I played VR Pinball FX on a Oculus Rift and I did not think it was leaps and bounds better than nicely set up video cabinet. I played the same table in the picture. It was cool to look and see things around the cab, in this instance you have fish swimming around you while you play.

One thing that is different about VR pinball, the people around you can see what your seeing on a screen, but because you are immersed in a setting that is a video game, you can only talk to them and not really socialize with them. Kind of like you are online gaming instead of actual interaction with the person next to you.

Instead of being closer to a real pinball experience, I feel it goes the opposite direction and puts it more into the video game experience.

As for the future of pinball- virtual pinball will not replace mechanical pinball. It might replace video pinball, but never the real thing. Just like VR porn might supplant regular porn, but can never compare to real sex.