Product Description

It's the game that started a revolution, but it's not just the fad that convinced gamers to "catch 'em all." This deceptively simple and child-friendly roleplaying game design is a far deeper game design than it looks. Pokemon features way more strategy and gameplay than it leads on, offering gamers almost infinite gaming possibilities even after the main adventure ends. Initially released in Japan as Pocket Monster Red and Green in 1996 (and later Red), the franchise arrived in the west in 1998 as Pokemon Blue and Red. The games could be linked up with each other and with the N64's Pokemon Stadium titles for creature trading.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1396 in Video Games
• Brand: Nintendo
• Released on: 1999-02-15
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platform: Game Boy

Features

• Collect up to 139 Pokémon with this game
• both Red and Blue versions are required to capture all 150
• use the optional Game Link cable to trade Pokémon and play against a friend
• for one to two players

Editorial Review
Welcome to the world of Pokémon, one filled with wild Pokémon and the people who attempt to tame them. You are Ash Ketchum, a boy on a quest to become the best Pokémon trainer in the world. Professor Oak, the leading authority on Pokémon, has given you your choice of three tame Pokémon in exchange for your helping him catalog and document every Pokémon in the world.

But to catalog a Pokémon, you have to capture it by first beating it up with one of your trained Pokémon, and then hitting it with an empty Poké Ball. As your tame Pokémon gain experience in battle, their abilities improve and they earn access to new attacks. Sometimes they even evolve into more advanced Pokémon.

Aside from capturing wild Pokémon and evolving your own, you can catalog new Pokémon by trading with another Pokémon player using either a link cable or the Game Boy Color's infrared system. Pokémon gained through trades learn and evolve faster, and trading is the only way to capture all 151 Pokémon, since each Pokémon game (Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, andPokémon Yellow) has certain Pokémon missing. Of course, as a Pokémon trainer, you've "gotta catch 'em all!"--150 to be exact. So if you own Blue and want to have a complete set of Pokémon, you must find a friendly Red or Yellow owner and arrange a trade.

Pokémon Blue is packed with interesting characters, an ingenious story hook, intriguing strategy, and of course plenty of cute Pokemon and it's easy to see how it started the Pokémania that is sweeping the world. --Michael Fehlauer

Pros:

• Gameplay and strategy that's fun for all ages
• Fantastic replay value
• Brilliant game design encourages players to meet and trade

• Hours of looking at the Game Boy's little screen may hurt neck
• Only 1 saved game per cartridge--2 people can't share a single game
• No difference between Red and Blue except for distribution of Pokémon

GameSpot Review
A unique mixture of Final Fantasy, Tamagotchi, and rock-paper-scissors gameplay with the collectible edge of Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon is an excellent RPG for players of all experience levels. You lead a lone adventurer out on his Pokemon journey, a quest to become the champion of the Pokemon League. Before our hero can even enter the Pokemon League, he must win eight badges from the Pokemon gyms scattered around the world. Things are never quite that easy, however, as you will come toe-to-toe with the evil Team Rocket, in addition to a number of other predicaments, on your way to reach the gyms. An RPG at heart, you scour the globe for Pokemon and capture them with Pokeballs. Once caught, Pokemon can then be added to your party and trained a la standard RPG characters. As they develop, the Pokemon will become stronger and learn new abilities. Many will evolve into a different Pokemon once they reach a certain level or if you use a special item on them. The game's variety and customization is virtually unlimited, making no two run-throughs of the game the same. You can carry up to six Pokemon with you at a time. In battle, only one of the beasts may be deployed, but monsters can be swapped at any time. The strategy lies in selecting the right types of Pokemon for each battle - every Pokemon is classified as one of 15 different types of Pokemon, adding the rock-paper-scissors aspect: Fire Pokemon are weak against water attacks, flying Pokemon are strong against bug Pokemon, etc. One of Pokemon's most unique and endearing aspects is its multiplayer nature. Pokemon can be traded or battled with friends via the link cable, adding tons of long-term play incentive. Additionally, those who buy only the Red or Blue versions of the game can't capture all 150 Pokemon without trading - each cart contains 139 Pokemon. As extra incentives, some Pokemon don't evolve unless traded, and traded Pokemon gain experience 50 percent faster than normal. Under its cuddly exterior, Pokemon is a serious and unique RPG with lots of depth and excellent multiplayer extensions. As an RPG, the game is accessible enough for newcomers to the genre to enjoy, but it will entertain hard-core fans as well. It's easily one of the best Game Boy games to date. --Peter Bartholow
--Copyright ©1998 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited.

From Parents' Choice®
This strategy/role-playing game involves an intricate story line that unfolds as players find, collect, train and then battle over 150 different types of Pokemon creatures as they work towards becoming the world's greatest Pokemon trainer. This was the video game that started the worldwide Pokemon phenomenon, which has spun off into a top-rated animated TV series, motion picture, books, toys and countless other products. The game involves battling the many different Pokemon creatures, but they never die or stay injured. Instead, they become weak and faint, only to be revived to perfect health minutes later. The game involves no blood, guts or gore. It does encourage thinking. Pokemon offers a collectibility element young people enjoy. (Jason R. Rich, Parents' Choice®).

Customer Reviews

The best Game Boy game ever!
Most game boy games are just about having quick reflexes or shooting bad guys, but in this game, you have to use strategy. Its really great when you catch a new pokemon or defeat a gym leader. If any parents are reading this review and have read that newspaper article about this game being really vicious and all about using pokemon to fight- don't you believe it! If this game is vicious then so is chess! The game has other things in it as well- it teaches that if you want something then you have to work towards it. Also, some pokemon are really weak when you catch them, but they get incredebly strong when you train them hard enough- there's probably a moral in that somewhere.

A great game for kids, beats watching tv!
My kids and I all love the Pokemon Gameboys (the three of us each have our own Gameboy). The blue Pokemon game is very similar to the red, with the Yellow having some slight differences.

I like the way the Pokemon game challenges kids. I suggest also buying one of the books which shows the various routes and places. This allows kids to work at the tasks without getting frustrated.

The idea is to start at Prof. Oak's house, get your first Pokemon from him, and then journey all around the land of Pokemon, collecting various wild pokemon (which you catch by battling them until they faint), and doing battle with other trainers along the way.

In the process, kids learn to manuever through mazes of increasing complexity (which is why the manuals are a help), to gather and use items, and to develop strategies for fighting various types of Pokemon. My five year-old even started to read while using her Gameboy, from needing to know which items she had with her (in her Item List)!

All in all these are great games which can be played over and over (although only one game at a time can be saved), and which will provide your kids with hundreds of hours of fun.

Pokemon Phenomenon makes huge hit with Pokemon Blue version
By far, one of the best GameBoy games ever in America. In this game, the point is to capture and train 150 various monsters in order to become the best Pokemon Master. In this version there are 10 different Pokemon than the Red Version, but this one is defenitely one of the best. You will have a rival which you may name, not to mention you can choose from three different Pokemon at the beggining of the game. A must BUY, click on that ADD TO CART space now!