Features:

  • All-new Pokemon and past favorites come to life with detailed graphics and intense 3D battles.
  • Become a Pokemon Trainer and set out for adventure in a vast and wondrous new region filled with new Pokemon to catch, trade, and battle.
  • In Pokemon-Amie, you can pet, feed, and play with your Pokemon to form a deeper bond, which may benefit you in future battles.
  • Connect and communicate with players around the world at any time. Challenge them to a battle, trade Pokemon, and much more.
  • Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) Content Description: Comic mischief, mild cartoon violence
Best Pokemon game ever -- IF you avoid the easy-mode items

Best Pokemon game ever! However, if you are a veteran trainer, you'll want to know a couple of things before you play this version. First, the Exp Share item is much more powerful in this game. It is a key item, not to be held by a pokemon. Instead, it gives half exp to EVERY POKEMON ON THE TEAM who didn't participate in the fight. So if you leave it turned on, you will outlevel every challenge and end up with a very anticlimactic game. Also, you will want to avoid the Battle Chateau on Route 7. It will level you up super fast, which is another way to make the rest of the game way too easy. Save these two devices for leveling up an alternate team for player battles or whatever. Nice additions to the game include pokemon-amie, which is a set of mini-games that increase a new stat called "Affection." Pokemon with high Affection get all kinds of bonuses, including faster exp gain, higher crit rate, shrugging off status effects, and enduring the dreaded 1-hit kill. There are lots of clothing and hair options for your avatar, and also a minigame to help you fine-tune your EV training if you are into that. Breeding in general is much easier in this version. And last but not least, there are O-Powers, which are bonuses you can give to your friends or use on yourself. (Hint: they recharge faster if you use them on friends!) Overall, there is just a ton more stuff to do than in any previous version of the game. Plus, I think the new pokemon are all cool, especially the starters. There are some die-hard fans of older games who want you to think the new ones are stupid or somehow "not authentic" to the pokemon style, whatever that is. But I disagree. Most of these new designs are actually really cool if you keep an open mind.

Unbelievable game! Easily the best Pokemon game generation so far!!

My very first Pokemon game was a copy of Pokemon Red that i received when I was in 6th grade back in 1999. I enjoyed that game wholeheartedly and I have pretty much owned every pokemon game since (with the exception of crystal and emerald). I am still biased in my loyalty to the earliest generations of Pokemon since that is what I grew up playing. I've had my favorites from the newer generations that I love to catch and use (Sceptile and Groudon from III, Garchomp from IV) but overall I feel that each generation of new pokemon seems like the designers are running short of good designs. However, Pokemon X and Y have blended old and new in addition to vastly improving the gameplay experience to make these games terrific. First and foremost, I love the new 3D battle simulations. They really provide a more realistic experience to pokemon battles. Second, I love getting to see some of my favorite Pokemon from the early generations. I hated that Pokemon Black and White left all the old pokemon out until you beat the game, which is why those are my least favorite games. But X and Y really made up for it by allowing me to use my old favorites like Alakazam, Butterfree, and especially Charizard! I haven't used some of the online trading features yet but I hear that they really enhance the gameplay experience and allow the ability to obtain all sorts of different pokemon to help complete the formidable task of completing the Pokedex. Overall, I don't think I have ever enjoyed playing Pokemon this much before. Nintendo really hit a home run with these games. And upon hearing that they will be remaking Ruby and Sapphire with this generation, I am thrilled and hoping to experience these great new features on classic older games. To make a long story short, DON'T WAIT!! BUY ONE OF THESE GAMES NOW!! Old and new players alike will find themselves addicted to the superior gameplay!!

