A tidy physics pinball table with a pair of flippers, a bumper triangle and three balls to chase a high score.
Pinball puts a compact table on your screen and lets a physics engine handle every roll and rebound. You launch the ball, flip it back up when it falls, and try to keep it bouncing among the bumpers for as long as you can. Because the ball moves the way a real one would, a clean flip goes roughly where you meant it to.
The layout is deliberately simple. There is a curved dome at the top, a triangle of pop bumpers under it, two slingshots sitting just over the flippers, and a lane on the right for launching.
Getting started
Your first ball sits in the right-hand lane, which lights up along with a power gauge. Hold the launch control and the gauge climbs from green toward red. Let go, and the ball races up the lane, curls over the dome and drops into play.
Sometimes a weak launch lets the ball slide back down and settle in the lane. Nothing is lost. The gauge returns and you can fire it again.
What scores points
Only two parts of the table pay out. The three yellow bumpers pay 100 points per touch, and they kick the ball away with force, so it often rattles between them for a quick run of hits. Each angled slingshot just above the flippers adds 25 points and pushes the ball toward the center.
The dome and the wedges along the walls change the ball’s direction but give no points. You get three balls per game. When one falls down the drain, a fresh ball waits in the lane, and losing the third ends the game.
Flipper technique
Use just the flipper on the side where the ball is coming down. Keeping the other flipper down covers the gap between them, while flapping both at once leaves a hole in the middle.
When you can, catch the ball. Raise a flipper and keep it up while the ball rolls down onto it. Once it comes to rest, you can take an aimed shot instead of a panicked one. Shots that reach the bumper triangle under the dome tend to bounce around for several hits in a row.
A full charge on the plunger is fine, but a slightly softer launch can bring the ball into play more gently. Also stay ready for the side wedges, which shove balls running down the walls back toward the middle.
Good to know
Press Esc to pause. After the last ball drains, Space or Enter starts a fresh game. The flippers also respond to the Z and slash keys, which some players find more comfortable than the arrows.
Controls
| Action | Keyboard | Mouse | Touch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left flipper | Left arrow, A or Z | Left button | Left on-screen button |
| Right flipper | Right arrow, D or / | Right button | Right on-screen button |
| Charge and launch the ball | Hold Space, then release | Hold either button, then release | Hold either button, then release |
| New game after the last ball | Space or Enter | — | — |
| Pause | Esc | — | — |
Pinball FAQ
Can I play Pinball on a Chromebook or phone?
Yes. On a keyboard, the Left and Right arrows (or A and D) work the flippers and Space charges the launch. On phones and tablets, two buttons show up in the bottom corners. A mouse and a gamepad are supported too.
How long does a game last?
Each game gives you three balls, and it ends when the third one drains. How long that takes depends on how well you keep the ball in play. A good run can go on for several minutes, while a few unlucky bounces can end it fast.
Is my high score saved?
Yes. Your best score is stored in your browser and shown as HI in the top right corner. Beat it and the new number replaces the old one at the end of the game.
Is this a one-player game?
Yes. It is a single-player table with no turns or second player. You play all three balls yourself and try to set a new personal best.
