Pokémon Pinball is a pinball-style video game based on the Pokémon series. It was released in Japan on April 14, 1999, and in North America on June 29, 1999. The game is played on the Game Boy Color. In this game, the pinball ball is shaped like a Poké Ball, and many of the objects on the pinball table are related to Pokémon.

The main goal of the game is to earn points by using different game modes to score more quickly. A secondary goal is to collect all 151 Pokémon to complete your Pokédex. The Pokédex saves progress between games, so players can collect Pokémon over time.

Gameplay

The game includes two tables: Red and Blue. Each table has unique features and gameplay rules.

Each table offers different "locations" where players can catch Pokémon. At the start of the game, some of these locations are shown in a slot-machine style. Pressing the A button selects a starting location and begins the game by launching the first ball. After this, each table has its own way for players to move to other locations, including those not shown at the beginning.

When "Catch Mode" is activated, players have 2 minutes to try to catch a Pokémon. To begin, players must hit the pop bumpers six times. Each hit reveals one-sixth of the image of the Pokémon available for capture. Once the full image is shown, the Pokémon appears on the table. To catch it, players must hit it four times with the ball.

When "Evolution Mode" is activated, players have 2 minutes to choose a captured Pokémon (from the current game only) and attempt to evolve it into another form. This is the only way to add an evolved Pokémon to the player's Pokédex. After selecting a Pokémon, players must hit targets on the playfield. The Red table has up to 7 targets, and the Blue table has 6 targets. Only 3 of these targets contain items needed for evolution, while the others cause delays before players can hit targets again. If a player hits a target with an item, the item appears on the playfield and must be collected with the ball. Once three items are collected, the center hole of the board opens. Sinking the ball into the hole successfully evolves the Pokémon.

Release

The game Pokémon Pinball was announced in the March 1999 issue of The 64Dream. The game was first released in Japan on April 14, 1999.

Reception

Pokémon Pinball received mostly positive reviews, with an average score of 81.73% on GameRankings. GameSpot gave it a score of 8.7, praising the use of the Game Boy Color's display and presentation. However, they also noted that the game lacked other pinball elements and had poor physics. They criticized the built-in rumble feature, calling it "a waste […] of an AAA battery" and a "nice novelty." The San Jose Mercury News praised the rumble feature, saying it "won them over." The Los Angeles Times editor Aaron Curtiss called it a "great game." CNET said it was "more than a shameless cash-in on the Pokémon phenomenon," calling it one of the best pinball games for the Game Boy Color. However, they pointed out that the frequent Pikachu appearances and incorrect physics slightly reduced the pinball experience. The New York Times editor Joe Hutsko called the rumble mechanic innovative, stating it might inspire other developers to use similar features. GamesRadar listed Pokémon Pinball as one of the titles they wanted on the 3DS Virtual Console.

In Japan, Famitsu magazine scored the game 32 out of 40.

Pokémon Pinball sold 262,000 units in its first 20 days, making it the fastest-selling Game Boy title at the time. According to the NPD Group, it was the fourth best-selling video game of 1999 in the United States, behind Pokémon Blue, Red, and Yellow. The game received a "Gold" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom.

Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire is a pinball game based on Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and is the sequel to the original Pokémon Pinball game for the third generation of Pokémon games. It was developed by Jupiter and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance handheld console. It was first announced at E3 in 2003 and released in Japan, North America, and PAL regions on August 1, August 25, and November 14, 2003, respectively. The North American release coincided with the fifth anniversary of the release of Pokémon Red and Blue in that region. The game plays like a traditional pinball game, where players aim to achieve a high score by keeping the ball in motion as long as possible and completing objectives. It includes a Pokémon collection feature, where players must capture Pokémon while playing pinball.