Truly Trozei: A Good Investment

Whether you're a Pokemon fan, or are just joining the series, Pokemon Trozei has alot to offer. In combining the appeal of hits like Tetris and Meteos with the surefire Pokemon formula, Nintendo has provided a game that balances challenging mechanics with engaging graphics.

Gameplay: A
With Trozei, players can really take advantage of the Nintendo DS capabilities, the stylus control makes selecting and shifting pokemon much more exciting. To score points, players must match groups of the same pokemon in rows, with larger groups and rarer pokemon giving higher scores. Meanwhile, enemies will challenge the players to "battles", which can cause sudden shifts in the lineup of pokemon on the screen.

An additional feature is the use of wireless: Players can link up not only to nearby friends (which sends a "trainer ID" to unlock rare pokemon), but also to players worldwide. With truly innovative forethought, Trozei even lets you "suspend" a single player game when a second player becomes available. You can play head-to-head for a while, then jump directly back to the single player game, right where you left off!

With traditional adventure mode, battle, and endless mode, replay value is comparable to other, more traditional puzzle games.

Graphics: A-
Now, some people might diasagree with me on this, because I am not a big fan of super-CG game graphics. I would much rather see clear, defined cartoon characters without pixelation than faux-realistic people and grimy 3D animation for the sake of computer animation. Pokemon Trozei appeals to me graphically because they stuck to creating really smooth, clear graphics in the cartoon style, rather than creating unnecessary 3D's like those we saw in the Gamecube versions. Each Pokemon is represented by a finely detailed "head", roughly circular and colored in bright tones. Each is easily recognizable, and even the cutscene graphics are more "powerpuff" than "twilight princess".

Sound: B
As with most puzzle games, the music is catchy, but repetitive. Some reworked pokemon themes mix in with fluid, techno-style tunes, and the sound effects flow well with the music (such as row completion, battle effects).

Drawbacks:
While wireless connectivity is great for those with many DS-endowed buddies, Trozei wireless play pales a bit when competitors are strangers. Unlike MarioKart DS, battle mode in Trozei is best enjoyed with someone you know, and those without easy access to wireless will be missing out on only a small part of the game. The need to meet many trainers to "catch 'em all" encourages attendance at Nintendo's travelling events.