A look back at: Pokemon Prism

Everyone plays a game on-and-off. And Prism is definitely such a game that pretty much needs to be played that way. For a Gen-2 hack it does a good job separating day and night, giving a whopping 20 badges to get along with not one but two different leagues, plus new legendaries, trainer looks, and trainer skills. Also Mystery Dungeon-style gameplay and loads of familiar locations and places. In my opinion? This game's a keeper folks.

But of course it's still in development and unfinished business is unfinished business. Zapdos is currently unavailable to catch, and Lance has a mission for you in the Power Plant that so far hasn't been reached. I was unable to get Raiwato, because I can't fill out the second Bingo Card for the grappling hook item, which I need to beat a Battle Tower Tycoon and it appears that the Battle Tower system is bugged because I've been fighting and one hasn't shown up yet. Some things crash the game entirely, including trying to pick up prizes at the Battle Tower, as well as journeying to Kanto or Johto without a Magnet Pass (you'd think the operator would just not let you pass but instead you still board the train and the game crashes).

The Pallet Patrollers are definitely quirky villains for this game, not just for their Power Ranger knockoff suits but just their overall motives and behaviors. Red clearly bosses everyone around, while others talk about themselves and what they've got going these days. Still though, their motives get them arrested, and the officers in this Pokemon game are actually competent for once. A bit crazy though since they are eager to arrest people, even the player upon reaching a sacred island. Naljo is a screwed up place, due to some crazy greed in industrialization and modernization, and the Pallet Patrollers are basically the conservatives of sorts, for all the wrong reasons. It melds into a somewhat silly plot that does manage to intertwine itself with the whole cliche Pokemon mantra. They are significantly goofier than Team Rocket often, but they are pretty badass for characters to fight.

Of course that don't compare to defeating the gym leaders, the league, or the Mystery League*.

*I like how Brown is the only member who speaks. Of course, he spoke at times in Pokemon Brown but still, the ellipses that Gold and Red have make the whole thing seem hilarious.