Wii | £39.99 | Nintendo | Out now

Pikachu’s first ever solo Wii game is in the shops now and brings with it a paradise of fabulous mini-games to enjoy! For once, the first time we can recall, the game was launched in Europe before being distributed in the USA. So get ready to join Pikachu for an adventure of a lifetime!

The PokéPark is in trouble and so Mew calls on Pikachu to step into the limelight and help find the missing Sky Prism pieces. Whilst in the park, Pikachu must take on a range of activities like collecting wood for Bibarel or battling against some of the meaner inhabitants of the park. Along the way he’ll get to make new friends and compete in a range of mini-games, races, quizzes and, of course, battles.

With the ever expanding Pokédex of Pokémon characters available to Nintendo’s developers, it may be a little disappointing to find out that only 190 of the 493 Pokémon have made it into the park. However, by befriending the wild inhabitants of the PokéPark, Pikachu can call on their special talents to help him complete certain tasks or take part in mini-games for him. Many fan favourites are included in the game and all of them look spectacular in glorious 3D!

.

Without a doubt, PokéPark Wii is one of the most stunning Pokémon games ever to be released on any console. The graphics are so beautifully cute and appealing, making the game a real pleasure to play. It would be fair to say that PokéPark is not the most challenging of games available on the Wii and has clearly been aimed at the younger generation of Pokémon fans. However, the story is very entertaining and looks so good that gamers of all ages will be quite happy to spend hours playing with Pikachu and his Pokémon friends.

Trial of Strength…

Once inside the park, you must take part in several different Trials of Strength in order to make new friends to help you on the way. There are five different trials in which to compete in total, each one requiring you to master new skills – so let’s take a closer look…

Battles
In this trial you have just 99 seconds to defeat your Pokémon opponent. You can do this by using distance attacks like Thunderbolt to weaken or stun your opponent, before charging in to finish the job with your Quick Attack or Iron Tail.

Tag Races
The Tag Races are immense fun as you must chase down opponents and then hit them in order to win. This is made really tricky when Ghost-type Pokémon disappear or leave traps like poisonous gas clouds for you to avoid as you chase them down.

Hide and Seek
In this trial you must simply locate your Pokémon friend’s hiding spot to win. This trial
is fairly easy providing you have your volume turned up, since many of the Pokémon make little noises as you get closer to them. They just can’t help themselves!

Quizzes
There are a few Pokémon in the park that will refuse to join you unless you prove you are a Pokémon master. Each question is Pokémon related and once you have successfully answered three in a row you will gain an additional team member.

Jump Challenges
These trials are also fairly easy as all you have to do is complete the obstacle course within the set time limit. This includes jumping from platform to platform and avoiding items being thrown at you as you make your way to the finish line.

In the Zone…

The PokéPark is a vast area and is split into several different zones for you to explore. Each area has different Pokémon inhabitants and challenges for you to complete. Let’s go on a quick tour around the park…

Meadow Zone
Lush grass areas and small forests are the setting for this very scenic zone. It will be the first zone you uncover and houses no fewer than 31 Pokémon friends.

Gathering Place
The Gathering Place is based around a tree and holds gates to access all the other zones in the park. These gates are locked until you achieve certain goals, but there are also a few stalls that you can use to improve Pikachu’s skills.

Beach Zone
This is packed with Water Pokémon and is accessible after you have answered Corsola’s quiz questions correctly. There are another 30 of your Pokémon friends in this area, and the entrance to the Iceberg Zone via Lapras.

Iceberg Zone
This zone is based on an icy mountain slope and contains many Ice-type Pokémon for you to interact with. In fact, there are 26 Pokémon pals in this area of the park.

Cavern Zone
This zone is set underground in an abandoned mine. Of course, there are many Ground and Rock Pokémon here, plus a very sleepy Snorlax that is blocking the tracks, preventing the mine cart working.

Magma Zone
This fiery zone is the home to 28 Fire-Type Pokémon and can only be accessed after fixing the mine cart in the Cavern Zone. There are several machines here that need fixing in order to get the volcano working again.

