I couldn't find easy to follow instructions for setting up Visual Pinball X with VPinMAME, so I created one. I've tested these instructions using Windows 11. With these settings, I can run any VPX game at full speed at 2560x1440 resolution on my i9-9900K CPU with a GTX1050Ti video card.
Note that these instructions are for Windows.
Follow these steps in order.
Download and run the main installer "Main.Download.Installer.-.VPX8setup.exe", choosing a target folder of C:\Visual Pinball, or whatever you prefer, just use this folder name in later instructions as the base install folder. This is required as it installs fonts, creates folders, etc.
(Currently no updates available for VPX8)
(VPX8 includes latest VPinMAME)
Install both of these, if they aren't already installed. This is so that the correct 64-bit versions of the DLL are on the system. Otherwise it tries to load the 32-bit versions of xinput1_3.dll and d3dx9_43.dll that's in the Visual Pinball directory placed by the VPX 10.7.2 installer and then just crash.
Visual Studio 2015-20122 Redistributable (x64)
- Choose "X64", download link
- Run the installer, extracting files to C:\TEMP, then open C:\TEMP and run "DXSETUP.exe" to install.
See VPX Launcher instructions for installation and use.
- Download command:
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/milnak/vpx_launcher/refs/heads/main/vpx_launcher.ps1' -OutFile 'C:\Visual Pinball\vpx_launcher.ps1'
Run VPinballX64.exe (in C:\Visual Pinball folder).
Press "Cancel" on the "Select a Table" dialog that shows.
Click OK
Choose Preferences > Video/Graphics Options...
Click "Reset to Defaults", then "Set for High End PC".
- Choose monitor native resolution, color depth AND refresh rate, e.g. "2560 x 1440 (59Hz 16:9)"
- Exclusive full screen
- (If you have a slower video card) Under Anti-Aliasing, set "Post-Processed AA" and "Sharpen" to Disabled.
Click "Save Changes" then "Close".
Preferences > Scripting Security Options...
- Always create controls
Click "OK"
Close Visual Pinball.
Note: Settings are stored in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Freeware\Visual PinMame. Defaults are under the "default" key.
Run setup64.exe (in C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME folder).
Click "Install". Click "OK" on all dialogs.
Click "Setup Paths..."
Click "Reset"
Click "OK"
Click "Setup Defaults..."
- Cabinet Mode
- Show DMD/Display window
Click "OK"
Click "Quit"
Important: Text should now read "* Visual PinMAME Version ... is currently installed on your computer."
Download Champion Pub (Williams 1998) and copy "Champion Pub (Williams 1998) v1.43.vpx" to C:\Visual Pinball\Tables.
Run VPinballX64.exe and open "Champion Pub (Williams 1998) v1.43.vpx".
This should fail indicating "Champion Pub, the (1.6)" (cp_16) ROMs are missing.
To fix, download Champion Pub (1.6) - ROM - cp_16.zip and copy (not extract) the ZIP file to C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\roms - create this folder if it doesn't exist.
The next time you start the table, it should work fine.
| Button | Key |
|---|---|
| Insert Coin | 5 |
| Start Button | 1 |
| Left Flipper | L Shift |
| Right Flipper | R Shift |
| Plunger | Enter |
| Left Nudge | Z |
| Fwd Nudge | Space |
| Right Nudge | / |
| Left Magna Save | L Ctrl |
| Right Magna Save | R Ctrl |
| Lock bar Fire | Menu |
| Custom 1 | Up |
| Custom 2 (e.g. Plunger Strength) | Down |
| Custom 3 | Left |
| Custom 4 | Right |
| Mech Tilt | T |
| Exit Game | Q (twice) |
| Pause | P (or ESC) |
| Volume - | - |
| Volume + | = |
| Button | Key |
|---|---|
| VPinMAME Settings | F1 |
| Key Assignment List | F2 |
| VPM Restart | F3 |
| Table Options | F6 |
| Debug/Perf Info | F11 |
| Tweak | F12 |
VPM Restart: If you see "Factory settings restored - bookkeeping totals cleared" message on a machine, press the "VPM Restart" (F3) key to get the machine ready to accept coins.
Links to some high quality verified tables. Extract/Copy all VPX files to C:\Visual Pinball\Tables.
