The latest additions to the Pokemon franchise is a bit of a disapointment. In this new addition they take advantage of the Nintendo DS’s touch screen; this opens a number of possibilities that were not available in the previous games.  You set off in a new region of the world to discover its secrets and Pokemon.

Game Play

Pokemon Game box. image from, http://nintendods.guias-trucos-juegos.com/

Not much has changed here form the original games. You wander the world battling gym leaders and rivals as you continue/begin the age old quest to become the very best that there ever was. The touch screen is utilized a fair amount of the time. You get a watch like device from the PokeTch company. It comes with applications built in and you gain more throughout the game.These apps use the touch screen to be activated. The new bag makes use of the touch screen as well, allowing players to cycle throughthe numerous specialty pockets with ease. The games keeps the contest system which was introduced during the last generation of games. The contest system is similar to a fashion show for Pokemon. Another new features which not only takes advantage of the touch screen but also takes advantage of theNintendo DS’s wi-fi capabilities is the underground. In the underground, you have the opportunity to set up a secret base; not exactly a new concept to the Pokemon universe. What is different is the ability to not only visit friends’ bases but also steal certain items from them. The underground also gives you an opportunity to find fossils and other items that can either be redeemed for better stuff or used on its own. There isn’t much to say about the game play in the game. Its your standard, go places, do this go somewhere else do that-sort of play.

The Good

The upgraded graphics for the game really shine though during battle sequences. Each move has its own special animation, the vast majority of them looking awesome. Music is pretty much what you expect from a Pokemon game but is good for a nice nostalgic reminder of the past. Battle mechanics flow smoothly with the random encounters with wild Pokemon in the world. Underground is a definite plus to this game. It is fun to play alone and even more fun when playing within it against people as you try and find their secret base.

The Bad

There is plenty that isn’t bad but definitely could be improved upon, the chief thing among those is the graphics. The graphics, while an improvement from the previous game, could be improved more. Besides the attack sequences, the graphics for the battles and the majority of the game don’t look as though they have been upgraded since the last generation of games in the Pokemon franchise. The touch screen, while a nifty little addition to the game, could of been used much more often. Instead of it being used for accessories, it could have been used for movement, which would have opened an entirely new dimension to the game.

Final Thoughts

The game is a good play for nostalgia purposes and in general provides a solid amount of game play. The game has its fun moments as you destroy your rivals again and again. Battles are short but intense, especially the ones that aren’t won. Hours can be spent training up certain Pokemon just to face a particular gym leader or elite four. The game is worth getting, even with the developers apparent laziness.

Whim Rating: 3/5

Game Play, as shown from YouTube

Trailer: Video from youtube

Tags: DS, Handheld, Pokemon, Radford University, Tech, Whim

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 8:16 am and is filed under Tech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.