Power Pro Kun Pocket (series)

Power Pro Kun Pocket series (パワプロクンポケットシリーズ, abbrv. :パワポケ), sometimes simply called Pawapoke or Power Pocket, is a sub-series (spinoff) of the Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series baseball game developed by Konami. The series is released only on the Nintendo's hand held platform (GBC, GBA, and Nintendo DS). The series consists of 14 game entries (12 main series, 1 spin-off and 1 remake).

Originally, the game was planned to link the story with the Success Mode storyline in the main (Pawapuro) series. However, the series now departs from the world of Pawapuro series and forms independent storylines. Since the 8th iteration, Konami uses Baseball variety instead of Sport/Simulation as a game genre. Instead of baseball, the portion in Success Mode are much larger than the main series, which will be mentioned below.

It is noted that the '''Atsumare! Power Pro Kun no DS Koushien is not included in the series, although the prequel Pawapoke Koushien''' was (see note). The DS version of MLB Power Pros 2008 also used the sprites in Power Pro Kun Pocket, but obviously it is not a Pawapoke series member either.

The game
Although the game nearly retains everything, including the feature of Power Pro series mascot (The Pawapurokun: a Rayman like character without face parts (other than eyes) and have its legs detached from the rest of its body) using nearly the same game system as the main series, the Power Pro Kun Pocket series is completely different from its mother series (Power Pro Series) in other aspects. It uses a more simple system in baseball than their main series. Many features outside the Success Mode were removed from the series, however, features related to Success Mode is increased.

As a feature of the whole Power Pro Series, passwords produced in the Pawapoke series can be transferred to Nintendo consoles' Power Pro Series for playing, but the ability may be weakened a lot.

Differences between Pawapuro and Pawapoke Series
Here are some of the major differences between the two series:

For Baseball

 * There are no real ballparks included, other than Koshien Stadium.
 * Farm team players are not included in the series. Individual default tactics towards team and players are not available.
 * No coaches, managers, player flows and growth in pennant mode.
 * Card Baseball can be played instead since the eight game (Introduced by spin-off Power Pro Kun Pocket Dash)

For Abilities

 * Existence of Super Ability, which are stronger than usual abilities.
 * Changes of explanation, and effects of some abilities.
 * Name changes for some abilities, abilities in Power Pro series with the suffix 2 becomes X (△ for 10), 4 becomes ○ and 5 becomes ◎.

For Game Modes

 * Money system is introduced to buy expansion teams, mini games, or some other features (similarly to MLB Power Pros series).
 * Mini games are included in nearly every series. Some can be played upon certain conditions, but most needed to be obtained by Success Mode.

The Success Mode in Power Pro Kun Pocket series
Other than the first game (one success mode), and Koshien (does not feature any success mode), all other Power Pro Kun Pocket series titles features at least two different success modes, which called "Outer-Success" and "Inner-Success". Unlike the Power Pro series, this series did not follow storyline with realism, and many fantasy elements were mixed into the series. The series was greatly influenced by Tokimeki Memorial series, which was the original success mode in power pro series intends to, even Konami itself admit the series becomes "a Gal-game with baseball contents", making them changed its genre to "Baseball Variety".

Like the Power Pro's setting, fictional pro teams exists in the series as well, but it is completely different teams since the setting has been developing on its own now.

Super Ability
There exist 10 rare abilities collectively called Super Ability, which can give a great increase to statistics (can exceed limit) or have more negative effects towards opponent players. Pitcher and fielders have a separate 5-set ability and no one can hold more than one Super Abilities. Some Super Abilities will cancel out other Super Abilities in play. Such abilities will not be kept when the player is transferred to the Power Pro series.

The only way to obtain the Super Abilities is playing in Success Mode. In "Outer-Success", players can obtain Super Abilities by finishing the girl's endings, which each of them keep two (one each for pitcher and fielder) Super Abilities. However, in each of the series there exist a wild-card girl character, who can give any Super Abilities by players' choice, but usually it needs tougher requirements.

Main Series

 * Power Pro Kun Pocket (GB) - 1 April, 1999
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 2 (GB) - 30 March, 2000
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 3 (GBA) - 21 March, 2001
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 4 (GBA) - 20 March, 2002
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 5 (GBA) - 23 January, 2003
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 6 (GBA) - 4 December, 2003
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 7 (GBA) - 2 December, 2004
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 8 (DS) - 1 December, 2005
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 9 (DS) - 7 December, 2006
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 10 (DS) - 6 December, 2007
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 11 (DS) - 18 December, 2008
 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 12 (DS) - 3 December, 2009

Remake

 * Power Pro Kun Pocket 1・2 (GBA) - 29 July, 2004

Spinoffs

 * Power Pocket Dash (GBA) - 23 March, 2006

''Note: Power Pocket Koushien (DS) was released as a Power Pro Kun Pocket series title entry when it was released in 2005. However, as the storyline has no relationship with the main series, currently Konami has removed it from the series' website. Although KDE-J did not have any official announcement towards such change, nor any declaration about that removal of series entry, it was assumed Power Pocket Koushien are no longer one of the series' entries. (Power Pocket Koushien's sequel, Atsumare! Power Pro Kun no DS Koushien was a completely different case to presequel since it was never released as a Power Pro Kun Pocket series title entry.)''

ja:パワプロクンポケットシリーズ