ROM set (if needed) is also named. Copy (not extract) the ROM ZIP file to C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME\roms.
| Table | Manufacturer | Year | ROM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Ball | Williams | 1966 | |
| AC/DC | Stern | 2013 | acd_170h |
| Addams Family | Bally | 1992 | taf_l7 |
| Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends | Data East | 1993 | rab_320 |
| Ali | Stern | 1980 | ali |
| Amazing Spider-Man Classic Edition | Stern | 2016 | smanve_101 |
| Apollo 13 | Sega | 1995 | apollo13 |
| Atlantis | Bally | 1989 | atlantis |
| Attack from Mars | Bally | 1995 | afm_113b |
| Austin Powers | Stern | 2001 | austin |
| Bad Cats | Williams | 1989 | bcats_l5 |
| Bally Game Show | Bally | 1990 | gs_la3 |
| Banzai Run | Williams | 1988 | bnzai_l3 |
| Barracora | Williams | 1981 | barra_l1 |
| Batman | Data East | 1991 | btmn_106 |
| Big Bang Bar | Capcom | 1996 | bbb109 |
| Big Brave | Gottlieb" | 1974 | |
| Big Buck Hunter Pro | Stern | 2010 | bbh_170 |
| Black Knight | Williams | 1980 | bk_l4 |
| Black Rose | Bally | 1992 | br_l4 |
| Bobby Orr Power Play Hockey | Bally | 1977 | pwerplay |
| Bone Busters Inc. | Gottlieb | 1989 | bonebstr |
| Bram Stoker's Dracula | Williams | 1993 | drac_l1 |
| Breakshot | Capcom | 1996 | bsv103 |
| Bugs Bunny's Birthday Ball | Bally | 1991 | bbnny_l2 |
| Cactus Canyon | Bally | 1998 | cc_13 |
| Cactus Jacks | Gottlieb | 1991 | cactjack |
| Capersville | Bally | 1966 | |
| Capt. Fantastic and The Brown Dirt Cowboy | Bally | 1976 | |
| Card Whiz aka Royal Flush | Gottlieb | 1976 | |
| Centigrade 37 | Gottlieb | 1977 | |
| Champion Pub | Williams | 1998 | cp_16 |
| Checkpoint | Data East | 1991 | ckpt_a17 |
| Cheetah | Stern | 1980 | cheetah2 |
| Circus | Gottlieb | 1980 | circus7 |
| Cirqus Voltaire | Bally | 1997 | cv_20h |
| Class of 1812 | Gottlieb | 1991 | clas1812 |
| Congo | Williams | 1995 | congo_21 |
| Creature from the Black Lagoon | Bally | 1992 | cftbl_l4 |
| Deadly Weapon | Gottlieb | 1990 | deadweap |
| Diner | Williams | 1990 | diner_l4 |
| Dr. Dude & His Excellent Ray | Bally | 1990 | dd_l2 |
| Earthshaker | Williams | 1989 | esha_la3 |
| Eight Ball Deluxe | Bally | 1981 | eballdlx |
| El Dorado | Gottlieb | 1975 | |
| Elektra | Bally | 1981 | elektra |
| Elvira and the Party Monsters | Bally | 1989 | eatpm_l4 |
| Elvis | Stern | 2004 | elvis |
| Embryon | Bally | 1981 | embryond |
| Evel Knievel | Bally | 1977 | evelknie |
| Fathom | Bally | 1981 | fathom |
| Fireball | Bally | 1972 | |
| Fish Tales | Williams | 1992 | ft_l5 |
| Flash Gordon | Bally | 1981 | flashgdn |
| Flash | Williams | 1979 | flash_l1 |
| Flintstones | Williams | 1994 | fs_lx5 |
| Four Million B.C. | Bally | 1971 | |
| Freddy a Nightmare on Elm Street | Gottlieb | 1994 | freddy |
| Genesis | Gottlieb | 1986 | genesis |
| Genie | Gottlieb | 1979 | genie |
| Gigi | Gottlieb | 1963 | |
| Gilligan's Island | Bally | 1991 | gi_l9 |
| Godzilla | Sega | 1998 | godzilla |
| Goldeneye | Sega | 1996 | gldneye |
| Gorgar | Williams | 1979 | grgar_l1 |
| Guns N' Roses | Data East | 1994 | gnr_300 |
| Harlem Globetrotters On Tour | Bally | 1979 | hglbtrtb |
| Haunted House | Gottlieb | 1982 | hh |
| Heat Wave | Williams | 1964 | |
| High Speed | Williams | 1986 | hs_l4 |
| Indiana Jones: The Pinball Adventure | Williams | 1993 | ij_l7 |
