Returning To Pokemon

Rather embarrassingly, I’ve owned a copy of Pokemon Pearl since its launch and never got round to finishing it. This is down to a general fading interest in the franchise, and other responsibilities requiring my time and interest. However, with a long train journey looming, I opened my trusty Nintendo DS and started my Pokemon journey afresh. Much to my surprise, second time round I found myself falling in love with the series all over again. It might be the same tried and tested formula… but somehow there is a sense of comfort and familiarity in that.

Pokemon has come a long way since "the old days"

This game simply has so much to do. 40 hours are shown on the clock and my trainer is just about to enter the Pokemon League, but I’m already thinking about what I want to do next. Migrating all of my GBA creatures, retraining my party to participate in contests, harvesting berries and breeding Pokemon… the list goes on and on. Sometimes I feel games fail to justify their price tag, but on length alone Pokemon continues to stand proud.

Okay, so there are a few things Game Freak could really do with updating. 3D battles would be nice and the touch screen is still largely irrelevant to the adventure. Yet I can’t help but smile. If I was to go on holiday and only take one handheld title with me, Pearl would win hands down; I would recommend any parent to do the same for their child too. Now I’ve only played a slice of Platinum, but even if it only has a few extra hours of gaming it will be a monumental title. Fans may hold Crystal or Emerald as their favourite in the Pokemon series, but I’m surprised to find Pearl becoming my own personal preference. It’s just so accessible.

The Battle Frontier in Platinum; yet another extension to explore

If you’re an RPG player and have left the Pocket Monster craze behind since the days of Red and Blue, now maybe a good time to think about returning. The series has evolved and the outlook of online play makes it a game for even the most hardcore of gamers. As my train rockets along, this is definitely more than just nostalgia that i’m feeling: it’s raw enjoyment. Guess I better sign off, I really need to train for those pesky Elite Four…

Pokemon Heart Gold & Soul Silver

As if recently releasing Pokemon Platinum wasn’t enough, Game Freak recently shocked poke-maniacs everywhere by announcing the development of Heart Gold and Soul Silver. That’s right, like Fire Red and Leaf Green on the Game Boy Advance, owners of the Nintendo DS will have the chance to buy enhanced remakes of the much loved Game Boy Colour classics. With a release date currently slated in Japan for September 12, 2009 (to co-inside with the tenth anniversary of the original Gold and Silver release) what can we expect from the ever-growing franchise?

Packaging revealed for HeartGold

Firstly, bundled with the game will be a Poke Walker. You’ll presumably have the ability to upload any of your character’s Pokemon to this and as the name suggests… go for a walk with it. Yup, in a nutshell this is a blend between a Tamagotchi and a pedometer. With each step, your pokepal’s affection will increase, gain experience and earn you ‘watts’. Watts will be an in game currency used to find hidden items with the dowsing machine, or catch wild Pokemon with the Pokeradar. The Poke Walker looks approximately the size of a British Two Pound coin, meaning that it will slip easily into your pocket without causing too much embarrassment. It also uses some form of infra-red connection to link up with your Nintendo DS and a very basic black and white screen. Simply a cheap gimmick? Or is this a revolutionary way to train your Pokemon?

The next virtual pet craze?

If someone asks you to name the most iconic part of Pokemon Yellow, it’s likely that you’ll mention the ability to have Pikachu following you around. Even if it was just a pixellated sprite, it was cool to watch him run after you and check his current mood. In Heart Gold and Soul Silver this feature will be returning and won’t just be restricted to your starter Pokemon. Recently leaked screens show what appear to be a smiling Teddiursa and Steelix – does this mean we will be able to have any Pokemon we desire following us this time around? Will shiny Pokemon, hold items or gender affect their outward appearance? This might be a small touch, but it’s an aesthetic improvement that I’m really looking forward too. However, it’s going to take a long time for Game Freak to draw animated sprites for 493 Pokemon…

Pre-order bonus goodies, we all love them. The desire to be the most definitive fan by ordering our copy early and drooling over the rubbish we get given for free. This time The Pokemon Company will be delivering figurines of Ho-oh (with copies of Heart Gold), Lugia (for Soul Silver) and Arceus (if you’re hardcore enough to buy both) straight to your door. Is this another incentive to buy both versions, or just crude marketing strategy? I’ll personally go with the latter, but I’ll also bet my last Master Ball there will be some consumers taken in and checking those import sites already.

The legendaries, ready and waiting to be sat on your desk at work

Gold, Silver and Crystal are held in high regard as some of the best Pokemon games in the series. They introduced the night and day system, the concept of breeding, berries, shiny Pokemon and other features that stand out in Diamond/ Pearl/ Platinum today. It was also the only generation where you were given two separate continents to explore; both Johto and Kanto. All of the additions in recent years are bound to be included too, so it’s not surprising that Pocket Monster fans are waiting with anticipating glee. Could this be the definitive Pokemon game?