GBA Pinball Games

[Iron Draggon]

Now that I have all of the US released pinball games for the GBA, I thought that I'd provide some mini reviews of them. There are a couple of European imports that I'm aware of, and no telling how many Japanese imports there may be as well, but so far there's a total of 8 pinball games in the US:

Hardcore Pinball

This is one of the best pinballs for the GBA, with a total of 4 tables to choose from. Station, Robomech, Soccer, and Retro are the tables that you'll have to master in this one.

Mario Pinball Land

This is more of a pinball adventure than a true pinball, and it's very much like Super Mario 64 with a pinball theme. It has over 30 boards for you to explore and try to master.

Muppet Pinball Mayhem

This is another one of the best pinballs for the GBA, if you can find it, but apparently it had a very limited US release. Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and a hidden Animal table await.

Pac-Man Pinball

This one includes 2 different versions of 2 different tables. Pac-Village, Haunted Boardwalk, Pac-Village Classic, and Haunted Boardwalk Classic await you to test your skills.

Pinball of the Dead

Yet another one of the best pinballs for the GBA, but it tends to be pretty expensive and hard to find. It includes 3 different tables. Wondering, Movement, and Cemetery.

Pinball Tycoon

This is the only GBA pinball that really isn't worth getting. It includes 4 different tables. California Gold Rush, Black Gold, Hollywood Mogul, and Golden Chance. Don't bother.

Pokemon Pinball

This one is alot of fun, even for non-fans of Pokemon like me. It includes 2 different tables, based on the Pokedex of Ruby and Sapphire. Let's hope that Emerald will be next.

Sonic Pinball Party

This one was originally released as a Target exclusive here in the US, so it's pretty hard to find the original version. Sonic, Nights, and a hidden Samba de Amigo table await.

I know that these are very brief overviews of these games, but maybe I'll review all of them in more detail later. You're welcome to post your own reviews of them all here as well, so feel free to discuss them, as well as any of the imports. I'm currently trying to find a new copy of Pinball Advance!

[j_factor]

Pinball of the Dead is expensive and hard to find now? I bought it for like $10 new!

[DigitalSpace]

For anyone who doesn't mind used copies, Pinball Of The Dead is $3.99 at GameStop/EB if one of your local stores has a copy. It's definitely one of the best on the GBA.

Hardcore Pinball was good too. Don't let the boring box art and tacky name fool you. Shortly before Toys R' Us left Amazon, they cleared this out for around $4 shipped and I didn't hesitiate to buy it. It was well worth the price.

And Pinball Tycoon was definitely a waste of time. Many a flash game would put those tables to shame.

I haven't played the others, but I'd definitely check them out on the cheap (especially Muppet Pinball Mayhem and Pokemon Pinball). Thanks for the thread!

[jajaja]

Cool, tnx for the list :)

[Iron Draggon]

I had to pay $50 for a new copy of Pinball of the Dead, and that was a bargain compared to what it was elsewhere. I've seen it listed for as much as $75. I'm not sure why it's so expensive though, especially if a used copy is less than $5.

[sidnotcrazy]

I had a question about Sonic Pinball Party. I have yet to track down a copy of this game, and you mentioned there is a Nights table. Is this table similar to the Nights pinball table in Sonic Adventures? Just curious.

[Beefy Hits]

I've only picked up PotD and Pokemon Pinball, both of which I enjoy.

Judging from screenshots and box art, hardcore pinball doesn't look like much.

I don't know about Muppets - I suppose it could be good, but I haven't heard anything about it. Loose carts go for $44 at amazon - ouch!

I notice Gamefly doesn't even rent either of these games, which is strange, since they carry almost everything.

[Lady Jaye]

I have Pinball of the Dead and Muppet Pinball Mayhem, and I have the first Pokemon Pinball (for GBC, with rumble pack). And I have the cell phone port of Pacman Pinball, which doesn't really count, since it's only one table with lots of slowdown.

