The Park Is Open

I don't play the Pokémon games on the Wii much, as I don't have one, but I do have a workaround. My friend and fellow Pokémon fan (yes, the same one from here and here) has a red-colored Wii - which I'm told is a limited edition - and he occasionally brings it when we get together. And when we get together, one of the games I play is the first iteration of PokéPark (Pikachu's Adventure).

It was him also that introduced me to this game, and I've taken a real liking to it. The game is based off on the first four generations of Pokémon (evidenced by its Japanese title, Pikachu no Daibouken - note the D and P). You play as Pikachu in its efforts to harmonize the denizens of a Pokémon theme park. Along the way, you also interact with other Pokémon in various ways; sometimes you chase, sometimes you fight, and sometimes you play mini-games. The mini-games, by the way, are important, because they represent special challenges that Pikachu's allies can partake in, and some of them are also physical, utilizing the motion sensing capabilities of the Wiimote. All in all, the game is a blend of several genres all tied up with an enthralling story, one that I want to see to completion.

Playing a game on a friend's console is always a risky prospect, as the chance that I get to play the game may be unpredictable. And indeed this is the case; he's often busy with his own thing, and I'm busy with mine. Get-togethers are even more unpredictable since our schedules rarely match up with each other. It has to be an occasion that on the off-chance, he actually does bring it to liven things up.

Hold on a second, he's here... and he's leaving his red Wii here for the weekend with me? I think it's time to get back in the park for a few more adventures. 😀