Once you start up the game and get to the main screen, there will be three functions to pick from. "New Game" which lets you start a new game, and a Pokedex which records data on the Pokemon(PKMN) that you have caught. (In the pokedex menu, you can hold the Select button to see how many PKMN you have caught/seen displayed in the top right corner. Also, if you hold the Start button on the first form of any pokemon, you can see their animated stance.) Lastly, an Options menu where you can adjust game controls, or listen to the games sound effects(SE) or background music(BGM).
So once you go to the "New Game" function, you will have a choice of two pinball tables: RED and BLUE. Each one has a different layout and contains different pokemon, bonus rounds, etc. In either table, the basic strategy is the same.
1. Before you launch your first ball, you must hit the A button to stop a slot machine style wheel. This is to decide which town you will begin your game in.
2. Your score goes up like a traditional pinball table for any of the switches/bumbers/ramps you hit with your ball. However, if you want the big score, you will try to catch or evolve Pokemon.
3. Depending on which table you are playing on, the entrances to the "Catch 'Em" and "Evolution" modes may look different. In the BLUE table, there are 2 pokemon (Cloyster and Slowpoke) located on the left and right sides of the middle of the table. When the indicator arrow pointing to either one of them lights up, you can launch your ball into that one and begin the appropriate mode. In the RED table there is a hole blocked by a Ditto and a Bellsprout. However, these entrances are not always open. To open the "Catch 'em" mode entrance circle the top loop 3 times counterclockwise. To open the "Evolution" mode circle the top loop 3 times clockwise.
4. Once you are in the "Catch 'Em" mode, a picture of a Pokemon appears in the middle of the table, but it is only a shadow of that Pokemon. You must hit your ball into the main cluster of bumbers to reveal more parts of the picture until it is complete. The picture then becomes a PKMN that moves on the spot. You must then hit your ball into the PKMN 4 times to catch it.
NOTE: All this is done under a time limit, and all other modes or bonus rounds also have time limits. However there are also little arrows that indicate where you should hit your ball next to progress farther.
The "Evolution" mode is fairly similar to the above mentioned mode. When you are in this mode, you choose a PKMN from the list of ones you have caught this game, and the mode begins. You must find three items. These items change depending on the PKMN. If it would normally evolve via experience points in the original Pokemon game, then you must find 3 EX items to evolve it. If it is a PKMN that evolves via a stone or link cable then you must find 3 of that item to evolve it. However, these 3 items are not just out in the open. There are five possible locations to find them, and you must hit your ball into one of these locations to find out if an item is then released somewhere else on the table.
5. Once you catch/evolve three PKMN with the same ball, you usually have a chance to play a bonus round or travel to the next town. Different PKMN are available at different towns. Also some PKMN are common or uncommon in certain areas. Depending on this you may need more counter-clockwise rotations to catch an uncommon PKMN. (2 times for a common PKMN, 3 times for an uncommon PKMN.) You can tell how many rotations you have done by the triple arrow pointing to the upper-right corner. However, many arrows are darkened, and in this triple arrow is how many rotations you have done.
Bonus Rounds:
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Meowth's Stage (BLUE Table): In this stage, you must try to hit Meowth with the ball as he runs from left to right across the screen. Each time you hit him one of his charms gets put somewhere on the screen, and you can get the charms by hitting them with the ball. If you collect all the charms (about 20) before time runs out, you complete Meowth's stage. |
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Seel's Stage (BLUE Table): Here you are trying to hit the Seel as they poke their heads out from the background. Once you hit about 20 of them, you clear the stage. |
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Diglett's Stage (RED Table) Here you hit about 20 Diglett. Then you have to hit a dugtrio 3 times. |
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Gengar's Stage (RED Table): Here you try to hit some Gastly. Once you hit about 10 of them, they become Haunters. Then you hit about 10 of them, and they become one big Gengar. If you hit it about 5 times, you clear the stage. |
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Mewtwo's stage (Both tables, available after completing previous two in the same game): Here you try to hit Mewtwo who is at the top of the screen in a chair surrounded by a force field. So you must hit him enough times to weaken the force field, and then hit him rapidly enough that it doesn't recharge. Do this until hopefully you knock him off his chair. *You can get MAJOR points in this stage* |
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So that is it. This game has a built-in rumble pack style feature that operates on 1 AAA battery. Also, the game has a color scheme designed for the GameBoy Color though it is a dual-type game. Also, this game has voice. When your ball hits Pikachu, he shouts out its name.
Thanks to our affiliate, Seafoam Island, for this walkthrough!
Screenshots and partly edits by Pokemon Nightmare
