Nintendo Media Summit: Pokemon Battle Revolution impressions (Wii)

by Colin Torretta { May 25th 2007 at 9:32AM }

The Wii has done many things right (like selling), but one of the common complaints has been the complete lack of online multiplayer gaming. That's all changing though, with the very first online multiplayer Wii title in North America, Pokemon Battle Revolution, arriving on the 25th. The latest in a long-line of incredibly successful Pokemon titles, this is the first Wii Pokemon version and looks like it may be the biggest one yet.

The game takes place on an island called Poketopia and has ten different Colosseums to battle in, with the ultimate goal to become the Poketopia Master (of course). The gameplay is classic Pokemon but appears to be taking it to a larger scale than ever through the use of heavy DS integration. Though the game can be played with the Wiimote, the Nintendo folks strongly suggested the DS as the preferred method of control (of course they did). It was fascinating watching people connect their DS to the Wii via WiFi and, upload their captured Pokemon from Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl, and have them battle it out on the big screen. It was the GameCube / Game Boy Advance connectivity promise, given new life through wireless tethering and a killer app.

Gallery: Pokemon Battle Revolution

The graphics were notably impressive as well. Though not quite as impressive as Boogie's, they were definitely a notch above most of the other Wii games on display. The arenas were large and colorful and the Pokemon and Pokemon Trainers have never been rendered in such loving, colorful detail before. Expect Pokemon Battle Revolution to sell like, well, a Pokemon game when it hits retailers on June 25th.

Tags: battle revolution, BattleRevolution, nms07, online, pokemon, poketopia, wiiconnect

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Konny @ May 25th 2007 9:37AM

They want to push the Wii-DS connectivity because the console pokemon games have never sold well. The wii release in Japan basically bombed.

Jebus Crust @ May 25th 2007 9:45AM

Hey look more innovative originality from Nintendo.
Wow, a Pokemon game, and it's online. OMG, OMG, I, I, barely can speak, Nintendo once again proves that it is the innovator of innovators with another completly new game for a completly new and abviously better because it's far cheaper and it sells more because of it.

Wow, just wow Nintendo...you are the best.

Ya, Reggie, you have kicked so much ass and taken so many names that you probably have to have a courier follow you around everywhere you go with a file cabinet full of the names that you have taken.

Pathetic.

Thomas @ May 25th 2007 9:52AM

"a killer app"

WHAT A JOKE!

haavardf @ May 25th 2007 9:53AM

"Next month that all ends though, with the very first online multiplayer Wii title, Pokemon Battle Revolution, arriving on the 25th."

I was under the impression that Mario Strikers Charged had online multiplayer, and that releases in Europe today...

Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 9:54AM

They need to make pokemon fun again. You should have a choice between realtime action or turnbase action. This games looks like the one for the G-cube. The same everything. You should be able to create you own pokemon and fight it online after leveling it up. Another rip off game.

C. Grant @ May 25th 2007 10:04AM

haavardf: You're right! Added North America to be more accurate. Thanks.

JodyAnthony @ May 25th 2007 10:05AM

this game is a rehashed game from the n64 days, but it's still more original than some of the complaints of you people.

BiggerBoat @ May 25th 2007 10:17AM

@ Jebus

Yeah, cause there are absolutely no sequels coming out for the 360 or PS3.

Halo 3 is infact completely seperate from Halo 1 or 2, it just happened to use the same name and feature shiny-future-soldiers and an extensive online system.

Oh and lets not forget the PS3 which managed to buy more copies of 'Madden[insert year]' and 'Spiderman:inferior to the last tired installment' than the wii crowd even though it has a fraction of the usrbase. You're right next gen gaming is all about origionality and shying away from those tired sequels.

Wii should be ashamed.

Jack of No Trades @ May 25th 2007 10:21AM

BiggerBoat

You can't use that arguemnt and you know it. If you compare upgrades between games you will see that you are getting the short end of the stick. Halo is only on 3. What is pokemon, mario & zelda on? Don't ever use that arguement again. It makes your system look bad.

