Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 13: Connecting Cave and Route 8

Wow! It certainly has been a while since we last went to Kalos, hasn't it? It really wasn't intentional. As often happens, life can get in the way...and I've been messing around with Pokémon X and various other games and stuff like that. If you want to read the last Adventures in Pokémon Y entry, click right here.

Anyway, where were we? Ah, right! I got all the Pokémon in Route 7, so off to the Connecting Cave!

Looking at the cave, it really does amaze me how the graphics of the Pokémon games over the years have grown and changed. I know I've talked about this before, but it still amazes me how much the games have evolved over the past...twenty years. Yeah. This year is the 20th Anniversary of the Pokémon franchise. Wow. I feel old. I actually remember getting the first two for the Game Boy so long ago. I was attracted to them by the images of Charizard and Blastoise on the boxes. They looked so awesome. The idea of collecting and battling monsters seemed like such a brilliant concept to me. And to be honest, Pokémon was the series that got me into role-playing games. Before that, I was a platformer guy. If you want to know what I hope they do for the anniversary, click here.

Anyway, the cave is...well...it's a cave. Not much to say about it, really. But this cave is also known as the Zubat Roost, and you can probably guess why. Zubats. So. Many. Zubats.

Zubat. The bane of the cave explorer's soul in the Pokémon universe.

I can certainly see why the Angry Video Game Nerd hates bats so much after spending some time in this cave. And I do have to ask a question about another species of Pokémon that resides in the cave: Whismur. According to the Pokédex, when Whismur senses danger, they let out screams that can rival a jet engine with the amount of noise they can put out. You'd think caves would be hazardous places for Whismurs to live in as they can cause a cave-in or two with their screeches.

Not to mention I think Zubats use echolocation to get around (They have no eyes). I can imagine Whismur screams screwing up their echolocations, making them go bananas.

I decided to stick around and see if I can add more Pokémon to my collection. As it turns out, I can't simply pass through the cave to go to Ambrette Town. There is a big hole in the ground, making the cave impassible, and a big grey block next to it. What makes me curious is, who dug this hole? And why? And what is with the big concrete block next to it? I do get that when it comes to gameplay, it gives you a obstacle to overcome, but what's the point of it in-universe? Was it part of an attempted construction project that got its funding cut off or something?

A hiker explains that we'll have to take the long way around, going down Route 7. Okay, so off we go! There was another cave further down the route, so we pass through that, and we arrive at Route 8. However, not long after we arrive, two acquaintances make another appearance: Sina and Dexio. God, those names make me chuckle so much.

Anyway, Sina asks me how a single Pokédex could cover a region as big as Kalos. I suppose they just can, since previous games never had a problem with that. Dexio explains that regular Pokédex cannot, so they're here to power it up...I was just in Camphrier Town. Why couldn't they do this for me there? It would be a less hazardous place to do this than in the middle of a route filled with wild Pokémon everywhere! Anyway, they add the Coastal Dex to my Pokédex. Sina also advises that new encounters help people grow and mature. I guess that makes sense. Meeting new people does make one more worldly.

I'm not sure what to feel about the Pokédex being broken into "Central" and "Coastal" sub-dexes. I guess I just don't see the point of this feature. Maybe it's used to help organize the Pokémon you have seen, I don't know.

Route 8 is definitely a route filled with hazards. It's high above the beach, and it's got lots of grassy areas and a natural bridge that you can see the beach far below. Watch your step! There was also an Hp Up on the route, but you have to be careful which slopes you go off of to get to it. I'll hang on to it, just in case. And I can see the second Gym from here! Neat!

When I'm just about to enter the town, Serena catches up with me and tells me that we need to go to the Fossil Lab to learn about fossils. She thinks it may help discover something about the Mega Stones. Okay...

While getting my Zangoose by trade, I just realized something. I have a Bulbasaur, but I also lack a Squirtle and Charmander. I decided to look at the Global Trade System to see if anyone had any of those available. And...I need to go on a rant for a second.

I understand one of the goals of the game is to collect all the Pokémon to unlock all the entries in the Pokédex. I get that. I do. But here's the thing. I wanted a Charmander and a Squirtle. That was all I wanted. They are starters, but they are hardly Legendary Pokémon. You can breed starters. You can breed more. You have one Charmander, you can get more with patience and the right Pokémon. But the people who have Charmanders and Squirtles available for trade ALL WANT LEGENDARY POKEMON FOR THEM! I SAW A PERSON SAYING THEY WANTED A HOOPA FOR ONE! HOOPA! HOOPA! A POKEMON THAT WAS ONLY OBTAINABLE AT AN EVENT! ALL FOR A BREEDABLE STARTER POKEMON! GAHHHHHH!!!

I feel better now. Sorry about that. Anyway, I'd better get to Ambrette Town and choose a fossil.

Pokémon Obtained:
Banshee (Whismur)
Yvonne (Zubat)
Yogi (Meditite)
Stevie (Axew)
Helia (Drifloon)
Liu Kang (Mienfoo)
Cassandra (Absol)
Swoop (Bagon)
Trancer (Inkay)
Z-Slash (Zangoose) (Obtained by trade)

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 12: Route 7 and the Battle Chateau

Hello, everyone! Sorry I have not been doing any updates on my adventures in Pokémon Y, but my struggles with Snorlax made me give up on the game for a while, life got in the way, and my grandmother sadly passed away.

On the way home from the funeral, during the long car ride, I decided to take a shot at catching Snorlax again, and...

...I did it.

I did it.

I...did...it.

...I DID IT! I FINALLY CAUGHT THAT FREAKIN' SNORLAX!

I tried using Ultra Balls and Luxury Balls, but they failed every single time. A level 14 Snorlax with its life meter in the red, and an Ultra Ball, the second-best Poké Ball in the game, under the MASTER Ball, can't hold it...but a regular Poké Ball can. Unbelievable.

Well, with that big source of stress aside, I can finally go forward with this game. After finally catching the Snorlax, I decided to hit the next Route, Route 7 and see what there is to see there.

The Route revealed some new Pokémon to add to my collection. While there, I also ran into Trevor and Tierno, and they introduced the Pokémon Day Care Center. Yup, this is the place to go when you want to breed some Pokémon. It looks like a friendly little place. The backyard even showed some Pokémon playing in the area's yard. I easily identified a Litleo and a Marrill. Really shows how the series has grown over the years graphically.

Tierno was impressed that I caught a Dunsparce. I can see that. Dunsparce was a nightmare to find.

Anyway, going over the route, I battled a couple trainers (mostly artists), and then found Trevor standing in front of a massive building. According to him, this was the Battle Chateau. The Battle Chateau was a place where Trainers gather to battle each other. I like this idea. If you can battle Trainers over and over, you really do increase the replayability of this game.

The Battle Chateau was a really cool place. When I was there, I encountered Viola. It's neat seeing Gym Leaders after they're beaten. It gives a sense that they're real people and that they're doing other things than just being obstacles or bosses, whatever you wish to call them. She was talking to an older gentleman when she spots me. She asks me what my title is, but then is surprised to learn I don't have one. She also remarks that a Trainer as strong as me doesn't have one.

