Game reviews and news
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game review
Ready to transform into a Pokemon? These two brand-new games put you into the skin of one of 16 Pokemon as you play a twisting, turning adventure full of dungeons to explore.
| POKEMON MYSTERY DUNGEON: EXPLORERS OF TIME POKEMON MYSTERY DUNGEON: EXPLORERS OF DARKNESS Nintendo for DS 
Sound: 8.0 Gameplay: 7.5 Replay Value: 8.0 Overall Score: 7.5
Pros: Living life as a Pokemon is fun; scenes between gameplay are gorgeous; WiFi lets you e-mail your pal for help.
Cons: Gameplay feels old and sometimes like the same thing over and over again; very little use of the touch screen; gameplay graphics are too small and aren’t nicely done. |
But that’s not all. In either game — Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness — you’ll meet 490 Pokemon. Gonna catch ’em all? Not this time. It’s more like, Gonna remember ’em all?
And you get serious gameplay for your money: over 40 hours. That’s a lot of Pokemon to deal with.
WHICH POKEMON PERSONALITY ARE YOU?
This isn’t the first time you’re allowed to transform into Pokemon. That happened a while back with Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue. Like those games, there’s no need to buy both since the games are pretty much the same. However, if you’re a diehard Pokemon collector, there will be a few extra Pokemon and items in the second game for you to treasure.
You’re given a personality test at the beginning of the game to see which Pokemon would be best matched to the way you act in real life. You’re asked questions such as, If you went into a graveyard and saw a creepy lady drenched in water, what would you do? After that, the DS analyzes your aura. Just place your finger on the lower screen, relax and … you’re analyzed. Then you’ll choose a Pokemon sidekick to help you on your way.
ADVENTURE GALORE
Immediately, you’re thrown into the adventure. Your ship hits a storm and you’re thrown overboard. Weak after swimming to shore, you rest on a sandy beach: the land of the Pokemon!
|
VIDEO: Watch Pokemon Mystery Dungeon in action. |
You’ll see Krabby blowing bubbles at sunset. But your future sidekick is depressed, sitting and just watching the world go by. It gets worse when two bad Pokemon steal his personal treasure.
Once you regain your strength, you begin a journey of true friendship by helping out your new buddy. During this time, you’ll join the Pokemon Guild, get a job and hunt down criminal monsters to bring them to justice. You’ll go on a few rescue missions, too.
TIPS AND TRICKS
As you move through the game, you’ll find various dungeons and caves. Defeat the Pokemon by taking turns hitting them or using a power-up item you find along the way, such as a Blast Seed that makes you spit fire. Even in the first few levels of the Beach Caves, you’ll level up and increase your strength significantly on your way to a level of 100. Some Pokemon are made to fight other Pokemon much better than others. So a Water type such as Squirtle will more easily defeat a Fire type such as Charmander.
 |
In the middle of the game, the monsters begin to get really strong. Here, your ability to link four moves together at once will really help. Usually, three attack moves and a good defense move will give you an advantage. But never get too injured by your enemies, and don’t let your Pokemon partner get too injured, either. If that happens, you’ll faint and lose the powers you’ve gained on the level. Plus, you have to start the level all over again.
If you see that you’re about to faint from Pokemon attacks (by looking at the info on the top screen), you can send an e-mail to a friend via the system’s WiFi abilities. Send your S.O.S. to his PC or even his cell phone, and your pal can help you out.
THE DOWNSIDE
Nintendo says the graphics in these games are much better than before. Well, not really. The Pokemon characters are tiny and often seen on a little grid on the touch screen. The only pieces of the Pokemon puzzle that have really cool graphics are the story scenes you get in between gameplay. These are really beautiful, full of pretty oceans, beaches and sunsets.
 |
While the games are generally good role-playing experiences, they don’t seem completely ready for the DS system. You use the cross-pad to move around and your letter buttons to fight and check your inventory, not the always-fun touch screen. In fact, the touch screen isn’t put to use much at all.
These games would have been great for the Game Boy Advance when that system was state of the art. Let’s put it this way: These Pokemon games are not even close to the brilliance of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
Also, while you meet many Pokemon in the dungeons, each dungeon isn’t very interesting to explore after the first few hours, since you see them as a maze from above. You might get tired of them since there isn’t that much new to see. The game makers try to make up for this with new Pokemon for you to fight each time you enter a dungeon, but the pocket monsters aren’t very exciting. There isn’t even a graphic on the top screen featuring the monster and its powers and abilities.
THE UPSIDE
If you’re a big Pokemon fan who enjoys the card and video games, you have to get these games just to see all the hundreds of Pokemon appear and to be part of another epic journey. If this is your first Pokemon game, make sure you read the included instruction booklet before diving in.
Stuck on a video game? Need help passing the next level?
What's going on in this picture? What is that bear thinking and why is he hanging out in a tree?
Jan. 3, 2009 at 7:30 pm
I have gotten them up to level 50!
I need a better answer!
Dec. 30, 2008 at 5:56 pm
hey dodo if you gotten to the hidden land you need to get both you pokemon at least to lv 50 good luck if you haven’t beaten primal dialga.
Dec. 30, 2008 at 5:53 pm
you people can get an action replay at target, walmart or any place that sells games
Dec. 30, 2008 at 5:51 pm
you people need 2 get an action replay, it is awsome you can get lots cheats and code, I have a code that gives me a golden seed in my items bag and I would never run out of golden seeds, so trust me you people need to get an action replay.
Dec. 30, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I cant beat Dialga with turtwig and i am at level
50. Somebody tell me how
Dec. 29, 2008 at 9:03 pm
the game is a blast
Dec. 27, 2008 at 6:43 pm
i agree with primal! what do you do when team raider comes?
