Back in the Park

I've just finished the original iteration of PokéPark... or at least received indication that I've completed the main storyline. Uniquely, the game does this by not immediately presenting you the credits sequence; instead, the game tells you that something new has appeared, and you check that out in order to view the credits sequence. I take this as a sign that I've completed my primary objective, which means I can relax and play other games. Oh, don't worry - I've been cleared for an extension of the Wii loan.

And now that I've seen the credits sequence, I've cleared myself to give overall impressions of the game. I found the attractions (the mini-games) fairly amusing; although they are mostly of the running and shooting type games, and they are simple in nature, you do have to understand what you can do and maximize that to obtain the best scores or times possible. The good thing is that there is an arcade mode for mini-game play without storyline play, so at least once you've played through the story you can access the mini-games directly; this will be great for playing with others. As for the action-adventure part, there were some hiccups, but making progress was generally smooth, especially in interacting with other Pokémon to make them friends - again, you have to understand what you can do (and what other Pokémon do) to make this happen. Near the end, there were a few parts where "platforming" skills come in quite handily; I'm not so good at this and it inevitably took me a long time (30 minutes to an hour) to constantly retry until I succeeded. You might do much better than me with these parts. In any case, the entire game constitutes an exciting adventure for one with bonus enjoyment for many.

Also, the game comes with one important message: friendship and camaraderie is important. It is better to stay together and be understanding of each other rather than to be split apart for petty reasons. This is something that applies very much in real life and is worthwhile to remember.

Since I'm going to have the Wii a bit longer, I'm going to take on PokéPark 2 for as long as I possibly can. I've already ventured slightly into the game and things already look promising. Like the first PokéPark, I'm already intrigued to see through its completion.