Pokemon, Silver Version

Like Pokémon Gold--which essentially is the same story, with minor gameplay variations--Pokémon Silver casts players in the familiar role of a young Pokémon Trainer who's out to collect as many different kinds of Pokémon as possible. As in previous games, gameplay consists mostly of exploration (completing various quests in the process) and Pokémon battles, which employ a unique battle system that's like a complex twist on rock-paper-scissors.

But, despite the similarities, it's quite apparent that Pokémon Silver is a whole new ball game from the start. The game is played out in real time, with the current time and day of the week (recorded by an internal clock) having a direct impact on gameplay elements, such as what Pokémon you'll find in the wild, and when certain events occur and characters appear.

While there are too many new and improved features in Pokémon Silver to list here, among the highlights are 100 new Pokémon (including two new types), new evolution processes (including breeding), and a more streamlined game interface that has better-organized menus and button shortcuts.

Although it's easier to progress in Pokémon Silver than in the previous games, the sheer amount of fun and game time that's involved is daunting. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better value than this one. --Joe Hon

Pros:

• Insanely addictive and wholly absorbing gaming experience
• Time and day of week impact gameplay directly
• Bevy of new features and hidden secrets
• Improved graphics and more streamlined game interface

• Minor compatibility issues when using Game Link with previous versions

I think the games biggest feature is the introduction of a real-time clock. Special built-in batteries allow the cartridge to act like a realistic clock, meaning that if it's one-thirty on Friday in the real world, it's also one-thirty on Friday in the game! It's a revolutionary breakthrough in video game technology! This allows the game to track whether it's day or night and it is reflected in the game. So if you want to find some nocturnal pokémon, you'll probably have to wait until dinnertime to catch them. On a larger scale, there are also some special events or pokémon that appear only on certain days of the week. Lapras for instance only appears in its cave on Saturdays, which means that you'll have to wait until Saturday if you want to catch it.

Another cool feature is that the pokémon can be either male or female (which will undoubtedly lead to outrageously sexist arguments on which is the stronger) and you can get baby pokémon by catching a male and female Pokemon. You can even crossbreed pokémon of the same type to get a new pokémon that is of the mother's specie, but has the father's stats. Just think of the combinations!

The new gadgets available in the game are surprisingly modern: e-mails, cell phones and a realistic radios. The latter is surprisingly fun to use; it sports a tuner than can change its frequency so you can listen to different radio stations and their music, just like in real life. Unfortunately, you won't find anything like Britney Spears. Possibly the coolest items are the "mysterious" ones that you receive by e-mail from time to time. The only way to access them is by trading them to another Gameboy or a Pocket Pickachu Colour game. When you do, you can either receive decorative items for your virtual room like carpets, plants, dolls and consoles or you can receive battle items like potions, evolution stones and even rare candies! No other game in the world has been so universally interactive!

On a side note, the pokémon that cannot be caught in gold or silver are: Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander, Omanyte, Kabuto, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo, Mew and any of their evolved forms. The reason being that there is only one of each and they were already caught in the red & blue versions three years ago. And finally, when you have finished absolutely everything, there will be one last trainer left for you to face. I won't spoil the surprise, but I think it's pretty obvious who it is.

This is simply the best game on any console! With 251 monsters to catch and an ultra-rare gold or silver version of each one to find, the pokémon relive in this epic adventure that will last for years. So what are you waiting for? Order it NOW!


OOOHH YEAH   July 11, 2000
198 out of 208 found this review helpful

What's new? 100 NEW POKEMON! Most important of all must be the new pocket monsters you can catch. There are at least 100 new pokemon, with rumors already out that a few more may be hidden (like mew in previous versions). While a few of the previous pokemon seemed strange, many of the new pokemon are even stranger (which is a good thing, of course!). You'll be able to breed baby versions of a few previous pokemon, including pikachu, and there are new evolutions for a few of the previous pokemon. You can also find many of the previous 151 pokemon in the new carts, or import them from an older cart through the pokemon center "time capsule".

New Types Two new types of pokemon have been added to the previous 15, helping to balance out the roster-Evil and steel

Improved interface There are more menu options which are easier to navigate and more logical. if you have the japanise version, they'll still look very familiar to you if you've already played previous pokemon games.

Real Time When you first start up the game you'll have to enter the current time, and that clock will keep real time. There are pokemon that you can only capture at night, or in the early hours of the day. Plus there are certain events that happen only on certain days of the week, and other events that take time to happen, like getting a pokeball made, or getting a baby pokemon.

Male/Female Similar to the way there were male and gemale versions of nidoran in previous versions, there are now male and female versions of every pokemon. If you take the right combination of male and female pokemon to a breeder, you can end up with an egg that will eventually hatch into a baby pokemon.

And Finally The Pokegear If you thought Indiglo was cool, wait until you see what this watch can do! You can view the world map, tune in stations on the radio, make phone calls, and more. You'll have to seek out the special expansion boards for the phone and radio, but they're east to find. you can even tune in Professor Oak's special broadcast to find out where to find you favorite pokemon. Another radio station broadcast winning trainer ID numbers, and if yours is broadcast, you can win cool prizes.

I HIGHLY RECOMEND THIS GAME. I HOPE THIS INRODUCTION TO "POKEMON 2" WAS HELPFUL


The best pokémon game EVER!   May 13, 2000
132 out of 138 found this review helpful

I've played this game right through to the end (in japanese) and all I can say is WOW! This tops the original in every possible way. The graphics, the sound, the moves and the gameplay in general is simply light years ahead of the original. The battles are simply spectacular! Almost all of the existing moves have been beautifully redesigned and there are an extra forty as well. The otherwise dull Quick Attack for instance looks superb on this game. And to make training even easier, the pokémon have an extra blue "experience meter" which fills up as you gain experience. It's a wonderful innovation and it allows you to more accurately judge when a pokémon is ready to reach the next level. Even pokémon from the red and blue versions can evolve even further!

