Pokemon Gold and Silver Review - Folk Art - http://maxpages.com/pokemonjohtogs/Pokemon_Gold_and_Silver

POKEMON GOLD!!! POKEMON SILVER!!!
They've finally been released. Now if I only knew how to read Japanese! Anyway… how can I resist this sneak-peek?! I am playing Pokemon Gold. The opening animation and music has me gasping. Much better than Red/Blue… go Lapras!

I started the game with the Water Type Pokemon, number 158.
My first goal, was to learn the basics; how to move around, how to use my menus, how to control my Pokemon. I'll just jot down some of the differences I found between Gold/Silver and Red/Blue.

First of all, instead of scrolling through a long list of items, you get a backpack. In it, there are different pockets in which you can keep items, depending on item type.
Second, the Town Map isn't an item anymore, it's in a separate window that also lets you access what I believe is a walkie-talkie. This lets you communicate from the field with people in towns.

You can attach certain items to your Pokemon as if they're carrying the items. For instance, you can write and attach a note, and I can't tell for sure but I think when you trade that Pokemon to another gameboy the note will be delivered. Other items look like boxes or shields but I can't figure out what the purpose of them is. Maybe it's the method for transferring items between gameboys?
The Pokedex is much easier to use. You can even chose the sort order of the entries. Some web sites are reporting that there are a total of 502 Pokemon in Gold/Silver. Actually, there are only 251.

I didn't have as much time to play today so I concentrated on exploring as much of the map as possible and catching as many wild Pokemon. I think I ran across a girl in a house who wanted to trade Pokemon with me. When I talked to her, my list of Pokemon popped up but she didn't seem interested in any of them. At least I've gotten the Japanese characters for YES and NO memorized!

I've been putting off learning how to use the computers until my six starting Pokemon are all at least level 10. I've also noticed that the trainers scattered throughout the game are smarter than the ones in Red and Blue. Some of them wait until you cross in front of them before challenging you but some of them come running as soon as you get near.

I finally realized which of the items in my backpack was my Fishing Pole. Now I have to backtrack and make sure I catch all the water Pokemon I've already passed. This might take a while.

Next, I worked my way to the second Gym. This one was lead by a girl with a number of grass Pokemon, including the evolved version of the one I could have picked from Professor Oak. This was definitely my toughest battle yet. The badge looked like a little stone ladybug.

Shortly after this gym my rival appeared and challenged me again. This time it isn't Gary Oak, but a girl! And she's tough. After beating her I passed through another checkpoint and… wow! It's night! I was a little disappointed because I was hoping that the game would have a built-in timer for day and night, but all you have to do is go back through the checkpoint for it to be day again. Oh, and at night, you can fight wild Pokemon even if you aren't walking through grassy areas!
My first encounter in the night area was a bird. I had to chase him around a bit until he became cornered between two other trainers. They must have been trying to catch him because they gave me HM01-CUT! It only seemed to work on my flying-squirrel Pokemon.
Well, my Wananiko has evolved, so I'm headed to the nearest Pokemon Center in order to finally switch Pokemon.

Wish me luck!

Didn't travel very far today but saw a whole lot of interesting places.

After using my CUT technique to get past a stand of trees, I came across my first Pokemon Daycare. Inside, there are two people who watch over your Pokemon (for a small fee). The old man will watch your male Pokemon and the old woman will watch your female Pokemon. Since I was down to four Pokemon I decided to try the computer system out. It wasn't so hard, the menus are in roughly the same order as the Red and Blue versions. That accomplished, I went back outside and was pleasantly surprised to see that both of the Pokemon I left in the Daycare were outside in the fenced-in yard. I'm assuming that I could leave more Pokemon there if I wanted but I was eager to get on my way.

The next town I entered was enormous. I found the Department Store, Casino, Bike shop (thank goodness), Restaurant and a Health Club. The town reminded me of Celadon City in Red and Blue and there were plenty of trainers to battle. I even picked up a coin case and played the slot machines a bit. Like Celadon City, there is a door in this town that is guarded by someone who appears to be from Team Rocket. Hopefully I can find a way to move him soon. In the mean time, I've figured out, through trial and error, the common Japanese symbols in the names of the different Pokeballs. Now I won't be wasting as much money in shops.
I decided to visit the Pokemon Center and as I came back out it turned from night, back to day. So maybe the game does have some sort of internal clock after all. Before leaving this town I noticed what seemed to be railroad tracks through the middle of the town. I wonder where they lead and how to get on them.
After taking a thorough milking from the cow in the Gym, I got my third badge and crawled out of town. I managed to catch myself a Ditto but four Abras teleported away before I could do any real damage to them. Better luck tomorrow!