Haunted Zone
The Haunted Zone is set in a haunted house and contains 39 Ghost and Dark-type Pokémon. There are loads of things to do in this creepy place, including a number of fun mini-games.

Granite Zone
This stony place is an abandoned castle on the edge of cliffs and is inhabited by many Pokémon. To get through this area you must discover three passwords from the Pokémon here and then give them to Flygon.

Flower Zone
On top of the hillside is the gorgeous Flower Zone. There are 14 Pokémon in this area, including another appearance by Shaymin. He’ll transform into his Sky Forme and grant you access to the very last zone.

Sky Garden
The Sky Garden is the final area of the game and is only accessible after you have beaten all the other challenges. There are a few mini-games here that you’ll need to complete to finish the game!

Packed with Mini-Games…

PokéPark Wii is packed with many amazing mini-games, all of which you’ll need to master to befriend all your Pokémon pals. Let’s take a closer look at all the games that’ll keep you entertained for hours!

Bulbasaur’s Daring Dash
This is one of the first mini-games you’ll discover in the Meadow Zone. This simple game is a straight-up race to the finish with you and several other Pokémon competitors. Simply shake the Wii Remote to keep a steady pace and cross the line in first place to take the win. Your best times are recorded so you can see how they compare with those of your friends!

Venusaur’s Vine Swing
The second mini-game is Venusaur’s Vine Swing. This  is a simple swing and jump contest. You have 30 seconds to get the vine swinging at a decent speed, then you must choose when to let go of the vine and launch yourself into the nearby field. The distance covered is determined by the speed of the swing and by the angle at which your Pokémon releases the vine.

Pelipper’s Sky Flap Race
This fun mini-game can be found in the Beach Zone area of the park. Pelipper’s Sky Flap Race is a race for Flying Pokémon where you must direct your Pokémon to the finish line, collecting as many coloured rings as possible as you fly. Yellow hoops are worth ten points, red hoops are worth 100 points, while the multicoloured hoops will net you 1,000 points.

Gyarados’ Aqua Dash
Gyarados’ Aqua Dash can also be found in the Beach Zone area of the park. This watery race is for Water-type Pokémon
and basically you need to get to the finish line as fast as possible while avoiding all the obstacles on the course. Once again, your scores are recorded so you can see how your times compare with those set by your friends.

Empoleon’s Snow Slider
This slippery event can be found in the Iceberg Zone area of the PokéPark and is very similar to Gyarados’ Aqua Dash. Simply make your way to the finish line as quickly as possible while avoiding the obstacles in your way and using as many of the boost gates as possible to keep your speed up!

Bastiodon’s Panel Crash
Bastiodon’s Panel Crash can be played in the Cavern Zone area of the park and is immensely fun to play. Balls are launched at you and you must deflect them at the various panels on the field to score points. You have a total of three balls to use and once all three have been lost, your score is totalled up and recorded.

Rhyperior’s Bumper Burn
This crazy game is in the Magma Zone area of the park and is hugely enjoyable. You control a Pokémon in a ring and must knock the many Pokémon that fall into the area out of the circle. Points are awarded for each Pokémon you knock out of the area and bonus multipliers are awarded for each Pokémon you knock out without being punched out of the ring yourself.

Blaziken’s Punching Rock
This is another game you can find in the Magma Zone. Your Pokémon is thrown into a dangerous area of the volcano where rocks are being hurled at you from different directions. Your task is to shake the Wii Remote at the right time to destroy the incoming rocks. Once again, multiplier bonuses are awarded for destroying many rocks in succession without missing any.

Tangrowth’s Swing Race
The first game you’ll discover in the Haunted Zone is Tangrowth’s Swing Race. This is very similar to Venusaur’s Vine Swing, only this time you need to swing from rope to rope to get to the finish line as fast as possible. Once again, your best time is recorded so you can see how your swinging compares with your mates’.

Dusknoir’s Running Crash
Another game you’ll find in the Haunted Zone is Dusknoir’s Running Crash. This is another simple race against other Pokémon, similar to Bulbasaur’s Daring Dash, only this time you’ll need to bash through walls and avoid the Spinaraks that’ll try their hardest to slow you down.