...She was the first Gym Leader of Kalos. I beat her not with strength, but with smarts. I took advantage of Bug's weakness to Fire to beat her. It's strange that she thinks I'm so strong when I am still working towards getting my second badge.

She explains that titles indicate your strength in the Chateau. Only a small group of Trainers get these titles which allow them to join the nobility. The older gentleman notices I have the Bug Badge, and introduces himself as Hennessy. Viola recommends me to the Chateau and asks Hennessy to grant me a beginner's title. Evidently during our battle for the Bug Badge, Viola saw potential for great strength in me, and thinks I can contribute to the Chateau. Hennessy agrees and grants me the title of Baron.

As a Baron, I can battle other Trainers in the Battle Chateau's nobility. Baron is the lowest rank. I battle here and score victories, I can earn a higher rank. After this, Hennessy leaves. Viola explains she is also a member of the nobility, and she'd love to have a rematch with me.

This is neat. I like the idea of having fun rematches with Gym Leaders you already have beaten, especially if they bring out stronger Pokémon.

A butler there tells me more about the Chateau: A special club I have been made a member of. Trainers battle here for a variety of reasons, and the more I battle here, the more Trainer members I'll meet as my rank grows. Cool! For his trouble, I give the butler a little tip, which he appreciates. Hey, he earned it.

The maid there tells me about writs. Writs are essentially letters I can send to Trainers to invite them to battle. I gave her a tip, too. After healing up my Pokémon, I decided to give the Chateau and fight a trainer or two there. I fought a fellow Baron and got 3000...Pokedollars (What IS the currency of the Pokémon world called, anyway?) Wow. I think I'm going to like the Chateau. I did battle some other Trainers in the Chateau, and I got quite a bit of money already. I am definitely going to like the Chateau.

At the end of the route, I found myself reuniting with Serena again (Where's she been up to since Lumiose City?). Trevor and Tierno also made it, and we decide to hold a double battle: Serena and me vs. Tierno and Trevor.

Tierno has still only got his Corphish. You'd think he'd catch some other Pokémon by this point. Ah, well. Amperage the Pikachu is easily able to take care of him. Trevor's Pikachu also fell to Amperage and Chestnut, and Vulcan dispatched Trevor's Flabebe. although Serena's Fletchling didn't make it through the fight due to Trevor's Pikachu. Serena announces she's heading to Ambrette Town, so I'd better head up there, too.

That was a fun battle! Can't wait to see what awaits next!

Pokémon Obtained:

Breakout - Snorlax (Considering my troubles catching this thing, it was the perfect nickname for him)
Daisy - Ducklett
Beacona - Illumise
Florus - Roselia
Coco - Spritzee
Wildwing - Pidgeotto (Evolved from Pidgey)
Kahlo - Smeargle
Brock - Croagunk
Hershey - Swirlix (Obtained by trade)
Buoy - Volbeat
Flutter - Hoppip

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 11: I Hate Snorlax

Okay, it's time to wake up and try to catch that Snorlax. After buying some Poké Balls, I went to Route 7. Sure enough, the two men that were there earlier were still there, waiting to wake the Snorlax. Shauna had caught up with me, I guess she had wanted to see more of the Parfum Palace. We explored the Palace together, what the heck was there she wanted to see?! Maybe she wanted to see more of the gardens. We didn't spend a lot of time there...

Anyway, we arrive at the bridge, and that Snorlax is still there. It's like the thing is going for the Guiness World Record for Longest Nap. According to Bulbapedia, Snorlax is known for its massive appetite, you think it'd get up to eat the near half-ton of food it needs to satisfy its appetite for a couple hours.

I wonder what would happen if someone tried to put Snorlax on a diet? Maybe it would go on a hunger-induced raging rampage. I imagine in the Pokémon universe, there have been known cases of diet-induced Snorlax stampedes. You don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't put Snorlax on a diet.

I imagine that in-universe, Snorlax is one of those Pokémon that is only caught for zoos, or preserves. I can't imagine the average Trainer being able to handle Snorlax's dietary needs.

Anyway, I hand back the flute to the original owner, and he warned me to get ready. When Snorlax wakes up...it can get grumpy. The flute gets played, and the Snorlax attacks!

I hate battling this Snorlax. Every time I faced it, it ended up fainting. I even used an Ultra Ball I had on it after bringing its life bar to the red. It managed to break out of THAT. I saved before I faced it, so it wasn't so bad. I really want to catch that blasted thing. It drove me crazy!

Ugh, I hate Snorlax. But I will not give up. I will NOT give that fat blue blob the satisfaction of seeing me give up. I will not let it beat me! I will not let it get the last laugh! I WILL CATCH IT!

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 10: Route 6 and Parfum Palace

Well, I planted an Oran Berry and a Pecha Berry, and one day later, I got a pleasant surprise. The berries blossomed into trees. And I ended up harvesting a boatload of Pecha Berries (plus a free Qualot Berry due to a mutation), and a bunch of Oran Berries. This is neat. I think I'll plant a couple more Berries. I also found a Miracle Seed in this farm. I'll keep it in my bag, I might have a use for it.

Thing is, you still have to take care of weeds and wild Pokémon. Got surprised by a couple of Spewpa, heh heh. Anyway, after planting the berries, watering the soil, and getting ready to leave, a woman approaches me, and asks me if I'm the owner of the farm. I tell I'm not. I don't think I am, anyway. The guy just lets me plant berries here. She tells me she is researching Berry mutations, and to meet her at the house. Neat. I can tell her about the free Qualot Berry I got!

I meet her in the house, and I'm guessing the woman is telepathic, because she remarks that the Oran and Pecha create a Qualot. Wait...how does that work? I only planted the berries! I didn't try to crossbreed them! Maybe it's a plant thing? Anyway, since I know I don't have to worry about watering them for a while, I'll hit Route 6 and check out Parfum Palace. Shauna's been wanting to go there anyway.

Route 6 is incredibly neat. It's a path that is lined by trees. The trees provide shade over the path, and I get the impression that I am entering a temple, with the leaves as a roof, and the tree trunks as columns. There are also a couple trainers along the route, so I can get some experience and some money along the way. And there's a couple areas of tall grass and more Trainers, and lots more wild Pokémon to collect.

One feature I think this game could use comes from the original Gold and Silver. In that game, some Trainers would exchange numbers with you and call you for rematches. I loved that idea, as I can imagine in this world, there would be rivalries between Trainers, and rematches may happen a lot. It also added to the replay ability of the game because you can continue battling Trainers. Would be even better if those Trainers came with stronger Pokémon, showing that like your character, they have grown stronger with time as well. That would be nice.

Passing through Route 6, I arrive at Parfum Palace. And I have to admit, the graphics on this thing are amazing. The palace is so beautiful, even at night. Looking at this palace, I am amazed by how the Pokémon series has grown graphically since the days of Red and Blue on the original Game Boy. In almost twenty years, the Pokémon games really have grown. I'm hoping that for Pokémon's 20th Anniversary, they give the original Red and Blue updates like they just did for Ruby and Sapphire.

One thing I can't help but wonder, though. I wonder why Shauna thinks we could learn more about Mega Evolution here? Does an expert on Pokémon evolution live there?

The Palace does remind me a little of Buckingham Palace, but since Kalos is modeled on France, I wouldn't be surprised if they modeled this place on the Palace of Versailles. I headed up to the front gates, which have Serperiors on them. A man there tells me that it will cost 1,000 gold to go inside. 1,000 Gold?! Do I look like I'm made of money?! Really?! Are you kidding me?! What, is this place only visited by dignitaries and entrepreneurs?

Thankfully, Shauna shares my outrage on it. The doorman, or should I say, gate man, explains that the owner believes that one can never have too much money. Ahhh, the owner is a greedy jerk. The man also explains that the fee is so high because the money goes towards maintaining the palace. That makes sense, actually. In real life, castles are very expensive to live in. Anyway, we pay the fee, and he lets us inside. Probably...

Jeez, this place is huge up close. Never thought I'd see buildings shown this...BIG in a Pokémon game. Anyway, we walk inside, and we see a man standing in front of a Milotic statue. He is screaming about not being able to find something. He's screaming about his Furfrou. Shauna suggests we help look for it, she saying that she empathizes with the man. I don't blame her. But I have no idea where to start. This place is opulent like you won't believe. It's walls are white with what I can assume is possibly marble, and there's lots of gold patterns on the walls, and busts of gold-clad knights everywhere. No wonder the entrance fee was so high.

I spot a butler in front of a pair of large blue doors. He states that beyond the doors lie the Palace's courtyard, described in his own words as 'too-vast'. I'll bet. A place as opulent like this, I'd be disappointed if it had a tiny courtyard, heh heh. I decided on exploring the place a bit. I found the King's bed...and I took a nap. Evidently the bed is a Pokémon Center, because my Pokémon feel good, too.

Walking around the place, you encounter various people, and through them, learn a bit about the mansion. I learned the current owner inherited the place. I also learned it was built when Kalos won a war with neighboring regions (A bard revealed the war happened about 3,000 years ago). That's interesting. Was Kalos warring with the regions featured in previous Pokémon games, or with other regions that haven't been seen yet? And Pokémon fought in those wars, too? Maybe that's where the battling thing came from. Gives you a lot to think about. Huh. And the same three paintings appear often in the place. That's funny. But I did find in one room a portrait of a person. It may have been the king who originally commissioned this palace.

Earlier, I spoke about how much the graphics in the Pokémon games have grown over the years. The second-floor balcony is further proof. It gives a view of...well, a too-vast courtyard. And it's quite a sight. You really get a sense of the size of that place. When I played the original Red and Blue on the original Game Boy back in the day, I never imagined I'd see a courtyard like this. Breathtaking.

Further exploring, I found what appeared to be a private library. Talking to the butler, he says that he heard a rumor that there was a book that contained a secret for restoring dead Pokémon to life. Foreshadowing, perhaps? He claims such a book is not in this library. Looking at the shelves, I found a book called "The Transforming Pokémon and the Mysterious Stone", about an incident in Shalour City. It's about Mega Evolution! Shame I can't take it...

Ah well, to the Courtyard! Once there, Shauna says she'll look around in the back. I get the front then, I guess. Looking around through the gardens, I find some items, including HM01, Cut. I also noticed the statues of Zekrom and Reshiram, the legendary Pokémon of the Unova region. A nod to Black and White, neat. Anyway, we find the Furfrou, and it runs off into a maze. We have to trick it into running into a dead end. Shauna and I manage to pull it off, though. It was pretty simple when we put some thought into it.

The owner is so overjoyed, he arranges a fireworks show. Wow. So, we decided to go up to the second floor balcony to watch the show. Shauna confesses she never watched fireworks with a boy before. Aww.The fireworks show is absolutely amazing, bright and colorful. We remember we came there for the Poké Flute, to wake up the Snorlax. The owner sends his butler to retrieve it. He explains that it was the treasure of Shabboneau Castle, but that he took it as payment for a loan. Sheesh, ever heard of payment plans? Anyway, the butler retrieves the Flute for us. The man advises us to always return what we borrow.

Shauna doesn't really like the Palace's owner, but the butler defends him by saying that running this place is hard on him. She then remembers that she was hoping to learn some things about Mega Evolution here, and she asks the butler if he knows anything. He explains the he remembers reading about it in the Palace's library. He also gives us TM17, Protect.

Well, now that we got the flute, it's time to wake that Snorlax!

Pokémon Obtained:
Quilladin (Chestnut) - Evolved from Chespin
Jones (Audino)
Venom (Venipede)
Braixen (Vulcan) - Evolved from Fennekin
Slash (Honedge)
Lookout (Sentret)
Frogadier (Neptune) - Evolved from Froakie
Weird (Oddish)
Psykitty (Espurr)
Goemon (Nincada)
Xerox (Kecleon)

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 9: Route 7 and the Berry Farm

It's good to have friends. After complaining to one of my friends about the Global Trade System, she agreed to breed a couple Pokémon for me. Thanks to her, I got a Charmander and a Squirtle. I have all three Generation One starters, so my Bulbasaur won't be lonely. I was grumbling because of what people demanded in trade. I searched for Charmanders, and what did people want to trade for them?

Arceus. Mew. Real legendary and hard-to-get Pokémon. This I found incredibly annoying. Look, I do get that Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur are starters and can't really be caught in the wild. I get it. But here's the thing. They are not Legendary Pokémon because you can do something with those three you can't do with Legendary Pokémon: BREED THEM. You can BREED Charmanders. You can BREED Squirtles. You can BREED Bulbasaurs. If you have one, another compatible Pokémon, and a Breeding Center, you can CREATE more of the starters to trade to people. You don't need to demand Legendaries for starters. Yes, I do get that starters are hard to get, but so are Legendaries. And starters are not that hard to get as unlike Legendaries, they are breedable.

I start to leave Camphrier Town when I come to a crossroads. One route goes to Route 7, and the other goes to Route 8. Shauna appeared and told me the way to go, Route 7. Going down the route, we encountered a moment that made me smile a little bit.

There was a Snorlax blocking the road. Just like in the original Red and Blue, you encounter a Snorlax blocking the road. I had to admit, it was nice to see that little nod.

Two men are talking about using a Poké Flute to wake it, but the flute's owner doesn't have it anymore. When one of the men spots us, he explains that the flute can be found in a place called Parfum Palace. Shauna decides to go there to get the flute. She explains the Palace is just past Route 6. She's also hoping that they could learn something about Mega Evolution there. I don't see what you can learn about Mega Evolution at a palace, but it's Pokémon, so I'm just going to go with this.

While going back along Route 7, I noticed a path, so I decided to explore down that way. When I got there, I noticed what looked like a man and a little girl talking...or just standing there facing each other. I got a little closer and they noticed me. The man than asked me if I could take over his Berry field. He says that by planting a Berry, a person can get more Berries. I agree to take over the field (and end up learning the man is the little girl's grandfather), and he shows me how to take care of the field.

Basically, what I have to do is plant a berry in the soft soil, and over time, it'll grow into a Berry Tree which you can pick Berries out of. He gave me some Oran and Pecha Berries to start out with. The granddaughter gives me a Sprinklotad, which is a Lotad-shaped watering can. The grandfather explains that he can't garden like he used to due to his bad back, but the granddaughter explains that she and him live in the house in the corner of the field.

I'll be honest about something. I like Berries. I really do. I often grew them instead of buying certain healing items because it was a great way of saving a little money so I could put it towards other items. Having a Berry Farm for me has both one big pro and one big con. The big pro is that you can get a LOT of Berries just by planting a few. The big con is that with this farm, you have to stick around to make sure your soil is moist and also keep an eye out for wild Bug Pokémon that will try to eat your Berries.

I do like the idea of the Berry Farm, though. If you want a whole lot of Berries, you can use it. This reminded me of the Berry Pots from HeartGold and SoulSilver. I would love if you could also get those in X and Y, so a Trainer on the go can grow some Berries. Yeah, you wouldn't be able to produce as many berries, but it would allow a Trainer to keep an eye on their Berry trees.

For a laugh, I decided to plant an Oran and a Pecha tree. We'll see how that goes. Once the trees bloom, I'll head towards Parfum Palace.

Pokémon Obtained:
Charmander
Squirtle

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 8: Route 5 and Camphrier Town

Time to explore Route 5! A new route means more Trainers to battle, and more Pokémon to collect! I am so excited! I also think I finally figured out why this site went crazy when I tried to upload pictures.

I decided to spend some time on the route, adding some more Pokémon to my collection, as this route has quite a variety of them. It has been something I had noticed. It does seem to me that there is a large variety of Pokémon in this Gen of games, or it could just be me.

One Pokémon I want to get on this route is Abra. I hate catching Abra, though. Abra only has one attack: Teleport, a technique that allows it to flee from battles. It will use it the first opportunity it gets, so it's one of the harder Pokémon to catch. They are also rare, so it's a nightmare ENCOUNTERING one in the first place. Alakazam is worth it, though. Weak defense, but a regular powerhouse. The Abra line has driven players crazy since Gen One. Took a couple tries, but I caught one, dagnabit!

Abra. Wild ones guaranteed to make Trainers pull their hair out trying to catch them since 1996.

Speaking of the Abra line, I have played the original Red and Blue back in the day, and I distinctly remember Sabrina of the Saffron City Gym being a royal nightmare to deal with, mainly because one of the Pokémon she used back then, her most powerful, was an Alakazam. Back in those days, there weren't really much in the way of Ghost-type Pokémon to counter it, nor did the more numerous Bug types have any really good attacks. This was Generation One, so the Dark type did not exist yet. I had to evolve my Eevee into a Jolteon and level it up until it learned Pin Missile, one of the only really good Bug attacks in those days.

Sorry about that little tangent, it just popped up in my mind. I tend to remember the most random things, ha ha. Anyway, one thing I found on this route was a simple little skate park, including a big ol' bar to grind on. It's a rollerblade park, but unfortunately, you can't really do any tricks on it like in the Tony Hawk series. That would make for one funny Pokémon spinoff series. Why not, they did a game called Pokémon Conquest. What's Pokémon Conquest? It's essentially a crossover between Pokémon and Tecmo Koei's Samurai Warriors series.

Yes. This was an actual thing.

Anyway, this route led to Lumiose City, so I figured, let's go there next. Hit the next gym, and see what further adventures await.

On the way, I found myself arriving in this little town called Camphrier Town. You know, I can't help but think that Camphrier is a pun on "Campfire". When I entered, I got a call on my Holo Caster. Evidently, the Holo Caster was developed by Lysandre Labs to bring some convenience to Trainers on the go. We have gone a long way from the Pokégear phones in Gold and Silver.

Camphrier is a cute little town, with a Hotel, A Pokémon Center/Store. A lady there gave me some Berry Juice. It's essentially like a Potion, but made from berries.

I decided to explore the hotel, which was staffed by one man. One busy, busy man. A man in the hotel gave me a Full Heal. A guest there is visiting Kalos, and saying I should check out his region. Yeah, I'm guessing this was foreshadowing Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. Another guest explains to me about this "O-Powers" thing. He claims good things will happen, like my Pokémon getting stronger, or getting more money after battle. And the more I use them, the more they level up, like weapons in Secret of Mana. Neat.

You know, the people in this town are very generous. Many of them give you things if you talk to them. Nice things, too! I got Berry Juice, a Full Heal, and an Ultra Ball. A punk rocker-like woman gave me a TM, TM46. The Thief move.

In the house I got the TM in, I meet a man named Cassius, who runs the PC Boxes here. He looks like he was a member of the Sex Pistols back in the day. Evidently, he was sent by Bill over in Kanto to take care of the Pokémon Storage System in Kalos. As someone who played Red and Blue when they first came out, a mention of a character from the original two games makes me smile a little bit.

I take the opportunity to ask him about the Battle Box and Trays, as they're new features. It's a special place you can put six Pokémon you use a lot in battle. It's a nice feature. You can literally raise a team to battle other players over the Internet, and keep them in that special area. Trays can be used to move groups of Pokémon around at a time, which can really making organizing boxes much easier. Gotta give Pokémon games credit, they put something new in every one.

I got ready to leave town, when I was stopped by a man, who encourages me to visit Shabboneau Castle. Evidently it's a bit of an attraction here, which does make me wonder why there are no tourists all over the place. When I arrive, I encounter Shauna, who was talking to what I presume is a tour guide. When he sees us, he remarks that with the two of us, he's never been this busy before. Evidently this place isn't exactly the tourist trap I assumed it was.

He explains this castle was the manor of a noble family, and the owners gave away a lot of their possessions. Shauna wonders if there's anything in the castle relating to Mega Evolution. He reveals he has no idea what that is, but then is called away to Route 7. A curious Shauna suggests we go there to see what the hubbub is about. I decide to explore the castle a bit first.

When the guide said the castle didn't have a lot of stuff, he wasn't kidding. It's a small castle, which I managed to look through quickly. I did find an Escape Rope, though, so it wasn't a total loss. It was nice, just a bit barren. Makes sense, though. Might as well hit Route 7 with Shauna. It's probably a Snorlax on the road or something.

Pokémon Obtained:
Chomp (Gulpin)
Scrapper (Scraggy)
Greenhorn (Skiddo)
Hydra (Doduo)
Jean-Luc (Furfrou)
Einstein (Abra)
Po (Pancham)

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 7: Cafe Soleil and Route 5

After that visit with Professor Sycamore, I decided to go wander around the town some more. This is an opportunity to bring up one issue I've had with this game so far: the roller skates.

