POKEMON GOLD PROGRESS, DAY 4
NEW POKEMON
A few new ones today, both seen and acquired.
First, I forgot to mention that the scientists at the Alph Iseki gave me an expansion to the Pokemon Zukan, which provides a separate Pokedex for the Annoon variations I've found. While they're all classified under one Pokemon number, the species shape differences are provided for in the the Annoon Zukan. Wonder what I get if I complete it? Guess I'd better get back to the Iseki pretty soon... I remember 3 others I need to get at least.
My Otachi (#161) evolved to an Ootachi (#162), which looks like a ferret/tanuki.
Personal acquisitions today included the Usokki (#185), which may be a one-shot (get him, or forget him) Pokemon. This Pokemon is essentially a walking tree, and pretty tough. I also got two of the most chuckle-worthy Pokemon I've ever seen- an Odoshishi (#234), a moose-like Pokemon, and- get this- a Miltank (#241), a Cow Pokemon, which walks upright and has threatening udders [^o^]. Thought I would die when I saw this one... and my Pokemon almost fainted, as it does a mean "Body Slam".
I saw the evolved form of the Mereep (#179), the Mokoko (#180). Looks like it could be an electric sheep (does it dream of Androids?). I also saw a Maril (#183), and an evolved form of the Hanekko (#187), the Popokko (#188). I also ran into a Blue [Snubble], (#209) in the hands of a trainer.
I'm also acquiring lots of "normal," already well-known Pokemon- the Zukan shows me that, yes, EVERY Pokemon from the original game is either in here, or available to it. The big difference here is that many are both male and female now.
And that leads me to the biggest discovery today...
THE BREEDING SOLUTION!
As I've previously mentioned, there are both male and female sexes of Pokemon in this game, with only a few which are "sexless"- The Annoon, Coils (Magnemites), Metamons (Dittos), and a couple of others are sexless ones I've noted.
Well, today, when I visited Kogane City, I ran into a nice big house on the southern outskirts of town which has a cute old couple who run Pokemon Day Care as in the other game. This version's even more fun, because when you leave your Pokemon for "leveling up", they go out to a little corral and you can see them frolicking around as you walk by (you can go in to see them too without taking them back). Also, the old man can care for one Pokemon, and the old lady a second, so you can leave 2 different Pokemon for "day care" at once. And of course, you'll have to pay each of the people you leave a Pokemon with 100 yen per level achieved plus 100 yen for the service. Be warned- since the game is "real time", your Pokemon will gain levels pretty fast . You may exceed your desired expense, so check back often!
After I left a Pokemon there, I had a sudden flash of insight... and I went and got a male of a different species of Pokemon, left it with the "free" caretaker, and went away. When I checked later, each was doing its own thing. But when I took a male and female Hou-hou with me, and left one with the old man and the other with the old lady and came back later...
Not only did each Pokemon "level up", but the old lady was thrilled to tell me that the two Pokemon had mated and laid an egg!! Woo-hoo!! (or should I say, "Hou-hou!")
I took the egg and put it in my PC (you can do that) rather than carry it at the moment. The old man and old lady can raise your egg for you too, but I chose not to do that at this time.
It became clear to me that to my understanding so far, you can't cross-breed across "type lines". But you may get "precursors" with some Pokemon, and I can't wait to see this!
This opens up all kind of possibilities- not just with new Pokemon, but with the old ones as well!! I can't wait to see what kind of offspring we can get from the "old Pokemon"!
THE RADIO CONTEST
I visited the Radio Station north of Kogane (as I'd "heard" in people's homes), and found myself (as my number had stated) as a selected contestant in the Radio Station's Lucky Number contest (which will be held once each week, real time). It was a fun contest with several other "contestants"- you go into a designated area with 20 Pokeballs and one Pokemon (your lead) only, and scour the bushes. Any Pokemon you catch you can keep, and your goal (in this case) was to find the "odd Pokemon" in the batch. The bushes were full of Caterpies, Transcells, and Butterfrees, but only one Beedle (Weedle). I caught the Beedle and answered the host's questions correctly- in the final reckoning, I won the whole pot, including a new Wazamachine, a couple of potions, and a Hyper Ball. The Host's announcements and the music going with it is fun, and the other contestants are mixed in their jealous reactions when talked to afterwards.
Going back to the station later, the "staff" told me the contest was over for this week- so this will be a running event!
THE GAME CENTER AND DEPARTMENT STORE
In Kogane City, there's a Game Center (as in the original games) with actually better odds and less outrageous prices for Pokemon you can win (I only found three offered in Gold). I actually was able to hit the Jackpot several times and have about 800 coins left over after buying a Casey (Abra). (it's 1000 yen for 50 coins).
There's also a Department Store loaded with goods, and there are similar goals as before with some of the merchandise (you can buy a Pippi Doll and give it to a little girl for a bonus, give drinks, etc).
PHONE CALLS
I carefully the text of some of the spontaneous phone calls I got today on the Pokegear, and am finding that Picnic Girl Kaori is continually challenging me to Trainer Battles. She's evolved some Pokemon (her Nidoran and Bellsprout) and when I went to find her at the location where she was first battled, she challenged me again- and lost again. Later in the day, she called again, and I went to Route 32, found her, and beat her again. She never gives up... but hey, it's her money <g>.
The Mountain Man Tsutomu also has been calling and asking why I haven't shown up to challenge him yet... the answer is, of course, that I'm busy elsewhere.
NEW DISCOVERIES and OTHER STUFF
Today I spent most of my time in Kogane City, did the exploration thing, visited the Kogane Gym and fought Akane, the Gym Leader, and her band of "Mini-Skirts" and "Lovely Ladies".
Once cute thing I should remark on is that the trainer characters like the "Picnic Girls", "Camp Boys", "Mini-Skirts", etc. all have first names now (so you can know who they are if they call you)- and some are in-jokes. One of the best ones I found was when I fought a Trainer Battle with a "Picnic Girl" named Ikue, who had a Pikachu as her Pokemon!!
(You see, the voice actress who performs Pikachu in the anime and everywhere else is the lovely Ikue Ohtani. If you want to hear her how good an actress she is in other things, check her out as Himeko in the anime "Hime-chan no Ribbon", Rio in the game and anime "To Heart", and Emily in the Saturn game "Daina Airan", among other roles.)
Other fun and cute touches involved the battle against the Gym Leader "Akane-chan" in --- City- she's very cute and stereotypically genki with English phrases scattered in her comments. When I defeated her cadre of Normal Pokemon, she started wailing... "Waaaan!! Waaaan!! Hiidoi!! Hiidoi!!" ("Waaaa! Waaaa!! How could you!!)- and as a real twist, she didn't give me the earned Regular Badge or Wazamachine, either- at first! Continued attempts to talk to her result in wails, rebukes, and cries. But when you finally turn away to leave, one of her Mini-Skirt subtrainers reminds her of her obligation. She of course then bestows the Regular Badge (sobbing and clearly reluctant to give it up) and the Technique Machine. Sometimes you get good words of encouragement when you approach a Gym Leader after a fight... but in Akane's case, she gets short, curt, and says "Hmph. You got your badge. So, Bye bye!!"
I've made it to Enjyuu City's Gym, which centers on Ghost-type Pokemon... there's a tricky secret to getting to Matsuba , the Gym Leader (as well as through the different Trainers you must face first)... I've gotten worn out today, so that final battle will wait until tomorrow <g>.
--Richard