On August 4th, Pokemon will be appearing in 3D in Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon for WiiWare in Japan. Nintendo is creating three versions: Onwards! Fire Adventure Squad, Let’s Go! Storm Adventure Squad, and Aim High! Light Adventure Squad. As you can probably guess, each game centers around a different Pokemon type.
Fire Adventure Squad focuses around fire types, with your possible starting Pokemon being ones such as the four fire starters: Vulpix, Growlithe, Eevee, Teddiursa, and Buneary. Base is as the Pokemon Village, which seems to be built in a volcano.
Storm Adventure Squad is based on water types. Possible starters include the four water starters: Wooper, Phanpy (in a Water town?!), Azurill, Wyanaut, and Riolu. These Pokemon start out on the Pokemon Beach, which is, predictably, at the shore of the island.
Light Adventure Squad is centered around electric types. Pikachu, Pichu, Meowth, Psyduck (poor guy, among electric types…), Togepi, Mareep, Elekid, Shinx, and Pachirisu are all possible starters. These guys start out at the Pokemon Garden, which is more or less an idyllic field, with lots of flowers and shrubs.
Although all of these games start in different places, it seems that the setting for the game is the same island. It is possible to transfer different Pokemon that you’ve befriended and tools you’ve collected in one game to another game. In this manner, it is possible to “collect” many different species of Pokemon in your four save slots.
The story is similar to older installments in this series. You’re in a peaceful Pokemon settlement, whichever one of the three you choose to settle yourself in, and life continues happily until suddenly, everyone raises a ruckus. A Shuckle has wandered into the nearby dungeon and hasn’t come out! Guess you guys have to go save him…
After all this happens, the Elder Slowking recognizes your amazing abilities and suggests for you to form an Adventure Squad, in which you guys can all go help Pokemon in trouble and search for treasure. However, it looks like something big is waiting just beyond the horizon.
Many aspects of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon should be familiar to those who’ve played this series before. There is a bank run by a Duskull where you can deposit your money so you don’t lose everything when you die. The Kangaskhan returns to let you store items at its warehouse, and you can buy things from a Kecleon at its store. Also making a return is an Appraisal House, run by Gastrodon, where you can bring treasure you find in dungeons you find to it. And found in every base is a Slowking, the chief of the village and the one who has you create the Adventure Squad.
There are also several new additions to the game. One of them is the Pokemon Tower, in which Pokemon ride piggy-back on one another and the bottom Pokemon moves around. An attack like this is much stronger than a normal attack. However, enemy Pokemon may stack themselves too. After defeating your ally Pokemon, they may even evolve. On the other hand, your allies can also evolve once you fulfill certain conditions.
Another addition is the Monster House, in which you’re pitted against hoards and hoards of enemies, all ganging up on you. It’s going to be a challenge to survive that, especially since they like stacking up into towers!
Arceus appears in this game as well. It isn’t clear whether it’ll be joining you or not, but it seems that he can change colors, and, consequently, types. Maybe you’ll have to search for his Plates?
Another new aspect to the game is requesting rescues. If you are defeated, you usually lose half your cash and your tools, but if send out a Rescue Request through the internet, a rescue team may come for you. This way, you won’t have to lose anything!
You can also use the DS as a controller, using the touchpad to choose moves a-la Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum.
Finally, you can access more requests and news through the WiiConnect24.
That’s all the news for now. This game should be head for American release soon, so keep your eyes peeled for it!
Published: Jul 29, 2009 09:33 am