When a game company stops giving you the games that you want, or you come across a title for a system that's no longer being produced but just want more, you have to turn to the ROM Hacking community for answers. Pokémon Pinball is one of our favourite games for the Game Boy Color, and I regularly play Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire on my Analogue Pocket. And with the absence of any new Pokémon Pinball games heading my way, I'm just glad that gamers like Callum are bringing extra additions to the GBA game via new ROM hacks and updates.
Callum, who goes by callumsmilee on X, has already released his Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire Plus hack, with new features like Shiny Pokémon and shiny boss fights, an extended Pokédex of critters, a hardcore mode, a secret boss fight, e-reader Pokémon, new Poké Balls, and more. Now, he's brought out version 1.1 with even more amazing extras.
The new update to Callum's existing hack brings 22 new Pokémon to the GBA pinball classic, as well as a new area and a bonus stage. There's also PokéNav and the inclusion of Shiny Board Pokémon.
So, what's new?
- Added Shiny Pokemon To Hunt
- Extended dex
- Hardcore mode (press select on board select and the leaderboard)
- Secret boss fights
- Access to ereader pokemon through regular play
- New balls
- Switch between boards mid game
- Shiny boss fights
- New Area
- A PokeNav to help complete the dex
Originally the only way to download the files was to follow Callum's Discord, but it's now available to download and patch via HackDex, making all of our lives easier. You'll need to patch it onto a legally acquired ROM of the US version of Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, and if you're updating from the first version of the ROM Hack, then make sure to rename your old save file so that it matches the new ROM in order to carry over your progress!
