Archive for the ‘Games’ Category

Pokemon: Diamond & Pearl

Monday, February 4th, 2008

First, let’s get a few things out of the way. I like women, I am married, I have a job (not just the glamorous Craptastictv gig), and I do not have any action figure collections. OK, now that we have that out of the way, let me just say this, I do not hate this series.

Pokemon, for those that might read this article the first thing after you have wakened from a 20 year coma, loosely means “Pocket Monsters” in Japanese (ポケットモンスター Poketto Monsutā). The object of the game is to collect the Pokemon, increase their powers and have them battle other Trainer’s Pokemon until you become the strongest Pokemon Trainer, the Pokemon Master.

I really tried to keep my kids away from the whole Pokemon thing for quite a few years. A cynical person might say that the point of Pokemon is to make money. Especially, since there are over 400+ of the little buggers (not Bug Type) and with every fresh installment they add a few more thus forcing the mindless Poke – Automatons to buy more games. To make it worse, each time they release a new Pokemon game they release it in two flavors with a few Pokemons that are unique to each. This is why it is not called Pokemon Diamond, but Diamond AND Pearl (and Pearl is the superior of the two).

Twins!The series now is about Ash, Brock (The Japanese Stewart French) and Dawn as they travel about the Sinnoh Region (don’t ask) exploring. The series is typical Japanese Anime, that is, very crappy animation which is the norm. Seriously, it looks terrible. I do like the style and colors, but the animation is atrocious. Static backgrounds, the people do not move when they talk-other than their mouths. I’m not sure if they even blink.

Another thing that I am so-so on is Team Rocket. They are in pretty much every episode and do something stupid every episode. It gets annoying. Still, I will give them style points for their awesome coifed hair and the clothes that they have. Not to mention they have about the only intelligently SPEAKING Pokemon on the series, Meowth. In addition, they have a Wobbuffet. Which I am so very ashamed to say that I find it to be quite funny and quirky.

That said, I do like this series. At least the ones that I have watched with my kids. I found the stories to be somewhat entertaining, certainly they do show quite a bit of imagination. And when I say imagination, I don’t mean just making up a bunch of odd names for this or silly landmarks like say… “Jay Jay the Jet Plane’s” Sparkleberry Tree, gah! Big Jake run me over please, if I have to watch that show again!

Oh, and I was right about my initial feeling towards it. Every time I watch this show with the kids I feel like going and playing Pokemon Pearl or Pokemon Ruby or Pokemon Battle Revolution…