I love the speed that comes with the roller skates. They are a great idea to get places quickly, but my one issue is...it's hard to control the player character when they are being used. The roller skates would have been a better idea if this game was an overhead-view 2D game, but Pokémon Y (and its twin game Pokémon X), are 3D games. The Control Stick makes it difficult to go in a direction I want to go in. To me, the roller skates would've been better used if the game was like the older Pokémon games in the series, not the newer 3D ones.

I noticed Shauna in front of the building across from the Pokémon Center. I decided to go say hi to her and see what she's up to. She explains that the building is called the PR Video Studio. You can make ten-second little videos in it. Curious, I decided to check it out. It's a nice little studio, with a green room and an area you can change your outfit for the video.

I approached the guy at the desk, and agreed to make a ten-second video. It's a surprisingly robust little mini game, with a variety of backgrounds, effects, noises, and shots. I do think it could use some more custom forms, but it's pretty neat that this game allows you to essentially make a promotional video about yourself, and you can even feature one of your Pokémon. I made a video showcasing myself and Vulcan the Fennekin. It was awesome.

I decided to find Café Soleil to meet Serena. This town has several Cafés, so I'll have to start looking. I would like to look around the whole city, but the blackout has blocked out much of the city. Speaking of blocking out, I found something funny happens in this game. When in this city, you see NPCs (Non-Player Characters) running around all over the place. When you encounter a guard telling you the blackout has made this area inaccessible, the NPCs will rush past the guard and continue deeper into the city. Seriously? That is freakin' weird.

Eventually, I managed to find Serena standing in front of Café Soleil. She asked me to come inside with her, and I did so. When in the café, we saw Lysandre (aka Red-Headed Wolverine) and someone called Diantha. Serena explains that Lysandre is the head of Lysandre Labs. Lysandre Labs developed the Holo Caster, which is a video-messaging device. And Diantha is a big time movie star in the Pokémon world. We listen in on what they were conversing about.

Lysandre evidently is fond of Diantha's roles when she was younger, and asks her if she wanted to remain young and beautiful forever. Diantha said it was an odd question, as she wouldn't want to play the same roles forever, and that there is more to life than youth, and she is looking forward to the increased variety of roles she'll get as she gets older. She reminds him that things change, and she wants to change with them. Lysandre starts going on about how beauty should stay that way forever...yeah, he's definitely the villain of this game.

Anyway, he sees us, and introduces us to Diantha. Diantha notices we are both Trainers, and she reveals that she herself is a Trainer in her spare time. Gee, where would she find the time to train Pokémon with her busy life filming movies, doing talk shows, that kind of thing? It's kind of neat, getting to talk to a famous person in a video game.

Anyway, Serena says she would like to battle me again sometime. Sure. That sounds like fun. After leaving the café, I get a holo call from Tierno. He's on Route 5, where he's found quite a lot of wild Pokémon. He wants me to check it out, so I'll head there and see what he wants.

I tried to leave the town, but a man named Mr. Bonding stops me. Mr. Bonding. That is his name. Yup. He asks me if I have heard of O-Powers. Since I haven't, he explains them to me, strange abilities that grant all sorts of effects. He gives me two O-Powers: Attack Power and Defense Power.
He also tells me that the more I use those powers, the stronger they get. This is a heck of a time to tell me this!

Upon arriving on Route 5, I got accosted by a Lucario. Luckily, its Trainer arrives. She reveals herself to be Korrina, the Gym Leader of Shalour City. Evidently, one of her Lucarios took a liking to me based on my aura (Lucario can read auras. Heck, they're called the Aura Pokémon). She's looking forward to taking me on during my quest. Can't wait to take her on!

While on Route 5, I decided to explore it a bit. I ended up attacked by a swarm of Pokémon, mainly Minun with one Plusle in the group. Since Plusle was in the group, and it's the only way to get Plusle in Y without trading, I decided to try and catch it.

To put it simply, I hate swarms. I hate swarms. Well, to be honest, in concept, I like the idea of swarms. It adds a bit of realism to the Pokémon universe, especially if the swarms are of insect-like Pokémon. However, in execution, I am not a fan. I'm an old-school Trainer. I still train in the style of earlier gens, for one-on-one battles. Swarms make it miserable for that. I've adapted to double battles, but this is crazy. My Pokémon end up taking quite a beating before beating a swarm. I hate swarms.

Anyway, I decided to check out what Tierno wanted to do on Route 5. I arrived at the meeting place, and found Tierno, the dancing fool, and Trevor with him. Trevor remarks that hordes of Pokémon are intense. Yeah, tell me about it. Tierno compares them to a dance team, which leads Trevor to remark that he has a one-track mind. I gotta go with Trevor on that one, Tierno buddy. Tierno laughs it off and challenges me to a battle, because he wants to see if my Pokémon have nay cool moves. Alright. This'll be fun.

My Pikachu, Amperage, wrecked his Corphish. To give Tierno credit, his Corphish nearly took out Amperage with one hit. I like Amperage, but I think he's best for hit-and-run. He can't take a hit very well. I'll have to train up his Defense. Luckily, the Super Training feature makes that easy!

I have to admit, Corphish are cool-looking Pokémon. Won a nice chunk of change for it, too. After the battle, Trevor gives me some honey. Honey can be used to increase the odds of encountering Pokémon hordes. He does warn me that I'd better teach my Pokémon some moves that can hit multiple targets in case of hordes. Yeah, I'll have to do some research on that. Have to get some supplies and some Poké Balls! A new route to explore!

Pokémon Obtained:
Skarmory (Obtained via Wonder Trade)
Positron (Plusle)
Negatron (Minun)
Tyrunt (Obtained via Wonder Trade)
ROSE (Roselia) (Obtained via Wonder Trade)

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 6: Sycamore's Lab

Time to hit Professor Sycamore's lab! Might as well, really, as there's not a lot to do in Lumiose until the blackout is cleared up.







The lab on the inside is actually quite nice. It kind of reminds me of a writing room at a dentist or a hospital, with the couches, and the front desk. All it needs is a magazine rack full of out-of-date magazines and a television playing a news channel. The walls have photos or paintings of various Pokémon on them, including an Audino and I think is a Parasect. Parasect are creepy Pokémon.



Seriously, Parasect are creepy Pokémon. Look at this thing!

\I learned from the receptionist that Sycamore specializes in the study of Pokémon Evolution. Hmm...since X and Y have introduced the concept of Mega Evolution, I'm guessing we may see more of him down the line. A kid there states that Sycamore has taught a lot of people about Pokémon. Well, I'm assuming he taught them about Pokémon Evolution, since that's something that he specializes in.

The second floor of the lab is where the actual research is done. A scientist there gives me some Luxury Balls, special Poké Balls that make Pokémon friendlier. Another scientist mentions Professor Rowan of Sinnoh. This is a nod to Ruby and Sapphire. Appropriate as the next main series games released were Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby, the remakes of Ruby and Sapphire. I also noticed that there are also a couple kids in the lab.

