Reliving Our Childhood
By KAYLA BOHN
“Pikachu! I choose you!” As a child, I loved Pokémon. Who didn’t? You got to control a boy, catch Pokémon, and battle them against other Pokémon. You wanted to fill your Pokédex. The franchise captured the youth with their cartoons, card games and video games and occupied many of our elementary school lives.
The video games were introduced in the United States in 1998 and have captured our attention since. Red and Blue featured the original 150 Pokémon and the classic villain, Team Rocket. While 1998 has come and gone, the game is still capturing the hearts of their fans.
On October 12, the next Pokémon games were released in the United States – Pokémon X and Y. The setting of Pokémon X and Y is a France-styled region, which captures the beauty of the game. This game, for the Nintendo 3DS, has many more mini games to play and it is not always battling Pokémon against each other.
Previous versions have focused on Pokémon battles as the central focus of the game, but this version branches out giving gamers a more interactive experience. But, while there is more to explore besides battling, a new element was added to the timeless classic.
The game features two new ways to interact with your Pokémon. One way is to use Super Training, which is where your Pokémon throws soccer balls at “balloon bots.” This special training can be used to raise the stats of your Pokémon. There is also Pokémon-Amie, where you get to interact with your Pokémon in a similar way to NintenDogs – a video game where you get to train virtual dogs.
Pokémon X and Y also includes new forms of battle, such as horde battles and sky battles. Horde battles happen when you encounter five different wild Pokémon at once. The Pokémon all get to attack you at once, which can make the battles a little tricky. The sky battles can only performed when using only flying-type Pokémon, so only can only do them when you have at least one flying-type on your team.
A new element in the game is some Pokémon have the ability to “Mega Evolve,” which makes the Pokémon stronger during battle. However, it is unknown as to how to do so in the beginning of the game, and is later revealed throughout the storyline.
The game does not introduce a lot of new Pokémon, but it does take Pokémon from all the other games and gives the player a chance to “build their dream team” using any Pokémon they desire. Along with that, a new Pokémon type has been revealed. There is a fairy-type, which dominates dragon, a much needed advantage. Some of the older Pokémon have the fairy typed added to them.
Whether you are new to Pokémon or an old, hard-core fan, X and Y are great games to buy and play. They can be played when you are relaxing after studying or need a small break. You can also play the games with friends, which is another great way to have fun. Pokémon has always created fun, interactive games, and this is no exception. So go out there and “catch’em all!”
