Pokemon Crystal Version

From Pokelibrary

• Pokemon Crystal Version

• Release:July 31, 2001 (USA)
  december 14, 2000 (JP)
• Devloper: Game Freak
• Publisher: Nintendo
• No. of Players: 1-2
• Genre: RPG Platform Game
• Console: Nintendo Gameboy Color
• Rating: E For Everyone (+6)

New features

Pokémon Crystal was the first in the Game Boy series to allow players to choose the gender of their character. 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

Although seemingly a minor change, extra grass was added to the route west of Violet City, and in this grass, Growlithe can be caught, allowing players to acquire a Fire-type Pokémon much earlier than in other versions (assuming they did not choose Cyndaquil), and making a large difference in the availability of Fire-types for areas like the Azalea Gym and the Sprout Tower, where Fire-types are optimal. Areas like the Icy Path and Lance's chamber at the Indigo Plateau received alternate designs as well.

Some trainers were repositioned about the map. Previously, Trainers called on the cell phone all said the same thing with only the names of the Pokémon they reference. Trainers are now given distinct personalities (one talks about shopping, another about grooming), and call for reasons other than battling, such as giving the player items or informing them of a rare Pokémon appearing (Wade gives the player Berries, Alan gives them a Fire Stone, etc.)

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. If all the questions are answered correctly, the player will receive an Extreme Speed Dratini upon returning and speaking with Clair's grandfather.

In order to obtain the Rainbow Wing (the item needed to reach Ho‑Oh), the player must catch the three legendary dogs (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.

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.