The Pokémon franchise has always been a game enjoyed alone, or with friends, but with Pokémon X and Y you can enjoy the game with complete strangers!
What’s New?
First off, Pokémon X and Y are presented in fully 3D polygonal graphics, a staple of the franchise’s console releases but a first for the main games.
Also new is the ability to customize your player character, chosing from a wide variety of clothing and accessories. You can even customize your hairstyle!
Totally stylin’ Yo!
Player Search System
One of the biggest changes introduced with this generation is the Player Search System (PSS). The PSS lets you find fellow X and Y players around the world and nearby.
It’s a miniature social network allowing you to see other players’ avatars, general locations, and short greeting messages. So far it’s been a lot of fun and it doesn’t seem like Nintendo has allowed for anyone to grief.
O Powers!
A new feature to the franchise are O Powers. O Powers are powerups you can grant to random strangers both around the world and locally, through the PSS.
O Powers provide all sorts of benefits, from boosting the catch rates of your Pokéballs to health regeneration mid battle. You can receive new O Powers from a character called Mr. Bonding, who appears randomly throughout towns in the Kalos region, often in hotels.
The game encourages you to use O Powers as often as possible, the more you give them out the more powerful they become.
Trade anywhere!
One of my favourite functions of the PSS is the ability to trade with other players at virtually anytime you are in game, no longer restricted to Pokémon Centers for local trades! Just tap a player’s icon in the PSS, the trade button and wait for them to accept your request! Wonder Trades are random simplified trades with any other player, you offer up a Pokémon and get one in return!
Ride Pokémon!
That’s right! You can now ride Pokémon to traverse difficult terrain! Not only that but you can….
MOVE DIAGONALLY!
Pokémon-Amie
Also new to this generation, is Pokémon-Amie, turning your pokemon into the virtual pets they are! You get to have a customized playpen for your pokemon, where you can pet it, play minigames and feed it Poké Puffs.
Other player Pokémon from the PSS will often wander into your Pokémon-Aime and they will often interact with the furniture and your Pokémon, leaving behind gifts of Poké Puffs, backgrounds and other goodies.
Nintendo has plans to release a paid cloud storage option called Pokémon Bank allowing you to store up to 3000 Pokémon online to transfer between digital and physical copies of the game you own. The company also discussed Poké Transporter an app enabling you to transfer Pokémon from Black and White and Black 2 and White 2 into X and Y.
Given the longevity of the Pokémon brand, I have no doubt that the PSS will remain active for quite a long time.
