Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team

 Review

Common Sense Media says

It's Pokemon! But not up to snuff.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that while this is a Pokemon game, it doesn't offer the polish, quality, and depth of gameplay fans have come to expect from the Pokemon series. Instead of finding, raising, and training a Pokemon from scratch, and then earning more Pokemon, this game is about combat and exploration only. One nice thing: For the first time, young gamers can play as a Pokemon. However, that novelty is not enough to overcome the repetitive gameplay. And while the game generates random game environments to explore, the game quickly became tedious.

  • Your goal is to rescue other Pokemon. It creates a positive message of helping others.
  • Cartoon violence. Small 2D images bash each other with colorful sound effects and attacks - but nothing that looks like real violence.
  • Not applicable.
  • Pokemon is a product and "Gotta Catch Them All" is the slogan.

What's it about?

POKEMON MYSTERY DUNGEON: RED RESCUE TEAM comes from ChunSoft and is basically a Pokemon-themed version of their long-running series of Mystery Dungeon games.

The game begins by having players answer a series of questions to determine what kind of Pokemon monster they will become. From there, the task is to search the virtual world for fellow Pokemon to challenge, befriend, and then take with you to clear countless and randomly generated dungeons. The dungeons make up the play world of this game and they are filled with treasures to collect and monsters to defeat. The combat is turn-based and not very tactical, although players can link moves in one turn. The objective is to make it through a dungeon by finding the staircase to the next dungeon.


Is it any good?

 

Pokemon is still a gaming phenomenon, despite the fact that it's been around for over a decade now. The reasons for this longevity are simple: solid gameplay and a hook that's irresistible to most children: once you start, you "Gotta catch them all!" Regardless of this marketing ploy, the Pokemon games (both card and video games) have generally been superb -- until now.

This newest episode, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, seems contrived. The developers have crammed the Pocket Monsters into a game environment that's not a good fit for them. While the action is nonstop and the random generation of the dungeon's configuration offer lots of replayability, the challenge is low. Playing through the game becomes a chore rather than a joy.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about what it's like to play the role of a battling Pokemon monster. Which Pokemon do they like to be? What is it like to find and recruit friends, solve puzzles, conquer dungeons, and save the day in a magical pretend world? Do you like this format as much as the earlier Pokemon games?


This review was written by Andrew Bub
Teen, 15 years old
July 4, 2011
 
Once again, Common Sense, you mislead...
I first played this game when I was nine; and I had an unbelievably fun time playing it. I was hooked from the beginning. Basically, the story is about you, the player, appearing in front of another Pokemon (that you can choose yourself), and not remembering anything from your past. The Pokemon you meet in the beginning asks you to start a Rescue Team with them, and it gets better from there. Sometimes, there's more story than play, but the story isn't bad. It's actually pretty good. I think that this is a GREAT game. A nice break from the old "all-play, no-story" repetitiveness of Pokemon games.

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Kid, 13 years old
April 9, 2008
 

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Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Good game, but not as good as it looks.
For example, the fact that you get to play as one of your favorite pokemon in an all pokemon game is really cool, this game has a series of frustrating downsides. One of these downsides, is that the dungeon system is very frustrating because as soon as you enter the dungeon, you can't get back out unless you die. What gives? secondly, the dungeons are too simplistic. All you really have to do is find the stairs on each floor until you reach the summit. Another demerit is you have to use a quicksave move, rather than the traditional save where ever you want, much like the classic pokemon games. quicksaving is when you save, but it gets erased if you die or go on from where you left off. That's really frustrating. And, I think you should be able to walk across a world map to get to where you want to go. That would make it more realistic. It would be really good that way. So, in conclusion, the game Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, is an adequate game with a good potential, but needy of a lot of editing. Definitely three stars. Any literate (able to read) kid should be able to play this game.

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Teen, 14 years old
April 9, 2008
 

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Teen, 17 years old
January 10, 2009
 
"The game is more of a story then playing it"
I played lots of Pokemon games, they are all about humans and pokemons working as a team. Pokemon Rescue Team is a new type of game play for Pokemon. I have to say that the game isin't that fun after you played half way, but is has a great story plot that keeps telling to continue and find out why have you have turned into a Pokemon. I beat the hole game and I have got to tell everyone that the ending was actually pretty good. I made a power point of what the whole story is about, and is actually 100 pages long... Another thing is that you don't have to use a line to connect, you can use passwords too. Spending $34 dollers on that game, I think it was a good choice. P.S=Play it only if you REALLY don't have anything to do. (Or you don't have a life lol)

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Teen, 16 years old
April 9, 2008
 
FANTASTIC
This game was absolutley fantastic. I actually clapped when I finished it! Everything about it, the story, the picture, the graphics, the obsticles, just fantastic. And the whole game is fun and its about helping others. Beautiful. I'm a tough person, but I actually cried at the end. This adventure just has you on edge the whole time!

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Adult
June 7, 2009
 
It's a hit or miss sort of thing.
The most important thing to remember when considering this game: it's NOT a Pokemon game. It's basically an improved rouguelike with Pokemon in it. (a.k.a The 'Mystery Dungeon' series = easier rouguelike with an actual story, music, and better graphics.) If you want a good idea of what the gameplay is like, go search Google for 'Nethack' or 'Crawl', play a floor or two, and decide if you like the gameplay or not (don't worry, Mystery Dungeon is much easier). Play through a few characters. If you do, buy it. If you do not, don't. Younger kids might not have enough patience to sit through a proper dungeon, but the game's major messages (take pride in what you do, don't ever give up, always help others, and learn to have gratitude) are worth it. Oh... the game is playable without knowing how to read, but it sort of looses all its purpose and charm, so only give it to READING kids.

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Teen, 16 years old
January 12, 2009
 
Nice Game
Since I loved Explorers of Darkness, I decided to get this game, and I ended up liking it. I even cried at the end! I started out as a Torchic, and now I'm a Blaziken! I love Explorers of Darkness, too, but in this game, I got a great surprise after I evolved and then completed a mission. I was in bed on the hay in my house, and...I was sleeping! Not walking in place like Explorers of Darkness, but sleeping! I was so happy!

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Teen, 15 years old
April 9, 2008
 
Fun and Hard!!!!
It's very challenging at times but overall, I like it.

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Kid, 11 years old
April 9, 2008
 

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This review was written by Andrew Bub
Platforms:Game Boy Advance
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Action/Adventure
Developer:Nintendo
Release date:October 25, 2006
Price:$29.99
ESRB rating:E for Mild Cartoon Violence

This review was written by Andrew Bub

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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