# Coverage of the First Public Appearance of Stern Pinball's Pokémon - The 2026 NY Toy Fair **Source:** Knapp Arcade **Type:** article **Published:** 2026-02-19 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.knapparcade.org/blog/coverage-of-the-first-public-appearance-of-stern-pinballs-pokmon-the-2026-ny-toy-fair --- ## Analysis Knapp Arcade reports on the first public appearance of Stern Pinball's Pokémon machine at the 2026 New York Toy Fair. The game features 200 monsters to catch, Insider Connected Pokédex integration with 182 characters at launch, and was demonstrated in both Limited Edition and Pro variants. All 750 Limited Edition units sold out immediately, and the author describes gameplay as comparable to Attack From Mars with enhanced monster-catching mechanics. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] All 750 Limited Edition Pokémon machines sold out nearly instantly — _Direct eyewitness account from Knapp Arcade at the show; verified inventory claim_ - [HIGH] Pokémon pinball features 200 monsters to catch — _Author's direct experience playing both LE and Pro versions at the show_ - [HIGH] Insider Connected Pokédex contains 182 character slots at launch with more coming — _Author viewed the Pokédex feature on phone during booth visit; specific feature demonstration_ - [HIGH] Roger Sharpe achieved Grand Champion (top score) on Pokémon Pro on his first play — _Eyewitness account; video documentation referenced in article_ - [MEDIUM] Gameplay is comparable to Attack From Mars with added UFO mechanic and 200 monsters — _Author's subjective assessment based on hands-on play experience_ - [MEDIUM] Limited Edition artwork is noticeably better than Pro and Premium versions — _Author's direct visual comparison of LE vs Pro at the show_ - [HIGH] Arcade1Up is alive and well as a brand within Basic Fun — _Behind-the-scenes tour of Basic Fun booth; official confirmation from tour_ ### Notable Quotes > "I've been describing it as playing Attack From Mars if it had a UFO that came down and hovered over the playfield that you can bash and 200 monsters to catch." > — **Knapp Arcade (author)**, article body > _Key gameplay description establishing mechanical and thematic comparison point_ > "This game is going to be a big hit, not only with pinball collectors, but on location as well. It's approachable with an important shot right up the middle and ramps that won't insta-drain if you don't make it all the way up, but deep in that there's a zillion different monsters to catch." > — **Knapp Arcade (author)**, article body > _Assessment of game's market appeal and accessibility design_ > "The Limited Edition version of the game looked fantastic in person. There's no doubt that the art on the LE is better than it is on the Pro and Premium. Having said that, I'm a Pro or Premium guy all day. The LE just isn't worth the additional cost to me personally." > — **Knapp Arcade (author)**, article body > _Pricing tier critique and perceived value assessment in three-tier model_ > "Clicking on the monster's image in the Pokédex brings up a sort of trading card on your phone. It's pretty neat and I can totally see myself getting addicted and trying to as the tagline says 'Catch 'Em All.'" > — **Knapp Arcade (author)**, article body > _Insider Connected feature appeal and engagement potential_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Pokémon Pinball | product | Stern Pinball's new flagship game, debuted at 2026 NY Toy Fair; features 200 monsters, UFO mechanic, Insider Connected Pokédex with 182 characters; 750 LE units sold out immediately | | Stern Pinball | company | Manufacturer presenting Pokémon pinball at NY Toy Fair with two demonstration units (LE and Pro) | | Zach Sharpe | person | Stern Pinball Senior Director of Marketing; demonstrated Pokémon at NY Toy Fair; described as beating author and wife at the game | | Seth Davis | person | Stern Pinball CEO; present at NY Toy Fair booth to discuss Pokémon game | | Roger Sharpe | person | Legendary pinball figure ('The Man Who Saved Pinball'); achieved Grand Champion score on Pokémon Pro on first play at NY Toy Fair; father of Zach Sharpe | | New York Toy Fair | event | Major toy industry event at Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan; February 2026; location of Pokémon pinball public debut | | Jacob Javits Convention Center | event | Venue in Manhattan for 2026 NY Toy Fair | | Insider Connected | product | Stern Pinball's digital companion app/system; includes Pokédex feature with 182 character tracking at launch | | Quarter Arcades | company | Vendor at NY Toy Fair selling 1/4 scale playable arcade game replicas | | Basic Fun | company | Company owning Arcade1Up brand; exhibited at NY Toy Fair | | Arcade1Up | company | Consumer home arcade cabinet brand owned by Basic Fun; confirmed as active; showing Sonic and Ms. Pac-Man cabinets at NY Toy Fair | | Knapp Arcade | person | Author/journalist covering NY Toy Fair; former auto industry reporter; attended with wife Megan | | Megan | person | Author's wife; attended NY