Decidi "aposentar" depois de até esquecer que tinha começado. É um jogo que não me vejo zerando ou mesmo tentando zerar (dizem que é possível... não sei se acredito), mas é simplesmente muito gostoso de pegar para jogar por uns 20 minutos – e isso ainda vou fazer algumas vezes, com certeza, então quem sabe algum dia? No mais, fiquei bastante impressionado com a forma como adaptaram o universo Pokémon para o pinball! Não fazia ideia do que esperar (não tive um GBC), mas é tudo muito bacana mesmo.

Got a physical cart of this for pretty cheap! and i finally got some use out of a custom backlit Gameboy Light that i impulse-bought back when i had clenches fist spending money... I’ve been dying for a little game like this that I can easily pick up and play for a couple minutes whenever I need to do something with my hands and this is the perfect fit. Only has two maps, but after playing for around an hour-plus it definitely is fun enough (and one of the maps is stupid harder than the other). Pokémon Pinball, folks!

We sure are spoiled with Pokémon spin-offs these days. It's funny playing an older one like this and seeing the sprites, the mechanics, and I don't know! You look at New Pokémon Snap and it makes me think, "Wow, we live in an age where the Pokémon world and aesthetic is so clear that it's hard for anyone to make a game that doesn't feel a part of Pokémon." Definitely makes it feel retro in more ways than one. I'm really, really interested in seeing what the Ruby & Sapphire version of this game looks like after playing this.

I’ll be frank here: I think pinball gets a bad rap. I’ve seen a bunch of reviews of this game on Backloggd where people talk about how much they love this game but only give it a 3.5/5, and I don’t really get it. I think there’s a bit of a stigma behind pinball where it’s considered too shallow or simplistic to compete with other genres, and I simply don’t think that’s true at all. Pinball, when it’s done right, can be an exhilarating game of timing and precision.

Having said that, I think a lot of pinball video games aren’t very good compared to the real thing. The problem is simple - pinball is really hard! It’s no secret that arcade machines are difficult on purpose to drain all the spare change in your pockets. But any time a pinball video game tweaks the physics to make the game easier, it just doesn’t feel right to me. It’s kind of like when some console FPSes have such generous auto-aim that you can be looking in another direction and aiming down sights will still lock you on to the closest enemy’s head.

I think Pokemon Pinball rectifies this problem with a surprisingly effective compromise - keep the physics similar to real pinball but provide generous “Ball Saver” periods during catch and evolution events so novice and intermediate players still have a chance. It’s still reasonably difficult without feeling horribly unforgiving like physical pinball is a lot of the time. And the progression is compelling! The better you do, the rarer Pokémon you can catch, and, well…we all know you gotta catch em all.

So basically what I’m saying is that Pokémon Pinball is more than just a very good pinball game, it’s a very good video game, period.

some damn good pinball. gen3 one on gba has better physics and more interesting gimmicks, but the original gbc version is still a classic and super challenging if you want to go for a huge score or the full pokedex.

with how TPC really likes milking gen1/kanto for all its worth nowadays, i wouldn't mind if they made a current-gen version of this.

the Pokemon Pinball Generations hack is also worth looking into if you're a johto fan.

I just sat here until I got past the Mewtwo stage, which is about all the time I can properly give a pinball game before I begin to cry and remember that I'm terrible at pinball.

Pokemon Pinball is about as friendly of a pinball game as you can get without giving you a free practice mode. The ball can move unforgivingly fast, but board orientation will bail you out more often than not. There's a massive level of RNG in getting the Pokemon you want, but the game is incredibly generous in giving you a minute where you can fail all you want in getting them. The ability to control your multiplier through the CAVE system and three markers at the top of each board is incredibly generous. That weird little gravity well on the blue board is very helpful in getting you the result you want if you can only shoot toward the middle of the board. There is an incredible level of novelty that, even at a base level, just getting one or two new Pokemon or landing in a new location will make you wanna play more. Every consideration has been taken to make both Pokemon and pinball comfortable and familiar to a new player and a young target audience, with charming spritework and unique bonus stages as their own reward, and some VERY stringent timing on the final Mewtwo bonus stage. It's a good game!

This is as high as I can ever personally place it due to my inability to be good at pinball. I think very fondly of this game, but it is not my addiction. No matter how many hours I pour in, I will never actually be good, and I suppose that is my curse.

This game is a perfect example of taking such a simple idea and turning it into something so much more. For what some may call "just another pinball game" this game is so much more. Honestly, this game idea is weird, yet makes a lot of sense.

You can capture pokemon by gaining enough points and try and defeat them in battle using the pokeball (pinball ball) which can lead to catching the pokemon itself. Eventually, by aiming your pinball correctly you can evolve the pokemon you caught during the specific round of pinball. Catching and evolving pokemon helps fill out the pokedex.

There are only two fields, but they can gain different pokemon overtime when the location changes though it doesn't affect the field itself unfortunately. I do wish there were more fields. The game's battery-operated rumble feature activates whenever you interact with the field and it can feel a bit much at times, but it is cool to see the feature in a game boy colour game.

Overall, this is an amazing pinball game and I wish there were more sequels to this game (outside of pokemon Pinball Mini and pokemon pinball RS, though I've heard pokemon pinball mini isn't a true sequel). I also do wish there were more fields as well, but as is this is an amazing pinball game.

A Pokemon game that I hadn't before played. It's a fun little game with a fairly high difficulty and a quantum of grinding required.

First off, it's pinball, something I don't have a great amount of experience with, so bear that in mind before diving in to both the game, and this review. You are tasked with catching the original 150 Kanto Pokemon. Catching is achieved through, well, playing pinball! It's very satisfying and super addicting to do. Kudos to the developers for managing to make a new catching mechanic feel so more-ish and engaging!

That being said, there is an INSANE amount of RNG required when finding the little creatures. This can lead to frustration during long sessions and is why I didn't bother catching them all. If the grind is for you, then jump right in!

The music is absolutely suberb. Some of the melodies will be recognisable in songs used in the Generation 2 games, a few years before they came out! This was a pleasant surprise, as well as the catchy renditions of the original Gen 1 chip tunes.

Overall, it's worth playing as a Pokemon fan but probably more for those looking for a pinball table with a real unique spin. Don't let the difficulty put you off and play for 10-20 minutes at a time, and you'll have fun!

[Played via the GB core on the MiSTer fpga hardware]

For a gameboy game, it's surprisingly competent when it comes to replicating the pinball physics. I feel like this really helps translate the standard Pokémon experience from the Gen 1 era pretty well.

Honestly I still think there could have been more of these, but I can understand the hesitation as the series has become more complex and set in stone compared to the rougher era of the undefined franchise still finding itself. There's something charming about hearing a low quality sound clip of Pikachu going "PIIIKA" that would not fly with current games today.

But maybe now that Snap 2 is finally real, Bando Namcai can also take a crack at doing one last one of these.