Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team

Game review by Andrew Bub, Common Sense Media
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 6+

It's Pokemon! But not up to snuff.

Game Boy Advance 2006
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Parents say

age 6+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 8+

Based on 15 reviews

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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 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.

Community Reviews

Dewey Ryder
Dewey Ryder Adult
September 3, 2019
age 6+

Epic Classic!

This is a classic and the best Pokemon game I've ever played. The gameplay is very fun and simple. The story and boss fights are epic. The part where Absol comes to fight by your side is the best part. This game is a classic, and should be played by every gamer.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Easy to play/use
Too much violence
Myopic Squid
Myopic Squid Adult
June 7, 2009
age 5+

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.
See all 2 parent reviews

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.

Talk to Your Kids 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?

Game Details

  • Platform: Game Boy Advance
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Nintendo
  • Release date: October 25, 2006
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • ESRB rating: E for Mild Cartoon Violence
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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