They Come to Play, but They'll Never Last (Pokemon: Master Trainer 2005)

So, you think you've become a Pokemon master?  You've collected all 16 badges, and managed to defeat two versions of the Elite Four?  You've managed to capture all 256 from both the Kanto and Johto regions?  Well, my friend, there's a whole new world for you to explore, with a brand new group of Legendaries and new ways to battle.  Now, let's see how you do in the Hoenn region, and see if you are truly a Master Trainer.



BACKGROUND:  In 1996, a set of Japanese RPG video games, titled Pokemon Red and Blue. were released and later translated to English.  It instantly became a huge success, and spawned a cartoon series, a Trading Card Game, a few various spin-off games, as well as various direct sequels to the game.  In time, the cartoon itself grew and had the main character travel to the new locations from the games.  Pokemon Master Trainer is set within the Advanced generation of the cartoon series, which focuses on the Hoenn region

GAME DESCRIPTION:  Pokemon Master Trainer was developed in 2005 for 2 to 4 players.  The object is to move along the board, collecting various cards and Pokemon Chips.

SET-UP:  Each player is represented by a trainer token, with characters from the cartoon.  Then, each player begins with 3 Pokemon cards and 3 items cards.  Finally, each player is given Pokemon Chips, or PC's.  The object of the game is to collect the most amount of PC.

MOVEMENT:  Each player spins the spinner and moves that many spaces, then applies the space they landed on. However, if you spin a 0, you do not move nor do you get the effect of the space you landed on.  Spaces can gain or lose CP, encounter Pokemon or events, draw item cards, and battle various players.



ITEMS:  Item cards are used to enhance your Pokemon's BP, or Battle Points, or increase your spinners number for movement or capturing Pokemon.  You cannot use Pokeballs when you directly battle another player or a Gym Leader. Also, you are only allowed the use of 1 item per turn.

CAPTURE:  In certain spaces and events, you can encounter and capture various Pokemon from the past 3 generations, from Bulbasaur to Salamence.  You select a Pokemon from your team, and have it battle a random Pokemon from the deck, or one from the discard pile.  Then, after playing a card, you and the player to your left spin.  You add your number to your Pokemon, the opposing player adds it to the one your attempting to capture.  In the case of ties, both players spin and compare.  If your number is higher, or you spin a 10, it is yours.  If it's lower, or you spin a 0, it is placed face up in the discard pile.



BATTLE:  Battling other trainers have similar rules to Capturing Pokemon.  Both players choose 1 of their Pokemon, then they play an item.  Afterwards, both players spin.  Any 10 is an instant win for that player, and 0 an instant loss. Compare the total numbers to see who wins.  The player who won gets to take the opposing players Pokemon they battled.  If they only have 1, the player then gives up 20 PC.

GYM BATTLE:  There are also Battle Gym Leader Spaces.  Again, battling is similar to Capturing a Pokemon, with the challenging player choosing a Pokemon, and may play an item.  Both players spin and see who wins.  10 is an automatic win, 0 an automatic loss.  If you win, gain 2 Pokemon cards, and the gym leader goes out of play.  If you lose, you give up 20 PC to the bank, and the Gym Leader is put at the bottom of the deck.

LEGENDARY:  If you draw or land on a Ruins, you then draw a Pokemon from the Rare Pokemon Pile.  These are usually the Legendary Pokemon from the games, such as Mewtwo, Suicune, or Rayquaza.  In this case, you do not battle with one of your Pokemon, and you cannot use items.  You spin, and if you land on a 6 or 10, you capture that Pokemon. If you spin any other number, the Pokemon goes back into the deck and is shuffled.

CP & GOAL:  If you ever run out of CP, you must draw a Smile Loan card.  This gives you 100 CP, but you lose 120 CP once you reach the goal.  Each player ends up with a set amount of bonus CP depending on when they reached the goal.

CONCLUSION: Regardless of the seemingly complex and intricate detail of the rules, this plays rather simply.  But, is it any fun?  Well, if you want a simple, quick Pokemon themed game, then this game works.  It plays a bit like Game of Life, but with enough differences to make the game stand out, and be it's own thing rather than feel like a re-skin.  It works thematically because it tries to add more than just a different board with different words but the same effects.  The Capturing and Battling system is different, and they work.  Now, is it compelling?  Not really.  The reason why the first Master Trainer works so well is that it feels like you're traveling around and collecting Pokemon to build a strong team and fight the Elite Four.  Sure, it needs some slight polishing, but the length just adds to the experience.  This one just feels like they cut out too much to make it streamlined.  It's not bad, but it lacks in depth the previous one had.  Still, it's nice to pull this one out for a quicker Pokemon themed experience, and this is a must have for every up and coming Pokemon Master.

AFTERTHOUGHTS:  One final thought before I wrap this up is the name.  If you've read this blog before, you'll notice that I reviewed Pokemon: Master Trainer already, but that was a different game.  This version is actually the 3rd of Pokemon: Master Trainer named games.  Now, this is a problem, as that makes it difficult to actually find both this version of the game, as well as the previous version.  This may sound like common knowledge, but DO NOT NAME YOUR GAMES THE SAME THING!  This could have easily been solved with subtitles, such as "Master Trainer: Hoenn Version" or "Master Trainer Advanced".  Imagine if all versions of Munchkin were just called Munchkin.  Yeah, not a good idea.  Even if you only sold a half dozen copies of your game because it was an awful game, you should still title the name slightly different, so this doesn't happen.  It's silly, it's dumb, and it's rude.

