| Pokémon Mystery Dungeon (series) | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Information | |
Type(s) |
Series |
| Chunsoft | |
| Nintendo | |
| RPG | |
| DS Game Card | |
| Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance | |
 European Release Date(s)
| |
| Nintendo DS November 10, 2006 | |
   North American Release Date(s)
| |
| Nintendo DS September 18, 2006 | |
 Australian Release Date(s)
| |
| Nintendo DS September 28, 2006 | |
 Japanese Release Date(s)
| |
| Nintendo DS November 17, 2005 | |
The two versions are mostly identical, with the Blue version taking advantage of the dual-screen features and increased graphical capabilities of the Nintendo DS (thus the team's condition can appear on one screen in Blue while playing in the other, while this screen must be accessed through a menu in Red). The game also begins with six Pokémon exclusive to each version. Unlike other games, however, players may unlock the exclusive Pokémon from the other version through Wonder Mail missions.
As of July 25, 2007, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team has sold 3.08 million copies worldwide.
Plot Summary[ | ]
The main character wakes up one day to see a Pokémon standing next to him/her, and the Pokémon explains that it has found him/her fainted at that spot of land. He/she is startled to find that he/she has been transformed into a Pokémon, but without any memory of his/her past, except for the fact that he/she is human. In a world devastated by many natural disasters - disasters that have only begun to happen quite recently - he/she is asked for help by a distressed Butterfree, who asks him/her and the other Pokémon for help to find her child, Caterpie, in the nearby Tiny Woods. After the rescue, the player's partner suggests that the two of them should join forces and form a rescue team.
Gameplay and mechanics[ | ]
The main gameplay mechanic is the Rescue Team. It initially consists of the main character and his or her partner. After a successful battle, other Pokémon have a chance of joining the rescue team if the player owns that Pokémon's "Friend Area." Friend Areas can be acquired through completing certain missions and bought from Wigglytuff in the Pokémon Square. During a mission, the most a player can bring is three Pokémon; the fourth slot is reserved for an escort Pokémon or a fourth Pokémon that wants to join the team. Another factor is team size. Every Pokémon has a body size of one, two, or four. The maximum team size is six, including new recruits, so if the player has a size six team to begin with, he or she cannot recruit any more members.
TV Adaptation[ | ]
"Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters Out Of The Gate!" is a 21-minute Pokémon special that is based on Mystery Dungeon. It was first broadcast in the USA on September 8, 2006. In Japan this special was available for watching online as ポケモン不思議のダンジョン 出動ポケモン救助隊ガンバルズ! on the official site from March 23, 2007 until May 14.
Reception[ | ]
The game has gotten mixed reviews. IGN rated the game a "Passable" 6.5, stating that "both the GBA and DS versions are virtually identical, with the exception of a couple of dual screen elements that feel thrown in a minimum level".[2] The game has been criticized for its visuals, with most reviewers stating that the DS version does not improve visual wise on the GBA version. However, Nintendo Power says otherwise, giving a notable 8.5 out of 10.
Sequel[ | ]
In March 2007, IGN reported that Chunsoft was developing a second Pokémon game, which like Mystery Dungeon would not be in the main RPG series and would be released in two versions.
In May 2007, Japanese magazine CoroCoro confirmed that the sequel is in the works and released first details: the new versions are Explorers of Time (時の探検, Toki no Tanken?) and Explorers of Darkness (闇の探検, Yami no Tanken?). The new versions include the 107 new Pokémon introduced in Diamond and Pearl. There are 16 starter Pokémon. New game mechanics are introduced. The new versions were released on September 13, 2007 in Japan.
In January 16, 2008, it is announced on Nintendo's 2008 Line-up that the sequel will be released in North America on the second quarter of 2008, under the names Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness
It was released in the US on April 20, 2008.
External links[ | ]
- Nintendo Official site (Japanese)
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Official site (English)
- Personality Quiz (English)