Pokémon Crystal
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| Pokémon Crystal | |
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| Developer(s) | Game Freak |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Designer(s) | Satoshi Tajiri |
| Release date(s) | JPN December 14, 2000 NA July 29, 2001 EU November 1, 2001 |
| Genre(s) | RPG |
| Mode(s) | Single player Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone OFLC: G8+ |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy Color |
| Media | Cartridge |
Pokémon Crystal, released in Japan as Pocket Monsters Crystal (ポケットモンスター クリスタル Poketto Monsutā Kurisutaru?), is a title in the Pokémon series of RPGs for the Game Boy Color. An enhanced remake of Pokémon Gold and Silver, Crystal was released December 14, 2000 in Japan and July 21, 2001 in North America. Crystal was succeeded by 2003’s Game Boy Advance titles Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. Pokémon Crystal was optimized to be playable only on the Game Boy Color.
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[edit] New features
Pokémon Crystal finally allowed players to choose the gender of their character, a feature that had not been included in any Pokémon game before. Also added was a subplot involving the legendary Pokémon Suicune and a man named Eusine hoping to catch it. One of the game’s biggest additions was the Battle Tower, a new building added west of Olivine City which allowed players to participate in Pokémon Stadium-like fights.
Another change, noticeable when first starting the game, was that all Pokémon had animated battle sprites once a battle began. For example, when Cyndaquil entered battle, the flames on its back flickered. This feature later returned in Pokémon Emerald and Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
There were also some changes made to the Ruins of Alph. This included more common Unown, as well as a new subplot — completing enough puzzles let the player read a secret message left behind by the Unown. It suggested that the Unown were left behind by the ancient civilization that constructed the Ruins of Alph, and that the statues that lined the interior were made by the Unown.
The player would also receive a new “Odd Egg” from the Daycare Couple for free. This egg can hatch into Magby, Smoochum, Pichu, Igglybuff, Cleffa, Tyrogue or Elekid, with a boosted 50% chance of the baby being “shiny”, and, it will always be female, except for Tyrogue (which never are). This was in addition to the Togepi egg that players would receive earlier in the game, making two eggs they would get in the game without any breeding.
The chain of events to obtain the Rising Badge is altered. Where previously, it involved a trip to the Dragon’s Den to retrieve the Dragon Fang, it now involves entering the Dragon Shrine within the Den. There, Clair’s grandfather and leader of the dragon-user clan quizzes the player on their style of battling. Clair arrives and still refuses to hand over her badge after the player passes. In response, her grandfather threatens to tell Lance, of whom Clair is terrified.
In order to obtain the Rainbow Wing (the item needed to reach Ho‑Oh), the player must catch the three legendary beasts (Raikou, Entei, and Suicune, the latter now requiring the Clear Bell and a visit to the Tin Tower), and defeat the Elite Four, then go to the Tin Tower to receive the item.
Also, this game was the first to have a special background music track for legendary Pokémon. Whenever Raikou, Entei, or Suicune appeared, a distorted battle start would play, and then an entirely new song (exclusive to this event) would play for their battles.
Another feature introduced in Crystal and later reused in later games is the Move Tutor. After the Elite Four is defeated, a man would start appearing twice a week who would teach the player’s Pokémon one of three moves – Flamethrower, Ice Beam, or Thunderbolt. In Crystal, this required 4000 coins from the Game Corner in Goldenrod City.
In Pokemon Crystal, due to the girl not being in Pokemon Gold or Silver, the female trainer automatically changes to the male sprite when trading with Gold or Silver.
[edit] Pokémon Stadium 2
Like Gold and Silver, the game could be used in Pokémon Stadium 2 via a Transfer Pack much in the same way as the other games, but with a few changes. When Crystal is put into the transfer pack, info is added to Earl's Pokémon Academy that shows the availability of Pokémon in the Crystal version and remains in the game even when Crystal is not in the Transfer Pack. The game takes considerably longer time to load at the GB Tower compared to the other versions, and comes with its own loading screen, which shows the current Pokémon in the party. Another notable change is in the battle modes of Pokémon Stadium 2. When using non-registered Crystal Version Pokémon, the trainer's picture that represents the player is female, regardless of whether or not the trainer is a male.
[edit] Pokémon
In total, there are 251 Pokémon that can be used in Pokémon Crystal. However, in Crystal alone, there are only 223 Pokémon that can be caught. For the additional 28 Pokémon, the player would have to trade with Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, and Silver. These are:
[edit] Pokémon Mobile Phone System
In the Japanese version of Crystal, the player could link up with others through the use of a mobile phone. The Goldenrod City Pokémon Center was replaced by a much larger building which included the machine to use this feature. Using the mobile phone link-up would give the player an extra item, a GS Ball. After taking the Ball to Kurt in Azalea Town to examine, the player would place the GS Ball in the Ilex Forest shrine. This would cause a level 30 Celebi to fly down and attack the player. Two Gameshark codes can be used to activate the GS Ball related events and eventually catch Celebi in the English version of Crystal. Why this was not available in the United States has never been officially revealed, Nintendo says that they had FCC issues... (the mobile adapter system did not make the cut, but the maps and text for the system are in English Crystal), but it is most likely because children with cell phones were not nearly as common outside Japan in 2001.
As uncovered by a translation of the Crystal text for the phone system,([1]), trading and battling were allowed via the system. In battling, the maximum daily play time was ten minutes for each linked player. If a battle wasn’t finished within the time limit, the player with the fewest fainted POKéMON won. If tied, the team that lost the least amount of HP won. Another subheading revealed more: “Data for use in the MOBILE STADIUM of the N64 POKéMON STADIUM 2 can be read here.” This notes that there was a connection to Pokémon Stadium 2 through the Mobile Phone System. There were also login passwords and a system of cards, as shown here in these raw blocks of text:
- The CARD FOLDER stores your and your friends’ CARDS. A CARD contains information like the person’s name, phone number and profile.
- This is your CARD. Once you’ve entered your phone number, you can trade CARDS with your friends.
- If you have your friend’s CARD, you can use it to make a call from a mobile phone on the 2nd floor of a POKéMON CENTER.
- To safely store your collection of CARDS, you must set a PASSCODE for your CARD FOLDER.
[edit] Internal Battery Failure
A common problem found in the second generation of games is a problem with the internal battery after roughly six years. The internal battery is located inside of the cartridge which allows the game to save the user's progress. Many people have reported that their games no longer save due to this problem. It is possible to fix this, but the cartridge must be opened and the battery must be taken out, and a new battery must be soldered in. The battery is similar to model CR2025, which can generally be purchased at electronics stores. However, the internal battery has small conductive tabs soldered to its exterior, making the battery difficult to replace. The correct battery, complete with tabs and insulator, is part number P223-ND and can be ordered at DigiKey.com, and is cheaper when buying in multiples.
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Red and Blue • Yellow • Gold and Silver • Crystal • Ruby and Sapphire • FireRed and LeafGreen • Emerald • Diamond and Pearl |