Fatass of Kickassness @ May 25th 2007 10:24AM

Well then perhaps I should cite Final Fantasy, Jack?

Breserk @ May 25th 2007 10:29AM

The difference, though, is that Final Fantasy is completely different each time around, except for its RPG core and some universe properties like Chocobos and item names.

I'm only defending Final Fantasy here, not Nintendo nor Sony. Keep that in mind.

Fatass of Kickassness @ May 25th 2007 10:31AM

@11

Really? Because I can pretty much say the same thing about Pokemon - different game, same formula. Thats not a bad thing when the formula works.

Jonathan Tran @ May 25th 2007 10:34AM

If Halo came out in the early 80s like Mario and Zelda, it would be on game 15 also. So, please.

More importantly, everything I read about this game makes it sound like it's not a game, just a good-looking way to play your DS pokemon. Does this have a full single player mode or something?

Fatass of Kickassness @ May 25th 2007 10:35AM

@13

THATS what makes me dislike the game - its just like Stadium.

Aludra @ May 25th 2007 10:37AM

Meh, I'm just hoping its not just a 3-D version of playing on wifi with your friends on the DS. That'd be kind of a ripoff of 60 dollars, just for improved graphics if you ask me, but I haven't seen much more of the game, so I wouldn't know o_O

Breserk @ May 25th 2007 10:36AM

Actually, Fatass of Kickness, I now see you're completely right, which leads me to my next thought- sequels are good. Well, as long as they present you with a new setting/story and try to shake up the gameplay a bit. If I loved Devil May Cry, why shouldn't I get more of it? Since Metroid Prime captivated me to endless extent, why should I not want more?
Me love sequels long time.

student @ May 25th 2007 10:38AM

Jack, I expect a better argument from you. Halo is on its 3rd installment, while Mario/Zelda are on higher ones. Oh wow, you're right. But lets look at systems. In GC/Wii, Zelda has had TWO iterations, Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. Mario has had ONE with Sunshine and two if you count the upcoming Galaxy.

Just because Nintendo has been around a lot longer than the Microsoft game line doesn't mean they're cranking out the sequels faster.

Shogan @ May 25th 2007 10:37AM

Why all the hate? This game is made for Pokemon fans who already have the DS versions. I'm getting it. I moved across the country, but when I lived in LA, several of my friends would come over to the house and we'd battle each others Pokemon on Colosseum. Those games were only good for the multiplayer, and this game is all about battling... with WiFi!

Sure you can do all that on the DS games themselves, but it's more dramatic in 3D. I'm very excited for this, but I wouldn't recommend the game to people who don't have a DS and Pokemon Diamond or Pearl... especially not to people who dislike Pokemon.

Him @ May 25th 2007 10:43AM

@4 If we are going to include the whole world, then it is still first because PBR was released last December in Japan.

arrrgh @ May 25th 2007 10:43AM

If only pokemon wasn't so unappealing to so many ppl.... if they did like that "drawn to life" game on the wii, where you battle with your drawn dudes online in a gladiator type stadium (like pokemon) that would be teh tits :)

Boogiepoplain @ May 25th 2007 10:52AM

arrrgh, Pokemon is pretty appealing to the 1.7 million Americans who've bought Diamond and Pearl in the few weeks it's been out.

This game is focused squarely on people who own Diamond/Pearl. I for one can't wait to battle in 3D!

SuperMario21 @ May 25th 2007 10:54AM

I have always liked nintendo but it still doesnt change the fact that they keep putting out this stupid series. The Pokemon stadium series hasn't NOT changed at all since the N64. I hope no one buys this game because all it allows you to do is use your pokemon from the ds on the wii..OOOO!!! They could've had random battles on the ds but then they figured they would not allow this on the ds and allow it on the wii to make more money.

