
Episode 52: After Playing Pokémon Pinball at Stern HQ… Here Are My Thoughts
From The Flipside Pinball Podcast by RetroRalph
February 14, 2026 · 45 min
About this episode
RetroRalph shares his thoughts on Pokémon Pinball after attending its Media Day at Stern Pinball's factory.
Pokémon Pinball is officially here, and this is my full breakdown after attending Stern Pinball’s Media Day at the factory. This new Stern Pinball release is co-designed by Jack Danger and George Gomez and brings the largest entertainment IP in the world to modern pinball. That’s a big swing. In this video, I’m sharing my firsthand experience playing Pokémon Pinball at Stern HQ, my initial impressions of the layout, shots, and overall gameplay, and my honest thoughts after having time to reflect on the flight home. Sometimes your opinion changes once the hype settles. Did that happen here? Let’s talk about it. We’ll cover: • Gameplay and shot layout • Accessibility for new players vs depth for enthusiasts • Theme integration and use of the Pokémon license • Early code impressions • How this compares to other recent Stern releases Designing a game around Pokémon is no small task. It’s the biggest IP in the world, which means expectations are sky high. The question is: did Stern Pinball deliver a machine that satisfies longtime pinball fans while also bringing in a whole new audience? If you’re into pinball machine reviews, Stern Pinball news, new pinball releases, or you’re just…
People in this episode
Host: RetroRalph
Topics covered
- Pokémon Pinball
- Stern Pinball
- pinball machine reviews
- game design
- gameplay impressions
Keywords
- Pokémon Pinball
- Stern Pinball
- pinball gameplay
- game design
- pinball reviews
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Stern Pinball
Products: Pokémon Pinball
More episodes of The Flipside Pinball Podcast
- Episode 60: Is There REALLY a Problem With Transformers Pinball? · May 28, 2026 · 52 min
- Episode 59: Stern Accidentally Leaked Transformers Pinball… Autobots, Roll Out! · May 15, 2026 · 35 min
- Episode 58: The Goonies Pinball Leak Everyone Is Talking About! · April 26, 2026 · 53 min
- Episode 57: Beetlejuice vs. Pokémon: Theme Monster vs. Mass Appeal · April 13, 2026 · 1h 10m
- Episode 56: Pinball Fans Called In… Here’s What Happened! · March 30, 2026 · 1h 11m
- Episode 55: Who STOLE the Show at Texas Pinball Festival?! 👀 + American Pinball Is BACK! · March 24, 2026 · 1h 3m
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