Pokemon HG/SS Review Part 2

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but not for lack of trying. Sadly I may have to give up my Yoshi's Island DS review, since the game is a little slow for my tastes. Don't get me wrong, it's a good casual game, but it failed to keep a hold on me long enough to keep up an ongoing review of each world.

Now for why I really came back. Another great addition to the Pokemon family is the new Pokeathlon. Once you make it into Goldenrod City, you can bypass it completely and head straight to National Park. Once there, you can veer off to the left, provided the passage isn't blocked by the story. The meat of this sidequest is that every pokemon you own has a chance to shine here, even pokemon you've JUST hatched from eggs.

The name of the game is a triathlon separated into five categories. Your pokemon compete with others in contests of Power, Speed, Jumping ability, Stamina, and overall Skill. Ten events put four teams of three to the test, from running a relay race, to throwing snowballs, then breaking bricks, and beyond.

How do you make your hatchlings or your veterans monsters in their respective categories? That's another aspect they've upgraded for the game. You remember the apricorns that Kurt uses to make custom pokeballs? Well now you'll receive a juicer to blend them into delicious, performance enhancing juices that will give your pokemon the boost it needs to jump higher, run longer, or crush more.

The way the juicer works is simple. You throw in up to five apricorns and then start running around. You could set up a mix as soon as you get the Apriblender, then go throughout the rest of your Johto adventure. The longer the mix is blending, the better it becomes. But wait, what if you decided you wanted to tweak the flavor a little? As soon as the juice is done, you can add more apricorns and begin the process anew.

Finally there is something for everyone. The main story for those who love to raise and train their pokemon, a minesweeper-esque game for the gamblers, and the pokeathlon for those who can't train, but are great at varied minigames. If you're a fan of pokemon, these titles will not disappoint.