Pokemon Channel

"Tired of the same old 'kill-everything-in-sight' gameplay? Need a change of pace from the 'run-jump' formula? Then this game may be for you."

Intro:

Before I even start, let me just say that I am a parent of a three year-old, which probably makes a bit of difference in my perspective of this game.

Just what is this game called Pokemon Channel? For many people, this seems a hard concept to grasp. The gameplay pushes the envelope on what people would even consider to be ''gameplay''. This is just one of those things where either it appeals to you or it doesn't. There's much to do here, but the question is: do you care to do it?

Story:

Ok, here's what's going on. You are contacted by Professor Oak to test the new Pokemon Channel, a network of channels dedicated to the Pokemon universe. He provides you with a television set, at which point Pikachu arrives at your doorstep to become your apprentice in your couch potato ways.

Gameplay:

The basic objective of the game is to use your common interest in the t.v. to befriend Pikachu. You will actually sit down and watch t.v. together. I'm serious. In fact, at some point in this game, you will watch an entire 20 minute episode of a cartoon called The Pichu Bros.

There are several channels to unlock (by watching the ones that are currently available), including a news channel, and exercise channel, a quiz channel and a shopping channel. Many of these stations are interactive. For example, you will have the opportunity to answer questions on he quiz show and win Pokemon money, which you would then take over to the shopping channel and purchase a variety of items. However, some are very UN interactive, such as a relaxation channel that just shows sheep hopping over a fence.

The main attraction on the set, though, is The Pichu Bros, broken up by five episodes. Each new installment airs on the next day, so you'll have to wait five days to see the entire thing.

Besides just watching t.v, you can also collect Pokemon cards, dolls and minigames playable via the in-game gameboy.

You're also not just stuck in a room with a t.v. and a lazy Pikachu. You can travel to your backyard and other places that are reachable by bus (bus tickets are purchased on the shopping network). What can you do outside? You can meet other Pokemon who will give you quizes about themselves. Your prize for answering the questions correctly is a Pokemon card. You can also point to objects that will prompt Pikachu to interact with. This can lead to activities such as fishing, gardening, watching a concert or even playing a game of ball-toss.

It should be noted that this game plays in real-time that follows your Gamecube's internal clock. Hence, if you buy an item from the Shopping Network that won't be delivered until tomorrow at noon, it means that if your playing the game tomorrow at noon (or anytime after), that item will get delivered. This little gimmick does indeed expand the gameplay time, for you would probably be able to finish the game in a few hours otherwise.

Graphics:

The graphics aren't revolutionary, but they work fine. There was never a moment where I couldn't tell which Pokemon model I was looking at (aside from the quiz show, of course).

Sound:

The sound is excellent. First of all, every Pokemon's cry is captured well here. Second of all, everything else does a good job of mimicking what it is intended to mimic. The news channel's intro melody sounds like a real news channel, the network has a catchy jingle, etc.

Overall:

Why do I like this game? First, there's the obvious reason of it being so different from the standard kill-everything-in-sight gameplay tat I've become bored to death with. Secondly, it's just plain amusing to watch. Pikachu totally steals the show. At first he's cautious and extremely sensitive, but by the third day, he's coming up to you to be petted. He plays with the pillow. He tries to jump through the t.v. screen. He's astonished the first time he pushes a button and causes the t.v. to change channels. He even learns the Pokemon Channel jingle.

There's a lot that I haven't talked about here, a testament to the fact that there truly is much to do in this game. Hopefully this review will help you decided whether or not this game is for you.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/07/04