| Indianapolis 500 | Bally | 1995 | i500_11r |
| Iron Man Vault Edition | Stern | 2014 | im_185ve |
| Jet Spin | Gottlieb | 1977 | |
| Johnny Mnemonic | Williams | 1995 | jm_12r |
| Jokerz! | Williams | 1988 | jokrz_l6 |
| Judge Dredd | Bally | 1993 | jd_l1 |
| Jungle Lord | Williams | 1981 | jngld_l2 |
| Jurassic Park | Data East | 1993 | jupk_600 |
| King of Diamonds | Gottlieb | 1967 | |
| KISS | Bally | 1979 | kissc |
| Lady Luck | Bally | 1986 | ladyluck |
| Laser War | Data East | 1987 | lwar_a83 |
| Last Action Hero | Data East | 1993 | lah_113 |
| Lawman | Gottlieb | 1971 | |
| Lethal Weapon 3 | Data East | 1992 | lw3_208 |
| Lord of the Rings | Stern | 2003 | lotr |
| Machine: Bride of Pin·bot | Williams | 1991 | bop_l7 |
| Magic City | Williams | 1967 | |
| Maverick | Data East | 1994 | mav_402 |
| Medieval Madness | Williams | 1997 | mm_109c |
| Metallica | Stern | 2013 | mtl_180h |
| Monster Bash | Williams | 1998 | mb_106b |
| Mustang | Stern | 2014 | mt_145h |
| NASCAR | Stern | 2005 | nascar |
| NBA Fastbreak | Bally | 1997 | nbaf_31 |
| No Fear: Dangerous Sports | Williams | 1995 | nf_23x |
| Operation Thunder | Gottlieb | 1992 | opthund |
| Outer Space | Gottlieb | 1972 | |
| OXO | Williams | 1973 | |
| Party Zone | Bally | 1991 | pz_f4 |
| Pat Hand | Williams | 1975 | |
| Phantom of the Opera | Data East | 1990 | poto_a32 |
| Police Force | Williams | 1989 | polic_l4 |
| Popeye Saves the Earth | Bally | 1994 | pop_lx5 |
| Quicksilver | Stern | 1980 | quicksil |
| Radical | Bally | 1990 | radcl_l1 |
| Red & Ted's Road Show | Williams | 1994 | rs_l6 |
| Rescue 911 | Gottleb | 1994 | rescu911 |
| Ripley's Believe it or Not | Stern | 2004 | ripleys |
| Road Race | Gottlieb | 1969 | |
| Robocop | Data East | 1989 | robo_a34 |
| Robot | Zaccaria | 1985 | robot |
| RollerCoaster Tycoon | Stern | 2002 | rctycn |
| Royal Flush | Gottlieb | 1976 | |
| Safe Cracker | Bally | 1996 | sc_18n11 |
| Simpsons Pinball Party | Stern | 2003 | simpprty |
| Sing Along | Gottlieb | 1967 | |
| Slick Chick | Gottlieb | 1963 | |
| Sopranos | Stern | 2005 | sopranos |
| Sorcerer | Williams | 1985 | sorcr_l2 |
| Space Mission | Williams | 1976 | |
| Star Trek: The Next Generation | Williams | 1993 | sttng_l7 |
| Star Wars | Data East | 1992 | stwr_107 |
| Stargod | Zaccaria | 1980 | stargoda |
| Starship Troopers | Sega | 1997 | startrp2 |
| Stellar Wars | Williams | 1979 | stlwr_l2 |
| Stingray | Stern | 1977 | stingray |
| Surfer | Gottlieb | 1976 | |
| Tales from the Crypt | Data East | 1993 | tftc_400 |
| Tales of the Arabian Nights | Williams | 1996 | totan_14 |
| Tee'd Off | Gottlieb | 1993 | teedoff3 |
| Terminator 2: Judgment Day | Williams | 1991 | t2_l8 |
| Theater of Magic | Bally | 1995 | tom_14hb |
| Transformers | Stern | 2011 | tf_180 |
| Tron Legacy | Stern | 2011 | |
| Twilight Zone | Bally | 1993 | tz_94h |
| Twister | Sega | 1996 | twst_405 |
| Victory | Gottlieb | 1987 | victory |
| Walking Dead | Stern | 2014 | twd_160h |
| Wheel of Fortune | Stern | 2007 | wof_500 |
| White Water | Williams | 1993 | ww_lh6 |
| Who Dunnit | Bally | 1995 | wd_12 |
| Who's Tommy Pinball Wizard | Data East | 1994 | tomy_500 |
| Whoa Nellie! | Stern | 2015 | |
| World Cup Soccer | Bally | 1994 | wcs_l2 |
| X-Men | Stern | 2012 | xmn_151h |
This will allow you to double click a ".VPX" file to start a machine. Run the following commands elevated.
