Pokemon LeafGreen Version

"Just a remake of Pokemon Blue? Of course not."

Of course not. It is an improvement, and there are many more things that were added in this game compared to the original Red/Blue series, and even Ruby and Sapphire that make this the best Pokemon game in existence at the moment. The world was ready for Super Mario Advance, an import from SNES. Now here's Pokemon.

Story: 7/10
The story is still the same as usual. You're out to catch these creature called Pokemon in which you raise to battle and become friends. As Pokemon grow, they become stronger and can evolve into stronger, better creatures. You take them with you in devices called Pokeballs in which you can also use to catch other Pokemon in the wild. The purpose of raising your Pokemon strong is to battle other trainers, and also Gym Leaders which are strong trainers assigned to many cities in the Kanto region. There's also a group or notoriety called Team Rocket who you must stop from using Pokemon just to make money.

This is all exactly the same from Pokemon Red/Blue. It's not bad of a story and it's especially well for Game Boy, but by now I sort of expected something better and a little different. The same thing over and over again is getting repetitive. Even a small new detail would've been good.

Graphics: 10/10
Some people are complaining about graphics. I really wouldn't. If you look back at your old 4 battery Game Boys, you will see gray and white splashes of color in which they were mixed to look like sloppy, mutated versions Pokemon. Now, look at the graphics. The back picture of Bulbasaur no longer looks like a snail, each Pokemon has color and has every little bit of detail on it. The screen is showered with little pixels of color to form beautiful images of ocean, houses, and grasses. Everything from the original Red and Blue have been upgraded and the new look is simply fantastic. You can see your reflection in the water like in Ruby/Sapphire, the Pokemon have new sprites, the trees are colorful and realistic, and there's much much more to be seen! It's excellent, tasty eye candy that will pleasure it like a new cat finally using the litter box.

Sound/Music: 10/10
The graphics have greatly changed, and so has the sound. They are all wonderfully toned remixes that evolved greatly from the beeps and boops of the Game Boy. Your parents will be begging you to turn up the sound of your Game Boy so they will hear the pleasurable whistles and tunes of this new game instead of the old beeping noise. Everything remains the same tune, and it's not like in Gold and Silver where they cheesed up some of the scary songs to sound more happy. The music has background which adds all to the detail and shows a lot of effort put into here, just like every other part of the game. This was some of the more enjoyable parts to me since it brings back memories of the not so great music in the Game Boy series. Trust me, it is a huge reason for you to want to get this game.

The sound is just as terrific. Again, there are no more beeps and boops. Think of the sound of you tackling a giant football player. That is exactly the sound of a Pokemon using the attack, Tackle. There are many sounds used here and they are all equally detailed, smooth, and beautiful.

Gameplay: 10/10
The gameplay is great as always. You can now catch Pokemon from the other advanced series and see new moves that Pokemon didn't learn before. There are no Contest Houses like in Ruby/Sapphire, but there are the new Rainbow Islands, an awesome addition in which you can catch legendary Pokemon. There are also special events in which are different depending on the starter you choose. The decisions you make in this game make much more of a difference. Some more new additions is the Pokedex. There are so many modes that you can view it in, much more than the other versions. When you view a Pokemon, you will see its footprint, an entry, and all of its other evolutions in its evolution line. Like in Ruby and Sapphire, you eventually get the Running Shoes so you're not so slow when walking. Another cool feature added is when you go to a certain area, they will show a short point of view screen of the area.

One great thing is that the AI seems to have gotten smarter. They no longer use Growl and Leer and actually attack more often which can be more of a threat. The battles still remain fast paced and enjoyable with strategy non-existent in the previous versions.

Replay Value: 9/10
There's still plenty to do as always. Create the world's best team, battle your friends, get stuff from friends, etcetera. The only reason it did not get a 10 is that some things from previous versions were removed which were a bit more challenging, but this will satisfy your replay taste. Those choices with the starters will make you want to start a new game as well with different choices to make. It will still last more than 30 hours per game.

Overall: 10/10
This is an awesome game. It excels in every genre and has important ingredients to a good game. However, one question might still not be answered: is this game really worth it if Red/Blue was played?

The answer is yes. Even if you have played the previous versions, think about what you're missing out on. The Rainbow Islands were a great addition, new events, and all those improved things! If you ever want to get some extra bucks through Pokemon tournaments of have the perfect team in the Coliseum game, then getting this is a must. All the nostalgia you get and seeing how great this new improved game is compared to the older ones will make you truly not regret getting this game.

This game is great for almost everybody. Even if you hate Pokemon, I urge you to try this game, especially for an RPG fan. The show is totally different from the game, I myself don't like the show, but the game is stupendous. Older kids will enjoy this game as much as younger games. Don't ever think you're too old for this, it is a great game for everybody.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 02/06/04