Pokemon‘s 30th anniversary is almost here, and we’ve got a Pokemon Presents presentation to go with it. But in the lead-up to Pokemon Day on February 27th, fans have already been treated to a ton of Pokemon goodness. This includes Nintendo’s own announcement that Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen will be released for the Nintendo Switch, as well as sites like eBay and Goldin hosting special 30th anniversary auctions. And now, Stern Pinball is celebrating with a new in-depth look at its upcoming line of Pokemon pinball machines. And honestly? The trailer has me hoping my local pinball arcade will add one to its collection.
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Stern Pinball is well known for its pop culture pinball machines, showcasing beloved IP like The Walking Dead, Star Wars, and more. Chances are, if you’ve played pinball at your local barcade, you’ve played a Stern Pinball machine before. And now, Pokemon fans are getting a brand-new addition to the company’s lineup. Stern began teasing its new Pokemon machines a few weeks ago, with a teaser and first-look trailer. Now, a more in-depth look at the gameplay and features for the Pokemon Pinball machine shows off just what fans can expect from this collector’s item.
Pokemon Pinball Machines Show Off Team Rocket Balloon and Classic Caterpie Animation in New Trailer
Stern’s Pokemon collab will bring pinball fans a brand new line of machines featuring iconic characters from the franchise. The interior features four different Pokemon habitats, complete with Pokemon-themed ramps, spinners, and targets. And of course, it wouldn’t be Pokemon Pinball without an animatronic Pikachu to watch the action and cheer trainers on. To my delight, the game also features the Team Rocket Meowth balloon as a key centerpiece, swooping into the arena as you face off against Team Rocket.
The initial trailer was just about a minute long, so it was a pretty quick look at the new machines. This latest gameplay trailer, however, showcases a more in-depth look at the pinball machines. As you might expect, the game leans heavily into Kanto in its decorations, with the Kanto starters, along with favorites like Snorlax, Jigglypuff, and Meowth prominently featured. Along with the game’s colorful interior, an animated screen features footage from the anime as you play, including a Pokemon catching animation that brings your adventure to life. To get a better look, you can check out the extended game features trailer below:
As you can see, the Pokemon Pinball machine is a delightfully nostalgic homage to Pokemon in honor of the franchise’s 30th birthday. Characters like Giovvani and Pikachu are even fully voiced with new lines, and fans can revisit classic moments from the anime while they play. And yes, the machine will play the original Pokemon theme song, encouraging players to catch ’em all, pinball style.
The Stern Pinball machines are available now. It comes in 3 different versions: Pro, Premium, and Limited Edition. With MSRP for the Pro version starting at $6,99, this is much more a hot ticket item for pinball arcades than something most Pokemon fans can afford to bring home. And given the popularity of Pokemon, the machines will no doubt be making their way to arcades across the nation.
Interested parties can get more information from the Stern Pinball website, where you can check out the 3 options and contact the company regarding availability. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to bug my local barcade owner to add this to their lineup.
Are you hoping to spot the new Pokemon pinball machines in the wild soon? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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Image courtesy of Wizards of the Coast -
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