Pokémon Y

Arrived exactly as listed

The product photo shows the US version box, but you will almost certainly get the "world" (UAE / Singapore / Malaysia) version instead as of 2022. However, the cartridge sticker and the game on the cartridge are entirely identical to the US version, and work on North American 3DS/2DS consoles. It even says "USA" in the product code on the cartridge. The only differences are the paper insert in the case and the pamphlet inside the case. If you're collecting cases, you'll want to look elsewhere. But if you're collecting cartridges or just want to play the game, the listings here are great.If you've played Pokemon X, you know what you're in for. If you're coming from the older DS games, this one's similar though perhaps easier. I found X/Y definitely lower difficulty, but that's partly because I did the petting, feeding and minigames in the "Amie" feature. Do this and your Pokemon will gain boosted exp the same as if they were holding a Lucky Egg, they'll get more crits, and they'll randomly hang on with 1 HP when they would otherwise faint, sometimes for multiple turns in a row. If you want more difficulty, don't pet your Pokemon.If you're coming from the Switch games or Alola, this one is a little more challenging, and more in the traditional Pokemon formula. You travel from town to town defeating eight gym leaders and then fight the Elite Four and then the champion. You don't get ride pagers or taxis. You have to travel with Pokemon that you've taught HM moves to in order to chop trees, shove rocks, cross water, etc.While the game does support 3D mode in caves and battles, I strongly suggest turning it off in battles. It tends to make the framerate awful. If you have a modded New 3DS console, you can use Luma to enable the faster New 3DS clock speeds for the game, which fixes all framerate issues, even in 3D.Also, a tip: Download the update data. Not only is it required for online multiplayer, but it fixes a save corruption glitch. If you don't get the update, DO NOT save the game while outside in the outer ring portion of Lumiose City -- if you save here and don't have the update, there's a small chance your save will be corrupted and you'll need to start over.

I’ve been playing it all week nonstop and it’s still fun 10/10 worth it

For longtime Pokémon players the series’ debut on the 3DS is like a dream come true. This is in almost every way the Pokémon game my 12 year old self was waiting for.The most important change is that Pokémon are rendered in full 3D models, finally moving away from the series’ traditional sprites. Battles immediately remind me of Pokémon Stadium on the N64 only shrunk to the palm of your hand (not to mention the superior graphics).I had the pleasure of visiting France the Summer before Pokémon X/Y came out so immediately I was able to appreciate the Kalos Region’s design. This new cultural aesthetic really feels like a breath of fresh air.A small, but appealing feature is the ability to customize your character’s in-game appearance through skin color, hair, and clothes. This may seem like no big deal, but ever since I first played Pokémon Blue I’ve wished I could edit the appearance of my sprite. Game Freak has finally brought that feature and we can only hope they give us more choices in future titles.If Pokémon X/Y has one weakness it has to be the story. I know, I know, no one really plays these games for the story, but this game’s antagonists, Team Flair, really are a step down in quality. While the teams have always been Saturday morning cartoon villains at least they threatened the protagonists. Team Flair comes across as a group of incompetents rather than a group dead-set on changing the course of history.The game’s single-player campaign is also ridiculously easy. A beefed up Exp. Share makes level grinding a thing of the past and more often than not you walk into every gym and Team Flair battle with a team that towers over the competition. In short, I understand Game Freak wanting to cut back the hours typically spent on grinding, but if this device is going to become a mainstay in the series they’re going to have to level up the boss battles.Another thing that will bother veteran players is the lack of post-game content. Once you’ve beaten the Kalos Region Pokémon League there really isn’t much to do other than continue filling your Pokédex.Those small problems aside, Pokémon’s leap into the 3DS is a spectacular success sure to entertain old and new fans alike with its 3D recreation of the creatures we know and love. For that it receives my highest recommendation.