I didn't have System Shock Pinball on my 2024 list but I'll take it

Zen Studios will not be a familiar name unless you're a fan of videogame pinball, but if you are then you know that this lot are the best. The studio specialises in pinball games and has made countless digital tables over the years, and I simply could not tell you how much hard-earned money I've spent on their themed tables in Zen Pinball and its sequel: worth it every time.

The trailer does nothing to dispel that either, and shows Zen's attention to detail: Shodan's taunts overlay the whole thing, the board recreates various iconic parts of the Citadel, and the Many activate as your little hero ball starts making stuff happen. You're destroying security cameras, playing with 'eyeballs' to unlock the retinal scanner, and collecting the reactor's self-destruct codes, before ultimately facing off against Shodan.

As with all of Zen's themed tables, the System Shock table is available on the games Pinball M and Pinball FX. The difference? Curiously enough the Pinball M version of the table is "M-rated" while the Pinball FX one is age-appropriate. Maybe Shodan just says mean things about hoping you fall over? Either way, you get both versions for one purchase, should you wish to introduce your children to the joys of the Citadel

PRODUCTS

Rich is a games journalist with 15 years' experience, beginning his career on Edge magazine before working for a wide range of outlets, including Ars Technica, Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, Gamespot, the Guardian, IGN, the New Statesman, Polygon, and Vice. He was the editor of Kotaku UK, the UK arm of Kotaku, for three years before joining PC Gamer. He is the author of a Brief History of Video Games, a full history of the medium, which the Midwest Book Review described as "[a] must-read for serious minded game historians and curious video game connoisseurs alike."