Featuring a new adventure that's filled with numerous enhancements and innovations, this long-awaited sequel to Pokmon Red, Blue, and Yellow greatly improves upon the series' winning formula, and makes for an even more insanely addictive and wholly absorbing gaming experience.
Like Pokmon Silver--which essentially is the same story, with minor gameplay variations--Pokmon Gold casts players in the familiar role of a young Pokmon Trainer who's out to collect as many different kinds of Pokmon as possible. As in previous games, gameplay consists mostly of exploration (completing various quests in the process) and Pokmon 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 Pokmon Gold 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 Pokmon you'll find in the wild, and when certain events occur and characters appear.
While there are too many new and improved features in Pokmon Gold to list here, among the highlights are 100 new Pokmon (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 Pokmon Gold 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
Cons:
Minor compatibility issues when using Game Link with previous versions
POK‰MON GOLD offers another game for fans of the popular Pokmon characters, and the list of features is almost overwhelming. Explore a world with more than 250 Pokmon! The game keeps track of the time via an internal clock, and some Pokmon will only come out during certain times of the day, which means you will quite literally have to get up early in the morning to find them all. Also new to POK‰MON GOLD is Pokmon breeding. You've heard of Pikachu, but have you heard of Pichu? The PokeGear adds a more streamlined interface for an even greater RPG experience. As in the past games, link up with a friend, rival, or fellow trainer to trade or battle Pokmon. You can link up to your previous version of POK‰MON RED or BLUE or YELLOW to bring all of your favorite Pokmon into the new game. This version of the game includes Pokmon found only in POK‰MON GOLD