Okay...why are children running around in the lab where possibly sensitive research is done? That's just asking for an accident.

Anyway, I come to the third floor. A lady there gives me a TM, False Swipe. It's a useful move for catching Pokémon as it's an attack that reduces a Pokémon's HP to one. Neat. I can use this to make a Pokémon a catching aide. But which one...

When speaking to Sycamore, he explains that he intended to give a Pokémon to a veteran trainer, but then my player character came along. He figured I had potential. That's awful nice. Then, we are joined by Shauna and Serena. Sycamore challenges me to a Pokémon battle.

What Pokémon is he armed with? The original three starter Pokémon from the original Red and Blue: Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. I was wondering why those three, but then I realized something: The 20th Anniversary of the release of Red and Blue is coming up, and this may have been potential foreshadowing of a future game that returns to Kanto. Maybe another remake of Red and Blue? Or something like Pokémon Black 2 and White 2? Who knows?

Anyway, I was able to dispatch them with my own starters: Fennekin, Chespin, and Froakie. At the end of the battle (it was an easy one, unsurprising that Sycamore admits he's not very tough), he lets me take one with him. Feeling nostalgic, I picked the Bulbasaur.

He also gives me a Mega Stone called Venusaurite. Trevor and Tierno also show up, where the heck have they been? Sycamore then gives your standard Pokémon speech about acceptance, having fun with your Pokémon, all that.

Upon returning to the reception area, I see someone with hair like a red-headed Wolverine talking to the purple-haired female assistant, and she introduces me to him. Turns out his name is Lysandre. He seeks to bring people and Pokémon together to create a better world? Why do I get the feeling he may be the villain of this piece?

Anyway, Serena says she wants to meet me at Café Soleil, one of the cafes here. I wonder what it is

she wants to talk about?

Pokémon Obtained:

Deanna (Ralts)

Florzilla (Bulbasaur)

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 5: Route 4 and Lumiose City

With the Santalune Gym conquered, there really isn't a whole lot to do left in Santalune City. As such, my journey must go on...after picking up some supplies, of course.

When attempting to leave the city to go to Route 4, a girl remarked to me that I was one of the trainers to get a badge from the Professor. Turns out her name is Alexa, and she is the older sister of Viola, the gym leader I beat. She's a journalist. She was very impressed with my victory over her sister, so she gives me this item called the Exp. Share. This could be a useful item in training Pokémon. She also told me that she works at a publishing house in Lumiose City, and if I have a big story for her, I can stop by. That was...interesting. At least I managed to get a useful item out of the exchange.

After getting some supplies, I went to Route 4, aka Parterre Way. The Route is one of the more beautiful routes I have seen. It essentially is a giant garden, with a huge fountain halfway through the route, and several hedge mazes in the corners of the route. It's quite a beautiful sight. The Route also has its fair share of Trainers to battle and wild Pokémon to catch.

During my exploration of the Route, I encountered a Flabebe (I knowit's missing the accents, but have no idea how to type them), and captured it. What was interesting about this little Pokémon was she was of a new type: Fairy. Yup, much like Generation II, which introduced the Dark and Steel types, X and Y have introduced Fairy. I'll have to look up its strengths and weaknesses before I do anything with it. Maybe in the next new games, they will have a Fairy-type-based Gym.

I had also found a Poison Barb. Neat. I'll maybe give to my Butterfree after it gets Poison Powder.

At the end of the Route, I encountered these two people, a man and a woman. They explained to me that Flabebe, one of the Pokémon I got, was a Fairy-type. The woman is acting bonkers, screaming the new Type turns the entire match-up system on its head. She introduces herself as Sina, who might need to cut down on the caffeine. The man reveals his name is Dexio...yeah. Dexio. That's his name.

...Where do these names come from?

Anyway, they want to show me the way to Professor Sycamore's lab. On the way there, Dexio gives me a TM, Return. He explains that it's a move that works better the more I walk around a Pokémon. That makes sense, actually. You keep a Pokémon in your team for long periods of time, they start to bond with the trainer, and over time, that bond grows. I have heard that friendship has benefits for Pokémon's stats. I'll have to look into that.

I go through a tunnel, and I find myself in Lumiose City. And this place is HUGE. I think it might be even bigger than Castelia City in Black/White. I have heard that this city is modeled on Paris, which makes sense considering the BIG HONKING TOWER in the center of the city, and the fact that Kalos is modeled on France.

I don't know what to make of this place. There's just so much to see and do, and I have no idea what to do next. So for now, I'm just going to follow Sina to the Pokémon Lab. On the way there, I spotted this poodle-like Pokémon walking around. Heh heh, I caught one of those in Pokémon X. I had also overheard this couple talking about the many cafes in town. I did check one out on the way to the Lab, called the Café Introversion, so I'll have to look around to find the rest.

However, exploring the town isn't quite as easy as one thinks. Turns out quite a bit of the city is suffering a blackout. As a result, most of the city is off-limits. I wonder how they lost power. According to Bulbapedia, the Gym Leader here, Clemont, specializes in Electric-type Pokémon, so I'm guessing that he's got something to do with it. Maybe he's the cause. Would be interesting to see a villainous Gym Leader in a Pokémon game.

Anyway, I'd better get to the lab. I wonder what the Professor wants there for me...

Pokémon Obtained:
Garfield (Skitty)
Bebe (Flabebe, Yellow Flower variant)
Rosie (Budew)
Buzz-Off (Combee)
Mothra (Vivillion) - Evolved from Spewpa

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 4: Santalune Gym

Okay, I've done some further training of my Pokémon, especially my three Fire-types (Vulcan the Fennekin, Bunsen the Pansear, and Firemane the Litleo), so now...it's time to hit the Gym, and try out for the first badge in Kalos: The Bug Badge. Bug Badge. Pretty obvious what kind of Pokémon the Gym Leader hands out, huh? Well, time to take on the Gym.

As I said earlier, when I first entered the Gym, it looked like an art gallery. It's appropriate. Evidently, when Viola isn't working as a video game boss, she's an avid photographer, and uses her Gym as a gallery to show off her work. I can't help but wonder if the Pokémon League in Kalos is cool with this. Wouldn't this be technically moonlighting? I'm guessing they're fine with it, because nobody in the Gym charged me for looking at the photos.

When I enter the Gym, the guy inside greets me and welcomes me to the Gym. How nice. He asks me if I'm thrilled with my first Gym challenge. You bet! I got three Fire Pokémon that wants to meet Viola's bugs. He shows me a pole in the center of the gallery, and tells me to challenge Viola, I have to go down it. Evidently, Viola was also once a firefighter, or she is a big Ghostbusters fan. Or of the 1966 Batman series. He also reminds me that Viola and the trainers inside specialize in Bug Pokémon. Yeah, thanks for telling me. I didn't go to the trouble to catch and train Bunsen and Firemane just for the fun of it...okay, maybe a little bit for the fun of training Pokémon.

