Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team

Reviewed by Leland Bonaparte
November 1, 2006

Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo of America Platforms: Nintendo DS Numbers of Players: 1 to 2 (wireless) ESRB Rating: Everyone

Screenshot from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team. Courtesy Nintendo. Click image to enlarge.

Pokémon! Gotta catch ‘em all! What?! No more balls to throw? What do you mean I'll be a pokemon? That's right Pokémon fans! This game has taken a new turn. Your new mission in life is to rescue them and not catch them. No more chasing after Team Rocket or saving the world from evil. Get ready for a whole new Pokémon experience!

At first when I started playing this game, I had to ask myself, are you for real? A Pokémon RPG?!?!? When you first start off you will be asked a series of questions to see what type of Pokémon you will be. Choosing what kind of Pokémon you will be is not an option. The first couple of areas will pretty much be a tutorial on how to play the game.

One of the crucial points in an RPG is the battle system. All gamers know that the battle system is what makes the game as it will make you or break you. The battle system in this game is quite simple to understand, and beginners will catch on quickly. It's a turn-based system, meaning you and your opponent each take turns making moves in battle. Your opponent must wait for your move before he/she can strike, so you have time to strategize. You have your regular attack (“A” button) and special moves which can be accessed through the menu (using the special moves will gain you more experience points). You can also throw rocks and other items to weaken enemies in the distance.

As far as controls, I preferred using the d-pad over the stylus. The stylus didn't feel comfortable and had a little delay when making selections. Also, some battles turned out to be button-mashing contests. On the other hand, one of the sweet points is that you can use the dual slot feature. This is your S.O.S. when you need to be rescued from a dungeon. If you have the GBA version (Red Rescue Team) you can be rescued.

Pokémon has come a long way and has lasted longer than many of us may have thought. Over the years we all had fun playing with all the characters, trying to catch them all. The younger generation will love this game, whereas the old school folks might turn elsewhere for their RPG needs.

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