Mew, the 151st Pokémon, is the only one that Pokémon Pinball hides behind a special condition. It does not appear in any encounter list at the start of the game, its slot is not even displayed in the Pokédex, and actually catching it is nearly impossible. The good news: the game treats a Mew that has been seen as a Mew that has been caught. Here is how to make it appear and register it in the Pokédex.
The Pokédex hides its 151st slot
The Pokédex in Pokémon Pinball initially shows 150 empty slots, from Bulbasaur to Mewtwo. The 151st slot, Mew’s, only appears at the end of the list once Mew has been seen or caught. Until you have met it, nothing suggests that an extra Pokémon exists: a nice way of preserving the secret, in the spirit of the Red and Blue games of the time.
Appearance conditions
| Step | Condition |
|---|---|
| 1 | Complete the Mewtwo Bonus stage twice (on either field) |
| 2 | Travel to Indigo Plateau, the last location in the map cycle |
| 3 | Light all three GET arrows before starting Catch ‘Em Mode |
| 4 | Hope for the draw: Mew then occupies 1 slot out of 16 in Indigo Plateau’s rare list, a 6.25% chance per capture |
The Mewtwo Stage is the third bonus stage on each field: it comes after Gengar on the Red Field and after Seel on the Blue Field. You therefore have to go through several bonus stages to reach it for the first time, then start the cycle over to complete it a second time. The Slot Machine can grant direct access to a bonus stage, which shortens this path.
Why catching it is nearly impossible
To catch an ordinary Pokémon, a few hits are enough once it has appeared. For Mew, the game applies a separate routine: each of the four steps of the capture sequence requires 256 hits, for 1,024 hits in total, all before the Catch ‘Em Mode timer runs out. Under normal play conditions, that is out of reach.
The game makes up for this difficulty with a generous rule: as soon as Mew has been seen, it counts as caught in the Pokédex. Unlike other species, its entry is unlocked at the moment of the encounter, not the moment of capture. In other words, you only need to make it appear once to complete all 151 slots.
The method, step by step
- Get ready for a long game. Start on the field you know best: both lead to the Mewtwo Stage.
- Chain captures and evolutions to light the Poké Balls under the central panel and open the bonus stages in order up to Mewtwo. The bonus stages guide details the sequence.
- Beat Mewtwo by aiming for the open space between the Shadow Balls (method on the Mewtwo Stage page), then do it a second time.
- Head to Indigo Plateau using Travel Mode. It comes at the end of the cycle: expect several trips (see the map and locations).
- Light all three GET arrows and start Catch ‘Em Mode as many times as necessary. With a 1 in 16 chance, expect sixteen attempts on average, sometimes many more. The other rare Pokémon of the location, Moltres and Mewtwo, make valuable consolation prizes.
A secret fit for its era
In 1999, Mew was the mythical Pokémon par excellence: absent from the Red and Blue games except through official distribution, it fueled rumors in schoolyards. Pokémon Pinball carries on that status by hiding it behind two victories against Mewtwo and an unlikely draw, while sparing the player the ordeal of the 1,024 hits. Its sequel, Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, would reuse the idea of a Pokémon hidden at the end of the Pokédex with Jirachi.
See also: rare Pokémon, completing the Pokédex, the list of all 151 Pokémon.
