I think it’s a safe bet to say that Kirby’s Pinball Land is a product of its era. Pinball machines, and their video game successors, were still relatively popular, and Kirby was an up-and-coming video game franchise, especially with Gameboy owners. It just made sense to combine the two, given Kirby’s cute, round nature. And the base game provides a lot of fun! While short, the game has engaging “levels” (tables) with charming gimmicks and music. However, it suffers a lot in modern times due to its glaring lack of visual distinction, as the monochrome color scheme does little to evoke the love for the more colorful Kirby series that would come later. That’s where this hack comes in, bringing the much-needed breath of fresh air into a dated hidden gem. I would like to congratulate the author for making such a great looking colorization, as it harkens back to both the Kirby’s Dreamland subseries and Kirby’s Adventure. The tables now have a distinct environmental theme, and the enemies and bosses look great in their accurate color palettes. The only complaint I have is with the title screen, which I think could have used a lot more pink and green rather than the shades of blue it mostly relies on. Regardless, this is an easy recommendation for me, for both pinball and Kirby fans alike.

P.S. - I did notice a bug through my playthroughs that turned King Dedede’s sprite completely black, as if he were a shadow instead. It happened in the “lightning” phase of the final boss and the credits sequence on my first playthrough, and it happened only in the credits on my second playthrough.