Out of boredom I cranked out this review last night. Here are my nitpicks
-I don't feel as if I'm informative enough
-It reads a bit boring to me
-I tend to trail off a lot
Most likely I'm going to write up another one in a completely different style while I'm at my Grandma's place today for Christmas. I decided to post this up since there aren't any Pokemon Channel threads to begin with
Nintendo has a fever, and the cure is more Pokemon!
Ever since the first screenshot was released, the question on everyone's mind has been the same. "What IS Pokemon Channel anyways!?". Is there an actual point to it? Is it the left overs of the now defunct Pichu Party game or is it nothing more than a seemingly Pokemon FMV style game? Now that I've experienced the game, the best I can sum it up is this. It is the Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball of the Pokemon world with a bit of Mystery Science Theatre tossed in for good measure. That said, on one hand we're dealing with a game that lacks any substance whatsoever, but in the same, bizarro style respect its chock full of goodness that can keep you entertained for hours.
Much like DoAX, there is a point to the game. There is a beginning, yes but there is no true ending to the game and is really only limited to how much time you want to spend with it. When you start Pokemon Channel you'll meet up once again with Professor Oak, the forefront of everything Pokemon. It turns out that Professor Oak has created an entire television network for Pokemon and their trainers to enjoy. Originally enough, he calls it Pokemon Channel. Like every new television network, he needs a test audience to see how to improve the channel so that it can reach a broader range of viewers. This is where you and the MST3K comes in. He's assigned you to by the one man focus group for this new channel dedicated to all things Pokemon. He gives you a little bit of cash on the side for doing the good deed and lets you loose. Well, if you had to sit there and watch TV all day by yourself all day that would be pretty boring, not to mention a little overly cruel for video game. Enter Pikachu.
Through a wild Pikachu, Pokemon Channel gains it's vehicle to the outside world beyond your room and your television. Borrowing elements from everyone's favorite N64 game Hey You! Pikachu!, you begin your relationship with this wild Pikachu, which is pulled off in a surprisingly sweet way. When you meet Pikachu he's a wide-eyed Pokemon in an unfamiliar world to him. He'll poke around your room, get himself into trouble, even try and leap through TV at times. The way he reacts to your actions, the TV programs, his environments, it truly makes you feel as if Pikachu has a mind of his own. Silly as it sounds, it's really something to experience if you're a Pokemon fan.
Being a wild Pikachu and all, he'll want to drag you outside and play around. Away from the television is where the game picks up and actually gets you hooked. I don't want to spoil anything as this is the type of game where you'll want everything to be 100% fresh when you experience, but outside you'll meet many new Pokemon, collect trading cards, start a garden and even go on a mini-quest or two. It's these times outside where the game gets it's DoAX feel of just wasting time, having fun for the sake of having fun. It's definitely a nice, relaxing change of pace.
Of course seeing as how the name of the game is Pokemon Channel, you'll still be watching a ton of television. As of writing this, I've watched 130 minutes of Pokemon Channel programming and I still haven't seen it all, despite "finishing" the game. What keeps you interested in the programming is that it's fairly interactive. The most of which is Shop And Squirtle, the QVC of Pokemon Channel. It's here where you'll buy the most awesome of Pokemon merchandise from everything from room decorations, trading cards, mini-games and more. Upon my first experience with Shop and Squirtle only one word came to mind. "Brilliant". That Squirtle is the greatest salesman on the face of the planet. There are also quiz channels, mini-games and other little interactive shows, even going as far as making you take a look at an egg and guessing what Pokemon will hatch.
Bias aside, it's really hard to find faults when it comes to Pokemon Channel. For what it sets out to do, it does wonderfully. Brilliant execution of the programming, enough distractions away from the TV to keep you playing while you wait for other shows to come on, a Pikachu that is just plain fun to hang around, the list goes on and on. Although, one feature which is debatable is the fact that the game runs on a real time clock. So when Shop And Squirtle tells you your items will arrive at 3pm tomorrow, and it's 9pm now, you might as well just go to sleep and pick up the game tomorrow because it'll be there 3pm tomorrow for reals. Even Professor Oak deals with the real time clock when it comes to new shows and there are also certain locations that can only be accessed at night. While some people will point at that and complain that it's just needlessly dragging out the game, I feel as if it helps to further immerse you into the little fragment of the Pokemon world that it creates. It's also nice to know that when you wake up there will be a fresh installment of the Pichu Bros. anime to watch. Yes my friends, everyday is Christmas with Pokemon Channel.
I must say, if you're not a Pokemon lover I highly suggest that you stay as far away from this game as humanly possible. Don't even look at it, you just won't get it. Now, if you're the type of Pokemon fan who squeals like a high school cheerleader at the sight of a Teddiursa, then you will adore each and every moment the controller is in your hands.
Pokémon Snap was great, but the whole game falls apart once you take a picture of Mew. Even a crap Mew pic will top everything you've done before, even a pic of the mighty balloon Pikachu. I hate that.
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