Instead of a real sequel, there is now a… spin-off? Portal returns as a pinball machine, and it comes at a hefty price.
We’ve been waiting a long time for a third part of Portal While eager fans continue to cobble together new games with a bunch of Aperture Science test chambers, an official sequel is still missing.
But if you’ve already played all the community games and still haven’t had your fill of GLaDOS and friends, you can now become the happy owner of a very special pinball machine for a hefty sum.
Portal becomes a pinball machine
Multimorphic has released a Valve-licensed Portal pinball machinewith some interesting gimmicks. In a Youtube video, GLaDOS herself (voiced by Ellen McLain) presents the machine and all its features:
The machine is equipped with an FHD video display and can be modified with modules to create new “levels”. Some of the features are based on the iconic mechanics from the games, for example the legendary portals through which the pinball can travel. The companion cubes and turrets are also included.
There’s even a bit of a story in the pinball machine. In the so-called “hub,” you’ll meet Reggie (voiced by Marc Silk), a personality core for team building that will accompany you through the test chambers. At the end of the journey, you’ll face GLaDOS again in a boss fight, which was also voiced by the original actress here.
If you’ve pricked up your ears now, you should probably think twice about buying it, because the machine costs a decent $12,500 for the full version. If you want to save a bit, you can do without the modules mentioned above and pay “only” 11,620 US dollars for the standard version. No, pinball machines are not exactly cheap. Even used machines from the 80s and 90s still cost up to 5,000 euros today. So it’s no wonder that an officially licensed version will cost you even more.
If you’d rather not get involved, you’re better off with the original and its numerous mods.
