Pokemon Pinball

by Nintendo

Product Features

• features the POKEMON characters
• bounce balls off of monsters to add them to the Pokedex
• two separate tablestry to collect all 150
• variety of mini-games

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000031KJL
• Item Weight: 5 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: July 6, 1999
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,805 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Editorial Review

For those a little poky about catching onto the Pokémon craze, this game is a great way for the uninitiated to get their feet wet. Also, pinball fanatics should not dismiss this as a kid's game, because it's a solid pinball game, regardless of the Pokémon brand.

Two Pokémon-themed tables, Red and Blue, are here for players to bounce the Pokéball around in hopes of catching up to 150 Pokémon monsters. The monsters are collected by hitting targets on the pinball tables, and once collected, the monsters can be perused in the popular Pokédex format. Owners of the Game Boy printer can print their prize collections and mount their characters on the wall, if they so desire. Unfortunately, the monsters collected in Pokémon Pinball cannot be traded with other Pokémon monsters from the Red, Blue, or Yellow games, making this game a stand-alone product. A unique aspect of the game is that it has a built-in rumble pack, which vibrates and shakes the Game Boy system as the Pokéball bounces around the screen. --Jeff Young

Pros:

• A great way for non-Pokéheads to get into the action
• A respectable pinball game
• High replayability

Cons:

• Can't trade Pokémon with ones from the Pokémon Red, Blue, or Yellow games

Product Description

In Pokémon Pinball, one thing is obvious: the design team took the existing pinball engine of Kirby's Pinball Land for the Game Boy, and converted it into another machine altogether. In the game, you whack a Pokeball around a pinball machine that's constructed of Pokémon-related obstacles and structures. There are two machines, Red and Blue, and each machine has its own techiques, challenges, bonus levels, and Pokémon. Yep, the idea in the game is to capture Pokémon. How? Well, each machine has its own way of finding the creatures, but once you find it, it's all a matter of hitting it six times with your Pokeball. They'll appear in the center screen, and if you manage to catch a Pokémon, it'll sit in your built-in Pokedex. Each machine will also give you the ability to evolve captured Pokémon, since some creatures are not out in the wild. What happens when you manage to get all 150 Pokémon?

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm addicted...the kids want their GameBoy Back!, November 30, 1999

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Pokemon Pinball (Video Game)

OK, I am of a generation that didn't have video games. Remember foos ball and air hockey? They went right along with the good old pinball machines at your local eat and meet places. My kids tried to get me interested in the video games, but I just didn't see the attraction until now. In June, 1999, Pokeman pinball entered our home and the kids haven't seen the GameBoy since!

This pinball game has two different tables, blue and red. The red is a bit more difficult that the blue one. At first, it was a trifle annoying having the table split in two vertically when playing on that small GameBoy screen, but you quickly adjust. While waiting, waiting, waiting ... at Dr.s offices etc., this has been a great distraction and inevitably, everyone (read adults) wants a turn.

Once you have mastered the controls and have the feel for the pinball table you can now start your hunt for those elusive Pokeman. I finally learned about all of the different ones.

There are different levels or worlds and you get different pokeman in different places.

Definitely a worthwhile buy...you get an awesome pinball game for a gameboy with Pokeman thrown into the mix. This is MUCH BETTER than the Pokeman Snap for Nintendo64. Invest in rechargable batteries!

(PS-Guess what family is getting another color gameboy for Xmas!)

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun, even if you don't like Pokemon, July 20, 2000

By 

Jeremy York "-beanish-" (Bothell, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Pokemon Pinball (Video Game)

This is an excellent pinball game. You get two different tables (red and blue) and a nice variety of targets, lanes, and other special shots.

The small size of the Gameboy screen is compensated for by having the pinball table be twice as high as the screen. The screen automatically moves from one half to the other of the table in order to follow the ball. I found this a little bit confusing at first, but very quickly adapted to it. The tables are designed so that this doesn't really get in the way of gameplay. The ability to "nudge" or shake the table to change where the ball is going is well done; you'll need to build up skill in when and how much to nudge if you want to get good at the game.

I was dubious about the rumble feature, but I found it to be kind of fun - you feel many of the bounces that the ball makes with your gameboy buzzing and vibrating in your hand. I didn't find that it distracted me from the game; if you don't like it or aren't in the mood, just remove the battery from the game cartridge.

And, oh, yeah, there's Pokemon in the game! If you don't know anything about Pokemon, don't worry, knowledge of pokemon is not important for playing the game. If you are into Pokemon, during the game you get chances to capture various different ones; over time, you build up a collection of them. You don't really use the collection for anything, but it is fun to keep track of which you do and don't have, and it's exciting when you manage to capture a rare one.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly addictive, and well done., May 31, 2000

By A Customer

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Pokemon Pinball (Video Game)

Ahh....the glory of finally evolving your favorite Pokemon...the agony of dropping the ball when you're one shot away from catching Mewtwo. I bought Pokemon Pinball not knowing what to expect. I wasn't sure if it would be just a cheap game put out there to make some more money, or if it would be well done. The answer-it's *extremely* well done. Don't dismiss it because of the Pokemon name-it's a very well done pinball game, and can be enjoyed even if you can't tell an Arcanine from an Eevee. It's the perfect game for taking along on a long trip. I'd recommend getting a Worm Light or some other light source if you're going to be traveling with it-nothing's more irritating than missing out on beating your high score because you can't see *lol*. Of course, I wouldn't be me if I didn't nitpick a bit :-). The only flaws I could find were that you can't trade Pokemon from other cartridges (red, blue, etc.) to Pinball or vise-versa, and the fact that the rumble feature is annoying when you're really trying to concentrate. I recommend taking the battery out-the rumble pack made me drop many a Pokeball until I turned it off. All in all, the great features far outweigh the few annoying points. Get it, or at least rent it for a while and try it.