"Only time will tell if this game can make it..."

Ah... Pokemon. Those little battling creatures that everybody loves. No, there's no battling in this game, and there's no gym leaders, or Elite Four, or any of that stuff. Instead, you're raising a Pikachu and helping Pokemon Channel make good Pokemon-related shows. Can this game make it big? Or will it score low?

Graphics (7/10)
Graphics, you can tell, were not rushed. You can tell what everything is, you can tell who everything is. The 3-D effects for the ''Nice Cards'' are very well made. Even the Pichu Bros. Anime has good graphics. Yes, anime on the Gamecube that looks good. Believe it or not.

Sound (9/10)
One of the biggest point-boosters for this game is the incredible sound. The Pichu Bros. anime has DVD-level sounds. It really is that good. The only thing that doesn't make it are some of the Pokemon's cries. For example, Hitmonlee sounds like it's having a heart attack or something. Other cries, such as Celebi, were perfect.

Story (7/10)
The story was very creative! It's similar to Hey You, Pikachu for the N64. Pokemon Channel is a channel that only airs Pokemon related shows. For your birthday, they send you a gift. A TV. Professer Oak, who runs Pokemon Channel, wants you to test out the shows and see if they're good enough to be aired worldwide. Every day, you get new shows to watch, and some shows are unlockable.

Gameplay (7/10)
Simple. You watch TV, and chat with other Pokemon. The channels are pretty fun, except some like Mareep's Relaxation Farm that are just boring and pointless. I mean, who wants to see 50 sheep jump over a gate? Boring. Some other shows, like Shop 'N Squirtle or Fitness Channel are interesting, and Pikachu agrees.

If you go outside (and Pikachu rarely wants to do this), you can chat with other Pokemon and get their ''nice cards''. There are 101 Nice Cards to collect, and you get rewards for collecting a certain amount.

Some other sidequests include answering correct questions to a Quiz Channel, watching a concert and sending fan mail. So, there is a lot to do, but is it interesting enough to be done?

Overall (7/10)
This game is very creative, and can keep you up for hours. Rent for maybe a week, and if you really like it, than buy it. Buy it if your favorite Pokemon is Pikachu, because you'll see A LOT of him. Nintendo did a good job putting this one together, and it's one of my all-time favorite Gamecube games.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 12/23/03