The Game Boy Color game Pokémon Pinball is one of those games that doesn’t fit into any gaming category
whatsoever. Action? Well, there is action, but it’s a ball moving up and down. Strategy? Maybe, but it’s more timing than strategy. Puzzle? Possibly, but it’s more luck in completing a puzzle than really solving it. So what is this game’s category anyway? I guess it fits into its own category: Pinball.

Although this game is like no other game, it still gets reviewed on a 0-4 star scale. And even though this game has that dreaded name in its title, I’ll still be fair in my Review of it.

Graphics: *1/2

The graphics aren’t much, although they really don’t have to be much. They’re kind of dull, and nothing
really looks that great. That doesn’t mean they’re bad, but better graphics could have at least made
this game look 3D, perhaps, or like a real pinball game. Unfortunately, mediocre doesn’t mean much.

Sound: **

The music is like the classic Pokémon music from a couple of the worlds. Also, the Pokémon themselves
make their messed-up noises that they did in the classic game, and Pikachu talks. It’s mediocre, just like the graphics, not too good, not too bad.

Difficulty: ***

Well, this game’s not exactly hard, but it’s completely random. You don’t have any idea of whether you’re going to end up getting lots of points or not, and half the time the ball will go down a hole that you can’t control. Worse, the tilting of the board doesn’t help at all. Still, it’s not like it’s hard to hit the ball. It’s just that it’s nearly impossible to make it onto the high scores.

Characters: *

This game contains all the Pokémon, supposedly all able to be “caught”. However, only a few actually ever
appear, because they only appear due to where you’re at, and you’re usually at the same places over and over and over again. Sometimes you’ll catch the same Pokémon four times in one game! It gets very annoying, and takes away the fun of the game.

Controls: *

The controls range from confusing to easy. The flipper controls (Left and B) make sense, but the tilting
controls seem to be backward. Plus, tilting doesn’t really help anything anyway, not even tilting the board up. It’s too bad, because the game could have been made a little easier, and a little more exciting, if tilting actually helped any.

Gameplay: no stars

Since there isn’t much to split up about the gameplay, I’ll just put it all in one section, instead of reviewing each little part of it, as there really isn’t anything to split up about it. Basically, you hit the ball with your flippers, hit the ball, hit it, and... well, you get the picture. It’s boring. Not to mention the fact that you have practically no control over where it goes, or if you catch a Pokémon, or move on to another place, or get a good bonus. No, this game is pretty much all random, taking all fun out of it. In fact, if I could think of something good to say about it, I would, but I just can’t.

Rumble Feature: ***

You know, that rumble feature actually adds something to the game: a hand massage. You’ll need it to keep
you awake.

Replayability: 1/2

Uh, what reason is there to play it again, being that there is only one mode in this game, and there are only two boards? Well, maybe to set a record or catch some Pokémon. That at least adds some fun, but trust me, this game really won’t last you more than a week.

Fun Factor!: 1/2

Capturing a Pokémon and trying to escape a land does offer some fun and excitement, but listen to a
play-by-play of the game: There goes the ball! And it goes and... hits a flipper! It goes up and... hits a bumper! And now, coming down, it will... fall into a hole! And that’s the final ball! Game Over!

OVERALL: 1/2

Fun, fun, fun! If hitting a ball with flippers and hoping for the best is your idea of fun, then you’d better run out and buy this one, if you can find it, that is! If you have a life, then make sure you stay as far away from this game as possible! And this all has nothing whatsoever to do with Pokémon. It has to do with one of the most boring games I’ve ever played.

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