Pokémon Pinball is a 2026 pinball machine designed by Jack Danger and George Gomez, manufactured by Stern Pinball under official Pokémon Company licensing. Released in February 2026 in three tiers (Pro/$6,999, Premium/$9,699, LE/$12,999 limited to 750 units), it features 182+ original-generation Pokémon, a custom four-biome region, and approachable gameplay mechanics designed to appeal to millennials and younger players. The machine sold out immediately across all tiers and generated unprecedented secondary market demand, with LE units trading for $25,000+.
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Pokémon Pinball design is more accessible/easier than typical pinball games, making it suitable for newcomers
George Gomez and Jack Danger co-designed Pokémon Pinball
Tanio Klyce, Andrew Wilkening, and Joshua Henderson programmed the code
Jeremy Packer (Zombie Yeti) created the artwork
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No linked glossary terms
The game uses Stern Insider Connected for progress saving
The playfield layout resembles a mix of Attack from Mars and NBA Fastbreak rather than Junk Yard
The Pokédex captive ball is the most important shot in the machine
Most player scores average 100-200M with top players reaching 1 billion
Pokémon Pinball is generating strong venue revenue and player engagement at Eureka Heights.
Pokémon Pinball is the first such machine to be played in Europe
Pokémon Pinball features epic multiballs and missions
Pokémon Pinball was co-designed by Jack Danger (layout/toys) and George Gomez (architecture) with code by Tanya Kleiss
Pokémon Limited Edition units are serialized with unique Pokémon linked to each serial number out of 813+ available characters
Pokémon Pinball has only 5-6 total shots on the playfield
The game features no drop targets, only permanent targets
Pokémon has been ranked #1 on the Kineticist Hype Index for as long as tracking has occurred
The game carried internal codename 'PANTS' during development
This is the first anime-based pinball machine ever produced
Pokémon LE sold out before the game shipped
Basing Pokémon Pinball on the 1990s animated series targets the millennial/older Gen-Z demographic most likely to afford a $6,999+ machine
The game features four biomes: Desert, Forest, Lake, and Mountain (with the full Pokémon game containing 36 biomes)
Pokémon games feature 182+ original-generation Pokémon
Games at the media event had 'Pending licensor approval' burned into the LCD screen
Pokémon Pinball contains 150+ original generation one Pokémon with additional Pokémon coming in future code updates
Pro model does not include magnets or animated toys (Pikachu static, Pokéball non-animated)
Video and audio assets sourced from Pokémon anime seasons 10-24 specifically to ensure canonical accuracy
Meowith bash toy is interactive and moves in/out of playfield during play, unlike Junkyard's static wrecking ball
Initial concerns about oversimplification based on leaked photos were resolved upon hands-on play
The game will have significant code depth and rule complexity differentiated from its accessible surface presentation
Jack Danger and George Gomez co-designed Pokémon Pinball with code by Tanya Kleiss
The game's shot layout is intuitive for novice players to learn muscle memory quickly compared to complex playfield designs
Game features 182 Pokémon at launch with more coming in future updates.
Pokémon Pinball represents one of the best examples of theme integration Stern has achieved to date.
The game is designed to be beginner-friendly and approachable to audiences unfamiliar with pinball.
Game will be a strong earner for operators and drive new players to pinball.
Pokémon LE will sell out immediately and be unavailable globally within days
Pokémon LE will appreciate from $13,000 retail to $16,000-17,000 on secondary market
All major distributors (Mad Pinball, Automated, Melissa, Flippin' Out) are sold out of Pokémon LE as of February 10
Pokémon Pinball will be 'the only Pokémon pinball in history'
Pokémon pinball licensing required rights from three separate IP holders: Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak
Pokémon announcement generated more community excitement than Star Wars or Harry Potter announcements
Pokémon will feature the original 151 Pokémon rather than newer generations
Pokémon Pinball will be the most expensive Pokémon product ever sold by a manufacturer
Pokémon Pinball will be average-quality with derivative design similar to Deadpool
Pokémon Pinball is the worst-kept secret in pinball and is being announced any day now
Pokémon is barren like Star Wars and will disappoint pinheads despite theme appeal
Pokémon pinball will likely be game-driven rather than cartoon-adapted
Transformers may release before Pokémon Pinball due to Pokémon licensing issues