Gotta say that I wouldn't mind getting my hands on Pokemon Pinball for GBA and on Pacman Pinball GBA.... one of those days, I oughta check EBGames, just in case.

[cyberfluxor]

For anyone who doesn't mind used copies, Pinball Of The Dead is $3.99 at GameStop/EB if one of your local stores has a copy. It's definitely one of the best on the GBA.
I'd prefer it new with all the goodies and boxart but $3-5 used at the stores around here is tempting. They have it used but complete for cheap on auctions and other sites so it's not hard to find really. I may need to get it soon just to check it out.

[Iron Draggon]

I had a question about Sonic Pinball Party. I have yet to track down a copy of this game, and you mentioned there is a Nights table. Is this table similar to the Nights pinball table in Sonic Adventures? Just curious.

I'm not sure. I don't remember ever playing that one. How do you get to it? Is it something that you have to unlock?

Sonic Pinball Party is one of the better pinballs for the GBA too. Tons of minigames in addition to the 3 tables. On the Sonic table you collect rings to progress, and on the Nights table you collect ideya to progress. I'm not sure how you progress on the Samba De Amigo table though. I unlocked it, but I've never been able to do very well on it. It's alot harder than the other two tables are. But I can tell you that you get to play songs while you play it. There's a set of bumpers in the center with Pose Man in the middle of them. Hitting the bumpers changes his position, and that in turn determines what song will play in the song mode.


I have Pinball of the Dead and Muppet Pinball Mayhem, and I have the first Pokemon Pinball (for GBC, with rumble pack). And I have the cell phone port of Pacman Pinball, which doesn't really count, since it's only one table with lots of slowdown.

Gotta say that I wouldn't mind getting my hands on Pokemon Pinball for GBA and on Pacman Pinball GBA.... one of those days, I oughta check EBGames, just in case.

Most of the reviews that I've read say that Pac-Man Pinball sucks, but I think that it's one of the better pinballs for the GBA too. At least I find it very enjoyable. I never bother with playing the classic versions of the two tables anymore, as they're exactly the same as the regular versions with different graphics that don't look as good as the others do to me, but I wouldn't say that it's not worth getting it.

How is Pokemon Pinball for the GBC? I've been thinking about getting it, since I've been enjoying the GBA version so much. Does it work with the SP2? The rumble feature in the GBA version is only available if you play it through the GameBoy Player for GameCube, and I don't have that or a GameCube. Prolly not gonna get any of that stuff either.

[Lady Jaye]

I don't know about the SP2, but the rumble on Pokemon Pinball GBC works just fine with a regular SP.

It's only 2 tables (Red and Blue) and it's not a bad game, although it gets old faster than other pinball games, despite the Pokemon-catching feature. I don't like it as much as Pinball of the Dead or Muppets Mayhem, but then again, comparing a GBC game to a GBA game isn't really fair.

[sirhansirhan]

I don't know about Muppets - I suppose it could be good, but I haven't heard anything about it. Loose carts go for $44 at amazon - ouch!

According to gamestop.com, a GameStop that I go to sometimes (it's kind of out of the way, but I find myself out there sometimes) has a copy of Muppet Pinball Mayhem, and the site lists the price as being $9.99 (where were they when I had been looking for this game for literally years?). Now, of course this doesn't mean that they actually have it, and if they do, that it is actually $10. This same GameStop is one of just a couple in the area that has Pinball of the Dead, which I've never played, so I was thinking about going out there anyway. I can pick up MPM if anyone's interested (if they do have it and it is $10, I could sell it for $12.50 shipped). Let me know.

Also, this thread has piqued my interest in the Sonic pinball game. Dammit.

[sidnotcrazy]

I'm not sure. I don't remember ever playing that one. How do you get to it? Is it something that you have to unlock?


No, in Sonic Adventures for the DC, or GameCube you can visit a area of the city and play all kinds of mini games, and one is a Nights pinball game.

I didn't figure the two were alike, but I am such a Nights fan that I had to ask. I have been hoping for another Nights game to come out, but at this point I don't have much hope of ever seeing a new Nights game. :(