This is an part of series of about my current/recent playthough of Pokémon Pearl. Some while Fan terminology and some more advanced techniques will be mentioned, a Current or Previous Post will provide a Summary of said topic.
Day 2
As we enter the main Square in Jubilife City when I get approached by a man, talking the Pokétch. A Smart watch for Pokémon Trainers. He even tell me about a Promotion to get one for myself: Find 3 Clowns.
The Clowns ask relatively common Pokémon knowledge questions. I get them right first try and get hold of all 4 Coupons to redeem for the Pokétech.
So I return to the Man in the square to redeemed for Blue Pokétch. It has Digital Clock, Calculator, Step Counter, and a Party Status tracker. And there are more apps to be added later.
And Now I find that my next Objective is the next City: Orreburgh City.
Mike Thoughts
Short actual play time, less than 5 minutes. But the big question for most DS and 3DS games, how to work with 2 screens. Pokémon like many other DS titles of that time, were based on a series that as previously had 1 screen.
In terms of RPGs, the big question in what to do with your second screen, as most RPG before the DS, were doing fine with one. The Party Status Tracker and Map where two very commonly used ones in other games. Some action games used the touch screen as a set of additional “Software” buttons or analogue input. The Software buttons where hardly needed as the game didn’t even use all the buttons on the DS already.
Prior to getting hold of a Pokétch, the Bottom/touch screen was not used once outside of battle. It a Pokéball line art, in your Gender’s Colour. Pink for Girls, Blue for boys. It really didn’t help that almost every function outside of battle so far used the top screen only.
For Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, They had built in 25 different “apps” to the lower screen. However, 3 of these Apps are not found in Diamond and Pearl, and the one of these missing apps appear in Platinum. The missing apps can be unlocked via Hacking. The names of said apps are Stop Watch and Alarm Clock. The Platinum exclusive app is Matchup Checker, which let’s you work out which Pokémon in your Party can breed with each other in the Solaceon Town Daycare. (More on breeding when I get to Solaceon Town.)
Many of the apps have niche uses, but are very good at the task at hand. For example: The Daycare Checker lets you check the status of the Pokémon in the Daycare, and if there is an egg waiting for you. The Berry Searcher is for checking for Berry patches ready for harvest. The Dowsing app replaces the Dowsing Machine/Item Finder key item in other games.
However, a selection of apps are just like the Calculator, such as Analogue Clock, the Memo Pad, and counter, they all just add very little to actual game play, but is expected for a Pre-iPhone era Smart Phones and Personal Organisers built in apps.
While later games, the Pokétch feature was removed, the Bottom screen got new features in later games. The Menus, which are in Daimond, Pearl and Platinum got changed to make it easier to access and find stuff without needing to rely on pressing buttons to get the items you need, as there are over 100 unique items in the bags such as the TM Bag.
Talking about the TM bag.. I’m going cover this soon..