Computer And Video Games - The latest gaming news, reviews, previews & movies

	A-Z of open-world games (part 2) Feature: From Elite to Elder Scrolls
	A-Z of open-world games (part 1) Feature: You'll never take our freedom!
	Lego Indiana Jones ^WII Preview: Hands-on verdict of near-finished game
	BioWare Interview Interview: CEO Ray Muzyka talks Mass Effect PC

All

PC

PlayStation

Xbox

Nintendo

Mobile

BROWSE CVG

NINTENDO

Contact us
Feeds

Login

Not a member yet? Click here to register!

Video

Launch Player

More Magazines

CVG NETWORK

Nintendo Previews

Pokemon Puzzle League ^N64

Paper Mario ^N64

Preview

Pokemon Gold & Silver

Format Game Boy Color

Developer Gamefreak

Publisher Nintendo

Genre Role Playing

15-Aug-2001 Phase four and five in Nintendo's plans to infiltrate every gamer's mind - young and old - with the deadly Pokemon virus is about to commence.

But how new can you make something tied to a trusted formula, and bound to a platform just about to be superseded? Well, it's new enough to be of real interest, and familiar enough to be instantly accessible, while pushing Game Boy Color to its technical limits. In fact, as soon as you switch it on it's like meeting an old friend who's a bit smarter and sophisticated than you remember, but still hugely likeable.

The biggest change, and the hook set to snag sceptics, is the all new day and night feature. The first task on starting the game is to set the time and day, meaning from six in the evening through to six in the morning the game is shrouded in darkness, giving areas a completely new atmosphere. As you'd expect, some Pokemon only come out at night, such as Hoothoots and Rattatas, while some can only be found on certain days. There're also contests and tasks that take place on set days, making Gold and Silver a nightmare for bad time keepers, but for everyone else it creates a far more immersive world.

As with the first three Game Boy adventures there's a choice of three Pokemon to begin the adventure with, except this time they're called, Cyndaquill, Totodile and Chikorita. Prof. Oak is still in there, taking a smaller cameo role, though fans of authority figures have the cunningly titled Prof. Elm on hand to educate in the ways of Pokemon. There's a new rival to replace Gary, who's just as loathsome, and who can't bear any name you choose. Gold and Silver are also set in an entirely new world called Johto, though those kind folk at Nintendo have included the original world of Kanto.

'Gotta Catch 'em all' is the motto, and on top of the 150 Pokemon found in Red, Blue and Yellow there's a spanking new influx of Pokemon, 100 to be precise, along with new types designed to address the battling inequalities of Red, Blue and Yellow. There's also a mega rare beast called Celebi, who, like Mew, is only available through Nintendo-controlled download machines. And darn cute it is too.

And then there's breeding. All Pokemon in Gold and Silver have a gender, meaning you can get a pair together and let nature take its course. In fact some Pokemon can only be owned through breeding. It's a painstaking process, but you're guaranteed to well up when you see your first creation emerge from its egg.

Add new elements like an in-game walkie-talkie, radio stations, revamped menu navigation, puzzles, new characters and pumped up graphics and Gold and Silver are easily looking like an essential buy for Pokemaniacs.

Stephen Fulljames

Overview

Verdict

It's the last Pokemon game for Game Boy Color, and it's pushing the machine to the limit. Expect more of the same, with 100 new creatures, a raft of new features and a whole new world. What more could you want?"