I go down the pole, and find myself in the middle of a spider web. A big freakin' spider web. What is this thing made of? I know spider silk is supposed to be really strong, but geez! A spider web in a Bug-themed Gym. Yes, spiders are not insects, they are arachnids. Arachnids are a different class of creature. However, quite a few Bug-type Pokémon have been modeled on spiders, so I'm not surprised to see this.

The Trainers in the Gym weren't any real challenge, I was able to plow through them easily. Viola herself was surprisingly tough, though. She had a Surskit, which is partially Water. It was frustrating, but I also actually liked that. It showed that the Gym Leaders are smart enough to know that overspecialization is NOT good. And since it appears that Viola's liking of Bug Pokémon is well-known to the public, she's smart enough to realize Trainers will bring Fire-types against her (and considering the Santalune Forest and Route 22 are where a Trainer can find wild Pansears and Litleos), she knows she's going to need something to counter the Fire-types Trainers will be bringing against her. It does bring a bit of frustration, but it's nice to see a little savvy on the Gym Leader's part.

Anyway, I managed to beat her and get my Bug Badge.

This badge will stare into your soul...

The Bug Badge allows Trainers to command Pokémon up to level 30, even ones obtained in trades. This is handy, as I can now add my Chespin and Froakie to my team. I wanted them in my main team, now I can keep them on the team for a while. I never thought about it much in previous games I played, but now I can't help but wonder, how exactly does that work in-universe? Game mechanics-wise, I understand the reason for this, it prevents the game from being beaten too easily, but how does it work in the actual world within in the games? The anime has hinted that Badges are a sign that a Trainer is powerful and is to be regarded with respect by a Pokémon.

I also got a load of money and a TM, which is typical for a Gym. This TM is for a move called Infestation, a move that prevents Pokémon from fleeing for four to five turns. This'll be helpful in catching wild Pokémon, especially Abra. Abra is in this game, and I have caught one in previous games. They are a pain to catch and train, but having an Alakazam on your team is worth it.

Upon leaving Viola, the guy hanging out in the gallery area congratulates me on winning the first Kalos badge. They also engraved my name on the statues there. That's pretty cool. It's nice to know that there are still some traditions that don't change in the Pokémon world.

I've done pretty much everything there is to do here in Santalune City, so time for me to grab some supplies in the Poké Mart, make some adjustments to my Pokémon team, and then head out to the next Route and Town to collect some more Pokémon, train my team, and find more adventure!

Pokémon Obtained: None

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 3: Santalune City

Alright! We're here in Santalune City, the first real city the player visits in Pokémon X/Y. The first place I decide to visit is the local Pokémon Center to check it out. When there, I ran into Tierno. He's here to get his Pokémon healed up. I wonder what he has in his team...

Anyway, he explains what the Center is for, for all the rookie players (Every Pokémon game is someone's first, so it doesn't bother me that much). He also shows that the Centers now have Poké Marts built into them. In previous games, they were separate buildings. I actually like the idea of the Pokémon Center and the Poké Mart being one building. It's much more convenient. You can get your team healed up and stocked up in one place. Very nice.

There was also an area where a Trainer could adjust their outfits. I had noticed that there was a clothing store nearby. Upon entering the clothing store, I found it was a place that sold hats. I have to admit, this is an interesting new feature for the Pokémon games. I have to admit, it's a cool idea. I'm sure that there are players that would like to customize their trainers' outfits, and shops like this are a great idea to help players make their avatars look unique. Now to my understanding, shops have different items available every day. Personally, I'd prefer all the choices available all at once, but I can see how this can be used as incentive to get people to play the game daily, like rewards on some iOS games.

I had decided to make an adjustment to my team. I decided to switch out Chevy (my Fletchling), for Stingerette (my Weedle). Yeah, it means I now have three bug Pokémon on my team, but I want to build up Stingerette's power levels and evolve her into a Beedrill. Route 3 also is a great opportunity to add some more Pokémon to my collection. Route 22 is also nearby, so that'll be nice to see what Pokémon reside there. I've managed to get my hands on a Litleo on Route 22 (Cute little Pokémon. If I didn't have a Fennekin, I'd use one in my regular team) and I got a Pansear in Santalune Forest. With my Fennekin, that means I have THREE Fire-type Pokémon. Viola is a Gym Leader in specializes in Bug-type Pokémon. Fire beats Bug. All I have to do is train them a bit, and she'll go down faster than a building rigged by an expert demolition crew.

The Gym's front door was guarded by a roller skater named Rinka. I had to beat her in order to get inside. When you win, she gives a nice reward: special attachments to your shoes that'll make them into roller skates. As an idea, the roller skates are awesome. They allow you to move real fast, which cuts down on time it takes to get places (at least until you can get a Pokémon to learn Fly). The thing is, it can be hard to control with the stick.

One of the centerpieces of the City, besides the Gym itself, is the Trainers' School. This place is mainly here to explain to players about the various status changes Pokémon can endure in battle, like Paralysis, Poisoned, and Frozen. Now, I have played many a Pokémon main series game. When it comes to status changes, I can remember my Pokémon getting paralyzed, poisoned, or being put to sleep quite a few times, but I didn't encounter them getting burned or frozen that much. And keep in mind, I've battled and captured quite a few Fire and Ice-type Pokémon in my time. I'm guessing those two are rarer inflictions.

As for the Gym itself, it's quite a beautiful little Gym. The first room is essentially an art gallery. Turns out Viola, when she's not making life miserable for rookie Trainers, is a photographer. She hangs up her photos of Bug Pokémon on the walls. I can imagine that in this world, she lets people visit the Gallery, and sells prints and souvenirs in order to bring a little extra income into the Gym.

Well, time to get ready. Gotta train my Pokémon some more, and then...I'll battle Viola for my first badge. Wish me luck!

Pokémon Obtained:
Neptune (Froakie)
Chestnut (Chespin)
Gnaw (Bidoof)
Stingerette (Kakuna) - evolved from Weedle
Spiral (Dunsparce)
Church (Frillish) - Obtained via Wonder Trade
Honedge (Honedge) - Obtained via Wonder Trade
Tula (Azurill)
Spewpa (Mothra) - evolved from Scatterbug
Butterfree (Kojima) - evolved from Metapod
Beedrill (Stingerette) - evolved from Kakuna
Shada (Burmy)
Firemane (Litleo)
Daffy (Psyduck)
Hanzo (Farfetch'd)

Adventures in Pokemon Y Part 2: Santalune Forest

So here I am in Santalune Forest. It's a big ol' forest. I kinda wish that my Zigzagoon, Rocket, had the Pickup ability because he could pick up plenty of free potions and Poké Balls.

I'm not going to traverse through this big ol' forest alone, though. Shauna is going to be joining me on my trek through the forest. She is real handy. The girl is a living Pokémon Center, healing your Pokémon up for you when you need to. How does she do that? Does she magically conjure up Potions and Ethers or something? Is she a witch? Ah, it doesn't matter, she's going to be handy exploring this forest. Can I have her with me throughout the whole game?

