Pokemon Pinball (Game Boy Color) review "Yes I actually bought this game, for I sadly admit at one point in my life I was a Pokemon fanatic (however I never did play that card game). So when I saw there was a pinball game out, I was like SCORE more Pokemon. Hahahaha, I regretted that decision kinda, seeing they gave me $20 back for the game, I only lost $10 in the end, and that is actually a fairly good deal. This game is another Pinball spinoff, except you gain the ability to capture Pokemon while racking an insane number of points. T..."

Yes I actually bought this game, for I sadly admit at one point in my life I was a Pokemon fanatic (however I never did play that card game). So when I saw there was a pinball game out, I was like SCORE more Pokemon. Hahahaha, I regretted that decision kinda, seeing they gave me $20 back for the game, I only lost $10 in the end, and that is actually a fairly good deal. This game is another Pinball spinoff, except you gain the ability to capture Pokemon while racking an insane number of points. This was fun for awhile, but the trickiness of the map switching, and the rarity of some Pokemon did not make this anything near a classic.

STORY (1/5): There is no story, like most of the Pinball genre. Basically all it is, is that you hit a ball around trying to strike various things so you can catch Pokemon and get points. That is whole reason.

GRAPHICS (13/15): Each Pokemon has a different picture than the ones given to them in the gameboy versions. Also the backgrounds are fairly detailed and colored, however they don't move discluding the Pokemon in the screen. For a Pinball game they did good things with these graphics, so why complain.

SOUND (3/10): Repeating music in the Red version, and repeating music in the blue version. So that means two soundtracks, plus the bonus stages, which have the same throughout all of them. So that makes three musics, and that is not much. There are also some sound effects, but they do not really hurt, nor help the game.

GAMEPLAY (23/50): Now this is a Pinball game, so you have the paddles at the bottom, and that is all that you really control. Using those pattles you either try to hit Pokemon on the sides to get to the next stage, or by hitting the ball through this long tube thing so you can try to catch Pokemon. Catching Pokemon is easy, for you have a long time period to hit various letter, and arrows. You could try to do this acurately, or just the psycho hit the ball and hope for the best method. I usually use the later, for sadly enough it is more effective. This game per turn takes a long time, once you get the handle of it, for you can keep hitting for a long-long time. You will need to do this anyway, because to get the high scores needed, you will have to dedicate yourself. However thrown around the game is bonus levels, and really that is the high point of Pokemon Pinball. Hitting all the Digglets is a fun one, or just keep smacking Mewtwo for a MASSIVE number of points. Also all 150 Pokemon are scattered across this game, but after you get all the easy ones you will be probably quit. There is an evolution mode too, but it is almost identical to the catch Pokemon mode. So get used to hitting for those little arrows, for that is the game in Pokemon Pinball. See the problem now, right...

REPLAYABILITY (6/15): A pinball game must survive by being addictive. There is only so much you can do in Pinball games, and yet if they have that edge they will keep you with them. This games edge was Pokemon, however just having them and the ability to catch them did not save this game. Some of the Pokemon were just annoying to get, and this game was not that addictive. You may play it for awhile trying to get various Pokemon, but each play could take more than half an hour, so it will get boring.

DIFFICULTY (4/5): Now the difficulty of the actual Pinball game is easy. You can keep that ball going for a very long time. The system of catching the Pokemon is also very easy, however changing stages to the more rare ones is not. This will take a very long time to do, and well that is how you need to get the rare Pokemon. You may be able to rack up alot of points, but you will not be able to get those rare Pokemon.

OVERALL (50/100): Pokemon Pinball is not that bad of a game once you first get it. It will keep you entertained as you learn the way of the game, and first capture those Pokemon you love so much. However after you get those Pokemon, the game loses it's edge and then soon becomes a hassle. If you know a way to borrow Gameboy Color games, and you like Pinball well I would reccomend to look at it. Or if you have a friend who owns it, just mooch off of them. Otherwise don't look into Pokemon Pinball for it is not worth the effort.

Community review by ratking (July 07, 2002) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.