6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Look past the sterotype, and you have a great game
Date of Review: Dec 20, 2000
When you think of Pokemon, what do you think of? That's right, that annoyingly cute, rat-like Pikachu. Well, I'm here to tell you to ignore that little kiddy business and bad rap that Pokemon has acquired, and play this fantastic game.
Pokemon Gold, like it predecessors (Blue, Red, Yellow, and the Japanese only Green), centers around one young trainer who's goal is to find and capture one of every Pokemon there is in the world. However, what sets Gold (and it's counterpart Silver) apart is there are 250 Pokemon to capture, while the others had 150! There are many new features, like the on game clock, cell phones, and radios.
The in game clock is just that, a clock. It keeps track of your time, even while powered off, so it's like your playing the game at that time. The use for this is that certain Pokemon appear only at night, or only during the day, and certain events only happen at certain times. The cell phone lets you communicate to certain important people, and trainers, who just might give you hints. The radio, while available later, lets you listen to shows, which also gives you tips.
The gameplay is a lot like the other games. You start with one Pokemon (of elements fire, water, or grass) and as you progress, capture wild ones with items called pokeballs. You raises their strengths through fighting, however, the violence is not here (nothing ever dies, just becomes unconscious) This time, their is a mood bar (similar to Pikacu's in Yellow) for every single one, and their behavior depends on it. There are a few new ways to acquire pokemon too. One method is breeding. For example, if you get two pikachus of opposite sexes, they may mate and produce Pichu, one of the new creatures.
The graphics are basically the same, but that's a good thing, because the pokemon games are some the best graphically. Try to play on a Game Boy Color, and you'll be more than surprised. The battles are well done, with much more detail lavished on every pocket monster. The sound, while somewhat irritating, can be very good. The battle theme is one of the most memorable I have ever lent my ears too, second only to that of the Final Fantasies.
For those who are wondering, Pokemon Gold is practically the same as Silver, except that different pokemon appear in each cartridge. To get all 250, however, you'll need someone else who has the exclusive ones to trade you via a link cable. This game is highly addictive, and at its core is a simple and very fun RPG.