While I'm here, I might as well take a shot at training some of my Pokémon, and prepare them for the first Gym. During my training, I'm adding on to my collection. One of the Pokémon you can encounter in the Forest is Pikachu. A neat little detail the game designers put in is when you encounter Pikachu, his cry is not the standard-style Pokémon cry. It's the speech Pikachu does from the anime series. I thought that was a really nice touch the game designers did. Kudos to them.

One thing I do like about the Santalune Forest is that there is a wide variety of Pokémon to catch here. Bug, Flying, Electric, Fire, Water, Grass, it's really diverse. You could build a diverse beginner team out of Pokémon here alone.

A ways into the forest, I encounter my new friends. Serena just rushes off, saying something about beginning training. Nice to see you too, pal. -_-(). Trevor remarks that he has observations to perform. Okay... To be honest, I don't get Trevor's purpose at this point. At least with Shauna, she heals my Pokémon here in the Forest, and Serena is probably going to be in the role of the traditional rival in these games. Tierno says he was challenged to a battle, and he and the youngster he's battling are just standing there, staring at each other. Okay...

Anyway, after further traveling, I got to battle a couple trainers for the first time. One tried to fight me with a Pikachu, but my Scatterbug Mothra easily dispatched it. Speaking of Scatterbug, the other Trainer there had one, but fell in one blast of Ember thanks to Vulcan, my Fennekin. His Fletchling also fell to Rocket.

I also encountered Serena again, who gave me a Poké Ball. Hey, you can never have too many of those. I also noticed that Tierno had finished his stare-off, I mean battle, and he's found in a grassy area, looking for Pokémon to dance with. To be honest, I find the image of him dancing with the Elemental Monkeys hilarious.

The Santalune Forest is a wonderful little place. Has a couple trainers so you can get some money, a diverse array of Pokémon to add to the collection, and you can get your Trainer some exercise with all the running around. The amount of wild Pokémon running around also means that your Pokémon team will get some much-needed experience. Not to mention that with Shauna by your side, you can keep your Pokémon in fighting shape.

As much as Santalune Forest is beautiful, it's time to leave the forest and hit the next town. Besides, towns have Pokémon Centers, which have PCs. I need one to make some adjustments to my team.

Upon leaving, Serena runs up and says I'm the first to arrive. Well duh, you were just standing in a grass patch when I was running around grabbing items and training my Pokémon! She does tell me I have potential, which is awful nice of her. Tierno and Trevor catch up, Tierno remarking how much he loves seeing Pokémon move and he's hoping his dancing has that much spirit. Yeah. Good luck to you on that, buddy. Trevor admonishes Tierno for this, make me like him more. Anyway, Shauna expresses her excitement on going to Santalune City.

Upon leaving the forest, Serena asks what the group's plans are. Trevor says he's out to complete the Pokedex. Tierno wants to observe how different Pokémon move, so to improve his dancing. Okay. Serena plans to take on the Gym Leader there. She gives me a book of tips called "Adventure Rules", for all the rookie Trainers out there. Serena says she's going to spend some time getting to know her Chespin. I hope she trains it well. She asks me what I'm going to do.

What am I going to do? Go to Santalune, kick some Gym Leader butt, and then keep it up until I become Champion! ...But first, I gotta get through Route 3...where I got nearly ran over by a rollerblader! HEY!

Pokémon Obtained:
Panpour (Kappa)
Pansear (Bunsen)
Metapod (Kojima) - Evolved from Caterpie
Pansage (Shrub)
Pikachu (Amperage)
Weedle (Stingerette)

Adventures in Pokemon Y, Part 1: The Beginning

Alongside Pokémon X, I also managed to obtain Pokémon Y, its "twin", I guess you can call it. The latest games in the main series of the Pokémon franchise, X and Y combines classic Pokémon gameplay with new features.

Upon firing it up, I found the first option the game gives is the language, as in the language you want to play the game in. Naturally, I chose English. Afterwards, Professor Augustine, your mentor professor in Kalos, introduces himself and giving another speech about how Pokémon and humans live together in harmony and peace, and make each other better and all that wonderful stuff.

Next, the game tells you to pick what your trainer character will look like. This time, a new feature is added. In addition to gender, you can now pick your trainer's skin tone/hair color. This is a neat new feature, as it gives you more control of your game character's appearance, and allow a player to create an avatar that can resemble the actual player a bit more...or give an avatar with an appearance the player desires. Unfortunately, the options are rather limited on it, and it doesn't let you pick out eye and hair color you want. Hopefully, something in the game later on will give you the option of doing more customization.

After a new bird-like Pokémon flies into a bedroom, your avatar wakes up, and is in pajamas. After changing into the standard outfit, you leave your house and encounter two pretty girls. The blonde introduces herself as Serena, and the perky brunette is named Shauna. They reveal that they were sent to pick up the player alongside four other children, and ask you to meet them in the next town, Aquacorde Town. After making a short trip, we arrive in the town, where we meet up with the two girls again, and also with two boys: the dance-crazy Tierno, and the shy bookworm Trevor. After choosing a nickname for yourself, you get to choose a starter Pokémon.

My choice was Fennekin, which I decided to name Vulcan. Shauna picked Chespin (she tends to pick the Pokémon whose type is weak to yours), and Serena picked out Froakie (she picks the Pokémon whose type yours is weak to). Trevor then hands you a Pokedex, and reveals the five of you have been charged to travel around and complete the Pokedex, by, well...catching Pokémon. You're also given a letter to give to your character's mother. Hmm, I wonder what Professor Sycamore is writing to the trainer's mother about...

Anyway, afterwards, Shauna challenges you to a battle...easy win. This battle is really just so new players can get the basics of Pokémon battles. Anyway, as I said earlier, Shauna will pick the starter your Pokémon has the elemental advantage over. The battle graphics are gorgeous. The backgrounds reflect the place you are battling in, like a town or forest, and even reflect the time of day you are battling in (if you're battling at night, the sky is dark, for example).

After battling Shauna (and giving the letter to the player character's mother, who will give you a Town Map), you can head out into the wider world of Kalos. Here's a little tip: In Aquacorde Town, before you leave, there is a shop that sells Poké Balls. Pick up a couple. When you leave, the first wild Pokémon you encounter will be a Pidgey. This is the one opportunity to easily catch a Pidgey, as they are VERY hard to find afterwards.

After that, I went ahead, and found the girls. This is really for new players, as Serena shows how to catch a Pokémon. Some veteran players may be annoyed by this, but I didn't mind. Besides, Serena gives you some free Poké Balls for your trouble. Now, the game begins proper! My goals here: Collect some Pokémon, train them, and prepare for the first Gym...

Pokémon Obtained:
Fennekin (Vulcan)
Pidgey (Wildwing)
Zigzagoon (Rocket)
Caterpie (Kojima)
Fletchling (Chevy)
Scatterbug (Mothra)
Bunnelby (Lola)