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Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky game review

It’s here! The new installment of the Mystery Dungeon series is a must for the true Pokémon fan. The story is the same: Save the Pokémon!

POKÉMON MYSTERY DUNGEON: EXPLORERS OF SKY
Nintendo for DS
pokemon-title
Graphics: 6.0
Sound: 7.0
Gameplay: 7.0
Replay Value: 8.0
Overall Score: 7.0
Pros: Five new Pokémon to play as; WiFi offers many features; many Pokémon stories.
Cons: Too much like the previous games; gameplay graphics aren’t detailed enough; needs even more new Pokémon.

GETTING STARTED

To a big Pokémon fan, this new game is like a road trip and heroic adventure combined. But it might be more interesting for the new Mystery Dungeon fan because of the similarities in gameplay to the last two games. For instance, remember the beginnings of Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness? You’re thrown into darkness. Then you see lightning and rocks that look like a wolf baring his scary teeth. It’s exactly the same in Explorers of Sky.

As in the other games, you have to take a personality test before you can play. You’ll answer questions such as whether you like karaoke and day-old cake and if you consider yourself to be a pushy person. To figure out your aura, it then asks you to press your finger on the touchscreen gently. (Actually, you’d better press hard or it won’t register.)

My aura was deep green, my favorite color. It was determined that I was brave type with a strong sense of justice and that I won’t turn away from someone in trouble. But I might be too pushy. I became the Electric Pokémon, Pikachu, and chose as my partner a Chimchar, a kind of monkey.

When the actual game begins, you’re washed on shore to meet your cowardly cohort, a Pokémon of your choosing. No matter which Pokémon you choose, he’ll start out as a wimp. And, as in the other games, you’ll start quests by retrieving your shy Pokémon’s stolen treasure.

pokemon3GETTING STRONGER

As you go down, down, down into the deep Beach Caves, you’ll level up and become stronger quickly. Just remember to keep an eye on your health when you find the baddies who took that treasure and called your partner a wimp. Otherwise, you’ll faint and have to start all over again. One way to fend off fainting is to eat berries and apples when your HP meter is low. Keep an eye on that meter and eat often!

If you faint later in the game, you’re returned to your base of operation, Wigglytuff’s Guild. The penalty here is the loss of half of your money and some of the items you’ve been carrying.

Throughout the game, you’ll enjoy Special Episodes, including one with beaver-like creatures called Bibarels, hanging around outside a huge lodge they’ve built in a river. I have beavers near my house, which are sometimes annoying and sometimes cute. So it was a lot of fun to see something like them in a Pokémon game.

You can access the Special Episodes before you finish the main adventure, but you can only play one at a time.

pokemon2CHOICES, CHOICES!

You can play as five new Pokémon characters, including Phanpy, Rioly, Shinx, Eevee and Vulpix. With his long nose and elephant-like look, Phanpy might be the coolest. He’s certainly the only Ground Type available in the game.

You’ll also learn the back stories of a few characters such as Wigglytuff and why he decided to become an adventurer and how Bidoff was inducted into the Guild.

One of the coolest parts of the game comes when you meet the new Pokémon, Shaymin. He’ll become your pal and guide to the very top of Sky Peak. Climbing all the way up is a thrilling trip.

You can play the game either with the stylus and touchscreen or with the D-pad and buttons. This adds a little variety to the game. I like to switch between the two. But I do like the three ways of tapping an enemy to fight against him. One tap throws ammo at the enemy. A Double Tap uses a move you predetermine against your foe. And holding after tapping begins your normal attack.

pokemon1GET A JOB

Along the way, you’ll take several jobs to save the Pokémon. Sometimes, you’ll find a bottle on the shore with a message inside that’s actually a new job. And sometimes, you’ll see a job posting in the Guild. Then you’ll have to fight an evil Pokémon.

Not too long into the game, a feature called Chimecho Assembly becomes available. At that point, you’ll be able to recruit defeated Pokémon to join your exploration team. Some won’t want to join, but many will.

In Treasure Town, you’ll find that new shops keep opening up. There’s a juice bar, a storage facility and Marowak Dojo, where your team battles wild Pokémon. Chansey’s Day Care is where eggs you have won as gifts for finishing jobs will go. Chansey helps hatch small Pokémon in just a few days.

SOME OF THE SAME

Many dungeons can feel the same because the graphics don’t really change. However, the layout of the dungeons changes every time you enter, making each excursion somewhat of a new experience. But it’s not quite new enough.

There are WiFi features from the other games. If your team faints during battle, you can call on a friend to rescue you. Before your pal gets to the rescue point, he’ll have to defeat a bunch of tough foes. Also, when you’re using the WiFi features, look for the Wonder S Mail Service. Here, you can download special jobs that are otherwise unavailable in the game. Finally, you can trade your team for a friend’s team via WiFi.

If you’re picky about your Pokémon, you might find that this game is too much like the other games. However, the diehard Pokémon fan will discover hours of exploration. Through reading, you’ll learn new tales about creatures that are pretty entertaining. But if money is a little tight this year, think about renting the game to see if it’s different enough for you before buying it.

63 Comments on Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky game review

  1. I wonder how to beat darkrais henchmen

  2. I am riolu lvl.76 and my partner is sinx lvl.76 and i still cannot beat darkrai.I blame crsselia for being lvl.45 and it not being a likeliness to find reviver seeds.Is there a wonder mail s code to recruit darkrai or a action replay code.If so respond

  3. I heard that game was so cool.

  4. Team Pokepals // January 25, 2010 at 7:34 am // Reply

    im past the final chapter and the credits
    what do u do now ????
    is there more story???
    p.s. special episode with lopunny is hard 🙁

  5. pokemon master // January 24, 2010 at 1:30 pm // Reply

    I love pokemon! P.S.= GOOD jOB GLACEON

  6. Who wants to battle team Celebi [thats my team] super rank connect to wi-fi

  7. its a great game and how do i riase my level?

  8. How do you get legendary Pokemon with the secret slab/ mystery part? I know that you have to hold it/take it with you, but what legendary Pokemon come in each dungeon?

  9. I already beat the game.

  10. I beat the game and for tips for darkrai have your hero and partner at least lvl 60 and bring like 10 reviver seeds (you can get from talking to loudred at the guild and getting perfect on sentry duty) also try throwing a hunger seed at darkrai then take out the henchmen then focus on darkrai

  11. I have the game on Nintendo DS and it is a really good game. But that’s MY opinion.

  12. My partner is an eevee and I want her to be a glaceon. How do I make her a glaceon? Please help. I am at the part of the game where I beat darki and I am now trying to recruite dialga. What do I need to make my eevee a glaceon.?

  13. team rayquaza // January 15, 2010 at 3:39 pm // Reply

    hey does anyone know how 2 gaet a shaymin beacause i think you meet him at shaymin village right

  14. team rayquaza // January 15, 2010 at 3:37 pm // Reply

    hey team draginite, i judt bought the game and i need to know how to raise my level

  15. pokemon is so awsome

  16. team dragonite // January 12, 2010 at 4:02 pm // Reply

    i cant beat the exam my team is riolu lvl 45 knowing quick attack, force palm, bite, and focus blast along with vulpix lvl 45 with flamethrower, ember, quick attack, and faint attack. my other teammates are dratini lvl 33 and larvitar lvl 34 PLEASE HELP!!!!

  17. how do you evolve

  18. team troopers // January 11, 2010 at 7:06 pm // Reply

    I cant beat drowzee!!!!!!

  19. Team Dragonfly says // January 9, 2010 at 8:40 pm // Reply

    I think the cutest pokemon ever is either teddiursa or bulbasaur

  20. Team Dragonfly says // January 9, 2010 at 8:36 pm // Reply

    I am a lvl 100 male Lucario and my partner is a female lvl 100 Ninetales

  21. Does anyone know how 2 get a shaymin?!

    • go to shaymin village after you beat the game or get to the credits then you go to the peak then you see shaymin he will say can i be on your team

  22. my lucario has a golden mask and a friend bow and a secret slab and a mystery part.and i have darkrai in my team.so i started new game and im a tiphlosion level 100.i evolved in lummunis spring.my partner is mudkip.so bye im team blaze

  23. i have 5 jersold

  24. Go Team Aurora // January 3, 2010 at 9:44 am // Reply

    is it ture that you can become shaymin as the hero pokemon and if you have to use a action replay plz tell me the code. GO TEAM AURORA

  25. i have Lucario lvl.63 and Venasaur lvl.58 Lucario does 1,000 damage with focus punch sometimes! awesome

  26. I want a tunderstone to evolve into raichu!!! can u get stones in the game?

  27. I have a question for Glaceon, I have Pokemon explorers of sky and when I start playing it says “CHAPTER 12 THE ONLY OPTION” then it goes black and it stays that way. You beat it so maybe you can help?

