INKS.+ Apple Arcade - Tip, Walkthrough, Glitch

Dinsun Review

Dinsun here. This isn't pinball in the traditional sense. There are no bumpers, no multi-balls, and no flashing lights. It’s more of a precision puzzle game. I appreciate the minimalism—it’s clean and the way the ink splashes across the white background is genuinely therapeutic to watch.

However, if you're looking for the thrill of the silver ball, you won't find it here. The physics are a bit 'light' and the levels are over very quickly. It’s more of an interactive art piece. I like it for what it is, but it’s a bit too ephemeral for me to give it a higher score. It’s an 78—excellent for a 5-minute break, but not a deep dive.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

Unique and stunning visual concept
Relaxing, zen-like pace
Creative level design

Very short levels
Lacks the depth of real pinball
Limited replay value once art is made

Technical Report

Performance: Perfect performance; art assets are very lightweight.

Accessibility:

Simple two-tap control
High-contrast modes
No time pressure

Audience Fit

Buy if: You enjoy minimalist design and want a relaxing, artistic puzzle game.

Skip if: You want an authentic pinball simulation with complex rules.

Similar Games:

Lumino City
Zen Pinball Party
Prune

Reviewer Context

Reviewer: Dinsun (Art lover, pinball traditionalist)
Hardware: iPhone 15
Playtime: 3 hours
Status: All levels completed

Ratings & Reviews

3.6 out of 5 with 130 Counts

★★★★★

Age Rating 4+

★★★★★ Still fun, but where's the "+"??

Mon Jul 05 2021 DjFizz88

When I saw the there was another Inks game out, I was super excited. I've been waiting for a sequel or at least some new levels for a long time, so when I saw Inks+, I thought we were finally getting a new game with new levels and maybe even some new mechanics. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. I honestly can't figure out why this version is any different than the original. The levels are all exactly the same, in the same order, with the same controls and mechanics. In fact, the only difference I can find is that for some reason the power ups are unlimited use, which means you can basically gold star every single level just by using the aiming assist and maybe the ball saver. I don't get why this was re-released. All that being said, this is still a fun game, and it gave me an excuse to play through it again. If you have Apple Arcade and haven't played it, give it a shot. If you don't, then just go play the original. Either way, it's still a good time.

★★★★★ Great casual game

Mon Jul 05 2021 MirroredMinds

I love the game and the visual effects are beautiful. The puzzler aspects of this pinball are really fun to figure out. Only reason I’m taking away a star is that there seems to be a bug with the right flipper. I consistently have trouble getting the right flipper to work and I’ve checked to make sure that I am touching the screen. Sometimes it doesn’t register when I touch it at all and other times it just lags really bad. The left flipper always works perfectly.

★★★★★ Fun game, controls leave much to be desired

Fri Aug 11 2023 GHWPhoto.com

Ok, I like this game. It has a Zen to it that makes it a nice relaxing game. But then the flipper controls come in. The spots that activate the flippers are too small, so, even if I start right on them, throughout gameplay if my thumbs migrate at all then just when I need to flip to avoid losing the ball I tap the screen and nothing happens because I’m out of the tap area. I have experimented to see where it registers taps, and for the life of me I cannot understand why the are that can register taps doesn’t extend to the bottom of the screen and significantly closer to the middle of the screen. There’s so much screen area that could be used, it’s not doing anything else, I simply don’t understand the choice not to use it. The result is that the game can be immensely frustrating because of the frequency with which tapping slightly out of the sensitive area results in no flipper action when you need it.

★★★★★ Slightly worse?

Fri Jul 02 2021 Deedle Diti

The Apple Arcade version of INKS has slightly worse graphics (lower resolution/lower bit rate/more pixelated) than the version that exists in the App Store already. And the inks bleed slightly over time after they have been hit, I think. I personally don’t care for the ink bleeding. I can otherwise find no difference. It is a wonderful casual game, especially visually, but there have been no new levels or features for years. I had hoped that there would be new features in the Apple Arcade version, but that is not the case. I would especially like to see more creatively inclined or zen-like features. Sometimes, I like to just continuously hit the ball on the title screen, without entering any game levels at all.

★★★★★ pretty game, but big complaint

Sun Nov 26 2023 XxtouhouxX

For some reason, there’s unlimited power ups. Power ups that make it practically impossible to lose. You can use these at any point with no apparent expense to you. If you’re gonna go this way, you need to reward players who play without using power ups. Also, the peecise aiming power up goes at a snail’s pace. This makes it so that your best choice of play is to play with the power up that closes up the middle so that you just never lose a ball. It feels like the developer just wanted to make something pretty, over making an actual gameplay experience.

★★★★★ Nice idea, dev needs work

Mon Jun 28 2021 NeroXOTWOD

The concept is nifty, def enjoyed myself while playing. However, after a few minutes I shut down the app because the paddles are not responsive. I am running on an iPhone XS Max, latest OS. I tend to jump on again, then the paddles have the same issue and I remember why I stopped playing. Hope the issue is resolved quickly. With so many games in arcade, if this one does hit the mark ppl will just move on and forget the app is even there.

★★★★★ It’s good.

Thu Jul 21 2022 Aphrodite,

I don’t get how some people get frustrated or don’t understand all the small details. It is a really fun game, all sorts of amazing colors to hit with the pin ball. I don’t come to this game very often but it is great to play if your bored. I know it can get frustrating, but you have to still try. And the game set up is pretty awesome as well. Although I don’t know the old version, this one is detailed very well too.

★★★★★ Casual is okay, star levels get ridiculously impossible.

Mon Aug 18 2025 WannabeRamone

I find it unnervingly frustrating to try and complete the level for a “star”. The reality is there comes a point where there’s far more luck involved than skill to do this, which just basically makes you a hyper-focused slave to the game if you plan on beating it…score another one for addictive brain rot!! (High five, anyone?) Controls feel clunky, as well. I also find it odd that there’s nowhere to reference what things are if you missed something in the tutorial. The overall visual aesthetics are top notch, but there’s more to a game than being pretty. Great for casual play, but probably not even that because the draw to beat the levels is more enticing, which only plays upon the frustration of bad game play. If impossible frustration is your thing, though, (and I know for some it is…) you’ll enjoy it. Not for me…

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