Power Up | Child's play turns out to be fine, grown-up fun

Remember Pokemon? Not so long ago, the term was the scourge of elementary schools around the country as frustrated teachers confiscated Game Boys and bundles of dog-eared Pokemon cards from distracted pre-teens who couldn't seem to get enough of Nintendo's oh-so-cute pocket monsters.

Well, brace yourself, educators. Pokemon is back.

It never left, actually. Nintendo has issued several new Pokemon titles since the original red and blue versions first became popular, and they're still big sellers. But somewhere along the way, the game lost the cultural impact that once landed it on the cover of Time. That's not too surprising, really, since the initial wave of devotees grew older and moved on to other pursuits while video-game critics who assailed the game redirected their attention to more controversial offerings, such as Grand Theft Auto. But a new feature built into a pair of Pokemon games launching on Sunday has the potential to make the series as big as ever.

Aside from the usual bloodless combat between oddly named critters, Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl for Nintendo's handheld DS will, for the first time in the series, feature online multiplayer action. Gamers with access to a wireless network can take advantage of the DS's built-in Wi-Fi capabilities to challenge or trade characters with other players around the world. Using an optional $14.99 headset, players can even talk to online buddies with whom they have exchanged "friend codes."

For the uninitiated, Pokemon challenges players to explore and collect more than 100 pocket monsters. Once captured, a player's Pokemon can be used to fight and capture additional creatures. The new Diamond and Pearl games are set in a never-before-seen region called Sinnoh and more than 80 new Pokemon creatures appear in the game. Owners of earlier Game Boy Advance versions can upload their hard-earned Pokemon collections into Diamond and Pearl via the GBA cartridge slot built into the DS.

Taking full advantage of the handheld's spiffy graphics, the series looks better than ever. Plays better, too, thanks to upgrades such as an enhancement to the combat system and a real-time clock that influences how the player interacts with the environment. Some Pokemon, for example, can only be captured at a certain time of day.

While Pokemon is generally thought of as child's play, the heart of an old school adventure game beats underneath the cuteness. For that reason, the series has many adult fans. I'm one.

While Pokemon is taking its game play online for the first time, hundreds of games are already there. Lately I've been checking out Travian, a free, browser-based affair that requires no software to be installed on your computer. Players simply head to the game's Web site, www.travian.com to begin play.

Travian is a real-time strategy game in which the player starts with a village but seeks to amass an empire. What's unique about Travian's game play, however, is that it's very slow, at least initially. It can take weeks of play to build up one's initial village using natural resources like wood, clay and iron. Although the pace of the action may be leisurely, I found myself checking in on a regular, almost compulsive basis to see how construction was progressing or to find out whether a rival had launched an attack. Because thousands of other players are involved, alliances, espionage and treachery can become delicious elements of the game. To be sure, Travian has some kinks that need to be worked out, but it's great fun if you enjoy a thoughtful game of strategy. And hey, the price is right.

Grade: A+

N

intendo DS, $34.99.

Rating: E (all ages)

Online: www.pokemon.com

Grade: A

Grade: A

PC, Mac, Free.

Unrated, but suitable for all ages

On the Web: www.travian.com