Written by Eric Gallegos
I remember being young and wanting anything Pokemon related, and I was eager to always turn on my trusty Gameboy and emerge into the world of Pokemon. The last true Pokemon game I played was Silver edition. After that, I just felt intimidated by the wide array of Pokemon and stopped playing altogether. It wasn’t until recently when I got a 3DS that Pokemon X and Y got on my radar again. Nostalgia hit when I saw commercials and a fully 3D Pokemon world emerged. Boy am I glad I picked up Pokemon X.
The formula is just the same as it was when Pokemon Blue and Red came out. The same storyline is followed, but this time, you get to fully explore the world of Pokemon in 3D. This new visuals do not let down one bit and it is astonishing to see how far Pokemon has come 15 years later. The visuals are amazing and it is a treat to explore new environments and see how the world changes in front of your eyes.
While there have been a lot of new Pokemon added to the roster since I last played, it isn’t that hard to keep track of the new types of Pokemon and their effectiveness against different types. This was my main hesitation with picking up Pokemon X and Y, but I was easily comforted with the ease of it all. It’s also a plus that the new Pokemon designs are pretty awesome. The new starter Pokemon are reminiscent of the original trio and you even get to pick either Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle about an hour into the game.
One of the new features in Pokemon X and Y are Mega Evolutions. Certain Pokemon are allowed to evolve further when they are paired with a certain stone. This allows a new type of strategy for Pokemon battles. These Mega Evolutions are only allowed to be used once in battle and they even change some Pokemon types. For example, Charizard’s Mega Evolution changes him from a Fire/Flying type to a Fire/Dragon type. These new Mega Evolutions are designed incredibly and it was always a treat to explore which Pokemon have the potential of having a Mega Evolution.
Pokemon X and Y have also introduced a new online system for playing with friends, but I haven’t been able to dive into this system much. It allows easy access to having Pokemon battles with your friends or others with an Internet connection.
Although the formula hasn’t changed much since the first Pokemon outing, Pokemon X and Y do not disappoint one bit. Mega Evolutions, the new online system, and the visuals bring enough to the table to allow Pokemon X and Y to feel fresh and bring much needed change to this franchise. It is recommended you research beforehand which version you want as each game has different Pokemon and Mega Evolutions. If you haven’t played a Pokemon game since the original versions, I highly recommend this 35 plus hour adventure as many of the original Pokemon do make an appearance. You won’t regret it.
Rating: 9/10
