Pokédex 3D (Nintendo 3DS) Review

A digital encyclopaedia in one respect and a social tool in another, Pokédex 3D serves to be the perfect storage solution to those who are hell bent on ‘catching ‘em all’. What is a simple download from the online store could end up being not only the biggest time soak currently on the 3DS, but also it is a great testament to the gems that Nintendo still haven’t really taken advantage of yet.

Starting off with a paltry 16 Pokémon, your early Pokédex is a slim representative of the breadth and variety of creatures you could be in possession of. That is not to say though that there isn’t enjoyment to be had in the slim pickings of an early collection, however. Scrolling across the touch-screen reveals each character has been perfectly modelled and rendered to appear on the 3D screen. Using the Circle Pad and shoulder buttons you can swoop and dive around your chosen Pokémon and see them from pretty much any angle you wish. It is a surprisingly freeing experience, and being able to hop from one gloriously detailed Pokémon to another turns the 3D screen into a comprehensive area of research rather than a pretty distraction.

Just as an entomologist will sit down and list every single action, desire and value of the smallest insect, so too has every Pokémon in the Pokédex been stripped down to the very elements that make them tick. Height, weight, attacks, defences and its evolutionary scale are all broken down for the viewer to assess, compare and delight in, all at their own pace. Along with the extensive biography that is about as invasive as a customs agent with an evil mind, each Pokémon also comes with their own animation and signature sound. Though it is a limited and repetitive add on, it at least lets their personalities come through against the mountain of statistics.

Where Pokédex 3D really comes to life though is the world beyond the 16 entrants that you’re landed with when you first download the title. A quick exploration through the menus and you’ll see that Pokémon can be swapped, gifted and shared with much of the wider world in a variety of ways. One choice you have is to utilise the barcode that each of the Pokémon comes with; scanning the code with the rear camera lets you easily bring Pokémon into ownership and extend your collection. Another is to swap and share with friends in dedicated fashion through some handy buttons. Digital trading cards they might be but it’s the start of how Pokédex 3D is building an active 3DS community. Finally, three Pokémon can be downloaded per day through the online SpotPass service.

Already at E3 this year, AR cards for Pokédex 3D were unleashed to allow you to visualise and add to some of your collection by using this incredibly (and still) overlooked function of the system, bringing your creatures into the real world. However, not only reserved to the select few who were in attendance at the expo, these cards have been made readily available all over the Internet. It is the beginnings of a fantastic social environment, utilising all of a fantastic system from SpotPass to Augmented Reality.

Nintendo haven’t forgotten the humble camera either ,with a sticker book that rests neatly in the menu ready to fill with snaps of any Pokémon you view in AR mode. It’s a neat little addition that will not only help spread the social web but will also encourage much teasing and posturing online.
Even for those who are not fans of Pokémon, Pokédex 3D still hints at what 3DS might have in store for other franchises and titles to come. Fans, though, will be the ones to embrace Pokédex 3D and it’ll grow by using all facets of the system. Wireless swap meetings will be arranged; AR cards will no doubt swamp playgrounds and, indeed, the meeting places of older bodies of congress.