And all of the gaming consoles are gulity of multiple games. PS3 with Metal Gear solid 4, Devil May Cry 4, Final Fantasy one million, Racket and Clank 4, Grand Theft auto 4
Xbox360 with Halo 3, Grand theft auto 4, Splinter Cell 4, Call of Duty 4
So this arguement of Nintendo is the only company doing this is very flawed.

daniel @ May 25th 2007 11:05AM

#22 its ratchet and clank 6 really i know most r and c fans try to forget deadlocked but thats #4 and size matters on psp would be 5 i dont have a problem with sequels if theyre well done it should be similar or linked in some way otherwise it wouldnt be a sequel but they should try and add stuff or do it differently and if you compare any 2 mario or zelda games you'll see the difference as you will with most other series its not a blind cash grab unless no effort was made and its crap

Snap @ May 25th 2007 11:20AM

Funny reading comments from those that don't understand the Pokemon phenomenon.

And Halo 3 is just Halo 2 in shinier armor. But 4 million sheep have already pre-ordered.

sheppy @ May 25th 2007 11:27AM

"its ratchet and clank 6 really i know most r and c fans try to forget deadlocked"

Umm, we try to forget Deadlocked? While we readily admit it was not as good as some of the other chapters, it was still a damn good game (especially for being an annual release.... how many series had annual releases and was still good on number 4?).

"if you compare any 2 mario or zelda games you'll see the difference"

This, I disagree with. Some are a tad too similar. Both in gameplay and level design. Others differentiate themselves.

But at least the point remains. A sequel isn't a bad thing and as long as a company is throwing out just as much new IP love, I don't have an issue with companies relying on established franchises. Maybe if people gave Valkerie Profile 2 a little more love, we wouldn't be having 20+ FF games in dev right now.

BiggerBoat @ May 25th 2007 11:30AM

Looking at EA, the master of releasing the same games at least 10 times a generation, the worst culprits probably being Madden in the US & FIFA in Europe it is clear the PS crowd especially, love paying more money for the same game. Is 1 Pokemon Stadium game per gen really that bad in comparison considering not every Wii owner owned a 64 or GC?

sheppy @ May 25th 2007 11:31AM

@Snap

"But 4 million sheep have already pre-ordered."

Umm, no they haven't. Seriously... the internet needs to do more research before posting stories. That 4 million number is not only inconceivable but fucking impossible. Seriously, 4 million preorders from Gamestop alone? Considering GS accounts for only 25% of total unit sales in the US and initial sales for a game don't even break 10% on preorders... that's a whole lot of Halo 3 gonna be sold day one. In fact, by those numbers, it will be roughly a copy of Halo 3 for every PS2 sold....

senseinobaka @ May 25th 2007 11:50AM

You can't use that arguemnt and you know it. If you compare upgrades between games you will see that you are getting the short end of the stick. Halo is only on 3. What is pokemon, mario & zelda on? Don't ever use that arguement again. It makes your system look bad.

This comment makes you look dumb. Seriously what was Halo 2's big improvement? Some dumbass at Bungie realizing most people have two hands and making the innovative choice to stick another gun in it? Yea thats on par with the continued design innovations of the Mario and Zelda franchises. You sir are a moron.

Jebus Crust @ May 25th 2007 11:34AM

Yes Weeboys, Sony and Microsoft have sequels, however Sony also constantly comes out with completely new original IP's for their systems.

Nintendo does not. How many new IP's are there for Nintendo? Let's compare shall we?

Here are a few that I can think of for Sony's Machines...

PS3

Lair
LBP
Eye of Judgement
Eight Days
Heavy Rain
Haze
Afrika
Folklore
Home (not a game but still original)
Resistance
MotorStorm
Uncharted
Warhawk (the PS1 release and this one are the same in name only)
White Knight Story
Project Offset
LA Noire
Heavenly Sword

Now let us look at Nintendo's Wee

Escape from Bug Island
High School Musical
Dewy's Adbenture
Boogie
Naruto
100 Bullets
Alive
Dog Island
Wee Motor Sports Airplane
Sadness

Which list looks more interesting to you? What games would you want to play?

sheppy @ May 25th 2007 11:39AM

Jebus, why couldn't you have limited your ignorance to the Wii60 thread? Let's just put it this way, I have a hard time not considering Mario vs. DK 2: March Of The Minis a new IP. Especially since the last time this gameplay type hit a Nintendo Console, it was called Krusty's Super Funhouse.

