Pokemon Ruby

First, the game has a lot in common with Pokemon games Silver, Gold, and Crystal. For example, players can choose to be a boy or a girl trainer, an internal clock sets events at certain times, and you're the game's handy-dandy Pokedex helps players keep track of the many stats. You're main goal is still to beat all the Gym Trainers and become the Pokemon Master. If you've played the old games, you will be right at home. But not all is the same.

The most obvious change is in the battles themselves. Now that two Pokemon can fight on your side at the same time, you can tag-team them against an enemy by taking advantage of the strengths of your Pokemons while covering their weaknesses. For example, you can now have a water Pokemon watch your fire Pokemon's back. You can also attack more than one Pokemon at a time.

A whole new element to the game focuses on how berries are used in battle. And if you collect enough berries, you can take them to a Berry Blender and make a PokeBlock, which is a little super-charged candy that raises your Pokemon's "Condition" attributes. You can then groom your Pokemon for regional contests and compete for ribbons like "Best of Show," which will unlock additional contests. There's even strategy in how to best use your berries: pick too many and the berry tree will disappear; plant berries, though, and a tree will grow. You can also build a Secret Base in special areas of the game, which you can decorate just like you can your room.

And let us not forget that Pokemon Ruby has a kickin' multiplayer system, too. You can trade Pokemon, and link up to four players for incredible battles. The only downside is that you can't link up with the old Game Boy Color games. --Bryan Karsh

Pros:

• You can control two Pokemon in battle
• Much needed graphic and sound facelift
• Nice multiplayer feature (requires link cable and extra game cartridge)

• Can't trade Pokemon with Game Boy Color

NintendoFreak


New Pokemon better graphics   January 14, 2003
 2 out of 4 found this review helpful

Pokemon silver was My first ever since I have been hooked to the games. Ruby and Safire are going to be way cooler than the old ones my freind showed me two new pokemon Lados and ladis there both awsome all the new pokemon are going to be awsome so you will probly won't to get it as soon as posibile.


What are we waiting for? Treasure or Junk?   January 11, 2003
 23 out of 27 found this review helpful

Okay, I heard about this in September 2002 but there was little info. I've been checking up on many sites and it just seems to get better. It arrived in Japan November 21, 2002 and Ruby and Sapphire already got the best selling of the year in only a little over a month. The Pokedex should be really good and the graphics are much better from the screen shots that I have seen and the newer info has been very awesome. You can battle with two Pokemon at once or even team up with your friend. The main part of the game is to either beat team Magma or Team Aqua apart from being a Pokemon Master. Team Magma is after all the legendary Fire types and Team Aqua is after all the legendary Water types and it's up to you to stop them. You can make your own fort and trade with others. Apparantly Kanto and Johto are non-exsistant in this game. But there will be 386 Pokemon from what I heard. So literally I can't wait. We must be waiting for a treasure, surely not junk.

Pokemon is for all ages, not just for kids. You need to beable read well for this game and figuring out battle strategies isn't exactly for small kids to figure out easily. Education is also provided through this, when I played for the first time when I was 11 I didn't know that water conducted electricity, this game taught me that. So if you're here to diss the game you'll have to live through my Hydro Pump attack. Pokemon isn't stupid and maybe you should actually try it before you judge it.

GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL! POKEMON!