One of the best Pokemon games to date

Fantastic new graphics for the 3DS? Check. Great new features? Check. Standard excellent Pokemon story-line? Check. Loved by both old and new fans? Check! This is such a fantastic game. As someone who's played Pokemon since Red and Blue, I have high standards for Pokemon games. Black and White did not meet them, but X and Y absolutely did. It was nostalgic while being completely new and redesigned. The new 3D models for the Pokemon in battle are simply awesome. I love the artwork, and I love the amount of detail put in to everything! I personally played most of the game with the 3D turned off, and everything is still stunning. The game mechanics have gotten more complicated, but easier to work with than ever before - I think that's one of the best things about Pokemon: It's simple enough for kids to love, but it has layers of complexity that teens and adults are able to see. To me, the most impressive feature is the online compatibility. It's so easy now to trade with friends around the world - and with strangers! Wonder Trade allows you to send a random Pokemon to trade with a complete stranger, so you never know what you'll get! And the privacy settings keep any trades or battles with strangers private and purely digital. It's a great balance. I bought this game when it first came out, and recently bought a second copy as a gift for a friend, and as soon as she got it, we were able to trade online, even though she lives thousands of miles away. The storyline is standard. Nothing too special or crazy, but really, Pokemon has a formula, and it does best when they stick with it. It's good enough to be engaging, but not too weird or complex as to turn off younger fans. Overall, if you're still debating whether or not these games are worth it: they are. They're beautiful and classically Pokemon. I really have no complaints.

Pokemon is fun again

For the record, I hated the Black & White generation. It had enough pitfalls that really made the game unenjoyable for me and after playing every generation of Pokemon it looked like it would end there. A strong lack of variety in the Pokemon, combined with a very uninspired generation of Pokemon and a somewhat rehashed story from Diamond and Pearl made those games a big letdown from HeartGold and SoulSilver before it. You can easily see a stark contrast in quality and enthusiasm between the two games. Then this game came out and fixed a lot of that. What made this game fun again? - A stronger mix of Pokemon. The game has a much larger mix of Pokemon across all previous generations and while you won't find everything here, it at least gives you a ton of options and doesn't pigeonhole you into using this or that Pokemon because it's the only one available. This was a common issue when I played Black and I'm glad they fixed this right up. Also this game gives you essentially two starter Pokemon with a choice of the Kanto starters a little ways into the game, which opens up even more options for you. - Quality of life improvements For years it was either your Running Shoes or your bike, with the bike being too fast, crashing into everything so it was almost faster just to run there instead. This game adds Roller Skates which is a nice medium ground to that; faster than running but not so fast you crash into everything all the time. Exp Share changed from a held item to a general Key Item and affects every Pokemon in your party. This was a gamebreaker for me since in the past you didn't get this thing until much later in the game and only one Pokemon benefited at a time. Makes leveling faster and less monotonous than before. Wonder Trade and GTS off the bat gives you even more Pokemon options than you already have within the game. - Non-worthless side games Finally they added ways to interact with your Pokemon that actually has tangible rewards in the game. Pokemon-Amie lets you feed and play with them and gain actual benefits in the game, such as avoiding random attacks, EXP boosts and more. Super Training allows you to do special training with your Pokemon via mini-games that improve their stats. - Fairy, the anti-Dragon. A new type of Pokemon, Fairy, was added and a lot of older Pokemon like Clefairy and Togepi were changed to be included into this type. Someone at Game Freak or Pokemon International finally had enough of Dragons crushing everything so they made a group that was just meant to stop them cold. With all this said the game isn't perfect. 3D battling aside the graphics are only marginally better. The story is pretty much yet another redressed rehash of the previous games. I also found the end-game a bit lacking...no roaming Legendaries or much of any Legendaries at all to catch outside the ones from the current generation. The current generation of Pokemon is only about half as big as the previous generations, which may be way they included so many Pokemon from the past. The game also desperately needs to draw from previous DS games if you want to have any hope of completing the Pokedex. Still, despite these things they are trending up again. They made the game fun again and this is a fine addition to the franchise.

The best pokemon game yet.

