THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF THE SILVERBALL: Stern Pinball’s ‘Pokémon’ Sparks a Modern Arcade Renaissance at local Texas Arcade

GARLAND, TX — For decades, a distinct barrier existed within the world of interactive entertainment. On one side stood the digital juggernaut of video gaming, led by cultural touchstones that defined generations. On the other stood the tactile, mechanical world of pinball—a community driven by physics, gravity, and the timeless allure of the silverball.

Recently, those two worlds collided in a spectacular fashion.

Side Quest Arcade, the high-density retro and modern gaming hub located at Firewheel Town Center, officially debuted the highly anticipated Pokémon by Stern Pinball machine. To mark the arrival of what is already being called a landmark title in modern amusement design, Side Quest hosted an exclusive, officially sponsored Launch Party for Stern Pinball to celebrate Pokemon in all it's glory. The event drew competitive players and retro collectors, and families from across Plano, Richardson, and Mesquite, proving that the arcade industry isn’t just surviving in the modern era—it is actively evolving.

The Machine: An RPG Forged in Steel and Glass

Designed by industry icon Stern's Pokémon Pinball machine was designed by veteran pinball developer George Gomez and designer Jack Danger. Released in February 2026, the arcade-ready machine was the first of its kind for the franchise and was built on Stern's SPIKE 3 platform. and powered by Stern’s advanced SPIKE 3 technology framework, the new Pokémon table represents a massive departure from traditional pinball design. Rather than simply using a legendary license as visual decoration, the machine integrates the core mechanics of a role-playing game directly into the physical playfield.

The development process for the game was a major collaborative effort, featuring input from key personnel:

• George Gomez: Stern’s creative lead and a veteran in the industry, who oversaw the development of the playfield mechanics and the overall flow of the game. [1]

• Jack Danger: Known for his Dead Flip pinball streams and designing machines like Foo Fighters, he served as a core game designer. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

• Tanio Klyce: Led the software development to help structure the game's rules, objectives, and Pokémon-catching mechanics. [1, 2]

• Mason Dooley: Worked as the mechanical engineer, taking charge of physical moving toys like the animatronic Pikachu and the Meowth balloon. [1, 2, 3]

You can check out a detailed breakdown of the features, models (Pro, Premium, Limited Edition), and toy mechanisms on the official Stern Pinball site.

Players step up to the flippers not merely to keep a ball in play, but to assume the role of a Pokémon Trainer. The playfield acts as a physical battlefield featuring an array of custom-engineered toys. A mechanically animated, illuminated Poké Ball trap sits at the center of the action, capturing the ball to initiate distinct hunting modes. Throughout the game, players can explore four distinct habitats, attempting to discover, battle, and capture different Pokémon to save in the stern insider connect app.

The physical layout also boasts a kinetic Meowth Balloon mechanism that lowers into the lower playfield, challenging players to defend the arena against Team Rocket. Combined with high-definition video assets culled from the classic animated series and a booming audio array blasting the iconic original theme music, the machine creates a highly immersive, multi-sensory experience that bridges 90s nostalgia with cutting-edge engineering.

Inside the Launch Party: A Community Gathering

The highlight of the machine's arrival was the Official Stern Pinball Launch Party. As a designated event hub, Side Quest Arcade offered the DFW gaming community a first look at the game under official tournament conditions.

The competitive format departed from standard high-stress bracket play, focusing instead on showcasing the machine's deep ruleset while maintaining a highly social atmosphere.

The Tournament Structure

• The Stern Insider Connected Integration: Competitors utilized the machine's built-in QR code scanner on the apron. By scanning their digital profiles via the Stern app, players not only tracked their tournament scores but officially added every Pokémon they caught during the tournament directly into their permanent digital collections.

The winner took home official factory-backed prize support directly from Stern Pinball, including limited-edition translites, custom merchandise, and commemorative plaques.

The Side Quest Philosophy: Preserving the Free-Play Era

The arrival of a top-tier machine like Pokémon highlights the ongoing shift in how communities access arcade gaming. In typical corporate entertainment venues, a brand-new, premium tournament-grade machine is often locked behind high-cost card readers, charging several dollars per individual play.

Side Quest Arcade continues to operate against that corporate grain, utilizing a strict flat-pay, unlimited gameplay model.

"Our goal has always been to remove the barrier between the player and the game," says the venue's operating team. "Whether it's a rare 90s classic or the absolute newest Stern release on the market, it belongs on free play. We want Pinball to be explored, practiced, and enjoyed without watching a digital dollar meter run down."

For a single flat admission fee at the door, guests receive an all-day wristband granting unlimited access to the Pokémon machine, alongside a curated collection of over 200 classic arcade cabinets, mechanical pinball tables, and modern rhythm setups.

As local search trends continue to show a massive surge in demand for affordable, unique date night ideas and interactive family outings outside the standard "dinner and a movie" routine across the DFW metroplex, destinations like Side Quest are positioning themselves as vital cultural anchors. By combining the preservation of retro history with major modern launch events, the independent arcade scene in North Texas is proving that the magic of the coin-op era is very much alive, well, and ready for the next generation of players.