Pokémon
Game by: Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures inc.
Reviewed by:Fred the Mew
Fredsite2@aol.com
Size: 8 megabits (1 Megabyte)
Save:Battery 1 slot
Released: 1998
Works with: All GB Systems

Overview:  If you intended to buy only one GB game this year, it should have
been Pokémon.  It's an RPG, it's a fighting game, it's a collect & Trade
game, and it's a lifestyle.

First off: The RPG part of the game.  The world you explore is huge.  I say
huge, I mean HUGE.  You get to explore hidden dungeons, a tomb, the interior
of a mountain, and so many other areas that it would take an entire player's
guide to describe them all.  The only thing that differs it from most other
games is that the main character is actually rather unimportant. Everything
your character does is either for the betterment of your creatures or the
betterment of you journey as a pokémon trainer.  The monsters are the real
stars of the game.

Second: The battling part of the game.  This is what discourages most
parents.  The idea of two people duking it out with projectiles and jabs
isn't exactly what you want little timmy to get involved with.  But with no
blood, no "death" or "knock outs" so to speak, and the option to shut down
all the animation, this game is sound enough for parents to OK it, but not
mundane enough to be a teddy bear picnic game.

Third: The collect and
trade section of the game.  The name says it all.  You have to collect all
the pokémon available in your version (red, blue, green, yellow), then you
have to trade with your friends to evolve some pokémon you wouldn't otherwise
be able evolve.  Then you have to trade with your friends to get the
creatures exclusive to their version of the game. Then you have to get some
one-shot-only pokémon that can only be found in certain side-levels. Finally,
you have to try every cheat on the net or use a gameshark to get the two
uncatchable pokémon, Mew and MissingNo.

Last:  It's a lifestyle.  You heard me.  Not two weeks after the game came
out did I see people coloring pokéballs and pikachus onto their plain white
shirts.  In Japan, It is quite literally a lifestyle.  You can't throw a
chewed up furby into the street without hitting some one dressed as Ash
Ketchum or a baby's poképlush toy.  If you follow my advice and get this
game, you'll understand where these people are coming from.

Gameplay:  Gameplay is pretty easy.  Mind you, easy doesn't mean bad.  It's
menu driven.  If this game was something besides menu driven (i.e.; button
combos for a command) it would be nearly impossible for this game to be
playable.  This system is perfect for this game. Five Star

Graphics:  The creatures are excellently made.  The buldings are what would
be expected from a GB game, but the cities are still well designed. However,
From screenshots of the Japanese version I've seen, the Japanese version is a
tad better with it's pagoda style buildings.  But the American version is
easier to warm up to.  Five Star

Sound: Never before have I seen a better use of tones and bleeps.  Every
single pokémon has it's own unique cry, an obviously incredible task for the
programmers, considering that there are 151 voices to do.  Sound is flawless.
Five Star

Music:  Every section of the game has a different soundtrack. You don't have
to go through sudden changes in music, stopping in the middle of one set of
rythms and emerging in the middle of another.  Instead, you get a gentle fade
out as you transition and a fade in to the beggining of the next set.  The
music can be catchy, but in a good way, not a annoying way.  Five Star

Play Control:  Pretty  much the same as gameplay.  Once you get the hang of
buying items, Using HMs, and knowing were to expect pokémon to show up,
playing is a fun experience, rather than a frustrating mind game that other
games try to sell you.

Final Analysis:  Like I said in the beginning of this review, this is the
game of 1998.  With a sequel in the works, you can be sure that this will be
a contender for the role of best game in '99 or Y2K.


Score
Gameplay: *****
Graphics: *****
Sound: *****
Music:*****
Play Control: *****
Total: 25
Final Score: 100%

Currently Known Codes:
The Japanese version had plenty of codes, including some for the elusive
pokémon, Missingno. and Mew.  However, when these codes were deleted for the
American version, only the process was deleted, not the effect.  Therefore,
it is technically possible to get the effects of the codes if you happen to
get a particularly glitchy pak. Game shark users can access these effects
with the right codes.  These codes can be obtained freely by anyone who asks
for them from Fredsite2@aol.com.  And yes, Mew is included =: )