Pok�mon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire
- August 25, 2003 00:00 AM PST
Well, it ain't Pinball of the Dead.
The GBA version of Pok�mon Pinball isn't all that different from its Game Boy Color predecessor, which is a good thing, since that game was excellent. The pinball is a Pok�ball, and the added task of capturing various pocket monsters augments the regular fun of hitting targets, ramps, and bumpers. You have to light up targets on the playfields (two�Ruby and Sapphire, natch) to release the creatures, then aim your ball to catch �em all. New elements include collectable coins, a Pok�mart, and eggs that hatch into catchable creatures.
Speed Trap
In the magical land of Pok�things, life moves at a different pace. The game actually has two speeds, Slow and Normal, which both feel a bit pokey when compared to Pinball of the Dead. It's a forgiving game aimed at the wee ones, but despite the pace, it still proves amazingly addictive. There are tons of interactive targets on the playfield, several goals that you can achieve in any order, and bonus boss battles that help break up the action a bit. It's not just fun; it's lots of fun, and it's easy to control. While the colorful graphics are more or less what you'd expect from a Pok�game (though the electric fence on the Sapphire table makes for a surreal surprise), the music is best described as �Pok�lounge.� It's a weird mix of light jazz piano and circus orchestration that will either hypnotize you or make you want to vomit. Maybe both.
Pok�mon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire is one of the first games to support Game Boy Player with special feedback�you'll get full rumble support if you play the game through your GameCube adapter�but the GBA-to-GBA linking is better still. You can't swap Pok�mon with friends, but you can swap high scores and sightings; once a creature is listed in one person's Pok�dex, you can link up with that person and have an easier time of catching that creature yourself. Suddenly, bragging has a purpose.
Animalia
Ultimately, if you're not a Pok�fan, this game won't change your mind, but if you don't mind the adorable monsters, there's a lot of unusually satisfying gameplay here.