Toy Fair on Valentine's Day; played Pokémon at Stern booth | | Attack From Mars | product | Classic pinball game used as mechanical/gameplay comparison point for Pokémon pinball | ### Topics - **Primary:** Pokémon Pinball public debut and first impressions, Insider Connected Pokédex feature and digital integration, Three-tier pricing model (Pro/Premium/LE) and collector value perception, Limited Edition production and sell-out dynamics - **Secondary:** Game accessibility and location appeal, Arcade1Up brand status and home arcade cabinets, Roger Sharpe's continued involvement and legacy ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.82) — Author expresses strong enthusiasm for Pokémon pinball gameplay, design, and market potential. Minor reservation about LE pricing tier value but overall tone is celebratory. Tone is professional, detailed, and appreciative of access provided by Stern executives. ### Signals - **[business_signal]** Arcade1Up brand ownership and strategy shift: confirmed alive within Basic Fun corporate structure; showing conservative product strategy (Sonic, Ms. Pac-Man) rather than innovative features (confidence: high) — Author assessment: 'They weren't really for me...they have to be something with unique controls or some other feature that I can't just replicate in MAME' - **[community_signal]** Stern executive presence and hands-on access (CEO Seth Davis, Senior Director of Marketing Zach Sharpe) at consumer-facing retail event signals commitment to direct collector/operator engagement (confidence: high) — Both C-level and marketing leadership present at booth; provided behind-scenes access and gameplay instruction to press/influencers - **[competitive_signal]** Pokémon positioned as accessible entry point with deep monster-catching meta, comparable to Attack From Mars success template but with enhanced engagement mechanics (confidence: high) — Author assessment: 'approachable with important shot up middle...but deep in that there's a zillion different monsters to catch'; predicted 'big hit' with both collectors and location operators - **[licensing_signal]** Pokémon licensor approval still pending at time of Toy Fair; photography restrictions indicate ongoing IP control and approval process (confidence: high) — Author explicitly states: 'I wasn't allowed to take a picture of it because it was still pending licensor approval' - **[market_signal]** Immediate sell-out of all 750 Limited Edition Pokémon units demonstrates strong pre-existing demand and FOMO-driven purchasing behavior despite pricing concerns (confidence: high) — Author confirms: 'all 750 Limited Editions sold out nearly instantly' - **[community_signal]** Roger Sharpe's legendary status and continued relevance: achieved top score on first play; present at show for unrelated licensing purposes; casually validated game quality (confidence: high) — Eyewitness account with video documentation; author notes father-son dynamic (Zach Sharpe is Roger's son) - **[market_signal]** Three-tier model (Pro/Premium/LE) perception issue: author explicitly states LE premium not worth cost despite acknowledging superior artwork; raises sustainability questions despite instant 750-unit sellout (confidence: high) — Author quote: 'The LE just isn't worth the additional cost to me personally...I'm a Pro or Premium guy all day' - **[announcement]** Pokémon pinball officially publicly debuted at 2026 NY Toy Fair with confirmed feature set and gameplay mechanics (confidence: high) — Direct eyewitness coverage of machine at major industry event with manufacturer executives present - **[product_strategy]** Three-tier feature distribution: LE features superior artwork; Pro and Premium tier benefits not explicitly detailed but playability equivalent across tiers (confidence: medium) — Author: 'There's no doubt that the art on the LE is better than it is on the Pro and Premium'; played both versions and found gameplay 'fantastic' on both - **[technology_signal]** Insider Connected ecosystem maturation: Pokédex feature with 182 character slots at launch, phone trading card integration, post-launch expansion planned (confidence: high) — Direct feature demonstration; author unable to photograph but detailed feature description confirming functional digital companion app --- ## Transcript Events Coverage of the First Public Appearance of Stern Pinball's Pokémon - The 2026 NY Toy Fair k knapparcade February 19, 2026 Let's kick things off today with a report from the first public appearance of Stern Pinball's brand new cornerstone pinball machine, Pokémon. Stern brought the game to the New York Toy Fair at the Jacob Javits convention center in Manhattan this past weekend. As a grizzled veteran of the auto industry, I personally have been going to the NY Auto Show industry days at the Javits for years, so I somewhat knew what to expect at my first Toy Show. My wife and I took the ferry over from Weehawken, New Jersey on Saturday morning. If you're ever going to the Convention Center, that's a super easy way to get there. The boat drops you off