What genre is Kirby's Pinball Land based on?

Kirby's Pinball Land is based on the pinball genre.

Released for the Game Boy in 1993, it turns Kirby into the ball on three themed tables. Players use flippers, bumpers, springs, Warp Stars, and other table features to keep Kirby in play, score points, defeat enemies, and reach boss encounters.

The game was developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo. It was Kirby's first spin-off and followed HAL's earlier pinball games, including Revenge of the 'Gator. Its three tables are themed around Whispy Woods, Kracko, and Poppy Bros., with King Dedede appearing after the main table bosses are defeated.

A common mix-up is calling it an ordinary Kirby platformer because it uses familiar characters and enemies. Unlike mainline Kirby games, however, its core play is pinball, not side-scrolling exploration. The pinball engine also later influenced Nintendo's Pokémon Pinball.