  28. I have a chimchhar lv. 82 and shinx lv. 84

  29. phanpy rulz!!!! // December 30, 2009 at 10:58 am // Reply

    i need to be phanpy i was 1nce but i wanted to be a treeco then can some 1 tell me hoe to get phanpy

  30. some one tell me how to be phanpy plz!!!!!!

  31. Team Cyndadile // December 30, 2009 at 10:34 am // Reply

    Now i’m at miracle sea and toto is LV59 (yes Manaphy is sick right now) and I need to know where you can find strong electric types what are visited before you go to miracle sea so please someone tell me where please.

  32. i love pokemon!!!

  33. Team Cyndadile // December 29, 2009 at 1:13 pm // Reply

    And the main pokemon on my team are both males I find PMD explorers of sky a good game even so parts of the game is hard like temporal spire and boss primal dialga along with sandpit cave and mystifying forest with boss guildmaster and the guild.I’m on sky peak.Final part of the comment.

  34. Team Cyndadile // December 29, 2009 at 1:02 pm // Reply

    My nickname on here is my team on PMD explorers of sky and I got it on christmas day (Just like hopeful) but my team name is the pokemon of my hero and partner.Now on to the real comment:I’m on sky peak and my hero is a totodile named toto (LV53)oh my partner is a cyndaquil named cyndy (LV52) also I completed the “main part” of the game when your stopping what grovle calls the “planet paralyis”.Part 1 of my comment.

  35. lusa the eevee // December 28, 2009 at 12:51 pm // Reply

    where do you get a frozen rock? i love glaceon!:)

  36. glaceon you are lucky

  37. i got riolu and a phanpy.

  38. How do you get a phanpy as a starting character. My friend told me that it was really rare to become one

  39. I don’t have a pok’emon game yet BUT I will on christmass! I hope i have fun and next year I will ask for “Pok’emon Mystery Dungeon.

  40. I am an eevee in the game and I will evolve into a Glaceon! Now I just have to get a frozen rock.

    P.S.: I beat the game and it rox!
    PPS: I luv Glaceon!

  41. i have it but i dont know how to get shaymin on my team

  42. THIS GAME IS SOOO COOL LOL!)

  43. where do you type in action replay codes?!?!?
    PLEASE HELP!!

    • Put the game in your action replay then select “NEW GAME”, type in the name of your game and press continue, then press continue again. go to the game that you put in and select new code type in the name and put in the code.

  44. i’m a ninetales level 100 and my partner is a luxray level 100. my attack and special attack are like 250 and my defence and special defense are 301(awsome!!!)

  45. i love pokemon soo much!!!! i’ve even beaten the game and got almost all the legendaries!!!!:)

  46. i’m a ninetales level 100 and my partner is a luxray level 100.:)

  47. some random guy XD // December 17, 2009 at 9:36 pm // Reply

    Its really challenging thats y its soooo fun…. Dakrai is wayyy hard to beat… hate HIM!! But one simple tip for all of u out there hu are really angry with monster houses/bosses, Dialga/Palkia Spacial Rend/Roar of Time, everything goes BOOM! there u have it cleared.

  48. Im gettting it for Christmas!!!! Ive already got mystery dungeon blue and mystery dungeon explorers of time. I love team meanies, if youve read their book their awsome!! I looooooove pokemon THEY ROCK!!!! XXOO PEACE OUT!

  49. pokemoon77t75 // December 16, 2009 at 1:14 pm // Reply

    My birtday is on this Saturday and my brother said he would get me naruto ninja destiny or pokemon explorers of sky.I hope my brother gets me pokemon explorers of sky.

  50. I have already beat Darkri.

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