JodyAnthony @ May 25th 2007 11:46AM

oh look, jebus crust is copying and pasting lists of games again for no reason. ho hum.

Dragod @ May 25th 2007 11:50AM

I'll happily buy it... but I might have to wait until I can gather some more cash. I only have about $130 right now. And that's going for Halo 3 and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I need about $100 more I'm guessing. Need to resubscribe to Xbox Live and now this.

See you guys online! Even more reason to keep training my Palkia to lvl 100 (No Rare Candies Here)

I might use my Mew, Jirachi, Celebi and Deoxys, though ;)

I probably won't use my Blaziken from my Ruby that I Rare Candied. It's pretty weak. I only use it to get through the elite four to evolve/train Pokemon til they can do it themselves.

JodyAnthony @ May 25th 2007 12:01PM

oh jebus you forgot one wii game I'm really looking forward to: OPOONA

SaraAB87 @ May 25th 2007 12:04PM

Even though I have Pokemon D/P and LOVE the games I do not see the point of buying a Wii just to play this game. Overall I still don't think the Wii is a worthy purchase and this game offers little more than the DS game does except in full 3d, random battles, and it will be super slow paced where you are forced to watch all animations 1000 times over like in the previous console games. There is just so much to do in Pokemon D/P that it will last me a couple years literatly before I move onto something else.

Random battling doesn't sound all that exciting either because you know there will be tons of 6 year old noobs on there and the last thing I want to encounter is a foul-mouthed 6 year old battling with nothing but ubers all the time.

I am more fond of the exploration aspect of pokemon and raising the pokemon for battle, but overall constant battling can seem tedious and very repetitive and slow after a while, so a game where you do nothing but battle is a bit much for me I think, and would bore me quickly.

This would be better for a Christmas release IMO because D/P just came out and the games are just so huge there is no way that people are going to have an established army of pokemon by June ready for battle, this is one case where they need to give people a little more time to play the game so that D/P can be experienced without rushing through it, as its meant to be experienced.

JodyAnthony @ May 25th 2007 12:08PM

SaraAB87, how dare you bring a logical and well reasond comment into this! :P

BiggerBoat @ May 25th 2007 12:09PM

Jebus, that list is so overly biased to the point of being completely redundant.

I mean you even missed Excitetruck & Wii Sports which were 1st party launch games.

Also N could also change the skins on one of it's games characters and claim it is a new IP, like Sony have done with Heavenly Sword(GoW) but they give their fans more credit.

If you're going to troll do it right.

sheppy @ May 25th 2007 12:23PM

"Even though I have Pokemon D/P and LOVE the games I do not see the point of buying a Wii just to play this game. Overall I still don't think the Wii is a worthy purchase and this game offers little more than the DS game does except in full 3d, random battles, and it will be super slow paced where you are forced to watch all animations 1000 times over like in the previous console games. There is just so much to do in Pokemon D/P that it will last me a couple years literatly before I move onto something else. "

I do have to say this because everyone uses this "battle animations bog down gameplay" excuse. You actually PLAY Diamond and Pearl, right? You have the same game I do, right? Because my second evolution of that electric cat has an innate ability called intimidate. So once I even enter battle, it looks like this.

A Wild _______ appears! *cue entrance animation*
Go! Bzzzt!?!! *cue entrance animation*
Bzzzt!?! uses Intimidate
Wild _______ attack falls *cue blue waterfalling effect*

And that's befor I can do attacks. I don't even want to get into downright annoying things like Fury Swipes or Confusion. You claim fully animated characters wuld bog down the battles. Meanwhile, battles in FFIII take less time even WITH the animations and Golden Sum, with the ability to cycle animations faster, is downright speedy gonzales levels.

