amphibious_ReViews

Throughout my childhood, I played a lot on the Wii. My family had a couple dozen physical games, but sometimes that didn't feel like enough. That's when I would browse the Wii Shop Channel. I never actually had any points cards, but I'd download a demo now and again and had some staples I always returned to. BIT.TRIP RUNNER and MotoHeroz come to mind, but if I had ever bought a game based on its demo, it would've been Pokémon Rumble. That demo lodged itself so deep in my brain that I have become a fan of the series for life. Now that I've finally played through the whole game, I can see its flaws; yet somehow, it's still as amazing as I had always dreamed it to be. Pokémon Rumble is a simplistic beat-'em-up-style adventure focused on collecting and battling toy Pokémon. Unlike the 3DS entries, there isn't much of a story here, but that just helps to keep it focused, and the game isn't long enough for the omission to really stand out. Instead, your go

As the biggest multimedia franchise in the world, Pokémon has a lot riding on the timely release of its mainline games. Everything from cartoons to cards relies on the characters, locations, and pocket monsters introduced in these titles, so a delay of a game would mean the delay of everything else in the pipeline. Obviously, that can't be allowed to happen, so no matter what state a game is in when the release date rolls around, it's gotta come out. In the past, that hasn't been much of an issue for our pals at Game Freak. However, they took a huge gamble on their latest release by switching out the series' familiar linear structure for a brand new open world, and they paid the price. Pokémon Violet is riddled with performance bugs and graphical glitches that gave it a pretty bad name in the video game community. I experienced many of these issues myself and was disappointed by them, but I was far too impressed and engrossed by the rest of the game to really care that

I was beyond excited for TCG Live when it was announced. Modernizing the official Pokémon Trading Card Game client, easing access to competitive cards, and finally bringing it to mobile checked all of my boxes! I wasn't able to join the beta immediately, but eventually caved and started playing via VPN. At the start, I really enjoyed it! It was no longer the same chore it was in TCGO to try and get the deck you want, and the battle pass provided a lot of incentive to keep playing. Unfortunately, the cracks started to show pretty quickly, and after only a few weeks, I couldn't convince myself to keep playing. I actually wanted to wait for the official release before I wrote my review, because I know there's a game I want to play in there somewhere. However, after waiting for almost a year, I couldn't keep it in anymore. The Pokémon TCG Live client is The Pokemon Company International 's attempt to translate the physical Pokémon Trading Card Game for online play

I've never been very good at fighting games. On more than one occasion, I've tried playing the likes of Mortal Kombat and Injustice , but quickly get put off by the immense learning curve exacerbated by my general lack of talent. I like playing games to have fun, not to "get good," so it's not always easy for me to find my place in the fighting game genre. However, I've been known to try a little harder at learning something new if Pokémon are involved, and I finally experienced firsthand the value of fighting games thanks to the Pokémon -themed Tekken game, Pokkén Tournament .  While I haven't actually played a true Tekken game yet, my understanding is that Pokkén plays the same way, so those familiar with Tekken should feel comfortable jumping in here. For those unfamiliar, combat in Pokkén is one-on-one, with each round of a fight broken into two phases, beginning with the "field phase." The field phase gives the Pokémon access to the

I remember my mind being blown when Pokémon Shuffle was announced. It didn't look like anything super special, especially since I already owned Battle Trozei , which seemed very similar. However, this was the first major free title that I had heard of from the franchise, and getting a Pokémon game for free was more than enough to get me hyped. Upon release, I played the 3DS version of Shuffle until I was sick of it. I had a lot of fun at first, but it eventually got to the point that it seemed nearly impossible to progress without caving to the microtransactions, so I moved on. Now, over half a decade later, I was ready to play it again, but I took advantage of the convenience of the mobile phone version this time. Pokémon Shuffle is a pretty vanilla match-3 puzzle game. There are Pokémon elements implemented that tie it especially well to the sixth-generation games, but nothing that particularly makes it stand out. The general structure of the game is built around defeating

Pokémon Picross is a strange one. Not to be confused with the free-to-start 3DS  release of the same name, this Gameboy Color game was never actually released. It was almost entirely finished, and the leaked and translated version that I played felt like it was nearly ready to go, but it never actually made it out to the world in any official capacity. While it may have a few quirks, Pokémon Picross feels like it fills the roles of both a  Pokémon game and a  Picross game pretty well, making it a good time for fans of both franchises, such as myself. When it comes to Picross games, this is a fairly standard affair, feeling very similar to the likes of Mario's Picross , save for two Pokémon -focused features. The first is your partner Pokémon . Every few pages of puzzles, the game will show a mini interaction between you and a Pokémon  who can then appear on the puzzle screen as your partner. The difference partners don't change the gameplay at all, but it's a cute fea

