THE VIDEO GAME (Sort of)

Okay, here’s the deal, guys. The straight stuff. I really wanted to include a full-scale, blow-’em-outta-the-water chapter on Digimon World, the video game for the PlayStation. But guess what? The game wasn’t released in the U.S. yet. I know, it’s a real pain. So, here’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna tell you everything I know about the Japanese version of the video game that was released earlier.

Now, as you probably know, Japanese versions of video games can be a lot different from American versions. A lot of the codes and names and stuff like that can be different. I don’t want to confuse anyone or frustrate them, so I didn’t include the codes. This is basically a review of the game based on what I’ve heard from my friends in Japan.

First off, the game graphics—the picture—in Digimon World is really outstanding. We’re talking full-color, 3-D type pictures like you’d see on big hit video games like Mario 64. I’ve seen a few snaps of the screen and it looks great.

Secondly, the game is pretty much what you would expect. It’s kind of a cross between a Tamagotchi and a fighting game. In the Japanese version, you start out with a single Digimon and have to raise him. From what I’ve heard, you either get a Gabumon or an Agumon, but again, that may change when it gets to the U.S.

Now, some of it is kinda sorta like Pokémon. That means, the Digimon follows a kid around a lot like Pika sometimes follows Ash. It’s your job to take care of your Digimon. That means giving him vitamins, food, and training.

Remember, the Digimon video is a Role Playing Game (RPG), and you have to explore the world as you play. As you stroll around the Digimon World, which is like a little town, you encounter the bad Digimon and some really bad guy bosses and collect items that you need. If your critter is up to the challenge, then you can fight when you encounter a bad guy. Remember, though, a Digimon starts off un-evolved with very few attacks. It’s your job to take care of him so that he’ll evolve through his different levels, train him so that he can fight, and show him affection, so that he grows up confident. Also, the battles are much more detailed than in Pokémon for GameBoy.

Based on what I’ve seen and heard, Digimon World looks like a solid and fun game. Is it Pokémon? No, it’s not Pokémon. That’s not to say it’s worse or better. It just means that it’s different. My advice is to rent Digimon World and play it for awhile, then see if it has the staying power that makes you want to buy it.

It’s really hard to review a game that I haven’t played. However, even if I haven’t played it yet, I’ll still shoot my mouth off. So, here’s my official, never-played-the-game-myself review.

The folks who make Digimon really know what they are doing—remember, they invented the Tamagotchi. So, they have more experience with virtual pets than virtually anyone. That should count for something, right? Also, the Digimon anime is a very solid cartoon. The characters are interesting and the Digimon themselves are very cool. That should count for something too, if the game designers manage to bring the same quality to the game. And, lastly, PlayStation is a great system. That means you’ll get a chance to see the Digimon in action with very, very good graphics.