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Japanophile22
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- Review count4
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- First reviewNovember 30, 2008
- Last reviewNovember 17, 2013
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- Average rating5
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Japanophile22's Reviews
Set off on a thrilling 3D adventure that takes you to places the Pok~mon franchise has never gone before. Pok~mon Y travels to the breathtaking land of Kalos, a star-shaped, enchanting region brimming with stunning forests, buzzing cities and many brand-new Pok~mon. Gaze upon the wonder of the iconic tower in the center of Lumiose City, as you battle, catch and add to your Pok~dex an array of new Pok~mon that join the 640 you've already encountered. The Trainer is only as good as his Pok~mon, so get ready to fight for glory with the powerful new creatures at your fingertips in Pok~mon Y.Meet Helioptile, a Normal- and Electric-type Pok~mon who can generate powerful electricity from sun-bathing to power machinery. While it may display a lack of bravery, its robust Parabolic Charge move makes up for it when Helioptile attacks everything around it. Its HP is restored by half the damage taken by those hit for a significant addition to your Pok~dex. Fletchling, a Normal- and Flying-type Pok~mon, may take adversaries by surprise, since behind its beautiful chirp and friendly personality lies relentless battle attacks, such as Flame Charge. In addition to doing damage, Fletchling's speed increases every time it unleashes this move. Normally sporting a leaf in its mouth and an intimidating glare, Fighting-type Pok~mon Pancham shows its softer side and lets out a smile when you pat its head. During battle, however, Pancham lets loose daunting moves, including Parting Shot, which not only lowers an opponent's Attack and Special Attack, but also allows Pancham to switch out for another Pok~mon in a Trainer's party during battle. Discover a new method of transportation with Gogoat, a large Grass-type Pok~mon who will gladly let you ride its back around Lumiose City. In battle, its Horn Leech move recovers HP equal to half the damage dealt by its move. With so much to explore and so many new Pok~mon to acquire, you're sure to happily spend hours lost within the world of Pok~mon Y.
Customer Rating
5
A great new entry in the series
on November 17, 2013
Posted by: Japanophile22
Verified Purchase:Yes
As someone who has played all but one generation of Pokémon, I can definitely say that this generation is my favorite of all of them in many ways. From the get-go, two things stand out. The first is that, obviously, this is the first main series game to be fully in 3D, and by that I don't even necessarily mean the type of 3D that the 3DS deals in. I mean that this is the first time that the full game world, all the characters, and even the Pokémon themselves during battle are three-dimensional rather than just flat, 2D sprites. So, even if you're the type of person who keeps that 3D slider off at all times, this generation visually far exceeds it predecessors.
The second is that you have more freedom with your character design this time around. In addition to being able to play as a boy or a girl, you have three skin tone and hair color combinations to choose from. However, that's just at the start of your game. As you progress, you will come across a number of boutiques selling clothes with which you can customize your character's look, and one city offers a salon for changing hair color and style. A particular NPC (non-player character) even offers you a set of colored contact lenses at one point, so you really do get a lot of options.
Then, there's the gameplay, which has added numerous mechanics. Some are more subtle, such as the facts that your Pokémon now get experience even when you capture a Pokémon and that each Pokémon that participates in a battle receives the full amount of experience (rather than that amount divided by the number of your Pokémon who participated). Others are more obvious and make raising a good team more accessible. Super Training allows you to see and to train up specific base stats for each Pokémon, such as Speed, HP (Hit Points), and Attack. This is done via minigames and can be done to whatever extent you choose. Otherwise, those stats can be raised through battle as with previous generations (though this is a much more precise and hidden process that requires a guide if you're seeking to train specific traits). There's also Pokémon-Amie, which allows you to interact directly with your Pokémon, petting, feeding, and playing with it. This raises its affection, which, when sufficiently high, allows it to survive battle-ending hits or to ignore status effects out of sheer love for its trainer.
Of course, it would be remiss not to mention important changes to battling. For the first time since the second generation (think Gold, Silver, and Crystal), there's a new type. This type is Fairy, and, as with the last introduction of new types, it changes a number of matchups. There are a number of places where you can find the updated type-matchup charts online, but there are other changes as well. Steel is no longer resistant to Dark or Ghost; Electric-types cannot get the Paralyzed status; Grass-types are not affected by powder moves; and Ghost-types are not affected by trapping moves or abilities. These all add extra nuances to the already strategy-heavy battle scene.
Trading and online capabilities got a boost as well. As with the last generation, there are powers (called O-Powers rather than Pass Powers this time around) that can be utilized on yourself or on others to benefit the user in some way, and these can be leveled up. Battles and trading can be done online. Trading in particular has a couple of new options, Global Trade Station and Wonder Trade. Global Trade Station allows you to put a Pokémon up for trade under certain conditions. Uploaded Pokémon can be searched by anyone, and if they are willing to meet the conditions of the uploader, they can orchestrate the trade. This doesn't require you to stay connected to the Station, so you can upload a Pokémon and then come back later to see if you've gotten your requested trade. Wonder Trade, on the other hand, is simply random trading over the Internet. Trade wisely, but the idea is that you offer a Pokémon for trade and receive a Pokémon from some random other person using Wonder Trade. It can be a decent way to acquire Pokémon you don't have without needing to have people you know who play the game or needing to deal with the particulars of the Global Trade Station. Just remember that there will be both people trading great Pokémon and common, easily-acquired ones.
There's also the concept of Mega Evolutions, which were part of the ad campaign for these games. I won't go into this, since it forms part of the plot, but it's a very effective and interesting mechanic, especially if such an evolution exists for any of your favorites. For fans of starter Pokémon, you get one of the starters from the first generation (Squirtle, Charmander, or Bulbasaur) early in the game.
