Choose Pinball Arcade
Choose Pinball Arcade if you want a Free To Play game with Multi-player. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 2,716 Steam reviews back the pick.
Pinball Arcade vs Pro Pinball Ultra
Pinball Arcade and Pro Pinball Ultra both land in Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Simulation games on Steam. Pinball Arcade (2013) is 3 years older than Pro Pinball Ultra (2016). Pro Pinball Ultra scores higher on Steam reviews (79.8% positive) than Pinball Arcade (73.3% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Pro Pinball Ultra
Choose Pro Pinball Ultra if it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 79.8% positive across 168 reviews.
Both Pinball Arcade and Pro Pinball Ultra sit in Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Pinball Arcade |  Pro Pinball Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2013 | 2016 |
| Genres | Simulation, Free To Play | Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Playable |
| Price | Free to play | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 73.3% positive (2,716 reviews) | 79.8% positive (168 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player | Single-player only |
| Developers | FarSight Studios | Barnstorm Games |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- Pinball Arcade (2013) is 3 years older than Pro Pinball Ultra (2016).
- Pro Pinball Ultra scores higher on Steam reviews (79.8% positive) than Pinball Arcade (73.3% positive).
- Pinball Arcade is free; Pro Pinball Ultra is paid (14.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Pinball Arcade is Deck Unsupported, Pro Pinball Ultra is Deck Playable.
Pinball Arcade vs Pro Pinball Ultra — FAQ
- Which is better, Pinball Arcade or Pro Pinball Ultra?
- On Steam reviews Pro Pinball Ultra scores higher (79.8% positive) than Pinball Arcade (73.3% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Pro Pinball Ultra is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Pinball Arcade or Pro Pinball Ultra first?
- If you want chronology, Pinball Arcade (2013) came out before Pro Pinball Ultra (2016). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Pinball Arcade and Pro Pinball Ultra similar?
- They overlap on Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Pro Pinball Ultra have multiplayer like Pinball Arcade?
- No. Pinball Arcade supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player), while Pro Pinball Ultra is listed as single-player only.
- Is Pinball Arcade free?
- Yes — Pinball Arcade is a free-to-play Steam title. Pro Pinball Ultra is paid (14.99 USD).