Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

by Nintendo

Product Features

• Be a Pokémon and experience the world in a whole different way. Enter into a spectacular adventure to save the Pokémon world.
• Uncover new adventures in the immersive Pokémon Mystery Dungeon storyline by playing new Special Episodes.
• Play as one of 19 different Pokémon (including five additional starter Pokémon). Find out which one you will become. Interact with more than 490 Pokémon as you explore.
• Trade items with your friends via a local wireless connection. Also, you can trade with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness and see what happens.
• With a wireless broadband Internet connection, access Special Missions or rescue fallen friends over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002FCEVYM
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches ; 1 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: October 12, 2009
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,226 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #31 in Video Games > Nintendo DS > Role-Playing

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Continue the adventure of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series in an exciting new game that builds on the fun of Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, you'll have the chance to become a Pokémon and team up with an additional Pokémon to confront thrilling new challenges. Will your efforts be enough to save the entire world from destruction?

New Special Episodes View larger.

19 Different Pokémon View larger.

Synopsis Explorers of Sky offers tantalizing new secrets for fans of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series and an exciting starting point for players new to the series. Play as any of 19 different characters, including five additional starter Pokémon, and team up with a partner to begin a journey of exploration and discovery. Play exciting new Special Episodes to uncover new chapters in the series storyline, and work your way toward a stunning finale. You can even expand the fun by wirelessly trading items, sending a demo dungeon to a friend and accessing special missions. Key Game Features: Take on the role of any of 19 different Pokémon, including five additional starter Pokémon Interact with more than 490 Pokémon as you pursue a thrilling adventure Play new Special Episodes to uncover new chapters in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon storyline Enjoy a grand adventure with a moving story and thrilling finale Access special missions or rescue fallen friends via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection For 1 player, or for 2 players in local wireless mode .

Product Description

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky is the newest installment in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon video game series. The game expands on the fun found in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness. Players become a Pokémon and team up with a partner Pokémon. Together the two set out on an adventure of exploration and discovery, ultimately saving the world from destruction. With additional Pokémon to become, new "Special Episodes" and enhanced communication features, this is a grand adventure with a moving story and stunning finale. This game is a great starting point for players to enter the world of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon and for returning players to discover even more secrets.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic! This is the definitive underrated Pokemon game., November 25, 2009

By 

T. E. Cilley - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky (Video Game)

Okay. I've taken the time to complete this game from beginning to end, and now I'm ready to share a few thoughts.

Now, first and foremost: what's different between this game and Explorers of Time/Darkness?

"Explorers of Sky" is what a fan would call a "third version game": it's essentially the same game as Explorers of Time/Darkness, but included within are some extensions to the gameplay and the story. Like the previous games, you begin by answering a series of questions that will determine which Pokemon you'll play as, and then you'll pick a partner. They've added a few more characters to play as in this game: Riolu, Vulpix, Phanphy, and Shinx, with the re-inclusion of Eevee. After that, you begin your adventure -- and that's where the story kicks in.

Here's the rundown: over Time/Darkness, Explorers of the Sky extends the game in the following ways:

> It has about a half dozen new dungeons to explore.
> It has included new locations such as Spinda's Juice Bar, Wynaut's Recycle Shop, and the Secret Bazaar, not to mention a few secrets here and there, all which become accessible as you play the main game.
> It has introduced a few new items, including the ever-amusing "Look-a-like" items. Watch out for Reviser Seeds!
> Some communication extensions, but it's probably not worth mentioning. Really, there's not enough to talk about.
> The good stuff: this game provides five "special" episodes, which become accessible through the main menu screen, and a couple additional "after-credits" side-episodes.
> The Sky Jukebox, which allows you to access the many, MANY awesome tunes this game provides.
> Finally, a few tweaks to the graphics and dialogue, a couple of gameplay changes, and a revamp on the explorer ranking system (there are different degrees of Master Rank now).

