E For Everyone: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue and Red Rescue Team

Why should you play "Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue / Red Rescue Team" (2005)? Because it was the game that proved to the world that Pokémon is more than just a repetitive, random-number-generation-reliant cash cow. Mystery Dungeon showed us a beautiful and different perspective into the Pokémon world: an altruistic, mystical, deeply personal, story-rich experience entirely without humans.

After turning on the DS (Blue Rescue Team) or the Gameboy Advance (Red Rescue Team), the first thing the player is prompted to do is to take a random personality quiz, determining which Pokémon the in-game human protagonist will become. Such an interest in who the player really is instantly creates a more concrete connection with the protagonist’s avatar than Pokémon’s typical and rather alienating “Are you a boy or a girl?” Furthermore, in Mystery Dungeon, the protagonist's avatar actually participates in dialogue with other Pokémon. This contributes to the shape of a determined, interesting character whose past and story must be revealed with the help and friendship of a partner Pokémon of the player’s choosing. The duo decides to found one of many rescue teams that voluntarily risk themselves to save helpless Pokémon that have fallen victim to a sudden inexplicable surge of natural disasters.

Unlike typical Pokémon releases, which -- no matter how you look at the changes between generations -- are all the same at their core, Mystery Dungeon is a roguelike strategy game. "We’ve seen different mechanics in Pokémon spinoffs before,” you muse aloud, recalling fondly your experiences with Pokémon Pinball, Pokémon GO and possibly even Pokémon Ranger. What makes Mystery Dungeon so special? Well, since the player is an actual Pokémon, it’s a much more engaging and personal risk in the combat against more complex AI. One of my favorite features is that each Pokémon has a default attack with no type that inflicts damage based on level. Additionally, the bold and adventurous yet somehow quaint and endearing songs found exclusively in Mystery Dungeon remind the player of the complete departure from what they thought was the normal world of Pokémon.

The Pokémon series' catchphrase has always been “Gotta catch ‘em all,” and Mystery Dungeon is no exception. But again, there’s just a little spin on this aspect that changes the game's entire tone. Pokémon aren’t simply used by the player, some superior being, to help achieve their goal. Rather, they join the player’s team entirely of their own volition to help contribute to the cause. Sometimes, defeated Pokémon don’t offer to join the team at all, and the player has to keep fighting to earn their respect. The plot's message is one of togetherness; it warns of the dangers of pitting communities against groups labeled as “other,” a timeless message especially applicable today and very impressive for a Pokémon game.

If you don’t want to emulate the games on your computer, you can buy old copies of Red and Blue Rescue Team legally online off various sites like eBay and Hobby Chimp (prices range from $19.99 to $197.70).