Pokémon Puzzle Challenge

Pokémon Puzzle Challenge (Japanese: ポケモンでパネポン Pokémon de Panepon) is a spin-off puzzle game for the Game Boy Color. It is based on Tetris Attack, and thus plays like Pokémon Puzzle League for the Nintendo 64.

Pokémon Puzzle Challenge
ポケモンでパネポン
Puzzle Challenge EN boxart.png
The cover of Pokémon Puzzle Challenge
Basic info
Platform: Game Boy Color
Category: Puzzle
Players: 1-2
Connectivity: None
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Publisher: Nintendo
Part of: Generation II spin off
Ratings
CERO: N/A
ESRB: E
ACB: G
OFLC: N/A
PEGI: 3
GRAC: N/A
GSRR: N/A
Release dates
Japan: September 21, 2000[1]
North America: December 4, 2000 (GBC)[2]
November 6, 2014 (3DS VC)[3]
Australia: June 15, 2001 (GBC)
November 27, 2014 (3DS VC)[4]
Europe: June 8, 2001 (GBC)[5]
November 27, 2014 (3DS VC)[6]
South Korea: N/A
Hong Kong: N/A
Taiwan: N/A
Websites
Japanese: Official site
English: Pokémon.com
Nintendo.com (VC)
Japanese boxart
Puzzle Challenge JP boxart.png
Japanese boxart of Pokémon Puzzle Challenge
StrategyWiki
StrategyWiki has more about this subject:

It was originally released in Japan on September 21, 2000, in North America on December 4, 2000, in Europe on June 8, 2001, and in Australia on June 15, 2001. It was later released on Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in North America, Europe, and Australia in 2014. (However, due to the closure of the Nintendo 3DS eShop, the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console version is no longer available for purchase.)

In Challenge Mode, the starting Pokémon are Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile. Players battle the Johto Gyms by beating them at puzzle games, and can obtain other Pokémon, such as Marill and Pichu. Sometimes, Eggs can be hatched, allowing players to use more Pokémon. Players may also fight friends using the multiplayer modes. Additionally, the game includes a "Puzzle" mode in which players attempt to use combos to clear all the blocks onscreen within a certain number of moves.

Blurb

Journey to Johto for the ultimate puzzle challenge!

Chikorita, Pikachu, Totodile, Pichu, and other favorite Pokémon will help you take on Johto Gym Leaders like Jasmine, Pryce, and Falkner in a quest to become the Pokémon Puzzle Champion. Use lightning fast reflexes to form chains and combos that clear the block tower, attack opposing Pokémon, and bury them in a sea of garbage!

  • Six puzzling modes to play! Test your scoring skills in Time Zone, clean up the mess in Garbage, then face the eight Gym Leaders in the ultimate challenge mode. Plus, with Puzzle, Line Clear, and Marathon Modes, you'll be clearing blocks for hours on end!
  • Train to be the true puzzle master. Watch demos that teach you the basics of forming chains and combos, then master the techniques in a special slow-motion practice mode.
  • Link with friends to prove your puzzle prowess! Use the Game Link cable (sold separately) and battle your friends in three block-breaking two-player modes!

Single Player Mode

Single Player Mode features:

Marathon

An endless game. The objective of the game is to obtain the highest possible score before the screen becomes completely filled with blocks. Easy uses five kinds of basic tiles, but Normal and Hard add the dark blue triangle piece found in all games but Planet Puzzle League.

Challenge

In Challenge mode, the player assumes the role of Ethan and travels around, battling all of the Johto Gym Leaders. Rather than show an opponent on screen, the Leader's Pokémon has a health bar and occasionally sends random garbage. Combos, chains, and Surprise (!) blocks wear away at the opponent's health bar. On Easy mode, the last opponent is Clair; on Normal, it is Karen; on Hard mode, the final opponent is Lance.

Time Zone

Try to get a high score in only two minutes. Get chains and combos for max points.

Line Clear

Clear all stages. There are 6 rounds, each with 5 stages (including a Bonus Stage). After beating all 30 stages, a battle awaits. This mode also features Johto Gym Leaders.

Puzzles

Main article: Puzzle (Challenge)

Divided in rounds and stages, the goal is to clear the block setup in a limited amount of moves (usually 1 to 5).

Garbage

Same as Marathon, with two differences: Most obviously, Garbage Blocks of varying sizes fall down randomly from the top. The number and type of Garbage Blocks depends on the Garbage Level (which constantly rises). Also, the scroll speed never changes, probably because the Garbage Blocks present enough of a challenge to the player.

