Pokemon Gold for Game Boy Color

I am the first to admit that the gameboy has never been my area of gaming preference. Far from it, I usually try to stay as far as possible away from it. Something about the graphical limitations always turned me off I suppose and I always looked upon gameboy as some sort of lame grandson of the classic Game & Watch LCD games from the 1980's

Several of my work friends, who will remain nameless to protect their self esteem have a rather unhealthy obsession with all things Pokemon, despite being in their early twenties and it was through them one lunch hour that I was introduced into the world of "Pokemon Gold" so I could finally see what the all the fuss has been about and what it is that my kids have been obsessed with for the last eighteen months.

I was rather surprised by the overall effectiveness of the graphics in the game and stunned to realize that I had played a vastly simplified version of the game nearly a decade and a half previously in the Commodore 64 game called "Mail Order Monsters", where you create and train different types of creatures and pit them against each other in combat in various arenas.

In Pokemon Gold you control a stable of "Pocket Monsters" which you may add to through the "capture" of loose Pokemons. Your stable may be improved through boosting or training of different attributes along the way as you battle various foes in your quest.

I was quite impressed with the graphics in the game and to be honest I must admit that I had completely underestimated the gameboy's abilities. Sound is a little tinny of course and a little annoying, but it wont bother the kids too much.

Overall, I actually can understand now why the kids enjoy these games. This is not exactly my cup of tea, but the game is rather less shallow than the giant yellow somethings glaring at you from every store window and tv set would lead you to believe without actually playing.