if that makes any sense at all no i think it does all right uh next table is jared's choice this one I don't know I understand where he's coming from let's let him explain it he picked Excalibur Excalibur is one that I didn't play a lot in FX3 but now it's back in Pinball FX and it's had a bit of a lick of paint and that sort of stuff and I've read the rules about it there's a lot going on in this game and it's pretty to look at and the shots are fun and it's there's something about it that makes you want to play it i actually played when i was sort of thinking about this list i went there and i i played it once and i thought i actually want to have another game of that so i played it again like again mini playfield you'll hate it chris i think the mini playfield actually ruins this table oh you think i i don't have a problem with the mini play field on castle storm at all uh this mini play field it's that circular play field where if you don't hit the shot you just wind up sending the ball around and around in circles and hope that you don't drain um i i don't know for me i like everything else about the table except for that mini play field it's very um stern game of thrones dominating um that the sort of upper left of the play field yeah so maybe that's the reason why you're not digging it that much but um the the actual action up there on the mini play field it's quite fun the way they've done it um and it's definitely digital versus real like you know the the knight slams his um um thingo down mace down and you go it's like a jump ramp you know but that's cool you know all right i am uh done with my top five because there was some overlap. Oh, wait, there's more. Wait, there's more. Jared has two more tables that he wants to talk about And his first one is Sorcerer Lair Because I can't count, right? Because you what? I can't count. Because I can't count. And I actually picked seven instead of five because reasons. Now, Sorcerer's Lair, everyone knows it. And it's, you know, the rules are well explained. this the other reason is the rules are well explained in the rule sheet but they're also i feel once you know what you need to shoot the the instructions on the play field during a mode are actually very well done like they they don't use inset lights as such they're very digital um effects like you know floating ghosts or things like that but your ghosts are essentially your insert lights and i think that's a really neat way of representing um shot flow on the table and this is a really flowy table the shots feel nice nailing them it's got a little mini flipper up at the top um a a ramp that lets you you know move around um so there's a lot of good things going on in this table i think and you know that's why it's been around for ages and why they brought it over to pinball effects i think because it's really popular i can honestly say it's a table that i've never been able to get into and i've tried i've read the rules i've given it a go i cannot care about this table i really do think i really do think it's like it's another one that's easy to learn but like really hard to master to get those obsidian and like completing the modes correctly it's not easy i mean i've been so i've been playing this since pinball effects 2 and yeah it's been around it's been around forever and i still i've given it a go every single time i haven't given it a true go in fx pinball effects um to see if any of the new physics make things better for me but anyway last table here uh jared picked this one vernes whatever the rest of the title is vernes blah blah blah blah mysterious island mysterious island that's it you go catch those critters uh so this one i don't i i was debating whether i put this on my list uh because there's it is it's got small little inserts and there's a few sort of rough edges in the game but this game is fun when you play it in five minute challenge mode so when you're just able to shoot around and enjoy this table that's when it actually starts to make sense and you start to learn a bit more about it. And by doing that, I've actually gained a better appreciation for it. It's not a perfect table, but it's a table that I feel like I want to, I actually want to play more and I want to try and understand it because it looks really nice. I agree with that sentiment of wanting to understand it and wanting to play more. I've been there on it myself. I debated putting it on this. I just realized that I don't really come to it naturally. It's more like, okay, let's set aside some time and play on this one. Yeah, it's sort of like you need to have a desire to play it. It's not like something you just fall into. It's like, no, I really need a taste of that. And you want to go there and deliberately seek it out, you know? I will say, and I don't have a screenshot of it to share, so you'll just have to trust me on it. I almost put Godzilla vs. Kong on here just because it's a pretty table. It is. It's of the three, it's the one I prefer the most. And I do find myself just going, well, just have a game on it. And then I have a game on it and I go, I really don't care about this. And then that's the end of that game. So that's why I didn't feature it, but it was close to being on here. So anyway, there you have it, folks. there are our top 10 zen originals that are pretty much our go-tos that we can't help but play a game when we load up pinball effects. Why don't you share in the comments what some of your go-tos are, and pretty soon, I think, Jared, we're going to be also doing some other top 10s, as we mentioned. If you have suggestions that are outside of the box top 10 to think about for us doing this, we want to do not the obvious but kind of the weird so yes you you like these yeah so like go and give us some interesting challenges that we need to that'll help us dive into the game and look at tables differently because i think and also help other people look at the tables differently as well like could it be a games with three flippers challenge right or something weird like that you know yep think about it so there you have it uh but that's all we got for you on this one so until the next time for our top 10 bye-bye bye-bye

_(Acquisition: groq_whisper, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 51cede76-2fb5-4612-ba6a-f627d74f3234*