Over the past 25 years, Pokémon's pop-culture dominance has grown astronomically, making it the highest-grossing media franchise of all time by a pretty significant margin. At the start of it all was a humble pair of monster-collecting RPGs that encouraged collaboration and competition between real-life friends, classmates, and coworkers. Now, over two decades later, we have received seven more "generations" of Pokémon games, each leaving that classic formula virtually untouched. Each of them saw massive success, showing just how strong the foundation is, but with repetition often comes boredom. Because the competitive side of Pokémon is so important, major adjustments can't really happen without running the risk of inadvertently damaging a huge draw to the franchise. However, with each successive release that avoids altering the formula, players' interest in retreading old ground fades a little more. Pokémon Legends: Arceus singlehandedly destroys that compla

It's hard not to accidentally review the Pokémon Trading Card Game itself when taking a look at PTCGO since it manages such a perfect virtualization of the official game. It even includes the main competitive formats sanctioned by The Pokémon Company , which is the major draw to the title. However, I think that PTCGO is worthy of recognition for all of the choices it made to improve the overall gameplay experience. The steps they took to make the card game itself more convenient, like highlighting playable cards or sorting the discard pile, are fantastic, but I'm more impressed by the decisions made outside of the actual gameplay. One of the biggest surprises is the complete lack of microtransactions. Because every real-world TCG product comes with a code to redeem it in PTCGO , the physical products are treated as microtransactions, and digital-only products can only be earned, never bought. That way, if you never buy real cards (and if you stay away from the second-hand cod

Remakes in the Pokémon series have been seriously impressive in the past. Many even still consider HeartGold and SoulSilver to be some of the best games in the entire series. Each of the first three remakes in the franchise used an upgraded version of the engine from the most recent mainline titles at the time, incorporated every Pokémon  released up to that point, and added new story content on top of whatever the original had. This led them not only to be improvements of the games they remade but also of the current generation of titles as a whole. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond (and Shining Pearl ) does none of that. I wanted to get all of that out of the way at the start because, although they didn't live up to series standards, I still ended up having a great time with the Sinnoh remakes. I definitely think that this was the wrong direction for these games to go, but I'm not letting myself be too mad, as I ultimately enjoyed what we ended up getting. If you have ever played

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team was one of my GBA staples. I played that game until there was virtually nothing left to do in it, and then I still played more. The gameplay loop was okay, and I don't think the rescue missions alone would've been enough to keep me coming back, but I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the world, making it easy to dive in every time. Picking up Rescue Team DX was immediately nostalgic; it looked, sounded, and felt just like I remembered from the original, which I would say marks a fantastic first impression for a remake. Just like the originals, the main gameplay could be improved, but the story is a delight and kept me fully engaged. In Rescue Team DX , you play as a human who mysteriously woke up as a Pokémon.  With the help of your new partner, you have to try and figure out why you transformed while also helping the Pokémon you meet during your adventure. With your partner, you form a rescue team that volunteers to en

The biggest draw of the mainline Pokémon series for me is the collecting. I get a lot more enjoyment out of filling out the Pokédex than I do out of crafting the perfect team. However, sometimes a good old-fashioned Pokémon battle is just what I need. This urge really picked up for me once news about the Sinnoh remakes and Legends: Arceus started dropping more regularly, but I didn't want to start playing a whole mainline game with those right around the corner for fear of getting exhausted by the formula. That's when I remembered Pokémon Masters . I had previously passed it up thanks to its focus on battling over collecting, but suddenly it felt like the perfect fit. The battle system in Pokémon Masters EX  is far from traditional, but it works well and offers some unique nuance relative to the standard format. To start, battles are no longer one-on-one, or turn-based. Instead, you'll be directing three Pokémon , with the assistance of their trainers, in real-time figh

Pokémon X was a big deal for me. I had just gotten my hands on a 3DS when the game was announced, and having already pumped hundreds of hours into FireRed , my only mainline Pokémon  game at the time, I was absolutely ready for something new. I easily could have picked up any game from the DS era to satisfy that itch, but watching the teaser trailers advertising mega evolution and the gorgeous 3d everything, I knew that wasn't really an option. Once I got my hands on the game, I knew I had made the right choice. From the moment I first heard the opening theme to the day I completed the national dex, I was absolutely enamored. I consider Pokémon X and Y to be the start of a major transition for the series. While most of the traditions and tropes from the previous five generations are still present here, there are some important changes and additions that mark a new direction for the mainline series. Obviously, the game is in 3d instead of 2d, but there was a waterfall of changes

I had never played a MOBA before Pokémon Unite , so I wasn't sure what to expect coming into it. I had obviously heard of games like League of Legends and DOTA 2 , but I'm just not huge on the whole competitive scene, so I was never too interested in giving them a try. However, I don't think I have ever argued with a free Pokémon game, especially one for the Switch . They may not always be that great, but I love Pokémon and I love not spending money, so I will always give them a shot. Leading with that mindset, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly this game sucked me in, though less pleasantly surprised by how quickly I felt like I had my fill. As its genre dictates, each match in Pokémon Unite sees you teaming up with a small group of other players to try and outperform an opposing team in a small arena. You do so by defeating the wild Pokémon throughout the arena to collect their energy and earn experience points. Energy can be used to earn points for your team

