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����� If you haven't heard of pokemon... you must've been living in a cave for the past year and a half. Yup. Pokemon has been around since September '98. Since then, a highly-rated children's TV show, tons of video games, a popular trading card game, millions of toys and merchandise, and even a big-screen movie have shown up. Pokemon is huge, and it won't die down. ����� Pokemon, pronounced "po-kay-mon", is a Japanese creation. Pokemon is short for "Pocket Monsters". It began as a Game Boy game (Pokemon Red and Pokemon Green) back in 1996. The game was an instant hit, and the release of "Pokemon Blue" followed shortly. Pretty soon, an animated TV show appeared and the craze built up over the years. Nintendo of America picked up on this and imported it to the US. ����� And you still ask "what is pokemon"? Well, there are over 151 of these little pocket monsters roaming in the original video game. These creatures all have special powers and abilities they use to survive in the harsh wilderness. Many humans keep pokemon as pets and companions; others breed pokemon, while others still research the behavior of them. When a person reaches the age of ten, however, they may get a "pokemon trainer's lisence" and venture out into the world to capture pokemon and train them for sport battle. These pokemon trainers travel the world, working hard to gain their pokemon's respect, while capturing new varieties, evolving them into stronger species, teaching them new attacks, and battling them against the world's best to become the number one pokemon master. ����� That's basically the plot of the Game Boy game: raise the best pokemon to become the world's best trainer. The game is aimed at children, obviously, and the violence is VERY mild. There is no blood or gore, and none of the pokemon die, merely faint. The pokemon appear in the typical Japanese cute-style. The game also has a deep strategy aspect to it. The turn-based battles require great knowledge of pokemon types, attacks, levels, stats, etc., so older audiences may enjoy this game as well. The game is a mix of strategy and role-playing, with just a pinch of virtual pet-raising (well, not really). ����� And, like I said, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Tons of video games, varying from the original plot, to puzzles and pinball, to photographing and observing pokemon in the wild. There is also the cartoon, shown on Kids' WB six days a week, and also availble on VHS. Pokemon cards are a huge collectible and can be used to play a fun and challenging game. There are hundreds of toys, figurines, and games to collect as well. So dive on in. |