New-PSDrive -Name HKCR -PSProvider Registry -Root HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCR:.VPX' -Name '(Default)' -Value 'vpx_file'
New-Item -Path 'HKCR:vpx_file'
New-Item -Path 'HKCR:vpx_file\shell'
New-Item -Path 'HKCR:vpx_file\shell\open'
New-Item -Path 'HKCR:vpx_file\shell\open\command'
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCR:vpx_file\shell\open\command' -Name '(Default)' -Value '"C:\Visual Pinball\VPinballX64.exe" -ExtMinimized -Play "%1"'DirectB2S files are "Background to 2nd Screen" files, which allow for animated back glass to be sent to a second screen. This is useful for dedicated machines, or perhaps if you want an animated back glass on a second monitor.
I don't recommend using B2S on a single monitor setup.
See the B2S Wiki for more details.
To install, download B2S Server and extract to C:\Visual Pinball\B2S server.
Example:
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri 'https://github.com/vpinball/b2s-backglass/releases/download/v2.1.2/B2SServer-2.1.2-win.zip' -OutFile 'B2SServer-2.1.2-win.zip'
Expand-Archive -Path 'B2SServer-2.1.2-win.zip' -DestinationPath 'C:\Visual Pinball\B2S server' -ForceRun "./B2SBackglassServerRegisterApp.exe". It will elevate. If it asks you to re-register, choose "Yes".
If it asks you to register the context menu, choose "No".
Run "B2S_ScreenResIdentifier.exe" in Tables folder.
Example:
cd 'C:\Visual Pinball\Tables`
& 'C:\Visual Pinball\B2s server\B2S_ScreenResIdentifier.exe'Set up configuration for your display configuration.
Ensure "generate comments" and "Enhanced res file" are checked, and press "Save settings".
You will now have a "ScreenRes.txt" file in your Tables folder, which B2S uses to determine where to place the background window.
If you decide you don't want B2S Server functionality, there's no built-in uninstall, but you can do the following in an elevated PowerShell to remove it.
reg.exe DELETE 'HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{09E233A3-CC79-457A-B49E-F637588891E5}' /F
reg.exe DELETE 'HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\B2S.Server' /FIn the Visual Pinball folder, there are other files. They're for playing older tables incompatible with the latest VPX. Here's what they are:
- VPinball8.exe - version 0.8.9506
- VPinball921.exe - version 9.2.1
- VPinball99_PhysMod5_Updated.exe - version 9.9.0 (Physmod5 AccelMod PlungerMod SurroundMod)
- VPinball995.exe - version 9.9.5
- VPinballX.exe - version 10.7.2 Final (Revision 366, f94da1e, 32bit)
- VPinballX64.exe - latest version
If everything is working for you with VPinballX64 (as it should), ignore all of those other versions.
Use: VPinballX64.exe -ExtractVBS [VPX_filename]. A VBS file will be created in the current directory.
A set of pages I've found useful.
- Visual Pinball X releases
- PinMAME Releases
- VPX Pinball Tables (VPUniverse)
- PinMAME ROMs
- VPX Tables by VPinWorkshop
- VPX Tables by EMUnderdogs
- Alphabetical Listing of VPM tables w/Links to Tutorials
- IPDB Top 300 Rated Pinball Machines
- Virtual Pinball Spreadsheet - choose [X] Features: VPX on left-hand side.