Unlockables

Like others in the Puzzle League series, Pokémon Puzzle Challenge has several unlockable extras revealed as the player accomplishes tasks in the game.

  • Super Hard is added to Challenge mode via a special button combination revealed at the completion of Hard mode.
  • Intense is added to Challenge mode via a special button combination revealed at the completion of Super Hard mode.
  • Blistering Speed may be used in Marathon via a special button combination.
  • Portraits of the eight Gym Leaders of Johto are unlocked after completing their corresponding stages in Puzzle mode.
  • Bellossom, Pikachu, Sentret, Togepi, Marill, and Pichu are unlocked from within Challenge mode by completing certain tasks while playing. If a new task is completed, the player will be challenged by a Trainer who uses one of these special Pokémon. Beat them to unlock their Pokémon for use at any time.
  • Igglybuff, Elekid, Cleffa, and Magby are only usable in Marathon mode. They begin as Eggs who cannot be used, but they "hatch" and become playable over time.

Playable Pokémon

 
Title screen

Opponents

Panel de Pon

The game includes a nearly-finished Panel de Pon game for Game Boy.[7] It can be accessed by inputting a special button combination. Panel de Pon for Game Boy was originally in development, but scrapped in favor of a Pokémon variant (Pokémon Puzzle Challenge).

The game can be accessed on a Game Boy from the Game Boy Color-only screen by pressing A twenty-four times and then B twenty-four times. The player will hear a sound to indicate they put in the correct combination be taken to the menu screen for Panel de Pon. This mode can also be accessed on the Game Boy Color but only after enabling Game Boy mode from the Pokémon Puzzle Challenge's title screen by pressing Up two times, Right four times, Down one time, Left ten times, Up four times, Right one time, Down six times, and finally B. This will take the player to the Game Boy Color-only screen, from here the player can enter the previously mentioned button combination to access Panel de Pon.

There are a number of Panel de Pon sprites used only in this mode, as well as additional sprites of characters from the Panel de Pon series that are unused even in this game mode.

Staff

Main article: Staff of Pokémon Puzzle Challenge

Trivia

  • Pokémon Puzzle Challenge had the tentative title Pokémon Attack.[8][9] This title was probably based on the title of Tetris Attack.
  • Getting a chain of 30 or higher will make the game show a question mark instead of a number.[10]
  • There are three unused songs in the game's data.[11]
  • In the Virtual Console release, multiplayer options are disabled due to the emulator being unable to emulate the Game Link Cable function.
    • Due to region locking on the Nintendo 3DS, U region 3DSes can only access the English version of the game (despite being able to access multiple languages of the Generation I and II core series games). E region 3DSes can access a version that supports five languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Italian),[12][13] although both the E region 3DS eShop and the Nintendo of Europe official site incorrectly state that only the English version is available.[14]
  • This game was released in North America on the 35th birthday of Veronica Taylor, the voice actress of Ash Ketchum.

See also

References



Pikachu series: Hey You, Pikachu!ChannelDash
TCG: Game Boy TCG series: Trading Card GameTrading Card Game 2: The Invasion of Team GR!
Play It! series: Play It!Play It! Version 2
TCG Client series: Trading Card Game OnlineTrading Card Game Live
Misc. TCG: Card Game OnlineCard Game: How to Play DSTCG Card DexTrading Card Game Pocket
Super Smash Bros. series: Super Smash Bros.MeleeBrawlfor Nintendo 3DS/Wii UUltimate
Snap series: SnapNew Pokémon Snap
Picross: Picross NP Vol. 1Picross (GBC) (canceled)Picross (3DS)
Pinball series: PinballPinball miniPinball: RS
Puzzle series: Puzzle LeaguePuzzle Challenge
Trozei series: Trozei!Battle Trozei
Mystery Dungeon
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Red Rescue Team & Blue Rescue Team
Explorers of Time, Darkness & Sky
Blazing, Stormy & Light Adventure Squad
Gates to Infinity
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Puck series: BattrioTretta (Tretta Lab) • Ga-OléMezastar
Rumble series: RumbleRumble BlastRumble URumble WorldRumble Rush
PokéPark series: PokéPark WiiPokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond
Detective Pikachu series: Detective PikachuDetective Pikachu Returns
Playground: Pokémon Detective Pikachu
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  This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames.