The most notable feature is the selectable female trainer who has her own set of animations and backgrounds. This is a great option for female Pokémon fans who were previously stuck playing the game as a male character. There are also subtle improvements to the cell phone system, HM moves, and prebattle animations. Rival trainers' phone calls are now more plentiful and pragmatic. HM moves, which are required throughout the game, are available at the push of a button--you'll no longer have to navigate menus to use these moves. Lastly, seeing a Pokémon's new animation makes encountering new creatures more fun than before.

If you haven't played Gold or Silver yet, Crystal is definitely the way to go. If you've played those previous games, Crystal has only enough new features to justify a purchase from Pokémon fanatics. This game is compatible with the link cable, Game Boy printer, and Pokémon Pikachu 2. It's playable on Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance only, and can be played on a television using Pokémon Stadium 2 and a Transfer Pak. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• New female trainer
• Prebattle animations are cute
• Lots of subtle improvements

• Too similar to Gold and Silver
• Mobile phone features not in the U.S. version