Pokemon Review - Downloads - http://maxpages.com/sweetroms/Pokemon_Gold

Overall Rating: 8.6
Graphics: 8
Sound: 8
Control: 9
Fresh Factor: 8
Game Life: 10

The Skinny:

At first glance, Pokemon Gold looks like more of the same thing found in Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow, and at it essence, it is. In addition to a new story line, the sequel does everything a good sequel should, it keeps the solid RPG elements and combat system, tweaks the problematic and imbalanced parts of game play and adds dozens of new features.

At the heart of the Pokemon experience lies the collecting element, and with 100 new monsters to collect, Pokemon Gold does not disappoint. There are now a total of 251 Pokemon wandering between the five different Pokemon versions. Gold also introduces two new types of Pokemon; Dark type, which are great against Psychic type, and Steel type, which mop the floor with Grass type Pokemon. The player again has a choice of three pokemon to start with; Chikorita the funny little Grass type, Totodile the Water type crocodile, and Cyndaquil the Fire type aardvark. Cydaquil is the easiest to start with and Chikorita is the toughest. As usual, you can capture Pokemon by walking in tall grass, fishing and surfing, but in Gold you can also use the headbutt and rocksmash skills to reveal hidden or sleeping Pokemon. There are also a number of Pokemon only available from completing various quests and winning assorted competitions. Tough to catch Pokemon can be brought down with a variety of special new Pokeballs which a character named Kurt can fashion from Apricorns that you find in the game. As in Red/Blue there are several monsters that are unique to the Gold and Silver versions, so players have to trade with their friends to get them all.

Gold also introduces Pokemon breeding, which adds a whole new dynamic to Pokemon collecting. The majority of Pokemon are now available in two genders which can be bred at the Day Care Center to produce eggs which hatch into baby Pokemon. Most couplings produce a low-level version of the same Pokemon, but some Pokemon give birth to new "pre-evolved" baby Pokemon which can't be obtained any other way. Breeding two Pikachus for example will produce a Pichu. Ditto Pokemon can often be used in place of a male or female of a given type, making the breeding process a bit easier. Using a Ditto is necessary for the Pokemon that only have one gender, such as Jynx.

Another important addition is the element of time. The player is required to set a time as well as the day of the week at the beginning of the game, the game's internal clock even accounts for daylight savings time! The time of day, morning, day or night effects which types of Pokemon you will encounter as well as the behavior of various characters. Certain events, such as the Pokemon catching contests, only occur on certain days of the week.

The combat system is more or less the same but includes lots of new skills as well as a few changes to add needed balance. For example, sleeping Pokemon now attack the turn they wake up and Earthquake isn't as ridiculously powerful as they used to be. Pokemon can also be equipped with assorted berries before battles. The berries perform the same functions as potions and antidotes, but the Pokemon can use them automatically when necessary so that you don't need to waste a turn in battle. The new Steel and Dark Pokemon types also help to add variety to combat.

The addition of a new pack makes for a greatly improved item management system in Pokemon Gold. The Pack is divided into separate compartments: potions & antidotes, TM's/HM's, key items (bikes, rods, etc.) and Pokeballs. Each pocket holds as many items as your old pack did so now you don't have to deposit so much stuff in the PC! Several items are now also held in a gizmo called the Pokegear. It encompasses a watch which tells you the time and day, a map which works just like the old one, a radio, which gives you assorted tips and info and a cell phone which allows you to communicate with mom, the professors and various other trainers. Talking with other trainers over the phone is important because not only will they schedule rematches with you, they will let you know about the appearance of various seasonal Pokemon which can only be caught when and where they tell you.

Gold has two main story arcs, the first takes place in a new realm called Johto and the second in Kanto, the region featured in Red/Blue/Yellow. There are also dozens of side quests featuring people to rescue, crime rings to break up and missions to perform. All in all, you're in for a good 60 hours of game play the first time through!

Obviously, you don't play Pokemon for the hot graphics and sound, but Gold has adequate looks and sound to keep you interested. The graphics are much like they were in the original Pokemon games, with the addition of lots of new Pokemon renderings and battle animations. As simple as these graphics are, they do compel you to keep playing and see what new Pokemon look like! The music, as in the original, is quite varied and well composed. Unlike most Game Boy games, it doesn't get annoying fast. The rest of the sound effects are the simple beeps and whistles that you would expect from a Game Boy.

Fans of the original Pokemon obviously don't need a recommendation and have probably already picked this up and are plowing thought it as I write this. For those picky RPG players who thought Pokemon Red/Blue was a bit too simple for them, I'd suggest they give Gold a try. It's a lot more involved, and a lot of the annoying and repetitious elements have been fixed. Pokemon Gold has proved to be not only a great sequel to one of the biggest gaming phenomenon in history, but an all around better game than the original.

You'll like this game if you like: Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow; Dragon Warrior Monsters

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Page Updated Tue Oct 24, 2000 12:50am EDT