Pokepark Wii is an adorable adventure game released for, well, the Wii. It starts when Pikachu and company enter the Pokepark to play, but something is horribly off. The attractions are closed, the Pokemon are fighting, and the rainbow that holds the park together is breaking. It’s up to Pikachu to unite broken friendships and scattered trust to bring everyone back together. And man is it heartwarming. The dialogue and story, while clearly geared toward kids, is sincere and thoughtful. They are some truly wise words to be found in this game about friendship, regardless of age, and that in itself is something special.
The gameplay, at first, isn’t too outstanding. You talk to fellow Pokemon, earn their friendship through games, and have confrontations with the leaders of each zone through their attractions. The minigames are fun, delightful, and almost never repeat their concepts. If you stick with the cute story and sweet dialogue long enough, you come across some really interesting and beautiful design choices.
Granite Zone, Haunted Zone, and the Sky Pavilion have an air of mystery, adventure, and wonder about them that most of the other zones lack. In these stages, though, the gameplay, storytelling, and sincerity of the overall product really shine. Pokepark is a genuine, beautiful, fun experience that I wouldn’t wish anyone to miss.
First Written on Friday, August 3rd 2012
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