right across the street. We picked up our press badges and wandered around the show floor until we found the Stern Pinball booth where we met up with Stern's Senior Director of Marketing Zach Sharpe and CEO Seth Davis. They gave us the lowdown on Pokémon. Stern had two machines at the event, Limited Edition Game #3 and a Pro. My wife and I spent time on both getting our butts kicked by Zach. His father, the Man Who Saved Pinball - the legendary Roger Sharpe who was at the show for unrelated licensing purposes even stopped by the booth while I was there and proceeded to casually GC aka Grand Champion aka get the top score on the game the first time he played it. The Limited Edition version of the game looked fantastic in person. There's no doubt that the art on the LE is better than it is on the Pro and Premium. Having said that, I'm a Pro or Premium guy all day. The LE just isn't worth the additional cost to me personally. It's a moot point anyhow because all 750 Limited Editions sold out nearly instantly. So how did it play? Fantastic. I've been describing it as playing Attack From Mars if it had a UFO that came down and hovered over the playfield that you can bash and 200 monsters to catch. This game is going to be a big hit, not only with pinball collectors, but on location as well. It's approachable with an important shot right up the middle and ramps that won't insta-drain if you don't make it all the way up, but deep in that there's a zillion different monsters to catch. I wasn't allowed to take a picture of it because it was still pending licensor approval, but I did get to see what the Insider Connected Pokédex looks like. For those of you who aren't familiar with Pokémon, a Pokédex is a sort of list or book in which players store the various monsters that they catch in the game. The Insider Connected one contained spots for a whopping 182 characters at launch, with more coming. Clicking on the monster's image in the Pokédex brings up a sort of trading card on your phone. It's pretty neat and I can totally see myself getting addicted and trying to as the tagline says "Catch 'Em All." After we checked out the Stern Pinball booth, Megan and I walked the huge floor and checked out the rest of the show. We did manage to find a few other arcade-related booths. Quarter Arcades, which sells 1/4 scale playable arcade game replicas had a ton of mini-machines there. That was really neat. We also got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Basic Fun booth. I can confirm that Arcade1Up is indeed alive and well as a brand of that company now. They didn't have a whole lot new to show off. Their big Toy Fair reveal was a Sonic the Hedgehog home arcade cabinet, which plays what I believe are console Sonic games. They also had a larger Ms. Pac-Man cab. I was there before the official reveal of both games, so again I couldn't take pictures of them. Having said that, pics are out there now so if you're curious about them you can Google them. They weren't really for me. If I'm going to buy a 1Up, they have to be something with unique controls or some other feature that I can't just replicate in MAME, like the yoke on the Star Wars cabinet or the 4-player Pong / Warlords pub table. My wife, Megan, was a really good sport for going to a Toy Fair on Valentine's Day with me. I have to say that we ended up having a fantastic time, between checking out all the cool stuff at the show, getting to see Pokémon pinball and then going out to dinner by the water in Weehawken after. Thanks to Zach Sharpe and Seth Davis for showing me around the new game! Below are several videos and tons of pictures from this year's NY Toy Fair. EXCLUSIVE Footage of the new Pokémon Limited Edition pinball machine in action! - YouTube Knapp Arcade Knapp Arcade Search Info Shopping / •Live • Footage of Zach Sharpe, Megan and I playing the Pokémon LE The Man Who Saved the Game rocking the new Pokémon pinball machine. - YouTube Knapp Arcade A quick clip of the Legendary Roger Sharpe playing Pokémon Pro February 17, 2026 - YouTube Knapp Arcade February 17, 2026 the Quarter Arcades booth New sponsor slot Your sponsored ad here Be the first to claim this placement. Contact knapparcade@gmail.com today Posted about 19 hours ago k About knapparcade Site administrator Comments (0) Please sign in to join the conversation. No comments yet Be the first to share your thoughts on this post! Related Articles Coverage of the First Public Appearance of Stern Pinball's Pokémon - The 2026 NY Toy Fair about 19 hours ago Turner Pinball Merlin's Arcade Production Update 2 days ago Melvin Brouwer-Williams, Formerly of Dutch Pinball Exclusive, Joins American Pinball As Creative Director 3 days ago Subscribe to Updates Get the latest pinball news, blog posts, and event announcements delivered to your inbox Subscribe New sponsor slot Your sponsored ad here Be the first to claim this placement. Contact knapparcade@gmail.com today StripeM-Inner _(Acquisition: web_scrape, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: f31632d4-354a-48f1-b6f1-217caaf50fdb*