Dec. 27, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I am a pokemon rom hacker. I am making a game called spark yellow which is a hack of pokemon ruby.
Dec. 21, 2008 at 1:11 pm
to defeat dialga get a torchic and mudkip.then make torchic learn dig.then make mudkip learn mud slap.those moves are super effective.
Dec. 18, 2008 at 9:07 pm
how do i get past deep dark crater it is HARD!!!!!!
Dec. 12, 2008 at 11:29 pm
i nealy beat the entire game
Dec. 12, 2008 at 3:13 pm
This game is awsome!! When do you go to Dark Crater and meet DARKRAI?????
Dec. 11, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I have blue mystery dungeon and Smeargle joined my team,but now I don’t know what to do.
Dec. 11, 2008 at 6:05 pm
I’m level 100 and my patner’s level 93.
Dec. 5, 2008 at 2:44 pm
i love pokemon
Nov. 8, 2008 at 7:08 am
There are 493 pokemon in all …….. about 20 are legendary.
Oct. 12, 2008 at 8:22 am
Ho-oh Mt. Mistral floor 19
Darkria Mirical Sea 3, Dark Crater 4, and mystery forest 13
Lugia Surrounded Sea 18
More are comeing next week
Oct. 12, 2008 at 8:18 am
JJc is back with better info. If you have secret slab and mystery part take them to different places to find legedarys like hooh,mew two,latios and latias. I have found all legedarys on the game and some are hard to get and to get to. Check back every week for more info from me and learn how to get all legandarys on the game
Oct. 6, 2008 at 4:42 pm
I got Hooh,Lugia,Enti,Deoxys,Zapdos,Articuno, and the mighty darkrai.
Sep. 28, 2008 at 11:32 am
What Do I Do When I Meet Team Raider, There Down At The Beach Everyday & I Dont Know What 2 Do, Ive Recruited Dialga & Palkia, Can Some 1 Please Tell Me What To Do!
Sep. 20, 2008 at 6:18 pm
cooldude i could beat your team like team cheese:[>
Sep. 20, 2008 at 4:36 pm
How many floors does Hidden Place have? ( or Hidden Palace )
Sep. 18, 2008 at 12:06 pm
im up to hidden land
Sep. 16, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Got the game, beat it and it was EASY!!!!!!!!!! oh and New guy, throw totter seeds and X eye seed at dialga to beat him EASY
Sep. 15, 2008 at 7:07 am
i got the game get anchinreplay i can be eny one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sep. 14, 2008 at 5:41 pm
i like milk and pie
Sep. 14, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Ive gotten far in Explorers of Darkness, in fact, to the last chapter. Im a somewhat weak Pikachu, like i said, Ive gotten far, but I cant beat Dialga….I want to change my character, but I cant do it like in Red Rescue. How do I do it?!
Sep. 14, 2008 at 8:57 am
I want to know wat happens when u get all the treasures?!!
Do i go somewere?
were do i have to go?!
and how do I get Celebi and Jirachi?!! >.<
Sep. 8, 2008 at 7:25 am
Please help me i dont no wat to do after team raider apears on the beach plz help
Sep. 7, 2008 at 2:02 pm
please someone ask me for somthing
Sep. 1, 2008 at 5:00 pm
i love this game sooo much
Aug. 30, 2008 at 6:59 pm
i am torchic in the game, my partner is squrtle
Aug. 29, 2008 at 8:37 am
is there a pokemon pack for ds
Aug. 28, 2008 at 7:15 pm
I like milk
Aug. 28, 2008 at 5:01 pm
would you please trade someone with me?i need somthing to do!
Aug. 27, 2008 at 7:43 pm
the next boss i belive is something i have no frigen clue about :()
Aug. 27, 2008 at 4:07 pm
guys i really know what to do once team raider has appeared on beach plz tell
Aug. 26, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I am a pokemon fan and will play any pokemon game. please tell me if u have compleated a game.
Aug. 26, 2008 at 2:35 pm
To turtwig master,
My advice would be to read my post for dede, but it seems you have a water type partner. I am also a Turtwig but have a Chimchar as a partner. I’d say teach your turtwig a ground type move like earthquake. Since Dialga is Dragon/Steel type he is weak to ground type moves. Depending on wether or not earthquake affects all pokemon including your partner, you should teach your partner protect.(it can REALLY help in tight spots even after dialga.(Regigigas, Palkia, Darkrai) You can also use grass and water type moves too to do damage and you should probably bring some reviver seeds too. Also, if you or anybody reading this has Diamond or Pearl and got a starter from it in mystery dungeon it won’t evolve then. You need to defeat Palkia and get back to Treasure Town after that to evolve in Mystic spring where teddyursa evolved. I hope this helps!
Aug. 24, 2008 at 12:12 pm
I love this game And if your a pokemaniac youll love it. Trust me
Aug. 23, 2008 at 5:43 pm
you don’t do anything after you beat darkrai except use wondermail to get more legendaries and open up 7 new mazes
Aug. 23, 2008 at 11:49 am
if anybody hase any q,s ill answer them
Aug. 23, 2008 at 11:47 am
team geckos is not the farthest one here i am .i have palkia manaphy regigas regirock and regiice
Aug. 20, 2008 at 7:12 pm
What do you do after aegis cave?
Aug. 19, 2008 at 8:51 pm
This game is awsome Im a munchlax he knows metrenome I completed the game PS.there is no arceus and shaymin. PSS.what do you after you beat darkrai PSSS.I like saying PSSS.