No matter how you look at it, this game brings a lot of new stuff to the table. My one gripe is that, compared to the last generation, where your rivals felt more developed and various characters (particularly gym leaders) were more involved with the plot, the story in this one feels less developed. However, the shorter post-game story is engaging, and the high stakes and occasionally somewhat-dark subject matter that are part of the plot with the antagonistic team help to alleviate this issue. Just be sure to talk to everyone and to experience all of what each city and building offers to get the most out of it.
My Best Buy number: 1003551223
My Best Buy number: 1003551223
What's great about it: Various new mechanics, character customization, and a main series game in full 3D
What's not so great: The story feels weaker than the previous generation (Black and White 1 and 2)
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Use this Klipsch ProMedia 3-piece speaker system to enjoy brilliant sound when playing games, listening to music or watching videos on your computer.
Customer Rating
5
Great sound for the price point
on November 17, 2013
Posted by: Japanophile22
Verified Purchase:Yes
These speakers pack a nice punch for the amount of money they cost. The speakers you often find in Best Buy stores in the computer area under this price point just don't match the sound quality or the truer bass sound of the subwoofer. On the flip side, you have the Bose speakers which, other than the cheapest ones, all cost a good deal more than these. Honestly, for the price difference, these are the better option. Plus, these have the dedicated subwoofer, whereas the new Companion series for Bose forgoes it for the most part. So, if you want to jam to some good slap-bass or get your own little rave going, these will accommodate you better. Overall, I've been very happy with the two ProMedia sets I've had over the years.
My Best Buy number: 1003551223
My Best Buy number: 1003551223
What's great about it: Bass/subwoofer control right on right speaker
I would recommend this to a friend!
Sound Quality
5
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Set up a wireless network with this wireless USB adapter that features simple installation with a direct connection to a USB port. The transfer speed of up to 300 Mbps provides a fast Internet connection and quick data transfer.View a product demo.
Customer Rating
5
Perfect basic adapter for a non-wireless machine
on June 15, 2013
Posted by: Japanophile22
I use it in...:Large home
Verified Purchase:Yes
This adapter is perfect for getting a non-wireless computer or other device up and running. I have an old Windows XP desktop (was originally SP2, though I updated it to SP3 once I had this going), and my room isn't in a convenient place to run a wire to the router. As such, unsure if this would reach back to XP SP2, I tried this adapter out. To my surprise, it picked up the router signal before I even had a chance to run the setup disc, which may, in fact, not even have been at all necessary for the setup process (except for anyone who would prefer something to take their hand through the whole process step-by-step). It's been running great ever since then. HD streaming on YouTube has no issues, and neither does anything else. If you aren't looking to just go to town on big-screen, full 1080 streaming or high-def online gaming, this adapter should do the trick.
My Best Buy number: 1003551223
My Best Buy number: 1003551223
What's great about it: Incredibly simple setup, reliable performance
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5
Performance
5
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SynopsisJourney through time with young Chrono, who has been charged with the task of rescuing a companion from the snares of time. A brand-new teleportation device has malfunctioned at the Millennial Fair, rocketing Chrono's friend into the fabric of space and time. As you embark on your quest of heroism, you discover that an evil force is ready to snuff out the world. Can you change the course of events in time, or will you get lost in the past? Embark on a time-traveling adventure in Chrono Trigger. Save your unlucky companion from past and present perils after he is sent hurtling through time. Head to the past to discover the truth behind your friend's disappearance and to unveil the pure evil behind it. Battle through the past in an effort to change the events of the past and create a brighter future. It's up to you to change history and save the world, are you up for the challenge?
Posted by: Japanophile22
This game is probably my favorite SNES game, not just SNES RPG, of all time. The music, particularly the battle music, hooked me from the start when I discovered this gem amongst my dad's collection of SNES games in our basement two years ago. Yasunori Mitsuda, a famed video game music composer, is credited with most songs, while Nobuo Uematsu, the mastermind behind the music of the Final Fantasy series up through the tenth installment, created ten of the tunes. One of those, the first boss battle music (first heard against Yakra) is an arrangement of a song composed by Noriko Matsueda...but I digress. The soundtrack ranges from epic to tragic, and its influences range from jazz to ethnic Indian. In any case, the character development is extraordinary, with everyone's backstory revealed to varying degrees, often dependent on your involvement in sidequests. Techs (short for Techniques, as you may have guessed) are based off of either a character's elemental affinity (assuming he or she has one) or his or her physical characteristics and personality (a couple of girls use their looks to their advantage in battle, for example), and they can be combined with the unique moves of other characters to create even more distinct moves. In addition, some are topographically based; the enemies they target will depend on the placement of the enemies, making battles even more strategic. Some Final Fantasy gamers (particularly VII, VIII, and IX that I know of, since I haven't played others) will be familiar with the Active Time Battle system, which utilizes a bar that empties after a character's turn and refills based on his or her speed proficiency. The added Arena allows you to raise and train a monster of your own, which can compete on just your game or against other gamers wirelessly. My only qualm is that dialogue has been slightly changed (in a few places, not too many) from the original. While it may be more true to the original (I had heard that Ted Woolsey's original translation was good, but not as true as it could have been), it removed quotes familiar to old-school Chrono Trigger gamers and even a couple of allusions. But other than that, the game is awesome and definitely recommended to those of you who have never played it...and even those who have, for the sake of reminiscence and new material.
What's great about it: Amazing game, fun music, great character development
What's not so great: Minor changes
I would recommend this to a friend!
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