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: | E for 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: | Nov 22, 2007 |
| Europe: | Dec 7, 2007 |
| South Korea: | |
| 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 supports 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 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 a 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 a 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. Moves that do not contact, however, follow the same style as the older games to keep the pace of gameplay up. When an attack that strikes both opposing Pokémon is performed, it may hit 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 it is completed it for the first time.
Like the two Stadium Games, Pokémon Battle Revolution features an announcer that provides play-by-play commentary.
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 (level 30 free and level 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 Poké Coupon 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)
Bonus Pokémon
Pikachu
When the player beats Pokétopia Master Mysterial for the first time, a Pikachu will become available for download to the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl game in the Shop. It is free and can be downloaded by multiple games, but no two Pikachu can be downloaded by a single card.
| Version | OT | ID no. |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ポケトピア | 12146 |
| American | PKTOPIA | 06257 |
| European | PKTOPIA | 12077 |
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Electivire and Magmortar
The player can also unlock an Electivire and a Magmortar if he or she enters a specific code at the "Self-Introduction" option in the Profile menu.
- Electivire and the Gold Pass can be unlocked with the following codes:
- US:
BA16-X4SH-E2AT - English:
tko3-9jwp-34kl - French:
jk4i-df87-dsf9 - Spanish:
04in-1ynj-24fv - German:
0f9-ud0g-ughj - Italian:
t4oi-6j8d-sb5r
- US:
- Magmortar and the Silver Pass can be unlocked with the following codes:
- US:
B416-X4HT-VTWF - English:
jl49-05kn-odnv - French:
13io-h4rf-1tpa - Spanish:
kn34-q0uc-1mbx - German:
kre9-ef90-5hgn - Italian:
97ea-78hl-jrgu
- US:
| Version | OT | ID no. |
|---|---|---|
| American | PKTOPIA | 06257 |
| European | PKTOPIA | 12077 |
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Online functionality
Battle Revolution is the first Pokémon game on any home console 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, however this is not the case, as subsequent releases have proven.
Once logged on, one has the option of battling random Wi-Fi matches, or with friends. When battling random Wi-Fi, one can only play using the level 50 all rule set, but can select double or single battles (double being the default). After selecting the preferred Colosseum and Trainer Card, the game will begin searching for an opponent and the battle will begin when one is found. During the battle, all Pokémon nicknames are removed and all trainer quotes are set to their defaults. After the battle, one can exchange Friend Passes, but only if both parties are in agreement.
One can also battle friends, in which case, one can create a battle and modify all aspects of the rules (although custom rules cannot be created and altered in the Wi-Fi mode itself, they can be changed in other modes before logging on) and Colosseum. From the friend lobby, players can see the current status of anyone on their friend list and join a battle they are hosting.
Rules
The rules for battle can be modified in various ways:
- Level: The levels of the Pokémon allowed, can be set to Anything Goes (No restriction), Level 50 All (levels are set to 50) or a custom range and level total (the maximum combined level allowed of the 6 Pokémon)
- Entry Pokémon: How many Pokémon are used. Can be set from 1-6, or have no restriction, in which case players can enter as many or as few Pokémon as they want.
- Time limit for one battle: 1-99 Minutes
- Time limit for move selection: 20-99 Seconds
The following options are either yes/allow or no/disallow selections.
- Allow same Pokémon on a team?
- Allow Pokémon with identical hold items?
- Allow two or more Pokémon to be put to sleep on the same team?
- Allow two or more Pokémon to be frozen on the same team?
- If all Pokémon faint due to Explosion or Selfdestruct, user loses? (If turned off, such a situation results in a draw rather than a victory for either side)
- Should Perish Song and Destiny Bond fail if used by a team's final Pokémon?
- Fixed-damage moves like Dragon Rage and Sonicboom always fail?
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.
It seems that the ban was lifted sometime later, as legendary Pokémon can currently be used.
Something similar recently happened to the American ALAMOS Darkrai given out at Toys "R" Us events. While Japanese Movie Darkrai, Darkrai obtained from Newmoon Island by hacking, and Darkrai from Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia worked fine, ALAMOS Darkrai weren't allowed in online random multiplayer. This was fixed later on, and ALAMOS Darkrai are now freely usable.
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 first shown video of Pokémon Battle Revolution showcased a battle between Red and Leaf on what would become the Neon Colosseum[2]. Interestingly, in said movie, a Groudon uses a Hyper Beam on a Deoxys, not only defeating it, but leaving a large gash in the floor of the Colosseum, and a hole in the wall. It is unknown if these environment damages would have remained over the course of the battle, but no such thing is possible in the final game. The camera also appeared to be more dynamic than it is in the final game, when selecting her moves, the camera first focuses on the first Pokémon, then quickly pans over to the second Pokémon to select it's moves, then pans over to the trainer who is shown making an attack command and the attacks begin. The camera simply cuts between these shots in the final game. The last difference is the HP meter that is shown on screen when damage is done. In the video, the numerical value of the HP is shown on the HP meter, however that does not happen in any game mode in the final version.
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 claimed, the game lacks many features demonstrated in previous games such as Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Colosseum, notably 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 game has an average of 59% of 10 reviews on Game Rankings.
