Games / Play Pinball Online
Play pinball online
Real flippers you can trap the ball with, ramps, locks, multiball and a wizard mode at the top of every table. Our pinball has six machines that fit on a phone and play just as well with a keyboard.
Our pinball game
Six tables, each with its own rules · 1 game
More quick arcade games
Short runs and big scores · 4 games
How pinball works
A pinball table is a slope with a steel ball, two flippers at the bottom and a lot of things to hit. You launch the ball with the plunger, keep it in play with the flippers, and score by hitting bumpers, targets, ramps and orbits. When the ball rolls past your flippers it drains, and that ball is over. A game is three balls.
The part people miss is that every table has rules. Hitting things at random scores a little. Hitting the right shots in the right order starts modes, locks balls for multiball and lights jackpots, and that's where the big numbers come from. Real pinball players spend most of their time aiming, not flailing.
Controls on phone and computer
| Action | Phone or tablet | Computer |
|---|---|---|
| Launch the ball | Pull down, then let go | Hold Space, then release |
| Left flipper | Tap the left half of the screen | Left or Z |
| Right flipper | Tap the right half of the screen | Right or M |
| Nudge the table | Flick a finger up the middle | Up, or X and . for a sideways bump |
In Pocket Pinball taps low on the screen, where your thumbs rest, always flip straight away and never nudge. Turn a phone on its side and the table zooms in and follows the ball. There are three ball speeds: Relaxed is the default and easy to follow on a small screen, Classic is close to a real table and Fast is for quick hands. Every speed plays the same shots.
Pinball tips that stop drains
Catch the ball first
Hold a flipper up and a ball rolling onto it stops in the crook of the flipper. That's a cradle, and it's the most useful skill in pinball. Once the ball is still, drop the flipper, let it roll, and flip when it reaches the spot you want. Flip early and the shot goes up the same side. Flip late and it crosses the table.
Learn two shots per table
Find one ramp or orbit you can hit from the left flipper and one from the right, both from a cradle. With those two shots you can start most modes on purpose instead of hoping.
Don't flip at everything
Most drains come from flipping at a fast ball. If the ball is heading straight down the middle, a flip often sends it there faster. Sometimes the best move is to hold both flippers up and let it bounce.
Nudge gently
A small nudge can save a ball heading for an outlane. In our game three quick nudges are fine, then the table warns you twice and tilts. Thirty calm seconds take a warning away.
For a step by step practice plan, read our pinball tips for beginners.
The six tables in Pocket Pinball
Three tables are open from the start: Lantern Night, a festival table with eight missions in a random order each game, Star Port, where you spell STAR to light the rocket lock, and Coral Deep, with a sea turtle that swims across the middle of the table. The other three open as you improve, either by scoring big in one game or by building career points over many games. Dino Dig adds an upper flipper and bone targets you dig through, Neon Diner runs on food orders and a jukebox magnet, and Dragon Keep has a flying dragon and a castle gate.
Every table has a skill shot, an extra ball to light, multiball with jackpots and a super jackpot, combos for two different shots within 4 seconds, and a wizard mode for finishing the whole ladder. The Daily Table is the same machine and house rule for everyone that day, with its own leaderboard.
Questions
Can I play pinball online on my phone?
Yes. Pocket Pinball is built for phones first: tap the left or right half of the screen to flip and pull down to launch. It also plays with a keyboard on a computer.
How do you keep the ball from draining in pinball?
Catch it. Hold a flipper up so the ball stops in a cradle, then aim your shot. Most drains come from flipping at a fast ball, and a lot of the rest from outlanes, where a gentle nudge helps.
What is multiball?
Multiball puts two or more balls on the table at once, usually after you lock balls in a hole or ramp. Ramps and orbits become jackpots while it lasts.
Is the ball too fast on a small screen?
Not on Relaxed, our default speed, which keeps the ball easy to follow on a phone. Classic is close to a real table and Fast is quicker still. You can switch from the pause menu mid game.
How do I unlock more tables?
Dino Dig, Neon Diner and Dragon Keep open when you hit a target score in one game on any table, or once your career points from all your games add up.