Bumper Bout | PAX Australia 2026 Preview

Bumper Bout is pinball with a twist: it turns into a direct competition, where players try to score points and beat their opponents by dropping the ball between the opposing sides’ flippers. I got the chance to go head-to-head with another person at PAX Aus 2026, and I am ashamed to say that after winning two rounds, I was defeated as they figured out the gameplay fast. It was nevertheless fun, competitive and overall enjoyable.

The controls felt good, tight, and the balls themselves had a solid weight to them. They moved how I expected them to move, like a real-life pinball. Having an opponent gave the pinball setup some additional pressure as we attempted to best each other.

Building up the score also added additional balls to the table, making it that much harder for both of us. The additional balls assisted with building up the score but added the additional risk of losing faster. Keeping track of six balls was much harder than trying to keep track of two.

I tried three stages in the game: a galaxy, a foosball table, and a volcano. Each had a unique factor to them: the volcano shot out rocks that could stop the paddles, space had a gravity that was different to the other stages and the foosball, my favourite, allowed the switching and movement of the players on the field.

The game upon release is set to offer local and online multiplayer, along with a solo arcade and survival modes. My short session with the game gave me a good impression of the competition, with satisfying ball movement and stages, making each of my matches unique.

Bumper Bout is scheduled to release on 29 October 2026 and is available to Wishlist on Steam.

[Explosion Network attended PAX Australia 2026 with a provided Media Pass.]