Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire plays similarly to traditional pinball games, using a similar engine to its predecessor, Pokémon Pinball.[5] It features two boards, each themed on either Pokémon Ruby or Sapphire. They have similar layouts, though they feature some differences, the Sapphire table being noted as slightly more annoying due to its setup.[6] The player launches a ball onto the board, at which point it descends towards the bottom of said board. The objective is to ensure that the ball is not lost via the drain. Players must utilize a pair of flippers located right above the drain to hit the ball upward, keeping it from falling for as long as possible. There are two outlanes located on either end of the board where the ball may fall, rendering players helpless. A Pikachu sits at either side of the board, and if players have filled its meter, it serves as a kickback, shooting the ball out of this outlane. The player can also shoot the ball into a mart, from which a power-up can be purchased to cause a Pichu will appear, allowing both outlanes to be blocked. This can assist the player in activating the four circles that sit in both the side slots and flipper paths, shown here spelling out the word ‘hole’. Consequently, a gravity field appears in the central hole that starts a minigame which resembles a slot machine. In the blue field the player is able to utilize a Zigzagoon (shown here on the right side of the board) so that it can pounce on the selected tile and obtain the result. After finishing the Rayquaza bonus stage, a new Start Slot tile appears, which is simply labeled "Arrival", signifying the arrival of a Jirachi. Activating this tile results in a bonus mode similar to Catch 'Em Mode, where the player only has thirty seconds to catch Jirachi. This is the only way to add Jirachi to the Pokédex.
Gameplay of Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, in the Catch 'Em Mode.
As players hit various objects around the field, their score goes up. At certain scores, players gain a new ball. If the ball falls through the drain, that round is over. The player's scores are tallied, and the player receives bonuses for their achievements. The game features a Ball Saver, which returns the ball to the launcher if it is lost in the drain within the first moments of the round. The Ball Saver icons are Legendary Pokemon Latias and Latios, which are illuminated while Ball Saver is still active. The aforementioned mart can provide boosts for players, one such that adds a Ball Saver. Coins are collected through various means and are used to purchase items from this shop. If all balls are lost, the game is over. The other objective of the game is to complete the Pokédex, similar to other Pokémon titles. There are four primary modes - Catch 'Em Mode, Egg Mode, Evolution Mode, and Travel Mode. These modes are typically activated by going through a certain path on the board three times, and then entering an area on the board, such as the Sharpedo, which will activate Catch 'Em Mode.
In the Catch 'Em Mode, players must reveal a silhouette of a Pokémon by hitting bumpers. Once it is revealed, players must hit the Pokémon that appears three times with the ball as it sits in one spot before the time runs out. Egg Mode is a similar concept, though the baby Pokémon roam around the board as opposed to standard Pokémon, which stand still. As opposed to being timed, players must capture it before it returns from whence it came. Evolution Mode is also similar, requiring players to hit all of the evolution item markers in order to evolve their Pokémon that they have caught or hatched. These include several traditional means of evolution in the Pokémon series, such as stones and experience points. Lastly, Travel Mode allows players to leave the current location on their pinball board, allowing them to capture more kinds of Pokémon not found in the current area. Ruby & Sapphire featured additional bonus modes that often diverge from the standard gameplay. These modes sometimes feature rare Pokémon such as Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza, and take place on separate fields. Outside of the gameplay, players may also view the Pokémon they have caught, listen to sound effects and music from the game, and view their high scores for each board.
