POKÉMON MYSTERY DUNGEON RESCUE TEAM DX / DEVELOPER: SPIKE CHUNSOFT CO. LTD. / PUBLISHER: NINTENDO / PLATFORM: NINTENDO SWITCH / RELEASE DATE: 6TH MARCH
Originally released in 2005 on the Game Boy Advance and DS simultaneously, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red / Blue Rescue Team brought Pokémon into the Mystery Dungeon franchise to some admittedly mixed reviews but exceptional sales. This new DX remake looks to update the original games by combining both rosters into one bumper edition and completely reworking the graphics in a beautiful hand-painted style to make the game feel more in line with modern titles.
For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, you’ve entered the world of Pokémon and have actually been transformed into a Pokémon yourself! The game uses a questionnaire to determine which ‘mon you are, although you can choose from sixteen potential candidates if you’re not happy with the game’s suggestion. After choosing a helper from the same list, a wild Butterfree appears in a bit of a panic – a spate of natural disasters is plaguing the land and her Caterpie has fallen into a huge crack in the ground and she isn’t strong enough to fight the naughty Pokémon down there! You and your new partner rush to the rescue and, realising you’re both quite good at saving endangered Pokémon, quickly agree to set up a rescue team. Word of your new venture soon spreads, and you begin to receive letters from Pokémon far and wide asking for assistance.
From your team’s base, you have the option to either dive straight into a mission or head into town to buy, sell and store items, bank your money, play online and level up in the dojo’s timed dungeons. All necessary errands, but you’ll be spending most of your time in the main dungeons – these are randomly generated each time you enter so, even if you return time and time again, the layouts, enemies and items within are always different.
Like the main Pokémon games, combat is turn-based, although Mystery Dungeon does things slightly differently – instead of transitioning to a battle screen, enemies are fought in the dungeon itself. As always, they have strengths and weaknesses and defeating opponents rewards you with experience points, money and useful items. New moves are occasionally learned as you level up and you can even link moves together, allowing you to perform several actions in a single turn.
The original games included Pokémon from Generations 1 to 3, but this new version has some “new” Gen 4 additions as well as the ability to Mega Evolve your Pokémon. With around 400 Pokémon to recruit to your team, there’s plenty for both newcomers and those already familiar with the ’05 release to work towards.
A little lighter on story than the mainline Pokémon games and very much suited to quick bursts of portable play, it’s a different take on a popular series that feels like a breath of fresh air following Let’s Go and Sword & Shield. There might be less catching to do, but everything else that makes Pokémon games so enjoyable is very much present and correct here. Purchase promptly, Pokéfans!
