Pokemon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire

"Better than the first, but it doesn't last too long."

With much more Pokemon to catch and collect, as well as some new features, Pokemon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire is an OK game, but you'll get tired of it quickly.

GAMEPLAY - 7/10
It is a pinball game, after all. You knock a Pokeball (instead of the classic metal ball) around trying to get as many points as you can, but the main goal in this game is to collect all the Pokemon. There are over two hundred of them, so catchin' em all will take a while, but you will probably get tired of this game and stop playing before you manage to get all the monsters. Bonus stages are to rack up some more points and also to catch some rare Pokemon. The gameplay is also kind of repetitive. Catching Pokemon has basically the same procedure. Other than that, you can also catch Pokemon by hatching them from eggs. Evolving is also the same. Some Pokemon must be caught with specific requirements. Those can be a challenge to catch. Like I said, this will get boring.

It's pretty much the same game, with a few new features (hatching Pokemon and buying stuff like upgrades with coins), new boards (of course), and new Pokemon. You can trade high score tables, but that seems useless to me. As for rumble, you can have rumble when played on Gamecube's GameBoy Player, but that's just a way for them to get you to buy the GB Player. Don't be stupid enough to buy a GB Player just to feel the rumble for this game.

GRAPHICS - 8/10
The graphics in this game aren't bad. The Pokemon are drawn with detail and precision. The tiny animations in the pinball board itself are interesting. I like the way the board has Pokemon within it (like the previous game). For example, one board has a Pelipper that will eat the ball and fly away, taking you to a bonus stage.

SOUND - 7/10
The sound effects are sharp and clear, and so is the music. But, like the gameplay, the music does tend to become repetitive after so many plays.

CONTROL - 8/10
Flipper control is perfectly precise. If you knock the ball in the wrong direction, it can never be the game's fault; it must be your own bad timing. The tilt buttons used to tilt the playing field are slightly difficult to use correctly and successfully. They can a little tough to master.

REPLAY ABILITY - 5/10
You WILL get tired of this game! It's simply too repetitive. With the same game and the same routine of knocking the ball around, this will get quite boring after about 10 hours of play.

FINAL SCORE - 7/10
I'd say do not to buy this game unless you are simply crazy about Pokemon Pinball. Rent it if you want.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/17/03