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9) Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire
Released: 1999
Platform: Game Boy Advance
Pokémon Pinball actually has the honor of being the first Pokémon spin-off title. The game came out shortly after the launch of Pokémon Red and Blue, with Nintendo hoping to capitalize on the franchise’s uncanny momentum. What could have been a simple cash-grab actually ended up being an engaging pinball game fused with elements of Pokémon gameplay (and featured a nifty oversized cartridge with a built-in rumble pack!). Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, the Game Boy Advance sequel, took everything about the original and amplified it. Ruby & Sapphire had two tables based off of each of its namesake games, with both featuring a unique design and Pokémon. While play control was basic pinball flipper action, the ball was a Poké Ball that could be used to initiate Catch ‘Em Mode to catch Pokémon, followed by Evolution Mode, which in turn let the player evolve the Pokémon they had caught. The tables were colorful, the action was fun, and like Pokémon Stadium, it was a clever way of meshing two disparate types of games into one. The Game Boy Color original might have set the bar, but Ruby & Sapphire jumped it.
Excellent list! But Pinball at 9? I loved Pinball. *sniff*
Lol, I understand… these things are hard to organize!