Nintendo Gameboy. Pokemon Special Pikachu EDITION.

While it's basically the same game as the previously released Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue, Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition features enhancements that make it the best version yet. In all three versions, the player is on a quest to become the World's Greatest Pokémon Trainer, with exploration and Pokémon battles (think advanced paper-scissors-rock) factoring heavily into the gameplay. While the game world is the same in all three versions, the Pokémon you encounter vary from version to version; the underlying goal of collecting all 151 Pokémon can only be met by trading Pokémon via Link Cable with another player with a different Pokémon version. (Players can also battle against one another using the Link Cable setup.)

Pokémon Yellow follows the TV cartoon series more closely than the other versions. Your first Pokémon in Yellow is Pikachu, and he travels alongside you as opposed to inside a Pokéball (like most Pokémon). Pikachu's mood can be displayed virtual pet style: keeping him happy is important, as his mood affects certain events in the game. In addition to the inclusion of other TV show elements like Team Rocket, new battle modes between players are available as well as a secret game called Pikachu's Beach.

If you haven't played any of the Pokémon games before, Pokémon Yellow is the best place to start. But while Pokémaniacs will go gaga over Yellow's new features, less enthusiastic veterans of Red and Blue may not find the extras to be quite so special. --Joe Hon

Pros:

• Best version yet of the highly addictive Pokémon game
• Pikachu's moods raise the game's cuteness bar to an all-new level
• Features new battle modes between players
• Includes Pikachu's Beach secret game

Cons:

• Pokémon battles can be repetitive at times
• New features may not be enough for some Pokémon veterans