Pokémon 2.0! (Pokémon Gold and Silver (GB))

Member Name: randomreviews

Product:	Pokémon Gold and Silver (GB)
Date:	11/09/09 (12 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: tons of new features

Disadvantages: battery!

Pokémon Gold introduced the second generation of Pokémon to the world - adding 100 new monsters to the roster. It expands on the RPG elements of the original series and introduces many new features.

This game is massive. In all other Pokémon games, there are only 8 gym leaders and you're exploring 1 region. In Gold, you can battle 16 gym leaders and explore both the Johto and Kanto regions. In terms of gameplay time you could be busy for well over 40 hours or far more.

Gold also introduces breeding - mating 2 Pokémon of the opposite gender to create an egg which hatches into a baby. This is a method to give Pokémon new rare moves or to create a new Pokémon entirely. For instance, there are infant forms like Pichu and Magby which then evolve into the forms we know from the original generation, Pikachu and Magmar.

Now your room at home is customizeable. You can buy and earn all kinds of cool decorations - bedsheets, dolls, game systems, posters, trophies and so on. There's a Mystery Gift option which basically allows you to use the GB radar system with another player to get a rare random item - perhaps for battle or decoration.

Another cool aspect that was introduced are shiny Pokémon. Now you can find or hatch rare monsters like a black Charizard or a Red Gyarados. Shiny Pokémon are extremely rare but in this generation their stats generally aren't very impressive.

The 3 legendary 3 dogs - Raikou, Entei and Suicune appear in this game. Unlike legends in the past which just wait for you in a specific place, they are randomly scattered across the region so you may just encounter them by chance when you least expect it! So you have to stay on your toes and be prepared.

In terms of stats and moves, newer attacks have been introduced so now there is far more depth to the battle system. Its much more strategic that the original games. Also, the special stat has been divided to special attack and special defense in this new generation which really changes up how some monsters can be used or how well they stand up against certain attacks.

Overall the game experience throws in so many new creative elements players will immediately be hooked. The one downside is that because this game is so massive, like the original games, it was made with an internal battery which controls the save function. Many players at this point are finding out their battery has died and their saved game was lost and they cannot save new data. This hasn't happened to me yet and I've owned the game for 10 years now.

Many people seem to shrug off Pokémon as a child's game but it has mature and more complex features in the battle system which require a lot of prediction and also structuring a team that compliments one another. It really has something for players of all ages and skill levels.

Summary: Gold and Silver are precious metals.