Rotom’s Pulse Shoot System
This is the third attraction in the Haunted Zone and is the first event that utilises the Wii’s infrared features. You must fire at the Pokémon that fly at you and score points for each direct hit. Gastlies are worth 100 points, Haunters will gain you 300, while the Rotoms are worth a huge 1,000 points each. As soon as one Pokémon breaks through your defences, the game ends.

Absol’s Hurdle Succession
This fun Pokémon mini-game can be found in the Granite Zone area of the PokéPark. Absol’s Hurdle Succession is another dashing race where you must get to the finish as fast as possible by shaking the Wii Remote. However, this race has many obstacles – in the form of Dugtrio and a variety of panels – that you must avoid or jump over as you race.

Salamence’s Air Ace
This is another fun game that can be found in the sky flying sections of the PokéPark. In this game you control a Flying Pokémon through the mountains, aiming at targets around the course. Simply score as many points as you can before reaching the finish line. Small targets are worth 300 points while large targets are worth 100 points each.

Rayquaza’s Balloon Panic
The last mini-game  found in the Flower Zone. In this fun game you must run around a large balloon, collecting the targets and avoiding the Voltorbs and Electrodes that are trying to stop you. Yellow targets are worth 100, red 300 and multicoloured targets will gain you 1,000 points.

PokéPark Wii is Pikachu’s greatest adventure to date on any platform and will definitely have you smiling for hours. All the Pokémon are dreadfully cute and while it’s not the most challenging of games, there is so much fun to be had here. There are just loads of excellent mini-games to compete in, many different Pokémon to battle and befriend and, of course, many helpful tasks to complete to help get the attractions back to perfect working order. You are able to photograph the Pokémon in the wild and save your pictures to your memory card, plus you can post all your best times to challenge your friends to beat them. A wonderful Pokémon experience and one we’ll be playing for hours and hours!

Here’s a brilliant Pokémon game that you probably won’t have played… Pokémon Battrio from Tomy! It’s an arcade game that is doing brilliant business in Japan, and has some unique gameplay elements! Find out more…

The ‘Bat’ comes from the word ‘battle’ and the ‘trio’… well it’s the word ‘trio’, isn’t it? So ‘Battrio’… makes sense really. But what is the trio all about, eh? Well, this game is played with Pokémon pucks that players can collect. To send your Pokémon into battle you must place their puck on the game board, and three Pokémon are allowed to battle on your team at once.

CEL-SHADED GRAPHICS!

So each player chooses a team of three Pokémon from their collection of Battrio pucks. There are 250 Pokémon available in all, split out into 14 expansion sets, plus there are special promotional pucks that are incredibly rare! The Pokémon take it in turns to battle with the opposition team, and you score Attack and Defense bonuses based on the way you arrange your Pokémon on the board, and for using type combinations.

There’s a Story Mode in Pokémon Battrio where you can choose your own character avatar and then explore a map, travelling around with your band of bruiser Pokémon. You get to battle against a wide range of characters and have battles with bosses, similar to the Gym Leaders in the regular Pokémon games. If you’re wondering what the gameplay is like, think Pokémon Battle Revolution on the Wii, or the Pokémon Stadium games, only with cel-shaded graphics and… pucks!

250 POKÉMON PUCKS!

There’s no mistaking the Pokémon Battrio arcade machine in the downtown Tokyo arcades – the screen is shaped like a giant Poké Ball, as you can see at the top-right of this page. Please, please Mr Tomy, bring this machine over to the UK!

How to Play the Game…

You can buy pucks before you play, or pay for a game with the pucks you already own. You get to select your own avatar in the game, and this and your Pokémon’s stats can be saved to a special Memory Key and inserted to continue your game at a later date!

 

 

Insert Coin!

Grab Your Pucks

Insert a Memory Key

Winning battles in Pokémon Battrio will earn you PokéDollars that can then be spent on items to assist you in your next encounters. Players have found that purchasing one of the Battrio Memory Keys is essential, as without one of these you can’t save your PokéDollars, character choice, medals won and Pokémon’s progress to continue playing another day.

.

.

.

..

.

.

.

A CAST OF CHARACTERS!

A game of Pokémon Battrio costs ¥100 per player, per game. That’s about 75p. Of course, that doesn’t include buying the Pokémon pucks in the first place. These are collected in a similar way to Pokémon Trading Cards, with new sets released all the time and some pucks much more rare than others. Without the Battrio game, the pucks make excellent Pokémon collector’s items on their own, with each of the Poké Ball-like pucks boasting some brilliant artwork.

Cool Battrio Accessories…

No Pokémon collection is complete without some Pokémon Battrio goodies. We’ve even known UK collectors to have some pucks, even though there’s no machine to play them on in the UK, that we know of!

 

 

Memory Keys

Puck Cases

Combo Boxes

Oh, if only Tomy would bring the Pokémon Battrio game out in the UK, that would be ace, or how about a Wii conversion? Wow, just imagine!

Do you have what it takes to become a leading Pokémon Ranger and take on the Pokémon Nappers? In this, the third instalment of the Pokémon Ranger series, we have a bunch of new gameplay elements to get to know. Let’s get stuck in…

The Pokémon Ranger games have always been a joy to play. Taking the essence of the main Pokémon role-playing games, but putting the characters into a different environment where you capture Pokémon using the ingenious Nintendo DS touch screen and stylus, the Pokémon Ranger series has been revolutionary. In this third game of the series, Pokémon Ranger Guardian Signs, all the elements that have made Ranger so much fun are intact, but the game’s creators – HAL Laboratory, Creatures Inc and Nintendo – have added in some new bits and pieces to make it even more fun to play!

If you have played a Pokémon Ranger game before, you will no doubt have already mastered the art of using the Capture Styler – you have to draw circles around the Pokémon you are after to capture them. The stronger they are, the more circles are needed to bring them in, and of course they can always smash through your line and spoil your hard work! This game adds a new dimension to the Capture Styler – drawing Ranger Signs! If you need a certain Pokémon to help you out of a tricky situation, you draw their sign on the ground. A Poké beast will come bounding to your rescue – all you’ve got to do is remember what each Ranger Sign looks like, or you might end up with the wrong monster!

As you progress through the new adventure you will come across characters from the previous Ranger games. Professor Hastings, the Ranger Union’s Chief of Technology, and Murph from the Ringtown Ranger base are just two that we have bumped into.  Murph has much more to do this time around too… he’s commanding a ship and has a message from Hastings.

Some of the obstacles you come across on your missions will now require more than one Pokémon Field Move to sort out. You call up the monsters with the new Ranger Sign system, then you get to watch them appear in front of you and work together to fix the problem. This isn’t the only collaborative element in Guardian Signs, though: you can play special missions with up to four players, working together for the greater good! If you don’t have enough mates then you can still enjoy these missions, with computer players making up the numbers!

As ever, the new Ranger game is all about completing missions to earn Ranger Points. With a few of these in your pocket, you can spend them to level up your partner Pokémon. They can be enhanced in the areas of Assist Level, Healing and Power. Doing this increases their defence and strength so they are better able to cope with attacks, and their Poké Assist can last longer. The maximum level of each rating is five – and partners from the past can be brought into the future with Ranger Signs!

To gain lots of extra experience points once you have bagged the bosses, you can play a rematch against each of them on Boss Island. There’s a girl scientist called Panema who will heal your Pokémon after each battle. If you encounter a character with a speech bubble above their head as you wander around, they will have a quest for your Pokémon Ranger skills! These can be anything from a simple delivery job to capturing a Pokémon for them or helping out some other monster. There are 52 quests in total with names like Herbie’s Grass Research, Electric Energy for Panema, and The Mysterious Rock of Milonda Island. Wow, we just can’t wait to get started!

The Perfect Pichu Partner…

From the start of the game, the Pokémon you are partnered with is a special ukulele-playing Pichu! This Pokémon is of course incredibly cute, but he also has his uses in your missions. There are various ways Pichu can help out…

We first discover this musical Pichu at home with all his friends on Drop Island. You wash up on this island after crashing into the West Sea. You will have to return here later in the game to fix poor Pichu’s ukulele that has broken. Ah, they’re so cute!

With that ukulele in his paws, of course the Poké Assist from this Pokémon is musical! Little yellow notes of music float out from Pichu as he plays – if any of these hit another Pokémon, they will do a little bit of damage. But just as you think it’s all over, Pichu sends out a massive electrical shock wave!

The one thing Ukulele Pichu can’t do is travel back in time with you on special missions. He has to stay behind in the present. When you arrive, you will be given a new partner Pokémon for that mission. Your faithful Pichu will be waiting for you when you return to the present day triumphant!

Call Up a Boss Pokémon…

So, what are these Ranger Signs all about, eh? Well, you make these rune symbols on the touch screen with your stylus, and this summons that Pokémon to help you in your mission. You can even super-charge the Pokémon by holding down the stylus, similar to the way you can charge up the Capture Styler. Oh, and don’t worry… if you forget the sign you can guess it, but there’s a handy menu showing all the ones you have collected!

Raikou
You’ll find Raikou at the Wireless Base on Rainbow Island. With it captured, you can summon the Pokémon up and ride on its back to jump over large gaps in the terrain. Its roar is also very useful for scaring lots of Pokémon out of hiding so you can grab them!

Entei
Found in the Asahi Ruins on Milonda Island, Entei also has a loud roar that will send all the hiding Pokémon scattering. The big advantage of having this Legendary Pokémon on your side though is that it can crash through rocks blocking the way.

Suicune
On Sobiana Island, head to the Kanal Ruins and you will find Suicune. With this Pokémon added to your roster, you can jump onto its back and then leap into the water to get to previously inaccessible places. It also does a great roar!

Latios/Latias
Found by activating beacons around Oblivia, you will get either Latios or Latias depending on whether you chose to play as the boy or girl Ranger. With one of these captured, you can summon them and take a flight through the skies of Oblivia!

Ho-Oh
Picked up at the West Pillar in the West Sea, this phoenix Pokémon is needed for a specific storyline later in the game when the Air Fortress is crashing into the sea. Make sure you don’t start that one without this Ranger Sign in your pocket!

We go Up, up, up… We go Down, down, down…

In this new Pokémon Ranger, you won’t only be traipsing around on foot, oh no! You will also get to fly on the back of a Staraptor, capturing Pokémon as you glide along. Then you will get to dive down into the water to explore the depths!

Learning to fly…
You can choose to fly instantly to a new location or, if you prefer, make some fun out of it! While sitting on the back of a Staraptor, you get to control the action, chasing after the dastardly Pokémon Nappers and avoiding being hit by large green energy balls. Later on in the game you will get to fly with Latios and Latias!

Swimming lessons…
Ah, the beautiful Coral Sea, the Kanal Ruins and the Seafloor Cave – these are the locations you get to explore underwater in the new game. Of course you will only find Water-type Pokémon down here, and there’s a new gameplay element to enjoy too: underwater chases where you will have to rotate your DS around to play!

Wi-Fi Event: Investigate the Mysterious Eruption
You get a message that large volcanic eruptions in Oblivia have been upsetting the tourists; upon investigation you discover a Heatran! This big beast is spurting out lava and fireballs and must be stopped!

Wi-Fi Event: Deoxys and the Mysterious Temple
You will get to travel into the past and visit the Extra Temple in this mission, and you will need a friend with you to help out as there are multiple switches to trigger at once! You will need to capture five Ninetales.

Mission: Graveler’s Rock Trap
You will need to capture a raging Tyranitar to complete the Fire Temple missions. You only have to capture eight Pokémon here to reach Tyranitar, but this Rock/Dark boss Pokémon is a tough one to beat!

While Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs was released on 6 March over in Japan, we still don’t know exactly when we will be enjoying an official English version of the game, but our best guess is September.

The new Pokémon Ranger game has been given its official title by Nintendo at the E3 show in Los Angeles…

Title: Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
Platform: Nintendo DS Family
Genre: Action Adventure
Players: 1 – 4
Rating: RP (Rating Pending)
Release: Fall 2010 (USA)
Developer: Creatures Inc. / The Pokémon Company
URL: www.pokemon.com

OFFICIAL NINTENDO PRESS RELEASE:

Features

• As a Pokémon Ranger, players set out to stop the Pokémon Pinchers with the help of their partner, Ukulele Pichu™ (an energetic Pichu that always carries a ukulele).
• Players use the Capture Styler to circle Pokémon on the touch screen. The further in the story players progress, the more powers and abilities their Capture Styler gains.
• By drawing special Ranger Signs on the touch screen, players can summon powerful Pokémon that they have befriended to help them progress in the game. Legendary Pokémon like Raikou™, Entei™ and Suicune™ can be summoned by drawing their Ranger Signs.
• Up to four players can play together on certain missions using the Nintendo DS Local Wireless Connection, and discover more about the history of the Oblivia region.

Helping Pokémon Get Out of a Pinch

The third installment in the action-packed Pokémon Ranger™ series lets players take on the role of a Pokémon Ranger tasked with protecting Pokémon, people and nature in the Oblivia region. As a Pokémon Ranger, players investigate the nefarious actions of the Pokémon Pinchers, who have been disrupting the peace by chasing and catching Pokémon.

The new information of Pokémon Black and White is updating thick and fast, this week we have another six new Pokémon to show off, and a map of the Isshu region you will be exploring…

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Chiramii

Type: Normal
Classification: Chinchilla Pokémon
Height: 0.4m
Weight: 5.8kg
Ability: Cute Charm, Technician

Munna

Type: Psychic
Classification: Dream Eater Pokémon
Height: 0.6m
Weight: 23.3kg
Ability: Synchronize, Forewarn

Gear

Type: Steel
Classification: Gear Pokémon
Height: 0.3m
Weight: 23.3kg
Ability: Plus, Minus

Mamepato

Type: Normal/Flying
Classification: Baby Pigeon Pokémon
Height: 0.3m
Weight: 2.1kg
Ability: Super Luck, Pigeon Heart

Hihidaruma

Type: Fire
Classification: Flaming Pokémon
Height: 1.3m
Weight: 92.9kg
Ability: Encourage

Shimama

Type: Electric
Classification: Charged Pokémon
Height: 0.8m
Weight: 29.8kg
Ability: Lightning Rod, Motor Drive

Meguroko

Type: Ground/Dark
Classification: Desert Crocodile Pokémon
Height: 0.7m
Weight: 15.2kg
Ability: Intimidate, Earthquake Spiral

Yes! At last we can see the three new starter Pokémon in action, thanks to some excellent videos that have been shown off on the official Pokémon Black Version and White Version website in Japan.

In this video we get to see some of Hiun City in action, with its 3D spinning look. Apparently, as you enter the streets and alleyways in the city, the viewpoint zooms in to follow you, and then zooms out again when you come back into an open space. These graphical enhancements will give the Pokémon adventure a whole new dimension, and are most welcomed. Then we get to see Tsutaja, Pokabu and Migumaru in action, using some of their special moves. Enjoy!

POKÉMON BLACK VERSION AND POKÉMON WHITE VERSION FOR NINTENDO DS COMING TO EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA IN SPRING 2011

New Legendary Pokémon Reshiram and Zekrom Grace Covers of All-New Releases

OFFICIAL NINTENDO PRESS RELEASE: May 28, 2010 — The Pokémon Company International and Nintendo revealed today that Pokémon™ Black Version and Pokémon White Version, featuring the next generation of all-new Pokémon, will be released for the Nintendo DS™ family of systems in spring 2011 in Europe and North America. Additionally, the companies divulged that new Legendary Pokémon Reshiram™ (Pokémon Black Version) and Zekrom™ (Pokémon White Version) will be featured on the covers of the all-new releases worldwide.

“It’s rare to find a franchise with such worldwide appeal and dedicated fans as Pokémon.” said Laurent Fischer, Managing Director Marketing and PR, Nintendo of Europe. “We’re excited to inform our fans that this eagerly anticipated adventure, featuring an all-new generation of Pokémon, will be available in Europe in spring 2011.”

