Pokemon Trading Card Game

"Yeah, it's another good (gasp) Pokemon game"

Yes, I hate Pokemon. Yes, this is a great game. Once again, fools who don't look beyond a name are really missing out. I used to play the card game, but not anymore, for a few reasons. For one, booster packs cost a lot of money collectively, I don't want to be seen buying said cards, you need more than one person to play, and it was always a pain in the ass to fight about what the rules ''really'' mean. Fortunately, this game solves all of those problems. And it doesn't skimp, either. It provides a great experience that you'll want to play over and over.

Concept: It's the first 3 sets of the Pokemon TCG stuffed into a GameBoy game, pretty much. However, they went above and beyond the bare minimum, i.e. new cards, loads of ''trainers'' to challenge, a very fun battle machine you can play after you beat the game, being able to save up to 60 decks, multiplayer battling and trading, and a whole lot more. 9/10

Graphics: I definitely like the overworld graphics, they're nice and simple. However, the artwork on some cards kind of degrades. They only used a few colors when the actual cards are a lot more vibrant. Also, the super tiny text can take some getting used to. Otherwise though, on an overall scale, the graphics are above average. 7/10

Control: Like all Pokemon games, the gameplay subsists mainly on menu navigation. Fortunately, the the menus are pretty simple and well thought out, especially considering the game's complex nature. The rest is just walking around. A word to the wise: Holding B while walking makes you double your speed. 8/10

Sound: For a GBC game, the sound isn't bad. The sound effects are nothing that will make you jump out of your seat, but are good for what they are. The background music isn't half bad, though, so you won't need to adjust your GB's volume a whole lot. 7/10

Glitches: Well, there is one glitch, but it only comes into affect if you want it to and can only help. When you end your turn, and before your opponent's turn is over, if you shut off or restart the GameBoy, you can return to the beginning of your last turn and change any choices you might have made. All in all, I am grateful for this glitch, it has gotten me out of many jams. 9/10

Replay: Creative minds were definitely at work when designing this game. Of course, there is the very good main story mode, but you can challenge opponents an infinite number of times and gain more booster packs each time, so you'll always be able to battle. But strewn throughout the game is some people who will trade rare cards with you. Collecting each card is a time consuming but very fun task. There is a two player mode, so you can play against other people like the real card game, as well as trade with them. Also, once you beat the game, a battle machine is made available, which puts in you in a sort of gauntlet of players from the game, and it's quite challenging, because you have to use the same deck. All in all, this one's a keeper. 9/10

Overall: I think it's more childish to pass up such a great game simply for the name, rather than buying it for the same reason. This a fantastic game to play, and is one of the best in my library of games. Essentially, you're getting almost all the cards from the first three sets and a hell of a lot more for $30, which is not a bad price at all. 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/11/02, Updated 10/11/02