Pokemon Gold/Silver

Pokemon Gold/Silver

All you Pokémaniacs out there are going to have to accept it – the Pokémon priority is in Japan. They've had Pokémon Red, Blue and Green (not released here) for a few years now, and Pokémon Yellow since last October. And just after we get Pokémon Yellow this October, they're going to get Pokémon Gold and Silver, a whole new Pokémon adventure -- and the first Pokémon sequel to have new Pokémon to capture and trade.

Features-

More than 100 new Pokemon unique to the series
New items including the Pokegear
Real-time RPG using internal clock
Game Boy Printer support
For Game Boy and Game Boy Color

The game starts off very similar to Red, Blue and Yellow, with the only exception that you enter the current time when you switch the game on for the first time. From here, you're taken through the usual intro sequences where you enter your name and meet up with Professor Oak (Okido, in the Japanese version) in his lab. Like in Red and Blue, you are asked to pick one of three Pokéballs that contain three completely new Pokémon: Waninoko, a crocodile-like water creature, Chicoreeta, a grass Pokémon who seems to have borrowed Marge Simpson's necklace and Hinoarashi, a fire Pokémon (the one on the picture at the top). I picked Hinoarashi, #155, by the way. Hinoarashi is best translated as "Firestorm", but expect the US version of #155 to have a more trademarkable name.

After going through the game basics and picking up medicine, you leave the lab and explore the town. The first thing you will notice is how much more vibrant the colors are in this game, despite the fact that it's backwards compatible with the regular Game Boy. Everything here looks a lot prettier than in the only partially colored Pokémon Yellow. A quick look at the world map confirms that this game is not a rehash of the original Pokémon titles. It's a new game, with new characters, new Pokémon and a completely new quest.

The story is the usual "you're a Pokémon trainer bound for glory" stuff, but there are numerous surprises and side quests that make this game stand out from its predecessors. For example, you can now get fruit from strange-looking plants that will heal your Pokemon, serve as antidote to poison, and so on. After a brief encounter with your new adversary (the default name in Pokémon Gold is "Silver" -- although he doesn't tell you his name when you first bump into him) you will also find a Pokémon egg. Once you bring it to Professor Utsugi, another local Pokémon expert, he will freak out and call it the greatest discovery in Pokémon history. You already know what this little find is all about, right? That's right, Pokémon breeding.

Although the game contains all of the original Pokémon from the last game, it doesn't take long before you run into new creatures. Some of the Pokémon we encountered include Otachi (#161), a badger-like fuzzball with bunny ears, Usokki, a walking tree, Eipam, a monkey with a hand attached to its tail, Hanekko, a turnip thingy, Marill, Donfar and Togepi -- which you may have seen in the Pokémon movie, and a little yellow something that's sure to rival Marill and Pikachu as the new favorite. Its name is Pichu -- a pre-Pikachu-type electric Pokemon.

Click on the Pokémon to go straight to the Pokémon of the Day that details its capabilities.
Like in the previous games, you will encounter Pokémon in high grass and dungeons. Battles start with a similar "wipe" screen effect as before, but the actual battle graphics are much improved. Attack and capture animations now look a lot better and your Pokémon no longer looks pixelated when it appears in the lower left corner. The music is likewise new. Another improvement is the addition of an on-screen experience bar in the lower right corner of the screen. When you gain experience points, the bar will fill up until it's full. Once that happens, your Pokémon gains a level and the bar will clear and fill with the rest of the points you gained.

But that's not the only upgrade. Once you press the Start Menu, you get this impressive list:

Pokédex: Similar to the old one, but with better graphics and more colors. You don't have it when you start off, but it's a cinch to get.

Pokémon: Your six own Pokémon. This is where you arrange and organize them for battle, just like the original.

Rucksack: Cool. You keep all your items and goodies in a new backpack with four compartments. You can switch between the different compartments by pressing left or right.

Pokégear: This is another awesome new addition. This gadget doesn't do much in the beginning, but once you progress through the game, you can access the map here and even use a cell phone to call up Prof. Oak, your mother or friends you have met on your quest.

Status: Your trainer's status, including badges you have won, etc.

Report: Save your game. You can save anywhere you like.

Settings: Adjust everything from message speed to the battle animations. You can even set the audio to stereo.

Pokémon Gold/Silver is not just a tweaked version of Pokémon Red and Blue with new creatures – there are new features to this adventure. All Pokémon in the game will be assigned a gender, either male or female. When you breed a male and female Pokémon, it will net an egg -- which Pokémon you've bred will affect how the Pokémon grows, as well as what abilities and attacks it will have as it gains experience in battle. Pokémon can also utilize weapons and items that you've acquired during the adventure.

One of the coolest features, though, is the fact that the game will be real-time. As you play the game, the day will turn to night and night into day at the appropriate times, thanks to the "time" option you set at the beginning of the game. The game will also have real-time events based on the battery-backed clock – meaning you'll have to complete the event before the specified time. Some Pokémon will only come out at night – like the owl Hoo-Hoo. So if you want to catch them all, you have to stay up late to do it.

This new edition of Pokémon also adds a few new Pokéballs to the mix -- for example, a Speedball will capture Pokémon that tend to disappear right when they enter a fight. The LureBall will capture water-type Pokémon a lot easier during the battle, too.

Speaking of types, there are two new types of Pokémon in this edition -- Evil and Metal. Metal is strong against ice and rock, but weak against fire, water, and electric-type Pokémon. Evil is a great addition because it finally balances out the powerful psychic-types by overpowering them – Psychic-type Pokémon were always the strongest type in the game, but with the inclusion of Evil…well, now psychics have something to worry about. Eevee even has an evil-evolved form by the name Blacky in Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Like Pokémon Red and Blue, Pokémon Gold and Silver will restrict which Pokémon you can capture – Pokémon Gold will have creatures that you cannot capture in Pokémon Silver, and vice versa. The only way you'll catch them all is if you trade between the two versions. You can also trade with players with Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow, but those gamers cannot trade for the newer creatures in Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Sadly, Pokémon Gold and Silver won't be released in the US until September 2000, but in Japan you'll be able to get your hands on them in November '99. Check out the great video and screenshots below.

Note: If you're planning to buy the Japanese import release of Gold/Silver which came out on November 21, be warned that this game contains a lot of Japanese text. Although kanji are not used, you should at least be able to read hiragana and katakana and have basic understanding of the Japanese language to enjoy it.