An unlikely yet brilliant marriage between pinball and Pokemon, with two tables Red and Blue boasting their own mechanics. Catching Pokemon through bonuses is a real treat and the GBC rumble adds a tasty extra. A hybrid stroke of genius.
Your verdict
Category
Pinball1 player3+
Description
The player catches Pokémon on red and blue pinball tables in this original saga entry blending pinball and Pokémon collecting. Published by Nintendo, released in Europe in September 1999. Two distinct Red and Blue tables, Pokémon capture bonuses, vibrating Rumble Pak compatibility, Super Game Boy. Multilingual version.
Pokemon Pinball review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Turning pinball into a Pokémon hunt was a brilliant idea: every relaunched ball can hatch an egg or capture a new creature. The adrenaline of the score doubles with the joy of filling your Pokédex. Vibrant, brisk and surprisingly deep, it turns a pinball game into a thrilling chase you keep coming back for.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Launching the ball, triggering bonuses and catching Pokémon right on the table marries pure arcade to collecting with unexpected flair. Each game aims for a better score, an extra species or an unlocked mode, and the relaunch is immediate after a drain. The table turns repetitive, but this clever pinball stays a magnet for quick rounds.
An atypical cartridge among the first-generation spin-offs, embedding a rumble module powered by a dedicated AAA cell housed inside the cartridge shell. That unusual physical layout, patented by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory, sets the bar for collector condition: copies with no corrosion in the battery compartment have become the benchmark. The original sealed battery flap is a further bonus.
Is Pokemon Pinball still worth playing in 2026?
Pokemon Pinball remains one of the cleverest hybrids of the Game Boy Color era. Each of the two tables Red and Blue has its own rules, evolution cycles and locations to unlock, which clearly justifies switching between them. The rumble built into the cartridge adds a strikingly physical feedback that brings the experience surprisingly close to a real cabinet, and the catch mechanic keeps a clean loop of goals on screen. Worth recommending to anyone fond of pinball who wants a short but well built Pokemon detour.
