Pokemon Crystal Review

Pokemon Crystal Box

My Pokemon Crystal, which has gone through some several years of abuse and home repairs.

Game Boy Color displaying the Pokemon Crystal homescreen.

Gen. II of Pokemon was a huge overhaul from Gen. I. Consisting of Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Gen. II introduced several new features that revolutionized Pokemon as we knew it. Pokemon Crystal was the third and final installment of Gen. II and was really enjoyable to play.

(SPOILERS)

Pokemon Crystal is set 3 years after the events of Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow. You play as a young Trainer in the Johto region, a region adjacent to Kanto. After receiving your first Pokemon from Professor Elm, and your Pokedex from Professor Oak, you embark on your journey through Johto, completing your Pokedex (which now has 100 new Pokemon), collecting Gym Badges, and becoming the Elite Four Champion. However, along the way, you must deal with the resurfacing Team Rocket, who refused to disband after Giovanni was defeated by Red three years before. You also have a new Rival, a power-obsessed child who is determined to prove himself stronger than you at all costs.

Pokemon Crystal integrated new features that had not been seen in Gen. I, the biggest upgrade being the 

Gold, the new protagonist.

Time System. Game Freak discovered a way to power an in-game clock using a Game Boy cartridges's internal battery. This was a pretty cool feature, as certain Pokemon only appeared at certain times of the day, and some events only take place on some days. It helped give the game a "This is real" feeling. I do have some problems with it, though. It gets kind of annoying waking up early to catch Pokemon that only appear in the morning. It's also very irritating when you let your mind slip, and forget a weekly event, such as catching Lapras (you can catch it any Friday, but I won't tell you where). 

Screen shots of morning and night.

Another great feature is that the game had post-storyline content, something lacking in Gen. I. The post-game content involves you traveling Kanto, which has changed much in the last three years between Gen. I and Gen. II. You then challenge Gyms around Kanto, bringing the number of obtainable Badges to 16. Once you gain all 16 Badges, you will have access to Mt. Silver, where the strongest wild Pokemon in Johto live. There, you face your greatest challenge- the legendary Trainer Red, who has spent the last three years training there. The post-game content was really enjoyable, however I found that it went by quickly, lasting just a couple days of moderate play.

Red in Pokemon Crystal.

Crystal also gives players a choice of being a boy or a girl. While this may seem like a minor addition to some, this marked that Nintendo and Game Freak were acknowledging girl gamers, labeling Pokemon as a game for everyone.

Kris, the female protagonist.

Pokemon Crystal also implemented the Pokegear, a device recieved that can be enhanced through the use of Cards. A fully upgraded Pokegear serves as a Phone, Map, and Radio. The Phone can store up to 10 numbers, which players can use to register trainers. Some Trainers call demanding rematches, others call to give you gifts or tell you about rare Pokemon they have encountered. The Radio hosts several shows that change a road's background music, some broadcasts host game shows, others can attract or repel wild Pokemon. Although Gold and Silver had the Pokegear, Crystal gave each Trainer a different personality, whereas in Gold/Silver each Trainer said the same thing.

The Pokegear as it appears on screen.

Pokemon Crystal also has animated sprites, something that wouldn't be seen again until Pokemon Emerald. However, only wild/enemy Pokemon sprites are animated in-battle; the player's remains still while playing it's cry.

Pokemon Crystal is a great play, I give it a a full 10/10. The game boasts a massive amount of features absent in Gen. I. Combine these features with an immersive storyline, and you have a game that you won't put down for a long time.