The launch of Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version follows on from the popular Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions, which have sold more than 8.4 million copies worldwide to date. Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions return players to the scenic Johto region, first introduced in Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version, launched nearly ten years ago. The Pokémon video game series has sold more than 207 million units worldwide since its inception 14 years ago.

-END-
Visit www.pokemon.com

About Pokémon
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website.  Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.

About Nintendo
The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.3 billion video games and more than 558 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems.  It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of Europe, based in Grossostheim, Germany, was established in 1990 and serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in Europe.
###

Play as Pikachu and save the PokéPark from a terrible danger

OFFICIAL NINTENDO PRESS RELEASE: 28th May 2010: Get ready to run, jump, and smash your way through Pikachu’s latest action-packed adventure for all ages when PokéPark™ Wii: Pikachu‘s Adventure launches on Wii on 9th July.

Playing as Pikachu, you must solve the crisis that has befallen a strange new place, the PokéPark.  Along the way, you’ll befriend key Pokémon as you take part in Skill Games and the many challenging Attractions to be found in the PokéPark.

Up until recently, the PokéPark was protected by an item called the Sky Prism. But the Sky Prism shattered, and its pieces were spread all across the PokéPark. In order to save this magical place, you, as Pikachu, will need to explore the PokéPark and collect all of the Sky Prism Pieces.

PokéPark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure is the first Pokémon adventure title for Wii.  As well as pulling you into a deep and engaging action adventure story, you will meet and talk to a wide variety of Pokémon.

As you work your way through the story, you’ll explore various zones within the PokéPark, each very different to the last.  Whether in Beach Zone, Iceberg Zone, Lava Zone or Haunted Zone, you’ll find various Attractions, which comprise the main challenges in the game.

Each Attraction is a mini-game, such as a footrace, a test of strength or an obstacle course, designed to test your skills to the max. Beating the high score in an Attraction is often a way of receiving a Sky Prism Piece. Shake and tilt the Wii Remote to fly, swim and skate your way through a whole host of fun Attractions, such as:
Rhyperior’s Bumper Burn – Pokémon fight on a stage. You have to try to push opponent Pokémon off the stage!
Bulbasaur’s Daring Dash – What could be better than a Pokémon footrace! Shake the Wii Remote to accelerate.
Salamence’s Air Ace – Shoot airborne targets while flying high in the sky during this intense shooting game! Hitting targets while controlling the Pokémon is a serious test of your skills.
Venusaur’s Vine Swing – Timing is everything in this test of your vine-swinging skills.  Get the momentum right if you want to achieve a long jump.
Gyarados’ Aqua Dash – Race against the clock, avoiding obstacles and using boosts to set the fastest time you can on this aquatic course!

But Pikachu isn’t the only one who can challenge the Attractions! As Pikachu befriends other Pokémon, some will become playable in different Attractions, opening up a wealth of possibilities to make strategic use of different Pokémon’s specific strengths.

Many of these Pokémon will also challenge Pikachu to a Skill Game, such as a simple Battle, a game of Hide-and-Seek, or a Chase – all games that will allow you to build friendships with the challenger by defeating them!

Zip across land, sea, and sky to show off your speed and skill in the first ever Pokémon action adventure title for all ages on Wii when PokéPark™ Wii: Pikachu‘s Adventure launches on 9th July 2010.

-Ends-

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.4 billion video games and more than 565 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems.  It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of Europe, based in Grossostheim, Germany, was established in 1990 and serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in Europe.

About Pokémon:
The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website.  Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world.

At last! We’ve got our hands on some exciting TV ads for the upcoming Pokémon Ranger: Tracks of Light, or Ranger 3 as many are calling it. Take a look at the mixture of Anime action and DS game footage and get all excited as our best guess is the new Ranger game will be in the shops this year.

Video ©2010 Pokémon. ©1995-2010 Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc.

There have been new, updated ads running on Japanese TV for the excellent PokéPark Wii, so we thought you would like to take a look at them. Double click on the video screen to watch that ad. We have also been told that PokéPark Wii has been approved for release in Australia, so it’s a dead cert that there will be a UK version of the game coming to the Wii sometime this year. Hooray!

Video ©2010 Pokémon. ©1995-2010 Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc.