Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
Common Sense says
- Nintendo DS
- $34.99
- 2009
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this game is the third game in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series, where players explore dungeons and battle other Pokemon using non-graphic attacks and special moves. A knowledge of Pokemon, their special moves, strengths and weaknesses, is recommended and will make combat easier.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Great game, but very violent for pokemon.
fancypants what are you on?
...this game is DARK, my dude.
The second best game I've played.
What's it about?
POKEMON MYSTERY DUNGEON: EXPLORERS OF SKY will give players a sense of deja vu if they've already sampled previous games in the series. The premise – where you play a human who wakes up trapped inside the body of a Pokemon, meets a companion, and joins an adventurer's guild – is identical to that of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness. So is the gameplay, which involves exploring randomly-generated dungeons to complete quests and defeat wild pokemon.
Is it any good?
What's new in Explorers of Sky is that players have access to a handful of new quests and special episodes, including being able to explore the previously inaccessible Sky Peak where a new Pokemon called Shaymin acts as a companion and guide as you hike up the mountain. Players also have five new starter Pokemon to choose from when they start the game, can find additional missions through bottles that wash up on the beach, and can trade exclusive items with friends who have other Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games. The degree of repetition between Explorers of Sky and its predecessors (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness) is a bit disappointing, especially if the games are played back to back. The frustrations of Explorers of Time, such as losing some of your cash and items every time you perish in a dungeon, are still a part of the new game, and Explorers of Sky hasn't undergone any sort of graphical improvements either. Nevertheless, Pokemon fanatics who buy into the franchise's "gotta catch 'em all" mantra will find plenty to keep them occupied.
Talk to your kids about ...
Is it worth it to buy a game that's so similar to another game in the series for a handful of extra Pokemon and new features. Would a completely new game have been better?
What is your favorite Pokemon and why?
Which Pokemon remind you of real-life animals?
Game details
- Platforms: Nintendo DS
- Price: $34.99
- Available online? Not available online
- Developer: Nintendo
- Release date: October 12, 2009
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- ESRB rating: E for Comic Mischief
- Last updated: June 19, 2019
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.