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Nintendo Power's Pokemon Article -- Pokemon Rumble Blast

zeldahuman

Graphic Designer
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Location
Akkala
Nintendo Power's latest issue -- #272; October 2011 -- is packed full of information regarding Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Kirby's Return to Dreamland, and Pokemon Rumble Blast. So, because I know some of you don't get the Nintendo Power magazine (and because my scanner's still busted), typed up the Pokemon article just for you guys! ^^ Enjoy.


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POKEMON FANS will soon be able to get closer to Pikachu than ever before. Not literally, of course; scientists have yet to discover actual Pikachu in the wild (keep looking though!). Instead, the Electric-type Pokemon and plenty of its pals will be popping out of gaming screens when Pokemon Rumble Blast arrives on the Nintendo 3DS handheld. The Pokemon franchise may have made its N3DS debut back in June with Pokedex 3D -- A handy resource for Pokemon fanatics that shows off how great Pokemon can look in 3D -- but the application isn't really a game in the traditional sense. With Pokemon Rumble Blast, however, players will finally be able to step into the world of Pokemon for an all new adventure.
Unlike the RPG styling of the recent Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version games, Pokemon Rumble Blast is primarily an action game that allows players to directly control the endearing Pokemon. These aren't the kinds of Pokemon that we're to battling, catching, and training though. Instead, the stars of the game are Toy Pokemon -- wind-up versions of the characters we've grown to love over the past 13 years.
A CLOCKWORK PIKACHU
The game takes place in the imaginary realm of Toyland, where playthings come to life, have conversations, and embark of their own adventures. Unlike most Pokemon titles, there is no "star" of this game. Throughout your journey, you'll befriend dozens (if not hundreds) of new Pokemon, and each of them will prove to be a valuable asset. When the game begins, the goal is to simply travel to new areas within Toyland and recruit Pokemon to your team. Soon, however, a nefarious plot is revealed. The centerpiece of the first town, the aptly named Toy Town, is the Glowing Fountain. Glowdrops, life-giving fluid that fills the fountain, are starting to go missing. Without these drops, the Toy Pokemon that inhabit the land are in big trouble. Obviously, it's up to you to discover the culprit behind this crime. Could it be the troublesome Pawniard, who teases you with the traditional Pokemon rival taunt of "Small ya later," or is there a greater threat at work here?
To discover the truth, you'll have to do a lot of battling. Pokemon veterans will quickly notice that the structure of Pokemon Rumble Blast is rather different from other games in the series. The story is broken up into chapters, each with a handful of subsections. Within each chapter, you find yourself in an open field from which you're free to venture into a town or other area. The towns are just what you would expect -- there are other Pokemon with whom to chat, and shops where you can spend your hard-earned coins. The themed areas scattered throughout the land are where you'll do battle with wild Pokemon -- and hopefully befriend a few.
BE THE VERY BEST
Forget everything you know about Pokemon battles; there are no turn-based fights here. In order to win this game, you'll need quick reflexes above all else. Each area is viewed from a bird's-eye perspective, and as you follow the winding paths, you'll encounter wild Pokemon simultaneously. You control only one Pokemon at a time, and it can be equipped with two different moves. There are no Power Points to worry about, so attack as much as you like. Enemies swarm you quickly, so there is little time to think; it's attack or e attacked in Toyland. When wild Pokemon are defeated, they leave behind coins you can collect. Occasionally, instead of dropping a coin an enemy Pokemon reverts to a collectible toy form. Collecting a fallen foe allows you to befriend the toy, allowing you to play as it.
95pokemonshoptilyoudrop.png
There are more than 600 Pokemon to collect in all, including plenty from the newest entries in the saga, Pokemon Black Version and Pokemon White Version, but stars of the older Pokemon adventures make appearances as well. Remember when we said to forget everything you know about Pokemon battles? Well, hopefully you didn't forget everything. Although the structure of the fights is very different here, the basics are pretty much the same. Each Pokemon still has a type, giving it advantages and disadvantages over other Pokemon that they encounter. If a Water-type Pokemon goes up against a horde of Fire-type Pokemon, for instance, it will have a distinct advantage despite being outnumbered. (This is especially true if the Water-type Pokemon happens to know a Water-type move.) The area that you're in at the moment determines what kind of Pokemon you meet along the way. Traveling through a meadow will send more Grass-type Pokemon your way, whereas you're bound to see more Rock-type Pokemon in a cave.
Since you control only one Pokemon at a time, you'll have to be constantly aware of your surroundings when you go into battle. You're free to swap out your main Pokemon at will, so if you suddenly find yourself at a tactical disadvantage, it's wise to switch to a Pokemon that can better challenge the advancing forces. Just be aware that it takes a few seconds to fully "wind-up" a Toy Pokemon before it joins the fray. You're vulnerable during this time, so attempting to swap characters while in the hat of battle can lead to a fallen toy. If a toy does run out of energy, don't fret too much. You can lose up to three toys in each area before getting the dreaded "game over." Maintaining a powerful team with several members and swapping them out at the proper moments can avoid that altogether, though.
Legions of Pokemon aren't the only obstacles. At the end of every stage, you'll face off against a Boss Pokemon. The boss is easy to identify -- it gets wound up so much that it grows to a gigantic size. These monstrous foes have some powerful moves and an endless supply of minions that help defend their leader. Without a type advantage, even skilled players will find themselves having trouble during these matches. Still, there is potential for a great reward upon beating a boss. When it goes down, it will drop a healthy supply of coins. If you're really lucky, though, it will also revert into its small toy form, allowing you to befriend it. Not surprisingly, the Boss Pokemon are some of the more formidable additions to your team.
THE POWER THAT'S INSIDE
Advancing to new areas leads to encounters with more-powerful enemies and results in befriending more-powerful Pokemon, as well. This is the key to building a strong team with a diverse set of skills. On its own, each area isn't terribly large. A skilled player can get through one in about five minutes. However, the areas are meant to be replayed multiple times. Although several Pokemon inhabit each area, you won't encounter all of them on just one play-through. Additionally, befriending a Pokemon happens randomly, so the odds are that you'll have to go through each area a few time before catching 'em all. Like the Pokemon RPGs, the collection aspect of Pokemon Rumble Blast is surprisingly addictive. You'll find yourself revisiting stages repeatedly in hopes that this will be the time you make buddies with an elusive critter.
One you've built up a respectable team, it's time to put it to the test. When you think you're ready, head to one of the stadiums in Toyland to compete in the Battle Royale. These arena-based challenges will determine the true Pokemon masters. Due to the confined setting of the Battle Royale, the game changes slightly. With several opponents fighting in such a small space, there is nowhere to retreat. You must face adversity head-on. The rules of the game are also different in Battle Royale. No longer can you switch Pokemon on the fly if your character's health is running low. A Pokemon can leave the Battle Royale only when it is defeated. Go through three characters, and you;ll have to restart the battle from scratch. There is also specific techniques for entering each Battle Royale. Many require that Pokemon be at least a certain level. Because Pokemon don't gain experience in Pokemon Rumble Blast as they do in Pokemon RPGs, the only way to gain high-level Pokemon is to befriend them. Other Battle Royale arena restrict the type of Pokemon that you can sue to fight. For example, the third section of the game's first chapter contains three Battle Royal arenas -- one that allows Fire-type Pokemon, one solely for Water-types, and one exclusively for Grass types.
Like each of the regular areas, the Battle Royale arenas have Boss Pokemon. Before a match begins, you're giving a silhouette preview of the opponents you'll face. Towards the end of the Battle Royale, the Boss Pokemon will join the action. Although they aren't supersized like the area bosses, they are extremely powerful. Sadly, there's no chance of befriending them, but you still earn plenty of cash once they're defeated.
IT'S YOU AND ME
As involved as this game's adventure mode is, there are also two battle modes to choose from for an extra challenge. In Team Battle, you fight alongside two of your Toy Pokemon as you face off against numerous minibosses while working your way toward the confrontation with a Boss Pokemon. In the Charge Battle mode, two large battalions of Pokemon compete to see which team is the strongest.
Between the frantic battles and the collection aspect, there's a lot to keep gamers busy here. Still, there's twice as much fun when a second player is involved. Pokemon Rumble Blast has a few ways to interact with other people while you play. Co-op modes are always fun, and with a local wireless connection, you and a friend can play through any area that both of you have already cleared in the single-player game. Not only will this give you extra backup during frenzied battles, but it increases the chance of befriending Toy Pokemon. Pokemon Rumble Blast also supports the Nintendo 3DS system's StreetPass feature, letting players challenge the Toy Pokemon that nearby players have befriended as well as view customized Mii characters within the game.
Pokemon Rumble Blast is definitely not a traditional Pokemon game, but it's every bit as exciting. With its action-packed quest, cooperative play features,hundreds of Pokemon to collect, and colorful 3D graphics, we can't wait to play with these toys.