So, that's the basic list of upgrades from Time/Darkness. Now, a few categorized details about the game itself:


---Story/Plot/Characters-----

This is by far the biggest promotion point in playing this game. The story is long, epic, engaging, and thought-provoking - and it's surprisingly lacking in the common clichés that tend to crop up in video games/movies. This game heralds the most in-depth plot of all Pokemon games to date, and it's almost a shame that Nintendo wouldn't make this game into a full spin-off anime series.

Now, the main story is essentially the same from Time/Darkness. The special episodes are the key differences from the previous games. Depending on how much you "care" about the characters and the Mystery Dungeon universe, you may or may not be satisfied with these additions. Regardless, all of these episodes are unlocked as you play through the main game, and you can access them through the main menu: therefore, you can play them at any time.

There are five total:

> You've got "Bidoof's Wish," which, according to a certain IGN reviewer, is about "Bidoof's self-esteem issues." It's a cute story, but depending how much you actually care about Bidoof, who is after all a minor character, you may find this episode a bit of an unnecessary annoyance.

> You'll eventually get "Igglybuff the Prodigy," which relates Guildmaster Wigglytuff's humble beginnings. Again, it depends on how much you care about the Guildmaster as a character - which may be a bit easier, since Guildmaster Wigglytuff is AWESOME. Enough said.

> Soon comes the episode "Today's `Oh-My-Gosh'," featuring Sunflora. Just like the previous two, your enjoyment lingers on what you think of Sunflora as a character. Now, I don't about Sunflora as a character, but I can say that she's pretty terrible in surviving any of this episode's dungeons. Seriously, this may be my least favorite special episode, because Sunflora's moves and stats make the game frustratingly difficult. Especially since the dungeons are mostly fire-based.

> "Here Comes Team Charm!" I love this episode because, for some reason, Team Charm makes me think of a Pokemon-version of Charlie's Angels. Can't beat that theme music either--kind of like a super-cool, super-agent sort of theme, like Austin Powers.

> "In the Future of Darkness" is by far the best episode, because obviously you veterans of Time/Darkness want to know what happened to Grovyle in the previous game. Well, don't you? Of course you do. It's very satisfying, and that's all I'll say.


---Game Play / Difficulty-----

The gameplay is either strangely addicting...or boring, depending on what sort of temperament you have as a gamer. Basically, you seek to get your team through a "dungeon" of a certain number of floors. Each floor requires you to explore the area until you reach a randomly-located staircase. Once you reach the staircase, you move on to the next floor. Once you've cleared the last floor, you've cleared the dungeon.

Now, here's the "Mystery" in Mystery Dungeon's gameplay: each floor is randomly generated, with different items, enemy Pokemon, and landscape. You'll never see the exact dungeon floor twice. Now, there's more to it, but you'll have to explore and discover it on your own. Things like missions, item-collection, recruiting Pokemon - that'll all be explained as you play the game.

Now, the "Difficulty" in this game is more like the "Frustration Level" if anything. Sometimes, the going is easy: you begin the floor with the stairs randomly generated...right next to you! Sometimes, the going is moderate: okay, you never seem to get a break, and you find yourself covering the entire floor and exploring every nook and cranny until, after exhausting all options, you FINALLY stumble upon the staircase. Sometimes it's pretty hard: your team steps into trap after trap, you keep running into those ever-challenging Monster Houses, AND you can't seem to ever find the staircase!

Finally, it's difficult to the unfair degree: your team gets knocked out by these measly, supposedly low-level multiple attacks, such as Fury Attack; you keep getting hit by wide-range attacks (like Earth Power) when you're nowhere near the enemy; or, my personal favorite, your mission-based client simply steps into an unseen Pitfall Trap, which is an instant fail.

And I tell you: getting knocked out by a Fury Attack is pathetic. Or, reaching the 99th floor of a 100-floor dungeon, with no checkpoints, just to get knocked out by a stray, one-hit Fissure Attack - which means you have to start all over again. Yep. You'll have your moments in this game.

