pocketgamer2000

Pokémon Gold Version (Game Boy Color)

An awesome sequel to the original Pokemon Game Paks.

The Good
In the first three Pokemon cartridges, you engaged in a long and enjoyable journey involving catching and training Pokemon in order to defeat hundreds of other trainers as well as gym leaders. That, added to the thrill of trying to catch 'em all, proved to be a great recipe for some awesome gaming. In Gold, that fun is multiplied exponentially. In addition to your world from Red/Blue/Yellow, you now have access to a whole new world, with twice the battles, twice the gym leaders and twice the life span of the game. This is one of the best role-playing game titles on the pocket market, and don't be fooled by those who accuse the series of being too juvenile, because it really isn't.

The Bad
Essentially, your primary focus is battling, and that can get tedious after a while, since most of the trainers are incredibly easy to defeat. Also, the graphics and sound could use some tweaking -- while they're acceptable for the GBC, they could be improved upon. But this game has few negatives.

The Bottom Line
Pokemon Gold is the sequel to the hit games Pokemon Red and Blue (and also Yellow), where you take the role of a budding Pokemon trainer in realizing his dream by traveling through a whole world of cities, seas, caves and the like and catching, raising and battling your "Pokemon" (little creatures that bear similarities to real-life animals.) You train these Pokemon to defeat rival trainers in one-on-one combat with your creatures, including master trainers called gym leaders. One of the main aspects of these older games' enjoyment is the attempt to try to catch all 151 pocket monsters, and now 100 more have been added to your list to try and track down. As your Pokemon grow stronger, the battles get more challenging, and an absorbing story and effective, long-lasting gameplay make this a fantastic role-playing-game.

By pocketgamer2000 on December 2, 2003

Jurassic Park III: The DNA Factor (Game Boy Advance)

Beautiful graphics, but the gameplay is far from how good it could have been.

The Good
Mainly, the still shots that appear when you enter a new area of the island are extremely well done, and don't have that "pixelated" touch that some GBA games have for images. The in-game graphics are also wonderful. The gameplay is pretty addictive, and it's almost like a side-scrolling "Space Invaders", but with a JP3 twist. Being a fan of the Jurassic Park movies and books, that helped me enjoy this game more.

The Bad
There were many instances when the gameplay was just too hard, and left you in the middle of a forest with absolutely no clue what to do. Also, it's practically impossible to fight dinosaurs without a weapon, because all you have is a high-jump kick, and that doesn't even hit 90% of the enemies in the game. Also, the sound was sometimes choppy and annoying.

The Bottom Line
Jurassic Park III: The DNA Factor is a quite fun game but is strangely more suited to being a "pick-up 'n play" type of game, despite its adventure/RPG style. The levels are well-detailed graphically and it's quite fun to dodge dinosaurs while picking up blocks of DNA along the way, though it gets tedious after a time. Overall, JP3 DNA should be enjoyed by fans of the movie and arcade/adventure gamers alike, but it does have shortcomings that may inhibit your enjoyment of the game.

By pocketgamer2000 on March 20, 2003

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Game Boy Color)

This is a fun RPG that will appeal to all Harry Potter fans of any age.

The Good
Harry Potter 1 for the GBC is probably the best of the HP1 video games, mostly because it follows the storyline of the book and movie so well. Fans will 100% guaranteed enjoy this game, and the presentation really puts you into this game, a facet that's uncommon in portable games (okay, Game Boy Color games.) The battle scenes are also lots of fun once you get the hang of them. And all the HP fandom aside, it's a great RPG that can compare to the Zeldas and Pokemons of our world.

The Bad
Some parts of this game were very difficult, especially the late boss battles. (and that stupid bathroom troll!! he's harder than voldemort.) Also, the music will begin to grate on you after a time, and the random battles, which are fun at the beginning, will agonize you whenever you try to walk through a dungeon quickly.

The Bottom Line
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for GBC has all the aspects a good RPG should have. However, some parts of this game will cater only to original HP fans. But the bottom line is this: If you're a Harry Potter fan, then buy this game. It gives you the feeling of actually being in the first book/movie, and is great fun to play through. If you're not a HP fan, then I recommend becoming one, because the books are great reads and the movies are wonderful, and especially this game is great, so you should get this game when you become a fan.

By pocketgamer2000 on March 20, 2003

Golden Sun (Game Boy Advance)

Bottom line: Golden Sun is the best handheld RPG ever, and one of the greatest of all time.

The Good
Golden Sun has everything good about this game. The gameplay and story is just like a movie, and it draws you in much like a great movie, novel, or RPG (which this is.) The graphics are some of the best on the GBA, despite this being one of the earliest GBA releases, and the battle animation will leave you awe-struck. The in-game music does NOT grate on you like many handheld games, but actually enhances the game and also sounds like a movie (soundtrack) and the sound effects are brilliant.

The Bad
Probably the only thing wrong about this game is that it confuses you many times on what exactly to do, but hey, it's supposed to make you use your head! So nothing's really wrong with it. That's right! Flawless!

The Bottom Line
Golden Sun is one of those games you absolutely must have if you own a GBA. It's also one of those rare and wonderful games that sell systems. It's a deep, highly satisfying role-playing game that ranks as one of the Top 5 RPG's of all-time, and if it's not among your collection, then you're missing out, BIG TIME.

By pocketgamer2000 on March 20, 2003

Driver (Game Boy Color)

Driver epitomizes the successful console port, and then some.

The Good
Probably the best thing about Driver for GBC is that it features all the action and adrenaline that the PlayStation version did. You'll be sweatin' bullets and maneuvering through thick packs of traffic through all 15 missions, in Miami, LA & NYC! Not only that, but there are several mini-games which you can play when you're bored with the missions or just beat them all, and they do improve your skill to make you a better Driver overall.

The Bad
In some instances, the control was too finicky. However, part of this is a facet of realism, because the cars handle much like a real car would. Also, some missions were extremely frustrating and made me go blind with rage and wanting to throw the GBC across the room, but the feeling you get when you beat them is as rewarding as being accepted for a job.

The Bottom Line
Driver has all the fun and excitement the PS1 version had, albeit with fewer missions and less detailed levels. This is also the perfect game for your pocket crime fix (it's better than GTA2 for Game Boy.) In short, fans of the console version will love this game to death, and basic fans of the driving genre will also get plenty of enjoyment out of this Game Pak.

By pocketgamer2000 on March 20, 2003

Dr. Mario (Game Boy)

Everybody (especially Tetris fans) will find themselves addicted to this game in minutes.

The Good
This game has all the wonderful puzzle-solving and level-clearing action that the original Tetris had, and this is a quick addiction, so whenever you find a brief moment you will want to play this game. And the gameplay is so complicated, yet so simplistic, because it's just dropping colors onto colors (rather shades of gray) and yet it will take many weeks to master the science of pulling off combinations.

The Bad
The later levels (starting with Level 13 and going through 20) are practically impossible to beat, and it would be wise to just not attempt them. Also, the music grates on you, and playing this game for extended periods will cause your dreams to be full of that psycho MIDI and dropping pills onto bacteria.

The Bottom Line
This game is a Tetris clone modified by Nintendo to cater to a younger audience and with a Mario theme thrown in. This game has absolutely nothing to do with Mario or his compadres, but is one of those simple chain-reaction puzzlers that will have you clearing blocks in your mind far after your Game Boy has been shut off.

By pocketgamer2000 on March 19, 2003