The Inside Scoop on Gaming

OK, I have prepared myself for the derisive laughter and mocking insults which will follow this review. I realize that most of the RPG.net readers are not exactly what one might call a Pokemon fan. However, before you throw this review - and possibly the reviewer - out the window, please keep in mind the context in which I am reviewing this game.

Pokemon Master Trainer is a children's game. It has elements that may appeal to some grownups, but the gamer who plays Call of Cthulu is probably not going to want to pick up this boardgame. However, since I know that many of the gamers who read these reviews are old enough to have children who are Poke-fans, I thought those parent/gamers could benefit from this review.

I have two children who are just learning to read. I am terribly impatient for them to play Dungeons and Dragons, or Warhammer 40K, or Deadlands. Unfortunately, creating a 200 point army or calculating THACO is a little beyond them. So I look for games that have the following characteristics:

1) I can play them and not be tempted to cheat so that they can win and I can leave the table.
2) The kids can understand the rules and at least follow along, even if they need help.
3) The game has a story element and a good dose of adventure.

I have tried several things to get my children, who are too young to really understand the concept behind role-playing, to begin to dig RPGs, CCGs, or other gaming acronyms. While they can spend all day running around the house saying, 'I'm Ash, and you're Misty,' they are not capable of making rules that govern things like skill checks and combat resolution. So I have to introduce them slowly to the concept, and help them understand that rules can simulate fate's fickle fingers.

Some may ask why I want my kids to grow up to be as geeky as I am. I point them to the studies that show that gamers tend to commit fewer crimes, drink less alcohol, and conform to what society demands of 'normal' kids. I don't want normal kids. Every time I see a teenager die of heroin addiction on the news, all his friends say, 'he was just a normal kid.'
With that said, I intend to weigh the merits of Pokemon Master Trainer on the following points:

1) Quality of the game - art, sturdiness of the pieces, overall presentation
2) Enjoyment for the players
3) Ability to generate interest in gaming as a hobby for a young child

QUALITY
First off, if you are going to spend $15.00 for a boardgame, are you going to get a cheap piece of Pokemon manure? In this case, I would say no. The game board is sturdy and is double-layered, thick cardboard with recessed places to put the game tokens. The game comes with 150 Pokemon tokens, basically heavy cardboard poker chips. In case you don't follow Pokemon, that's one for every Pokemon in the original Pokemon world. There are also two decks of cards, one for items and one for events.

There are five thick cardboard rival cards who represent the powerful opponents that the players must battle to become a Pokemon master. Finally, there are two standard dice and six rather cheap little figures that represent Ash. The whole thing comes bundled in a large, attractive game box, and the cover represents all 150 Pokemon paired up so that the novice (which would be me) can see which Pokemon evolve into what. This is important to the game, by the way.

If I had any quality complaints, they would be with the six Ash figures. I would kind of wonder how much more it would have cost to have little plastic minis to represent Ash, Brock, Misty, Jesse, James, and Tracy. These are six central characters that are always trying to become Pokemon masters, and with different characters, the players could feel more 'in the game.' As it is, we are all supposed to be Ash, which is not all that conducive to writing your own story.

Overall, the game is good quality. It's not Avalon-Hill-at-their-best quality, but it is comparable to other games like Sorry, Monopoly, or Scrabble. I would have liked to see different characters (I mean, Monopoly gets different game pieces, why can't we), but the other pieces are attractive and sturdy. The game is better-than-simply-acceptable quality, but not what I would call great. It's made by Hasbro, so it's not junk (unless you really hate Pokemon).

ENJOYMENT
OK, so you're happy with the game quality. But was the game worth playing? I must admit, with no shame, that I had a very good time and look forward to playing it again. My kids had a blast, my wife and I had a good time, and we are all going to play again this afternoon. Early in the game, my son decided that he intended to capture one of the rare legendary Pokemon. He catered his item selection to reflect his choice, and saved up special items that would help him when he spotted one. He did finally have a shot at one, but he was not able to catch it. Let's face it, those rare Pokemon are rare for a reason. But he still had fun, and he was practicing strategy (as far as a first-grader can strategize) and he was rewarded by several other powerful Pokemon on his quest.

My daughter, on the other hand, wanted merely to collect cute Pokemon. She set about traveling to places where cute Pokemon could be found, and traded with other players to consolidate her hold on the cute Pokemon world. She also had a great time as she swapped Pokemon and showed off her collection.

My wife wanted to have a full set of evolved Pokemon. She wandered the board looking for the full set of the Bulbasaur evolution. She managed to get very close, but unfortunately, she did not have the item stock necessary to capture the elusive Venusaur.

What I wanted to do is fairly irrelevant, because I got my head handed to me. I ended the game with three Pokemon, two of which were knocked out, as I did my level best to reach a city where I could revive my beat-up Squirtle.

In the final assessment, this game is fun. Much more fun than I suspected when I picked it up so that we would have something to do on a cold rainy weekend. In fact, it was more fun than I have ever had playing a board game with my family.

ADVENTURE
My final criteria for judging wether this game is a success is to decide if it helped breed gaming into my kids. To know this, I have to be able to tell if they thought they were in a story or merely moving pawns to get from point A to point B. I want to see that they were thinking about their players as more than plastic Ash minis.

My daughter thought that it was not fair that she had to be Ash. She likes Misty, and wanted to be Misty, because Misty collects cute Pokemon. Which explains why my daughter did not want Graveler - she wanted Seel, Lapris, and other adorable little Japanese pocket monsters. She identified with Misty and wanted to act like Misty. Of course, this is not much of a departure from my child normally, but she did get into the game.

My son thought that the game was a hoot. He wants me to make costumes so that he can be Ash, I can be Brock, and my daughter can be Misty. God save us all if it comes to that, but he definitely wants to get more into the game. He wants to re-enact Pokemon scenes on the board and make up his own. In other words, he wants to game.

This is what I call a success. My kids had their imagination stimulated by the game and they enjoyed it immensely. My family spent an evening at the table playing a game, instead of my kids sequestered to their rooms while I did work on the computer and my wife read historical textbooks. We all had fun, and the kids want to play more games that involve stories, adventure, and imagination.

So before you flood my e-mail with hate crimes, keep in mind that not everyone out there is a twenty-something single gamer. There are many gamers who have kids, and many who want those kids to enjoy their hobby. If you have young kids who like Pokemon, and you want to get their imagination burning, this game is a good way to do it.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