So... yeah. The picture and side-bar where made by me using Gimp. I created my own versions of two of the images from the article. :yes:

So... yeah. What do you guys think of this new Pokemon game coming to the 3DS? Do you like it? Dislike it? Post below what you think of this epic new Pokemon game. :yes:
~zeldahuman
 
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Cuju

私はカウントダウンを実行します。
Joined
Jan 19, 2011
Location
Canada
Man, you are awsome for posting this, I noticed you posted the entire Skyward Sword article, this and that add for you to be a very cool son of a gun!
 

zeldahuman

Graphic Designer
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Location
Akkala
I remember posting some details of this article back in September on Pokemon Dungeon, It's too old for me to bother linking this post into it though. :P Good job with typing out the entire thing as well as recreating the rest in images.

As for the Pokemon game that is featured in the article, I personally dislike most Pokemon spin-off games besides Colosseum and Gale of Darkness. I mainly prefer to stick with the main games, but this game doesn't at all look bad. I am very limited with how much money can be spent on games, so I will most likely only get Skyward Sword within the next half year.
Thanks Erebea.

I, not being much of a Pokemon fan, kind of want this game. I mean, after reading (and re-typing) the article, I started to realize how this game really works. Like, I could see myself playing this, even though I don't like Pokemon. It just seems like a great concept that will probably turn out to be a good game. :yes:
 
Joined
Sep 1, 2010
Location
Folsense
Great post, but it looks like I'll pass on this one. I enjoyed the demo for Pokemon Rumble on WiiWare, but it got really old fast. There wasn't anything to do after you beat the game twice, and collecting Pokemon wasn't nearly as fun as it was in the original games.
 

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