Pokémon Pinball’s occult cousin is Playdate’s killer app.
Pinball as a video game genre doesn’t get enough love nowadays. Striking the balance between achieving that authentic table feel while successfully implementing a gaming mechanic twist is a lofty feat. But when it’s done right, man. It’s tough not to put another figurative quarter into the machine.
Maybe it’s the millennial arcade crawler in me that holds such an adoration for the genre. My earliest memory of playing a physical table is Attack from Mars, which still stands as my personal favorite. The classic cliché of defending Earth from an alien invasion scene by scene already feels so video game-y. It’s no wonder why I became so easily attached. It’s that table that opened my eyes to pinball as an art form; a platform for these micro-narratives told through distinct musical timbres, artistic design, physical feedback, and, at times, aggressively '90s digital graphics. Early on, there was this hunger for those experiences at home. Bless Space Cadet on Windows for providing a decent taste, but it wasn’t until June 28th, 1999 that I felt properly fed with Pokémon Pinball.
Pokémon Pinball is the definition of striking that aforementioned balance with keen precision. It is a masterful pinball video game down to its foundational mechanics, one that feels truly timeless. With its seamless integration into the world of Pokémon, it took on a life of its own. Yes, putting out any Pokémon-related product at this peak time was a cheat code. Even if it was mediocre at best (I’m looking at you, Hey You, Pikachu!), we would find a way to adore it. But how Jupiter and HAL Laboratory adapted a trainer’s journey into a pinball experience just felt right. The tables were brimming with character, progression through routes captured the sense of an adventure, and the catching mechanics felt so innovative at the time that I felt as if I was playing a mainline entry.
There have been plenty of pinball video games since June 28th, 1999, but personally, none have reached the highs of what Pokémon Pinball achieved. DEMON'S TILT and XENOTILT: HOSTILE PINBALL ACTION from WIZNWAR are two modern standouts, though they scratch a different itch. Frantic, dense, with a heightened sense of anxiety (positive) and precision, WIZNWAR asks you to lock the fuck in. Creature in the Well from Flight School Studio and Yoku's Island Express from Villa Gorilla take a more expansive approach to a pinball adventure that may not be best suited for the pickup-and-play relationship Jupiter and HAL Laboratory achieved so well. There are plenty of fantastic takes on pinball available now and launching in the near future, but I still find myself going back to Pokémon Pinball for that special sauce. That’s until I came across Devils on the Moon Pinball.
Exclusive to the Playdate, Devils on the Moon Pinball is an astrologically occult pinball game from Amano. Wearing its inspirations on its sleeve, this single-board pinball game features multiple zones, special event boards, and over 50 different demons to summon, capture, and log in a Grimoire. Between the gameplay feel, implied feedback, and familiar creature mechanics, Devils on the Moon Pinball is an unabashedly welcomed love letter to Pokémon Pinball.
My first round felt like coming home. There was this dormant sense of muscle memory that woke up as soon as the ball hit the flipper. The mechanical precision put into the weight of the ball and the impact of the flippers was abundantly clear with that initial hit. Exploring a brand-new board with familiar maneuvering felt simultaneously refreshing and nostalgic. Amano expertly takes what you know from the classics and expands it through their own lens with how they lay out their single board.
Outside of the special boards, there is one table. Unlike Pokémon Pinball which changes themes based on the town, Devils on the Moon Pinball splits its board into three sections. Initially, I assumed each section simply held its own vibe, but they all feature their own unique mechanics, objectives, and challenges. Because of this, the goal with each run feels malleable. Do I want to focus on summoning down below, advance the moon’s phase in the middle, or attempt to breach the castle gates up top? With its simplistic form factor, there’s an underlying depth that keeps sinking its teeth in deeper with each run.
As my comfort grew during those early runs, I began to digest the charm oozing from the small 2.7-inch Playdate screen. The amount of detail in the art and animation would impress me in any format, but seeing the table brought to life on the Playdate in this fashion still leaves me floored. There is so much movement and character jam-packed throughout the screen that it delivers a similar sensation of getting engrossed in my own Pokémon adventure. Though now, as a 34-year-old man, the adventure now revolves around summoning dark and creepy little freaks (positive).
Summoning a devil through a ritualistic manner once again brings out that sensation that feels both refreshing and nostalgic. Just like we all did in '99, your goal is to hit particular bumpers and chargers in order to get a little devil bouncing around the board. Whack them with your ball a certain number of times, and they’re all yours. Doubling down on the charm and sense of life, the Grimoire (your occult Pokédex) is brimming with lore behind each devil and accompanied by a lush piece of artwork. These details help the devils feel alive and develop a connection with the player, cultivating that desire to catch summon ’em all.
Amano clearly poured an endless amount of love into Devils on the Moon Pinball, and it’s apparent they had a blast creating it. I’d be remiss not to shout out the game’s hand-drawn instruction booklet. Between the mechanical overviews, a full breakdown of the table, and artwork unique to the booklet, the amount of care and detail is so impressive. I felt spoiled reading through it because now I’d love to see a color version one day with a similar palette to what’s shown in the key art and instruction booklet; something that would sing on an Analogue Pocket. Heck, I’m actively researching whether there’s a way for an AYN Thor to run Playdate games so I can summon and catch with a backlight. Regardless, I’m endlessly grateful Amano had the inspiration to craft an elevated love letter to a timeless classic.
Now please excuse me while I catch all these ‘Little Devils Inside’ my Playdate.