Pokemon Master Trainer
Author: Hasbro Category: Boardgame Company/Publisher: Hasbro Line: Pokemon Cost: $15.00 Page count: n/a Playtest Review by Matt Drake on 11/18/00. Genre tags:	OK, I have prepared myself for the derisive laughter and mocking insults which will follow this review. I realize that most of the RPG.net readers are not exactly what one might call a Pokemon fan. However, before you throw this review - and possibly the reviewer - out the window, please keep in mind the context in which I am reviewing this game. Pokemon Master Trainer is a children's game. It has elements that may appeal to some grownups, but the gamer who plays Call of Cthulu is probably not going to want to pick up this boardgame. However, since I know that many of the gamers who read these reviews are old enough to have children who are Poke-fans, I thought those parent/gamers could benefit from this review. I have two children who are just learning to read. I am terribly impatient for them to play Dungeons and Dragons, or Warhammer 40K, or Deadlands. Unfortunately, creating a 200 point army or calculating THACO is a little beyond them. So I look for games that have the following characteristics: 1) I can play them and not be tempted to cheat so that they can win and I can leave the table. 2) The kids can understand the rules and at least follow along, even if they need help. 3) The game has a story element and a good dose of adventure. I have tried several things to get my children, who are too young to really understand the concept behind role-playing, to begin to dig RPGs, CCGs, or other gaming acronyms. While they can spend all day running around the house saying, 'I'm Ash, and you're Misty,' they are not capable of making rules that govern things like skill checks and combat resolution. So I have to introduce them slowly to the concept, and help them understand that rules can simulate fate's fickle fingers. Some may ask why I want my kids to grow up to be as geeky as I am. I point them to the studies that show that gamers tend to commit fewer crimes, drink less alcohol, and conform to what society demands of 'normal' kids. I don't want normal kids. Every time I see a teenager die of heroin addiction on the news, all his friends say, 'he was just a normal kid.' With that said, I intend to weigh the merits of Pokemon Master Trainer on the following points: 1) Quality of the game - art, sturdiness of the pieces, overall presentation 2) Enjoyment for the players 3) Ability to generate interest in gaming as a hobby for a young child QUALITY First off, if you are going to spend $15.00 for a boardgame, are you going to get a cheap piece of Pokemon manure? In this case, I would say no. The game board is sturdy and is double-layered, thick cardboard with recessed places to put the game tokens. The game comes with 150 Pokemon tokens, basically heavy cardboard poker chips. In case you don't follow Pokemon, that's one for every Pokemon in the original Pokemon world. There are also two decks of cards, one for items and one for events. There are five thick cardboard rival cards who represent the powerful opponents that the players must battle to become a Pokemon master. Finally, there are two standard dice and six rather cheap little figures that represent Ash. The whole thing comes bundled in a large, attractive game box, and the cover represents all 150 Pokemon paired up so that the novice (which would be me) can see which Pokemon evolve into what. This is important to the game, by the way. If I had any quality complaints, they would be with the six Ash figures. I would kind of wonder how much more it would have cost to have little plastic minis to represent Ash, Brock, Misty, Jesse, James, and Tracy. These are six central characters that are always trying to become Pokemon masters, and with different characters, the players could feel more 'in the game.' As it is, we are all supposed to be Ash, which is not all that conducive to writing your own story. Overall, the game is good quality. It's not Avalon-Hill-at-their-best quality, but it is comparable to other games like Sorry, Monopoly, or Scrabble. I would have liked to see different characters (I mean, Monopoly gets different game pieces, why can't we), but the other pieces are attractive and sturdy. The game is better-than-simply-acceptable quality, but not what I would call great. It's made by Hasbro, so it's not junk (unless you really hate Pokemon). ENJOYMENT OK, so you're happy with the game quality. But was the game worth playing? I must admit, with no shame, that I had a very good time and look forward to playing it again. My kids had a blast, my wife and I had a good time, and we are all going to play again this afternoon. Early in the game, my son decided that he intended to capture one of the rare legendary Pokemon. He catered his item selection to reflect his choice, and saved up special items that would help him when he spotted one. He did finally have a shot at one, but he was not able to catch it. Let's face it, those rare Pokemon are rare for a reason. But he still had fun, and he was practicing strategy (as far as a first-grader can strategize) and he was rewarded by several other powerful Pokemon on his quest. My daughter, on the other hand, wanted merely to collect cute Pokemon. She set about traveling to places where cute Pokemon could be found, and traded with other players to consolidate her hold on the cute Pokemon world. She also had a great time as she swapped Pokemon and showed off her collection. My wife wanted to have a full set of evolved Pokemon. She wandered the board looking for the full set of the Bulbasaur evolution. She managed to get very close, but unfortunately, she did not have the item stock necessary to capture the elusive Venusaur. What I wanted to do is fairly irrelevant, because I got my head handed to me. I ended the game with three Pokemon, two of which were knocked out, as I did my level best to reach a city where I could revive my beat-up Squirtle. In the final assessment, this game is fun. Much more fun than I suspected when I picked it up so that we would have something to do on a cold rainy weekend. In fact, it was more fun than I have ever had playing a board game with my family. ADVENTURE My final criteria for judging wether this game is a success is to decide if it helped breed gaming into my kids. To know this, I have to be able to tell if they thought they were in a story or merely moving pawns to get from point A to point B. I want to see that they were thinking about their players as more than plastic Ash minis. My daughter thought that it was not fair that she had to be Ash. She likes Misty, and wanted to be Misty, because Misty collects cute Pokemon. Which explains why my daughter did not want Graveler - she wanted Seel, Lapris, and other adorable little Japanese pocket monsters. She identified with Misty and wanted to act like Misty. Of course, this is not much of a departure from my child normally, but she did get into the game. My son thought that the game was a hoot. He wants me to make costumes so that he can be Ash, I can be Brock, and my daughter can be Misty. God save us all if it comes to that, but he definitely wants to get more into the game. He wants to re-enact Pokemon scenes on the board and make up his own. In other words, he wants to game. This is what I call a success. My kids had their imagination stimulated by the game and they enjoyed it immensely. My family spent an evening at the table playing a game, instead of my kids sequestered to their rooms while I did work on the computer and my wife read historical textbooks. We all had fun, and the kids want to play more games that involve stories, adventure, and imagination. So before you flood my e-mail with hate crimes, keep in mind that not everyone out there is a twenty-something single gamer. There are many gamers who have kids, and many who want those kids to enjoy their hobby. If you have young kids who like Pokemon, and you want to get their imagination burning, this game is a good way to do it. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty)