I’ve finally found a game too sickeningly cute even for me. In a supreme effort to be fair to this title, I have turned over the reviewer’s chair to a member of Pokemon Channel’s target audience – namely, Miss Rhane, age 6.
I tried. I tried to play Pokemon Channel for the GameCube, but even we thickest skinned reviewers fail. Thus for today I give you Rhane, a kindergarten student with above average reading skills and an attention span that can get her through Lord of the Rings, to ascertain what she thinks of the game.
Rhane, how would you rank the game play of Pokemon Channel?
The game is very fun. I like to watch the little TV inside the TV. I also like to go outside and meet new Pokemon and let Pikachu play with them. My favorite Pokemon (Staryu) is in the game and it makes me happy. I love Staryu, and I love painting pictures with Smergal.
Mommy’s Notes: As the little girl so succinctly stated, Pokemon Channel is a game where you take on the role of the Neilsen family for Pokemon. You watch shows and make little reports occasionally to Professor Birch by touching buttons on the screen. While watching this magical TV, your house gets invaded by the world’s cutest electric rat, Pikachu. Pikachu likes to watch TV, tear up your room, and run around town. If you follow him, you can meet other Pokemon and talk to them. It wasn’t much for me, but the little girl just loved it.
How were the graphics? Um, how did the game look to you?
Pikachu was cute! I want my room to look like the room in Pokemon Channel. I could see where all the buttons were really easily.
Mommy’s Notes: The graphics in Pokemon Channel do succeed in being very cute and clear. They are nothing exceptional, but they get the job done.
Did you like you like how the game sounded, Rhane?
Ditto! Ditto! Ditto sounded cute. It’s like the cartoon. Waaaaabuffet! (for those not in the know, Wobuffet is a very squishy, loud Pokemon)
Mommy’s Notes: The sounds are exactly like the cartoon-very accurate, but very repetitive. I would also like to note here, that a little girl jumping in a car seat imitating Wobuffet is too cute for words? the first twelve times.
Did anything make the game too hard for you?
The reading was hard. How are you supposed to know all the answers? I could only read “a rock”.
Mommy’s Notes: Herein lies the biggest problem with Pokemon channel for little tykes. There is an awful lot of reading if you want to “talk” to other Pokemon. If you don’t mind playing with your child, or you have a slightly older Poke-maniac then this isn’t a problem, but it would have been nice if there were more voiceovers to help the little ones along.
Finally, Rhane, would you recommend this game to others? What score would you give it out of ten?
Um?yeah. I think other kids would like it. Out of ten…I give it a “Waaaaaaahbuffet!”!!!
There you have it, out of the mouths of babes. For adults, however, I suggest you steer clear of Pokemon Channel. The game simply doesn’t have that interaction and complexity to hold an adults attention for more than a few minutes, but I guess that isn’t the point. Still, if you want a great Nintendo title to entertain you and your kids, you could snag a copy of Mario Party 5 instead.
