Pros: This is a great take on the standard RPG.
Cons: The graphics and sounds stink for a game this good.
The bottom line: If you are sick of those fruity RPG's starring wimpy dudes with blonde spiky hair then try this instead.
POKEMON BLUE (Nintendo/Game Freak, 1998)

It's Labour Day today and now is a great time to take it easy and let someone else do the work for you. The Pokemon Blue game here is just a small part of the million dollar franchise and it is one game where you sit back and let your cute little monster pets do all the work instead in this unique modern day slavery title. OK, you can throw your balls at something from time to time and hope that it hits something (hopefully Misty) but it is your Pokemon here really doing everything for you: ya lazy human. Now before you dismiss this crazy Pokemon franchise as some kiddy fad though, this game is a great new spin on the standard Role Playing Game (like the popular Final Fantasy or the very unpopular Earthbound series for example) out there and even experienced gamers like me can have fun here too.

In the game you play as a kid named Ash (or whatever you want call him) and you start the game in a small town and you have been given a special gift from Pokemon expert Professor Oak. He gives you the option to select from one of three unique monsters encased in small pocket sized balls. After you pick one you then begin your long adventure to find all these different cute monsters around this huge virtual universe.

Your pocket monsters are not just cute little pets that like to shred your leather chair, these little buggers can fight. The more they fight, the more experience they can get and maybe they can get a few new moves as well. You can carry up to 6 pocket monsters at once but you can also find other creatures and store them in a Pokemon data base so you can help Oak get some info on these wild Pokemon. Finding certain pocket monsters is easier said then done though.

Some Pokemon are pretty common and you'll be fighting them a lot in grassy areas but some of these little critters can only be found in oddest places and better hope you have the right Poke Ball to capture it. You also have to worry about how much health is left so it won't break your balls (ouch!).

To unlock these new areas and towns you need to gain new abilities, beating up the right kids and their Pokemon, and by getting special Badges by the fighting Pokemon masters first. If you wish to find them all then you also need to trade between both versions which made you talk your friend into getting the other version (usually my friends just want to go out drinking though).

Like many 8-bit RPG's on the old Gameboy the graphics absolutely suck! A lot of the different creatures here look cool and that Misty chick does look fine in that bikini too, eh? Sadly, there is usually little to no animation in the battle scenes so getting into these constant animal fights can get dull. The graphics had some good points but overall they are just average.

The same goes for the music and sound effects here. The different wracks and smacks help add dramatic effect to the fights and the background music usually fits in the situation your in too but chances are these low budget beeps won't make you want to buy the CD or download the MP3.

Versions Blue and Red are the original two games that started this whole Pocket Monster craze in the first place and it easy to see why it took the public by storm. Really the only difference between the two games is that they have a few exclusive Pokemon (like Meowth: that strange coin cat thing that speaks actually English for some reason) in each game and how the cart is a different colour and that's pretty much it. All the stages, bosses, and locations are exactly the same which sucks. Sure, its a little commercial and the graphics and sound are not too impressive either but there is no denying that monster collecting game play is cool, you can almost Save your game anywhere, and the replay value is there too because you can also trade with your friends here. Forget about those young punks Pokemon Blue can be fun for all us.

*Battery back up game

POKEMON BLUE overall rating: 86/100

For 1 player only
Rated (E) for Everyone
graphics: 5/10
sound: 5/10
gameplay: 9/10
replay: 9/10

www.videogames101.com

-StarSoldier1
(Ryan Genno) 2006