Pocket Pinball

Pocket Pinball is a mobile application that allows users to play virtual pinball games on their Android devices. It uses the same engine as the popular desktop game Visual Pinball, providing an authentic pinball experience with realistic physics and graphics. Users can easily add their own tables to the app by pointing it to a folder on their device or SD card, without the need for complicated imports or file copying.

The app features a beautiful table browser with cover art, metadata, and search options, making it easy for users to browse and select their desired game. New tables are automatically scanned and matched with an online database for accurate metadata and artwork. The app also tracks high scores directly from NVRAM files, displaying them in the library for easy access.

Designed specifically for phone play, Pocket Pinball offers responsive on-screen controls for flippers, plunger, nudge, and menu options. It also supports gamepad controllers for a more traditional pinball experience, with customizable button mappings. The app also features real-time rendering of dot matrix displays for tables that use them.

One of the key features of Pocket Pinball is its crash-safe architecture, with the pinball engine running in an isolated process. This ensures that even if a table malfunctions, the app itself remains responsive. The app is also designed for portrait orientation, making it more comfortable and natural to hold and play on a phone.

In order to use Pocket Pinball, users must have an Android device with Android 13 (API 33) or higher, and legally obtained VPX table files and any required ROM files. The app is compatible with most modern phones that can run the Visual Pinball X engine. It is important to note that Pocket Pinball does not include any tables or ROMs, as these must be obtained legally by the user.

The app also collects anonymous crash diagnostics via Firebase Crashlytics to ensure stability, but no personal data or table content is uploaded. As an actively developed app, the creators of Pocket Pinball welcome feedback and support from users. They encourage users to report any issues or suggestions for improvement, as they strive to provide the best virtual pinball experience on mobile devices.