Gotta Catch 'Em All (Pokémon Master Trainer)

You've started your adventure from Pallet town, traveled far and wide across the Kanto region. With your starter, you've battled, trained, and discovered all sorts of people, places, and Pokémon.  You've encountered the Legendaries of the region, even managing to catch the powerful Mewtwo. With your team in place, your power at its peak, and a couple potions in your belt, you take the step forward to the Indigo Plateau.  Now you're ready to battle the Elite Four and finally become the Pokémon Master Trainer.

GAME DESCRIPTION: In honor of the 20th anniversary of Pokémon, I decided to show off one of my favorite games, Master Trainer.  Based off the games and show, Pokémon Master Trainer is a 2-6 player game where each player travels around the region of Kanto, attempts to catch various Pokémon from the first 150, and gather enough power from their team to become a true Pokémon Master.

SET-UP:  Players begin by getting 1 of 6 starter Pokémon tokens, and the appropriately colored Ash token to go with it: Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Meowth, Clefairy, and Pikachu.  These are the only Pokémon you must keep throughout the game.  Every other Pokémon is put facedown into the matching color slots scattered along the board.

POKÉMON TOKENS:  Pink tokens are the weakest, and contain the first stages of Pokémon, to what are generally considered the weakest (e.g. Rattata, Pidgey, Caterpie)  Green contain the next strongest group, blue after that, with red tokens being the strongest in the game, as well as containing the highest evolutions of half the starters (e.g. Charizard, Blastiose, Venasaur).  Finally, the yellow tokens contain the 4 legendary Pokémon Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo.  These can only be seen through events.  Every Pokémon token has a die number underneath it. You must roll that number to capture it.

BOARD:  There are 3 types of spaces on the board.  Landing on a Catch 'Em space allows you to attempt a roll against the Pokémon space you landed on.  City or Town Spaces allow you to heal 1 of your fainted Pokémon, or draw item cards.  Draw an Event lets you, well, draw an event card.

EVENTS:  There are two types of cards, item and event cards. Event cards have 1 turn effects that have various effects from healing your team, trading or battling another player's Pokémon with one of your own, freely obtaining a Pokémon from the color you are on, draw Item cards. or encountering one of the legendary Pokémon. 

ITEMS:  Each player has a hand, from 0 to 6 cards, that can contain Item cards.  These cards can be Attack Bonuses for trainer battles, different kinds of Pokeballs for catching Pokémon, the Time Machine which allows you to freely re-roll any thrown dice once, Fly to a town, or an item that heals a fainted Pokémon or avoid a trade or battle altogether.

BATTLE:  When you draw a battle card, or fight one of the Elite Four, you enter a battle.  Each trainer chooses one Pokémon to battle with.  At the bottom of each Pokémon is a number written in black.  This is that Pokémon's starting power.  Each trainer may then play a card from their hand, and apply the effect.  Finally, both trainers roll the die, and add the resulting number.  The loser flips their Pokémon face-down (unless they only have one, then skip this rule) and the winner randomly takes up to 2 item cards from the loser, and draws any remaining amount from the deck.

BONUS:  There are 2 kinds of bonuses.  When in battle with a trainer or the Elite 4, you are allowed to play an Attack Bonus card.  These give you a 1-5 attack bonus.  If you have all members of 1 evolutionary line (Clefairy and Clefable, or Weedle, Kakuna, and Beedrill), you get an additional bonus.  You get an additional 3 points for a complete evolutionary line of 2, and 5 points for a complete evolutionary line of 3.  ALL Pokémon must be yours to obtain the bonus, which means an evolutionary line of 3 does not get a bonus if there are 2 members in your team. 

INDIGO PLATEAU:  Every Pokémon also has a yellow number.  When these all add up to 20 or more, you can enter the Indigo Plateau via Cinnabar Island.  All these spaces have an effect similar to the board, except for one.  This space, "ENTER Final Battle", makes you battle a member of the Elite Four or the Champion.  Any other trainer not battling takes the role of the character.  All Elite four has a base power, and the Elite 4 member also rolls, applying the dice number and the bonus located below.  If the challenging trainer's Pokémon loses, that trainer is kicked off the plateau back to Cinnibar Island, and the chosen Pokémon faints.  If that trainer wishes, they can return to the plateau of they still have at least 20 points.  However, if that trainer wins the battle, the game is over and the trainer wins the game.

CONCLUSION:  This is a must play for any aspiring and current Pokémon trainer.  This game can change on dime, such as an opposing trainer getting your Charizard while you have both Charmander and Charmeleon.  The trade feature is crazy, as I've lost my precious Zapdos for a freaking Oddish!  But even with that and the 1+ hour gameplay length, this holds a special place in my heart.  Happy anniversary Pokémon, and thank you for filling my life with the child-like wonder and sense of adventure only you can give.  There also happens to be both a Pokémon Master Trainer 2, as well as a red edition of Pokémon Master Trainer which plays a little easier and contains the 2nd Generation Pokémon from the Gold, Silver, and Crystal games.