Pokemon is already bogged down.... having the animations would at least validate have to sit through three punch sprites, a character shakes, damage taken, and watching that repeat for another 1-4 times as a single attack.

BPM @ May 25th 2007 12:46PM

Jebus, stop making yourself look like a foolish fool who foolishly hates inanimate objects, and call the damn system what it is and not an "lol im so clevar" insult.

Furthermore, even though the PS3 Warhawk has very little in common with the original Warhawk, it's still the same IP. You do know what IP means, right? Intellectual property. Which means names and so on are the legal property that belong to some entity (be it an individual or a corporation).

And on your Wii list, High School Musical, Naruto, and The Dog Island don't count, since they are licensed, existing IPs. And even if you only consider how many games have been made with thesse IPs, Naruto has had several games before the Wii fighter across several systems: PS2, PSP, GameCube, GBA, and DS.

And there are original IPs coming for Wii that Nintendo themselves are publishing: Project H.A.M.M.E.R. (developed by Nintendo Software Technology Corporation), Disaster: Day of Crisis (developed by Monolith Soft), and Forever Blue (developed by Akira).
Other original IP on the system includes Elebits (by Konami), No More Heroes (Grasshopper/Marvelous), and Kororinpa (Hudson).

Stop making yourself look like an ignorant ass, okay? Noone says you have to like the Wii, but what's the point in hating? What did Nintendo do to you? Piss on your leg? Kick your puppy? Rape your mom? Kill your granddad?

J.O.N.T @ May 25th 2007 12:48PM

Jebus

Watch youself. They will ban you.

Its T.G.I.B.F for joystiq.

Thank God Its Banning Friday

I caught the hammer earlier.

SuperMario21 @ May 25th 2007 12:53PM

@ Jebus Crust

Its funny that you failed to state some of the other good new ip's that are coming out for the Nintendo Wii

Forever Blue
No More Heroes
Disaster: Day of Crisis
Project O
Project Hammer
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure
Wii Music
Wii Health
Soul Caliber Legends

Stop being a fanboy and having bias statements!!

JodyAnthony @ May 25th 2007 1:22PM

forever blue is a sequel to the ps2 everblue games.

Almack64 @ May 25th 2007 1:31PM

@ 40

I agree with you but make sure you remove Soul Calibur Legends off that list since it is just revisiting an existing ip.

But Jebus is a fool for his own words prove it.
"Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning if he holds his tongue"

He missed that opportunity.

Gausser @ May 25th 2007 1:39PM

Some of you are forgetting that there are people who have never played these games before, especially considering Wii is reaching new demographics. I'm 35 and I bought Pokemon Diamond, my first Pokemon game ever (always thought they were childish). The reviews convinced me to buy it. It's a great game. The formula is fun, there's no denying that. I am really looking forward to Battle Revolution. It doesn't matter about previous iterations, it will be a new experience for me.

BPM @ May 25th 2007 1:48PM

"forever blue is a sequel to the ps2 everblue games."

Ah? Wasn't aware. Comment about said game retracted, then. :P

verdigris @ May 25th 2007 1:59PM

I don't even think this game is needed. I mean, anyone who has played has seen the near ENDLESS amounts of wi-fi stuff you can do. Not to mention that linking up to play doubles in the battle tower is a great time. My buddy and I started, got hungry, walked to a place to eat with the DS in our pockets, brought them back out as we waited for food, and the battle was still going! Good time with that.

Also, Sheppy, just turn off the battle animations. Makes for a much faster game!

heyo007 @ May 25th 2007 2:15PM

Sequels happen everywhere. As long as something sells, they'll be more of it. Just look at the movie Industry (Spiderman 1-3, Xmen 1-3, Fantastic 4 1-2, etc) and the car industry.
Don't complain because some companies see that they can make money off of something that would sell. It's just business. You'd do the same thing if you made something that sold and had the opportunity to make even more money on another rendition of it (no matter how unoriginal it was).