FlippUp

Very cool Idea, not well executed. My thoughts on the matter are that this is not a pinball game, it just so happens to look like one. Two main issues for me; the ball's gravity is too much, and the flippers dont have a lock preventing it from going backwards. My best guess as to the first issue is that the dev made the pinball machine vertical, which means gravity's full force is being applied downwards (relative to the screen) at all times. Pinball machines aren't vertical, you could say they are closer to being horizontal than vertical. This leads into the second issue where the ball seems to negate a lot of the force that should be applied by the flipper. Most of the time the flipper should be able to effortlessly push the ball. Both of these issues apply to every single action in the game, making this a grueling experience. I cant recommend this to anyone who has experience on real pinball machines. I love the pro tips "take your time", "be patient". Yes, pinball is well known to be a slow paced game. Haha.

FlippUp transforms the basic language of pinball into a demanding precision-platforming adventure where climbing matters more than accumulating points. Developed and published by Try Again Entertainment, it takes a familiar arcade concept and gives it an unusual objective: guide a ball all the way to the top of an enormous, aging pinball machine. The idea is immediately understandable, but the journey is designed around repeated attempts, careful timing, physics, and the gradual mastery of momentum. Rather than complicating things with numerous commands, the game relies on a tiny control set and asks the player to become exceptionally good at using it. Controlling the ball primarily comes down to operating the left and right flippers and using the plunger to begin a run. That simplicity makes the opening minutes accessible, but it does not translate into an easy experience. Properly judging when to strike the ball, where it will rebound, and how much momentum it needs becomes increasingly important as the climb continues. A successful hit can propel the ball toward the next major obstacle, while an awkward angle can destroy the rhythm of a promising attempt. The resulting gameplay has the immediacy of an arcade title while demanding the patience normally associated with difficult precision platformers. The threat of losing progress is central to the tension. Falling is not merely a brief inconvenience because a mistake can send the ball back through areas that have already been conquered. This makes every risky shot meaningful. The game encourages players to use the environment creatively and discover shortcuts, yet attempting an unconventional route can just as easily produce disaster. It creates a satisfying relationship between experimentation and caution. Safe techniques can produce consistent progress, while players willing to gamble on unusual rebounds may find dramatically faster ways through particular sections. Variety prevents the upward journey from feeling like one endlessly repeated pinball table. Different stages introduce their own environmental gimmicks and obstacles. Wind can influence movement, buttons need to be activated, gravity tunnels alter expectations about the ball's trajectory, meteors can be smashed, and arena sequences create more concentrated challenges. These mechanics continually force players to reconsider techniques that worked earlier. The ball and flippers remain fundamentally familiar, but the environment changes the circumstances surrounding them, giving each portion of the machine a recognizable personality. This structure makes the experience particularly appealing for speedrunning. Simply reaching the top can be a substantial accomplishment, but mastering the route introduces another layer of challenge. Players can study rebounds, refine launch angles, identify shortcuts, and reduce unnecessary movement. Because physics plays such an important role, a fast run requires both mechanical consistency and the ability to react when the ball behaves slightly differently than expected. Steam leaderboards and statistics fit naturally with this focus, while achievements provide additional objectives for players interested in exploring the game beyond basic completion. The visual direction reinforces the strange charm of the premise. The machine is presented as an old piece of equipment rather than a spotless digital playground. Chipped surfaces, visible screws, and loose wiring suggest years of wear, giving the setting a physical quality that complements the physics-driven gameplay. Pixel graphics and retro science-fiction imagery add character without distracting from the movement of the ball. There is also a playful fictional history surrounding the machine and its manufacturer, helping an otherwise straightforward mechanical challenge develop a quirky personality. The biggest obstacle for some players will inevitably be frustration. Progress depends heavily on execution, and knowing what needs to be done does not guarantee that the ball will cooperate with an imperfect strike. Repeating familiar sections after a major fall can become exhausting, especially for anyone who expects frequent checkpoints or forgiving recovery mechanics. At the same time, this punishment gives successful climbs much of their satisfaction. Difficult sections gradually stop feeling impossible as timing improves, and eventually performing a sequence consistently becomes evidence that the player has genuinely learned the mechanics. Its limited controls also prevent failure from feeling unnecessarily complicated. There are few commands to blame or memorize. Most improvement comes from understanding timing, angles, momentum, environmental interactions, and recovery. This creates a strong skill ceiling without requiring an elaborate mechanical tutorial. The design works best when approached as a game of practice rather than one of constant rewards. Players who enjoy repeating a difficult challenge until their movements become instinctive are likely to appreciate the philosophy far more than those who dislike retracing lost progress. Steam Deck compatibility is particularly strong. The game is Steam Deck Verified, with its functionality accessible through the default controller configuration. Controller icons are properly displayed, interface text is considered legible on the handheld screen, and the default graphics configuration performs appropriately on the device. It also runs successfully on SteamOS. The simple flipper-based controls are naturally well suited to handheld play, making Steam Deck a comfortable way to tackle short practice sessions or longer attempts at reaching the top. Overall, FlippUp is an inventive fusion of pinball physics, arcade design, and precision platforming that extracts surprising depth from an extremely simple control scheme. Its changing environmental mechanics, opportunities for shortcuts, speedrunning potential, distinctive presentation, and demanding progression prevent the central concept from becoming a mere novelty. The harsh consequences of mistakes will limit its appeal for players seeking something relaxing, but that difficulty is fundamental to what makes each successful climb rewarding. For anyone attracted to physics-based challenges where genuine mechanical improvement is the primary form of progression, this is a creative and memorable interpretation of pinball. Rating: 7/10