The story is situated three years after the red/blue versions and you play the role of an ambitious young boy destined to catch all the pokémon. There are initially eight gym leaders to challenge and defeat, then you have to face the Elite Four. When you've defeated them, you get to move on to the "Old World" where the original pokémon game took place and visit all the cities! You can even challenge the old Gym leaders including Brock, Misty and Gary (the new Viridian gym leader) bringing the total amount of badges up to sixteen! Be warned, after three years of experience they have become much tougher than when you last faced them.

I think the games biggest feature is the introduction of a real-time clock. Special built-in batteries allow the cartridge to act like a realistic clock, meaning that if it's one-thirty on Friday in the real world, it's also one-thirty on Friday in the game! It's a revolutionary breakthrough in video game technology! This allows the game to track whether it's day or night and it is reflected in the game. So if you want to find some nocturnal pokémon, you'll probably have to wait until dinnertime to catch them. On a larger scale, there are also some special events or pokémon that appear only on certain days of the week. Lapras for instance only appears in its cave on Saturdays, which means that you'll have to wait until Saturday if you want to catch it.

Another cool feature is that the pokémon can be either male or female (which will undoubtedly lead to outrageously sexist arguments on which is the stronger) and you can get baby pokémon by making them ... er ... "mate". So if you catch a male and female Pikachu and get them to do their thing, you'll get an adorable little Pichu. You can even crossbreed pokémon of the same type to get a new pokémon that is of the mother's specie, but has the father's stats. Just think of the combinations!

The new gadgets available in the game are surprisingly modern: e-mails, cell phones and a realistic radios. The latter is surprisingly fun to use; it sports a tuner than can change its frequency so you can listen to different radio stations and their music, just like in real life. Unfortunately, you won't find anything like Britney Spears. Possibly the coolest items are the "mysterious" ones that you receive by e-mail from time to time. The only way to access them is by trading them to another Gameboy or a Pocket Pickachu Colour game. When you do, you can either receive decorative items for your virtual room like carpets, plants, dolls and consoles or you can receive battle items like potions, evolution stones and even rare candies! No other game in the world has been so universally interactive!

On a side note, the pokémon that cannot be caught in gold or silver are: Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander, Omanyte, Kabuto, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo, Mew and any of their evolved forms. The reason being that there is only one of each and they were already caught in the red & blue versions three years ago. And finally, when you have finished absolutely everything, there will be one last trainer left for you to face. I won't spoil the surprise, but I think it's pretty obvious who it is.

This is simply the best game on any console! With 251 monsters to catch and an ultra-rare gold or silver version of each one to find, the pokémon relive in this epic adventure that will last for years. So what are you waiting for? Pre-order it NOW!


The Game of the MILLENNIUM!   September 20, 2000
110 out of 117 found this review helpful

This game has it all. You can be an action gamer. RPGer. Pokemon fan, whatever. This game is for you. Set on new islands as well as the old from Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow, you are a new trainer on the verge of becomming a teen in the world of Pokemon. With 100 new Pokemon added to the already 151 from previous games you now must collect and train 251 pocket monsters. Your new rival makes even Team Rocket seem not so evil. You get to choose between three new beginning Pokemon in this adventure. Chickorita: A plant-type pokemon. Cyndaquil: A fire-type mole/mouse pokemon. Or Totodile: A water-type gator pokemon. This game features old characters and new alike. Gary's a gym trainer now and Ash is your last rival after you defeat the Elite Four. Prof. Oak and his brother play inportant roles.Pre-evolution pokemon now exist. Like Pichu. Pikachu's child. New pokemon types include the Dark/Evil types and the Steel types which can unleash a major hurt on the once powerful Psychic type pokemon (MewTwo trainers: Watch out!). You now carry the Pokegear rather than the Pokedex. The Pokegear has a cell phone, map, radio, and Pokedex functions. The new backpack now has lots of pockets so it is easier to find things.This new game also has a built in clock which actually keeps track of REAL time. Say it's 5:00am you time, it's the same in the game. The game is devided in time zones as morning, noon and night. Some pokemon like Hoothoot only appear at night. Also it keeps track of the days of the week. So if you play the bug catching game which can only be played on Tuesday, if you miss it that day you have to wait another whole week. Another new addition is the three legendary dogs. Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres beware.You now get to collect 16 badges. 8 new badges and the 8 original. Something very special happens when you complete the game but I won't spoil anything. I'll just say it's almost like getting two games for the price of one... You will NOT regret getting this game! Three words: "A Must Buy!"


An exceptional RPG   November 8, 2000
Shorebird (USA)
87 out of 93 found this review helpful

Blue, Red, and Yellow were great, but they just can't compare to Gold and Silver. Full color graphics make the game even better than before. A whole new world to explore with 8 new cities with gym leaders to defeat and badges to earn. A completely new character. Not Ash this time (Although you do see Ash, or "Red" and Gary, "Blue" later on). Gold and Silver now include male and female Pokemon which can breed and make an egg for a completely different Pokemon. Completely new technology includes the PokeGear which can be expanded into a radio and a telephone. 100 new Pokemon to catch, new battle animations, and now an experience meter is included in the battle screens to show how high your Pokemon is on his/her current level. The Pokemon Centers now include the Time Capsule, allowing you to trade Pokemon with Red, Blue, and Yellow. And for those who own the Pikachu 2 GS, you can earn more items with watts that you can send to Gold and Silver. And not to mention that a lot has changed in 3 years. A must-have RPG for anyone, even people that aren't interested in Pokemon. Definitely worth buying, no doubt about it.