Hank Schlesinger - How to Become a Pokemon Master: An Unauthorized Guide-Not Endorsed By Nintendo

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This book is dedicated to William Walker Schlesinger and Maxwell Arthur Schlesinger and to Melissa Suzanne, as always.

For many youngsters, Pokmon represents their first journey into the world of video games. Pokmon represents a unique phenomenon in the video game world. Not only is it astoundingly popular, but it appeals to both girls and boys of a young age. For many of them, it is their first successful video game experience and by no means their last.

Video games are fun. There is no getting around that fact. They are part of a kids life and one of the many entertainment choices he or she has today. However, as the technology has improved over the years, games have evolved in a fashion similar to movies. Today video games include a wide variety of themes, content, and situations. That is to say, not all games are suitable for all age groups. Just as not all movies are suitable for young children because of violent or adult content, the same holds true for video games.

To their credit, video game manufacturers have acted as responsible adults in the matter. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), whose formation was supported by the video game industry, independently rates all video games in much the same way as movies are rated. Indeed, as the available technology allows for ever more detailed screen representations, todays games move ever closer to movie-like action. For that reason, parents should regard selection of video games in the same cautious manner as movies.

It is a parents responsibilityand the youngstersto carefully monitor the types of video games that come into the home. Clearly displayed labeling listing the ratings on packages make this job easier. But it is up to the parent (and kid) to learn the rating symbols and what they mean.

Following is the ESRBs rating system.

E is for EVERYONE. E indicates that the game has content suitable for ages 6 or older. Older games may have a rating listed as K-A, which is identical.

T is for TEEN. T indicates that the game is suitable for kids 13 years and older.

M is for MATURE. M indicates that the game includes content that should be restricted to people 17 years or older.

A is for ADULTS ONLY. Should be played only by grown-ups.

RP is for RATING PENDING. The game has not yet received its final rating from the ESRB.

Of course, parents also should use their own good judgment regarding video games, just as they do with films and television shows. As an entertainment art form, video games have made unsurpassed technological progress over the past decade. With that progress has come a wider audience and wider range of games intended for young players. It is up to parents to restrict their childs play to age-appropriate video games.

All the games discussed in this book have been rated E by the ESRB. However, in the end, parental standards should be the final guidelines. The author of this book highly recommends that parents screen all video games for their children.

Does E Really Mean Everyone?

Kids, there is something you should know. Just because a game is Rated E for Everyone doesnt mean that it is a baby game. And it doesnt mean that everyone can play it really well. There are actually some baby games out there. For example, a game called Elmos ABCs is a really good little-kids game that teaches reading. Its probably too easy for you to play. Youd be bored. But there are also some very, very difficult games out there that are rated E. So you shouldnt get upset or feel bad if a game is too hard for you to play well. I hate to say give up, but if you have tried really, really hard for a long time and just cant seem to get anywhere in the game, then maybe you should put it aside for a while and try another game. Remember, video games should be fun. So, if you arent very good at sports games or having any fun with them, then try a role-playing game. If role-playing games arent fun, then try a puzzle game.

There are hundreds of Game Boy games out there, so you are almost certain to find games you can play and enjoy.

I was sitting in my favorite chair and eating a bowl of my favorite cereal when the phone rang. It was some guy who said, Know anything about Pokmon? Want to write a book about the game?

I keep waiting for the phone to ring and some guy to say Do you want to be a rock and roll star? or Do you want your own game show? Those guys never call. A guy called once and asked me, Are you happy with your long-distance company? I told him I wasnt happy with my long-distance company, because my long-distance company came over once and ate all the strawberry out of the vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate ice cream. Another time my long-distance company squeezed the toothpaste from the middle of the tube. So I told him I was very unhappy with my long-distance company. But thats another story.

Now, I like Pokmon as well as the next guy. Okay, maybe a little more than the next guy. And if the next guy were here, Id tell him that, right to his face. But writing a Pokmon book is hard work. For one thing, the game is so complicated and there is so much to do in the game that a book about Pokmon would have to be as thick as a dictionaryand not one of those pee-wee pocket dictionaries either. A book about Pokmon would have to be as thick as one of those giant-size dictionaries with all the giant-size words in it.

I wrote the book anyway. And yes, it was hard work, but it also was a lot of fun. I wrote the book to help kids have even more fun playing Pokmon. The book doesnt contain the entire game. There are hints and tricks and jokes you might like. There are also a bunch of forms you can fill out to keep track of stuff, such as what Pokmon you have caught or traded. I wrote the kind of book Id like to read when Im not playing the game.

Ill tell you why I like Pokmon. First off, I like the Game Boy. Always have and always will. The Game Boy is ten years old, probably as old as some of you guys reading this right now, maybe even older. For computer and video games, thats ancient. If your life were measured the same way as video games, youd be old enough to be your own grandparent. Youd be wrinkly and talk about when you were a kid, seven years ago. Those were the days.

Fortunately, the Game Boy isnt wrinkly and doesnt tell stories about when it was a kid. Its still going strong. And thats dueat least in partto Pokmon. Right now Pokmon is the best-selling Game Boy game. That says a lot about the Game Boy and a lot about Pokmon.

Now, if you bought (or had your parents buy) the Game Boy just for Pokmon, then youre making a big mistake. There are tons of very good games for the Game Boy, and you should try at least a few of them. Not trying some of the other games is like having a TV and watching only one show. Remember, no matter how much fun Pokmon is right now, sooner or later you are going to get bored with it. That may not happen right now. You may not get bored with Pokmon for a long time, but sooner or later you will. And its nice to know that there are other games out there to play.

Another good thing about Pokmon and the Game Boy is that it just goes to show you that you dont need a bunch of fighting, punching, kicking, and skull-juggling to be a fun game. Thats important to remember. Violent video games are not always the most fun. Actually, I dont like the violent games that much. And Im not just saying that because Im old or anything. Pokmon is a thinking game, and theres something new at every level. You have to pay attention to play it. Plus, even if you never even come close to finishing it, theres still a lot of fun stuff to do and see in it.