Pokémon Battle Revolution

Pokémon Battle Revolution
[[File:File:PBRAmerican.jpg|250px]] Pokémon Battle Revolution's North American (NTSC) boxart.
Basic info
Platform:	{{{platform}}}
Category:	Pokémon 3D Battle
Players:	Single player, multiplayer
Connectivity:	None
Developer:	Genius Sonority
Publisher:	Nintendo
Part of:	{{{gen_series}}}
Ratings
CERO:	N/A
ESRB:	Everyone
ACB:	N/A
OFLC:	N/A
PEGI:	N/A
GRAC:	N/A
GSRR:	N/A
Release dates
Japan:	Dec 14, 2006
North America:	June 25, 2007
Australia:	TBA 2007
Europe:	Dec 7, 2007
South Korea:	N/A
Hong Kong:	N/A
Taiwan:	N/A
Websites
Japanese:	ポケモンバトルレボリューション
English:	US Pokémon Battle Revolution Site

Pokémon Battle Revolution is the first Pokémon game on Nintendo's Wii console. It will support connectivity with the Nintendo DS, allowing trainers to battle using their Diamond or Pearl Pokémon while using their Nintendo DS as a controller. It was released in Japan on December 14, 2006, two weeks after the Wii launch, and in the United States on June 25, 2007.

Gameplay

Pokémon Battle Revolution features eleven different colosseums in a new land named Pokétopia. Other announced features include stadiums that have their own special effects, such as randomizing the order of one's Pokémon.

Players can fully customize their trainer to use on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Players can customize their characters with hats, shirts, glasses, and other things. Additionally, for the U.S. release, Nintendo had added the option to customize your trainer's skin pigmentation. A key difference from this game compared to the Stadium titles is that minigames are absent from this game. A trainer can choose 6 Pokémon and get a Battle Pass; however, if Pokémon Diamond or Pearl is connected, a player can upload their trained Pokémon and get an Custom Pass.

Key differences from other Pokémon console games shown are that the Pokémon can now actually strike at the opponent physically while both Pokémon are rendered on the screen, instead of seeing one Pokémon attacking and then cutting away to the second getting hit by the attack as in previous titles. However, it's assumed that the same style of gameplay as the older games will be used for slower Pokémon and/or moves to keep the pace of gameplay up. When an attack that strikes both opposing Pokémon is performed, it hits both of them on screen simultaneously, instead of showing it as the attack striking one Pokémon first then the second Pokémon next. The game also features a 100 trainer battle when you complete it for the first time.

Colosseums

The game features eleven different colosseums, each with special changes to normal play or prerequisites and either a Colosseum Leader or Colosseum Master. The six Colosseum Leaders wear Pokémon costumes; for example, Marina of the Water Colosseum wears a Kyogre costume. Also, the Crystal Colosseum can hold up to 16 players, the battles are done in a 16 person tournament mode. Only the Gateway Colosseum is open to a rental pass holder. After beating all the Colosseums once, the player is given a Pikachu with Volt Tackle, Surf, and a held Light Ball (such a Pikachu is impossible for a player to make by normal means). Each level rule (Lv 30 free and Lv 50 all) for a Colosseum has a specific ranking, which goes up as the player wins. As the rank increases, the trainers become stronger and the pokécoupon rewards become greater. Around Rank 7, the Leaders will even begin to use Legendary Pokémon.

• Gateway Colosseum (led by Master Joe; focus is "rental battles" later becomes "trade battles")
• Main Street Colosseum (led by Leader Taylor; focus is "knockout battles")
• Waterfall Colosseum (led by Leader Marina; focus is "team battles")
• Neon Colosseum (led by Leader Rosie; focus is "fortune battles")
• Crystal Colosseum (led by Leader Voldon; focus is elimination tournaments)
• Sunny Park Colosseum (led by Master Sashay; focus is "knockout battles", later becomes "Little Battle"
• Magma Colosseum (led by Leader Terrell; focus is "League battles")
• Sunset Colosseum (led by Leader Dusty; focus is "select battles")
• Courtyard Colosseum (led by Master Kruger; focus is "knockout battles", later becomes "survival battles")
• Stargazer Colosseum (led by Pokétopia Master Mysterial later becomes "masters cup")
• Lagoon Colosseum (exclusive to DS multiplayer and Wi-Fi battles)

Online functionality

Battle Revolution is the first Wii and Pokémon home console title to go online. It uses its own 12-digit friend code, separate from the Wii's code. This has received widespread controversy, because the use of a Wii Number was believed to eliminate the need to have a friend code for each online game, as with DS Wi-Fi games. It is not currently known if all future online games will use friend codes, or whether PBR is an exception, due to its connectivity to Diamond and Pearl, which use friend codes.

Legendary Pokémon banning controversy

Due to the lack of clauses in online random multiplayer, trainers with legendary Pokémon ran rampant on the system, attracting a fair amount of controversy as to why Nintendo was not using official Nintendo tournament rules, which ban legendary Pokémon, on their service. However, on July 3, 2007, legendary Pokémon (referred to as "exotic" Pokémon by the game) became banned from the system. Although it was originally speculated to be a glitch, a similar incident occured on the same date regarding two other games. The banning of these Pokémon has received a large amount of controversy from the community. A Nintendo representative later stated [1] that the ban was a technical difficulty. The similar GTS problem was not addressed.

Development and history

The game was first announced by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata at a Nintendo marketing event in Japan on June 7, 2006. At the event, Iwata described Wii-to-DS connectivity using the game as an example, stating that gamers with either Pokémon Diamond or Pearl can play battles using their Diamond or Pearl Pokémon to Pokémon Battle Revolution using their DS as a controller.

The DS linkup feature was demoed at 2006 Nintendo World Tour for the first time. As well as allowing Pokémon from a Pokémon Diamond or Pearl cartridge to be used in-game, it replaces the on-screen battle menu, normally used in conjunction with the Wii Remote. The battle menu is displayed on the DS touchscreen instead, and is navigated with the stylus. Up to eight players can play in a 1 on 1 tournament, much like the Battle Frontier's Battle Dome in Pokémon Emerald.

Reception

Unfortunately for Nintendo, Pokémon Battle Revolution has received mostly negative to lukewarm reviews. IGN has given this game a 5.0 out of 10 for many reasons. First, the website cited, the game lacks many features demonstrated in previous games such as Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Colosseum, notably being the RPG mode. The multiplayer and online battles were also criticized for lacking features such as tournament play. Gamespot gave the game a 5.5 out of 10, their reasons for this were the repetitive gameplay and the barebones online play. It also added that if the player didn't have Pokémon Diamond or Pearl for the DS, there wasn't as much to do. Nintendo Power gave this game a 6.5 out of 10.

Currently the gave has an average of 59% of 10 reviews on Game Rankings.

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