Because this is essentially what the gameplay consists of, many gamers tend to dismiss the Mystery Dungeon series, calling it "boring and monotonous" or "difficult in a bad way." Regardless, you can come to enjoy this gameplay, if you have the patience. In fact, it can be strangely relaxing and soothing to the mind...that is, until you get hit by a Fury Attack. Then it's all sweat and tears.


---Graphics-----

The graphics are fairly simplistic, and you're treated to a few pretty cutscenes. Outsides of the dungeons have colors and contours appropriate to the style and feel of PMD - it's kid-friendly, and cheery for all gamers. These graphics match well to the design of this game, and the character portraits do a good job in establishing their personalities.

The insides of the dungeons range from passable to bland, and as a result, many of the dungeons tend to look the same visually, despite the fact that each floor is randomly generated. You'd be hard-pressed distinguishing Crevice Cave from Waterfall Cave from Star Cave if it weren't for the items and foe Pokemon. Seriously, I swear some of the dungeons were merely pallete-swapped during design.

Several complaints people have made about the graphics entail the game's supposed "GBA"-quality - without taking advantage of the DS's pixel capabilities. Some have even compared it to the standards of the Game Boy Color, which, frankly, is completely ridiculous.

But you know what, gamers? Graphics aren't everything. Seriously - just look at Pokemon Red/Blue.


---Music/Sound-----

I cannot stress this enough: the music is gorgeous. Some tunes I feel surpass even those from the main Pokemon games. The music greatly enhances the effect of an already wonderful story; and it helps in illustrating dungeons, more than making up for any graphical blandness. Waterfall Cave has a serene, mystical quality; Steam Cave is tense and under pressure; Temporal Tower and the Hidden Land captivates your imagination. And who can resist that bumbling, jolly tune that embodies good ol' Guildmaster Wigglytuff?

Sometimes I find myself absentmindedly humming these tunes--and that says a lot about a game's music.

The sound effects themselves are nothing special, and some are flat-out odd (the SFX for "stomach growling," for instance...yeah, it's weird), but overall it doesn't detract from the game.


---Communications-----

Backwards compatibility with Explorers of Time/Darkness is VERY limited. The compatibility is called "Wonder Mail S" in this game, and it presents even longer mission passwords than Time/Darkness - and those passwords were LONG. Ugh.

You can trade items with Time/Darkness, but missions are restricted to other Sky users, which is rather unfortunate. You can still download missions from the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon website, which is pretty cool.

Oh, and you can send a demo of dungeon gameplay to your friends - big whoop. Overall, the communications of this game are nothing too special.


---Replay Value-----

First off: if you enjoy BOTH the... Read more ›

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Personal Anti-Depressent..., October 15, 2009

By 

Jon "448" (NH USA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky (Video Game)

After playing GOW, RE, etc, I got tired of the shoot'em up gore fests that people seem to love these days. So, I picked this title up.
This is the most beautiful, heart warming and uplifting tale I have seen in a long time. I truly didn't believe a movie, or book,
{especially not a video game!}, to tell such a perfect story. It's fun, friendly and full of surprises. Highly recommended. 5/5

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Explorer Vulpix!, October 29, 2009

By 

Jeffrey Piper "Julia" (Caribou, ME, US) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky (Video Game)

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky is A very fun game. You start by choosing the Pokemon you will play as by answering A personality test, Then you choose your partner. Game play is easy and fun, The controls are pretty simple. I'm playing as a Vulpix, (They are very cute!) The story is very deep and entertaining, Plus, there are more Pokemon to play as. The graphics are very nice 2D type graphics, (I love 2D graphics,) Bright,colorful graphics are A plus. Turn-based dungeon battles are exciting and fun, The bosses are tough but not impossible, And there are lots of different Pokemon to talk to,Shops to visit, And beautiful sights to see. As A Pokemon you travel into and through ever-changing dungeons, (Hence the name!) While your in dungeons you can find and use items,battle wild Pokemon, And advance to new floors, and more. Overall A fantastic game.