Pokémon Dash for DS

Pokémon Dash is the first Pokémon title to appear on Nintendo DS, and it races onto the new handheld with an innovative flair. Your goal is to guide Pikachu from one Poké Ball checkpoint to the next by sliding the stylus across the touch screen. Pikachu races across land, sky and sea in a heated competition to beat other Pokémon to the finish line.

Pokémon Dash is a fun racing game with a fresh approach. Despite its seemingly simple gameplay, the competition can get really intense! Pokémon Dash is an obvious choice for Pokémon fans, but even casual fans of racing games will get a kick out of this title, especially when battling friends in the six-player multiplayer mode.

Features

• Race your rivals! Race as Pikachu in a whole new way using the stylus slide-action to reach the goal in record time.

• Meet Munchlax! Don't be surprised when you run across an unfamiliar face -- Munchlax, the pre-evolved form of Snorlax.

• Connect for more courses! Hook up with GBA Pokémon versions: Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald to create new courses in the shape of your GBA Pokémon.

• Race your friends! Up to six players can complete using their own Pokémon Dash game cards.

The most striking thing about Pokémon Dash is the play control. The stylus-based control may sound strange, but after a few rounds of racing against Munchlax in Practice Mode you'll be sliding away like a pro. Pikachu can run fastest on paved roads, so whenever possible try to stay on the beaten path. You'll slow down when running on sand or through the forest, but special power-ups like the Forest Pad allow you to keep up a speedy pace even on tricky terrain.

A key aspect of the gameplay in Pokémon Dash is exploring the sky in a hot-air balloon. Frequently, large bodies of water or other impassable terrain will stand between your Pokémon and the next checkpoint. Unless you find a Lapras to ferry you across the water, you'll have to locate a hot-air balloon and take to the sky. Use the radar to find the next checkpoint, then dive toward your goal. If the ground is soft enough, you can use the stylus to pop the hot-air balloons and make Pikachu plummet to the ground faster.

The main mode of play is Grand Prix mode, which challenges you to clear five cups, each with five unique courses. It's no cake walk to make it to the final checkpoint in first place, and the competition becomes even tougher in Hard and Expert Grand Prix modes.

One of the most intriguing features of Pokémon Dash is its ability to connect with GBA Pokémon games to unlock new courses in the shape of your GBA Pokémon. To access this mode, you must first clear the Regular Grand Prix mode.