I would say Pokemon x/y have dethroned Pokemon Emerald but there are a few issues from a programming standpoint that make me lean more towards a 4.5/5. First of all the battle scenes have a bit of lag and MIGHT* run at about 25-27 fps which is just below fluid. When you turn on the stereoscopic 3D the frames drop to maybe 20fps during attacks, the only way to combat this is to have the attack animations and 3D turned off but in general as long as you keep the 3D off it should be good enough for most people...barely. The 3D option is completely stripped in double and triple battles as well which is probably for the best as peoples 3DS's would be crashing left and right. My only other problem is the movement takes some getting used to, they added horizontal movement so the older players may have trouble getting accustomed to it, the controls are also on the loose side so you may accidentally fall off a couple (rollerblade areas) speaking of rollerblades, you are given a pair within the first hour or two of gameplay and they are superior to the bike in maneuverability so that's a plus. Now on to the positives. The pokemon selection is excellent and there are some old favorites returning and the new ones are generally attractive in comparison to the last generation. I have noticed that Gamefreak have taken more of an avante garde approach to the designs and many will find them interesting. For instance the starter bug pokemon evolves into a butterfree clone but it actually looks BETTER than what it is copied from, also there aren't as many useless pokemon in general this time around and the stat allocation is a bit more streamlined. The overworld looks great but in some ways I miss the "god" view from above as it gives you a better look at your surroundings, still I think they did a good job on it and it's growing on me. The online trading/battling system is pretty well done, the "wonder trade" feature is basically gambling, I've gotten terrible pokemon most of the time but I have also recieved 2 or 3 useful ones. I just trade my duplicate pokemon with it and hope for the best. The music is also pretty good and so are the towns. The setting is sort of French I believe which is a nice change from the usual Asian/western locales. In all seriousness though, if you have a 3DS you probably already own this game and if you don't your missing out on the Torchic giveaway that ends in January.

The Best Part: Pokemon Diversity

I'll be honest: I loved the storyline. And the Pokémon variety is why I love these games. They did magnificently with the diverse populace, especially in adding the new type: fairy. I love fairy. As far as my only dislike/preference is that the conclusion of the campaign was almost too conclusive. The Elite Four were easy, and with the map already practically explored prior to completion, catching the "rare" Pokémon was more of a "go here and throw poke ball = check". I wish they had invested into more investment as far as what it takes to catch rare Pokémon. Otherwise, this is probably tied for third in my favorite Pokémon games and I still find myself dumping hours into its awesome--even if it is just to raise that "one" Pokémon who I know will soon also be replace by the next "new Pokémon" to raise. Haha, but so is the life of a Pokégamer xD It also functions as a perfect "cross/bridge" to some of the new features brought into Sun and Moon.

Best Pokemon Series Yet!

I bought this as a gift, but has my own copy of it as well. I grew up playing Red, Yellow, & Blue. I was a diehard fan of the games and bought all of them since I was like 8 years old and now I'm 23. My favorite was Soulsilver because it was a remake of what I already loved the most. I actually hated the Platinum, Black, Black 2, etc. series. The new Pokemon were and still are pretty stupid to me at times, not all of them, but a lot are. The gameplay for Black & White was way too easy and baby-like for me. I didn't have high hopes for X/Y, but the fact it was the 3DS and friends told me it was great I had to try it and it's honestly my favorite now. They finally added features I've been wanting since I was 8 and the gameplay is interesting and keeps you going. I bought Y as well just to go through it again! The online features are amazing as well! I love to trade with strangers most of all so I can get Pokemon I can obtain otherwise!

Absolutely Wonderful! A Must-Buy!

This game is absolutely amazing! I have played every generation (and possibly version) of Pokemon since the series started and have never been disappointed, but Pokemon X may have just raised the bar! The graphics are stunning and the game-play is just as wonderful as the other generations, if not more so. The ending of the game is heartfelt and touching, and there is nothing about this game that I would make me stop playing it for hours on end. Pokemon Amie and the Super Training allow you to bond with your Pokemon and train them to your own specifications, not those of the game. Pokemon Amie also allows you a unique look at your Pokemon, and even the oldies (Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Pikachu, Riolu, etc.) are perhaps even cuter than ever! I did notice that Riolu, if you tilt your head from side to side while in Amie, will mimic your movement and ask you to make faces with it! So cute! I returned to Pokemon Black 2 for about five minutes and was kind of disappointed despite myself. The differences are that great! I think the one and only thing I would change about this game is this: to add only one Pokedex feature from the previous generations, and that is the Habitat List from Pokemon Black 2 and White 2. It made it a bit easier to tell what Pokemon I had and had not caught, but after a quick Excel Spreadsheet on my nearby computer, that was hardly an issue anymore. For anybody who loves Pokemon already or anybody who wants to try it for the first time, this is definitely the game to get! Pokemon X is definitely my new top-favorite in 3DS gaming.