The Pokémon Company has never shied away from unique game premises, such as taking pictures, battling toys, or even conquering feudal Japan. However, I don't think anyone was expecting jumping competitions starring the Kanto region's weakest little fish. Acting almost like a virtual pet game, Magikarp Jump focuses more on raising your Pokémon than training them, as battling isn't the ultimate goal this time around. Throughout your "adventure" in Hoppy Town, you'll likely catch dozens, if not hundreds, of Magikarp as you slowly work your way through the competition leagues. In order for your Magikarp to stand a chance in a jumping contest, you'll need to raise their "jump power" with food and training. Both of these methods can be upgraded in the shop to grow your fish faster, and both require you to wait real-life time for them to refill before they can be used again, creating a barely disguised copy of the dreaded energy bar found in other fr

Like it's recent predecessors , Pokémon Sword aims to keep the series fresh by shaking up previous staples and adding exciting new gameplay features. After the Let's Go games got me excited for new possibilities and directions in the main series, Pokémon Sword worked hard to deliver. However, as a collector, I was very put off by the absence of hundreds of Pokémon - so much so that I almost didn't even play the game. Luckily, I was so distracted by everything that this game does right, that I nearly forgot about it's issues. In their imitation of the mobile game, Pokémon Go , the Let's Go games did away with the series standard of random encounters in favor of having all of the Pokémon wander the world in plain sight. My number one wish for the series going forward was to adopt that feature permanently. With a little modification, Sword and Shield did exactly that, and it was amazing. Gone are the days of constant interruption of your adventure, and in their

  For almost a decade now, The Pokémon Company has been cranking out free-to-play games to varying acclaim. Some have become international phenomena , while others have fizzled into obscurity . I've made an effort to play each of them, both because I love Pokémon and because I'm a sucker for free, but only a select few have really stood out to me. This game was not one of them. Pokémon Quest was enjoyable enough to hold my attention until the final few stages (which didn't take very long to reach), but I started to get fatigued with the repetition and began relying very heavily on the auto-attack mode. Pokémon Quest is a quasi-adventure game that has you exploring a voxely island in the search of treasure. The original 151 Pokémon , also voxelized, are available to help on the adventure, and they can be strengthened with the help of little medals that you collect at the end of each stage. In addition to the medals, each stage rewards ingredients that can be cooked at y

When I first heard about Pokémon Café Mix , I thought that it looked like a cute little game, but was probably just another Pokémon Shuffle . For context, Shuffle was an early free-to-play Pokémon puzzle game that was heavily pay-to-win, making it a pretty disappointing title. However, I'm a sucker for free, so I thought I may as well try  Café Mix , despite my low expectations. After playing it, I think it may be the most enjoyable free Pokémon game after Go ! The puzzle format is a physics-based gimmick-oriented icon-matching game. Put simply, it's Tsum Tsum meets Candy Crush . I found this game to be so delightful because the puzzles are structured in such a way that they provide a challenge, but are never unfair. As of this review, I'm almost 200 stages in without having used a single power-up, save for the one required in a training stage. For contrast, after a few dozen levels in Shuffle , I was using more than one paid item per stage. Café Mix is also absolutely

I wouldn't consider Ultra Moon  my favorite game in the  Pokémon  series, as I enjoyed a select few titles even more, but it was definitely the most exciting structurally. After the series seemed to get itself stuck in a rut, gyms were replaced with island challenges and everything became a bit more interesting. I felt like the focus wasn't just on making my team stronger, as the island challenges often revolved around strategy and deeper-thinking as well. All of the mainline Pokémon games up until this point were almost identical in structure. Following the mantra, "if it isn't broken, don't fix it," since the mid-1990s. The seventh generation of  Pokémon  games didn't change the formula so much that it felt like a different series, but it shook things up enough that I finally felt like I was experiencing something fresh and new again. This dichotomy was illustrated perfectly through the newly introduced "Alolan Forms" of  Pokémon  found in th

I enjoyed the Rumble games on the 3DS for the cute art style, the enormous collection of  Pokémon , and their simple gameplay. When I found out that I could have that on my phone, I jumped in immediately. Although plagued with far more microtransaction schemes than its free-to-play predecessor on the 3DS , I never felt frustratingly compelled to put any money in the game, which I appreciate. Most of the gameplay consists of exploring an island and defeating increasingly stronger bosses in an effort to uncover more of the island and collect stronger allies. This gameplay loop kept me engaged most of the time but offered an auto-attack mode for when I was feeling lazy (which was more often than I care to admit). Unique to this game within its series is the event-style island switching. Every two weeks, the available island would be replaced by a new one with new  Pokémon available, leaving the previous island permanently inaccessible. This kept the game fresh by letting me start agai