Common Sense Media Review
By Erin Bell
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Theme park sequel emphasizes friendship, has mild combat.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond
What's It About?
Pokemon have started to go missing from the PokePark, and it turns out that they're being held captive in the Wish Park, an alternative dimension run by sinister Pokemon. Controlling Pikachu and three of his pals, players explore the regions of PokePark to make friends, play game, and complete quests to discover portals to travel to Wish Park. While in Wish Park, Pikachu and his friends can rescue the Pokemon that are trapped there. POKEPARK 2: WONDERS BEYOND adds new Pokemon, locations, and games, including multiplayer attractions that let 2-4 players compete.
Is It Any Good?
PokePark 2: Wonders Beyond experiments with a slightly darker tone than its predecessor: in one cutscene, for example, Pikachu is chased by two large black clawed hands poking out of an ominous-looking sky. The gameplay itself, however, reverts to the light-hearted, kid-friendly tone of the first game. The juxtaposition of these two different tones is a little confusing. Controls are simplified and not overly precise, and there's no "run" button (only a "dash" button for short bursts of speed), making traversing the park a bit of a chore. PokePark 2 seems like a bit of a stumble compared to the first game, but its positive message (helping others), and the large number of Pokemon to meet and collect still make it a solid choice for young Pokemon fans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why it's important to have friends. What qualities do you look for in a friend, and in what ways do you try to be a good friend?
Why do people collect things? What kinds of things do you enjoy collecting? Is the collecting what makes Pokemon games so popular?
Game Details
- Platform : Nintendo Wii
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Nintendo
- Release date : February 27, 2012
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Animals ( Wild Animals )
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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