Another day of exploring during the game-night. The first area I pedaled through resembled a large park. In it, I found a few trainers and their Pokemon enjoying the night air. During one battle I found a status-changing attack that works similar to Sandshrew's Sand Attack. It basically paralyzes the defending Pokemon by charming it with little hearts. I include this here because I don't remember that attack from the Red and Blue versions.
Just beyond the park, I came across another checkpoint (guard station) but in this one, there seemed to be an auction being held. I wasn't able to bid on any items (I'm not sure what the items even were). Oh well. Each time I've gone back to that checkpoint, since, there hasn't been any auction in progress.
Further along the path I found my way blocked by an odd looking tree. When I used my CUT technique on it, it came alive and I had to fight it. This is seemed reminiscent of the Snorlax in Red and Blue -- you only get one chance to catch this Pokemon. Lucky thing I had 12 Pokeballs in my backpack!
Before going any further on the Town Map I decided to head back home and concentrate on finding any items I'd passed thus far. By using my Item Finder, Cut and Flash techniques, and my Old Rod I managed to pick up a few minor goodies, and I've made a note on places I'll have to come back to when I get the Strength technique and better fishing poles.

One handy little trick I found was the ability to Piggy Bank the money I'd collected from Trainers. To do this I talked to the woman (I'm assuming it's the hero's mother) in the hero's home. She'll let you deposit/withdraw money so that you don't lose it if all of your Pokemon get knocked out during a battle. I wouldn't be surprised if you could draw on the banked money somehow from in the field but without being able to read the Japanese I'm guessing.

I didn't get as much time to play over the weekend as I'd have hoped, but the game still has me hooked.

First off, someone showed me that the big bulb-looking plants actually contain seeds that will restore 10 HP to your Pokemon. Very useful!

After exploring a bit, I came across a restaurant with a number of dancing girls on the stage. They all had a single Pokemon to fight me with. The first three were Flareon, Jolteon, and Vaporeon. To my surprise… the fourth and fifth Pokemon looked VERY much like evolved forms of Eevee! Could it be that there is a psychic stone and a grass or fighting stone that allows Eevee to evolve into one of these? By sorting my Pokedex in Evolution-Chain order the theory holds up. Now to find an Eevee!

Later, I ran across the guy who lets you give nicknames to your Pokemon, and was finally able to pick up a better fishing pole. I visited a farm with what are probably Ponytas out in the yard. In the barn, there appears to be another Ponyta being groomed. I was asked a yes/no question when 'talking' to it, but I can't tell if I'm supposed to give it an item or not.

Just south of there, I managed to defeat another Gym Leader, this one the hardest yet because of his Gengar. Boooo! Then, I visited a tower or lighthouse and picked up the HM04-Strength. Looks like it's back to the start of the map again for more item finding!

A neat trick that I overlooked all this time; when you're in a battle, a Pokeball will appear next to the defending Pokemon's name if you've already caught that Pokemon in the wild. Very handy.

Whew! Today ends my first week of playing Pokemon Gold. I'm glad everyone's enjoyed playing along with me and I know you're all eager to see what happens next. I've gotten tons of Emails asking all kinds of wonderful questions, which I'll try to answer soon. First though, let me read back through previous days and correct some of the assumptions I made. Most of the things were guessed wrong because of my inability to read Japanese.

Day 1

What I believed was a walkie-talkie is really a cellular phone. I guess that isn't a big difference but you can give your phone number to trainers after you beat them (or get beat by them). Then, when they catch new Pokemon they'll call you and ask you to stop by for another challenge.

I mentioned that you could write and attach a note to certain Pokemon. You can even get different kinds of stationary. It's kinda neat but doesn't really help you beat the game.

Pokemon Johto GS

kcar@sprint.ca

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Page Updated Thu Mar 1, 2001 3:08pm EST