A Fun Game for a re-imagined world...

I would consider Pokemon X (and even Pokemon Y to similar extents when I get it in the mail) one of the best Pokemon games to play. A departure from the series is the pixel sprites that made the world. Now games are in 3D and have not disappointed me. I enjoy drawing fan art of Pokemon and prior to the advent of this game and its companion, I'd usually have to rely on pictures from the anime and manga, which I am no longer fond of. Now that the Pokedex shows a 3D model when a Pokemon is caught, I can actually draw fanart of Pokemon at different angles beyond front and back. You can actually change your avatar to suit you as your are ask for your gender, your looks and your name. However, the skin color for the darkest skin type for looks is still a dark taupe color. It's still a start and quite a departure from playing what is a essential a white-skinned protagonist. Some items have changed, particularly the plates that are to be attached to Arceus, which include the Pixie Plate which corresponds with the new Fairy element type. The biggest change of all is the Exp. Share, which first started out as Exp. All in the very first games, giving all Pokemon in the party Experience Points, and later Exp. Share, giving a selected Pokemon in that party a share of the points. For this set of games, the Exp. Share has reverted back to the properties of Exp. All. I have very few complaints involving the Lumiose City. Before I bought the game, I was well aware of a glitch that prevents moving around if saved in the North and South Boulevards and the two Avenues from The South Boulevard leading to the Central Plaza. Pokémon's official X & Y Site recommend you save your games in a shop or better yet, in the Pokemon Centers. The Evolutionary stone shop in Lumiose City, to my knowledge, only sells Fire, Water and Leaf Stones, so evolving Eevee and Pikachu would require a debate on your self if you're trying to complete the Pokedex as I only received one Thunderstone. You will encounter Pokemon from all 6 generations, some from the previous 5. Overall, the story did not disappoint. I won't tell you the ending, but the game does leave many characters involved open for debate and fan theories of their beings and pasts. The ending, however, simply doesn't just go to the credits right after beating the Champion, it involves a Pokemon battle with an enigmatic character who is involved with the story's backstory. After that, the cut scene that ties up the loose ends enough to satisfy those who held on long enough and then the credits, which has a song involved from the second part of the credits, subtitled in English and French. The music in the credit reminded me of the song "Hana wa Saku" (Flowers Will Bloom), created by the NHK, Japan's public broadcasting station for the recovery of the Tohoku region. I have been told that Pokemon Y has a darker, more sinister story to its programming. However, I can say that Pokemon X is not that much different from the description for Pokemon Y from my experiences. As for educational aspect: Mathematics are part of figuring out how much damage you deal to your opponent. Logic involving Rock-Paper-Scissors like deduction is involved when in a battle. Life lessons are involved with the story, such as the lengths one would go through to take back what was lost and the cost of the war from a non-monetary aspect. It is a fun game to play. You might even beat my record of entering the Hall of Fame in 3 days after starting a game.

the story is short and the side quests are dull, but if you enjoy battling

i've always been a pokemon fan and this game rocks. the story is short and the side quests are dull, but if you enjoy battling, raising your team, catching and trading, then it's a blast. i would warn that the "chat" feature is actually a voice chat, which can be turned off. i thought it was a text chat, as i wanted to trade with a random person and wanted to write to them to figure out what pokemon they wanted. it turned out to be like a phone call, except that the voices are altered a bit. this is a bit scary because you never know who could be on the other side. we were both a bit freaked out. to avoid awkward encounters i recommend to turn this feature off. i recommend this to parents of children as well. again, you never know who is on the other side. i'm surprised nintendo even allowed this given that obscenities that can be typed (and therefore filtered), can just as easily be said. other than that, trading is pretty cool. you can trade with someone you know, either in the room or via internet, as well as random. you can choose to send a random pokemon and receive a random one as well, or choose someone random who has a specific pokemon and trade the one they want (a specific exchange).

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