I'm one of the lucky children who got to grow up in the Pokémon era. I remember watching the very first episode and instantly being hooked. I wanted everything to do with the franchise, from the trading cards to the faux Pokédex and plush toys.
Now at 22 years old, I've let all of that go - mostly. I still engage with the games that throw back to my childhood, where you play as a newbie trainer in regions across the Pokémon world in a bid to catch every single species and beat The Elite Four. It's still to this day a lot of fun.
So naturally when I got the review code for Pokémon Art Academy, I was quietly very excited. I've always loved to draw despite not being very good at it, and combining that with one of the things that held such a big part of my younger life in its grasp seemed like a fantastic opportunity.
Credit: NintendoArt Academy itself is already a successful piece of software in the gaming world, with previous sequels including Art Academy: SketchPad and Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone!
Pokémon Art Academy is the first time it has tied itself in with something so specific however, and features 40 art lessons which range in difficulty from the super easy to the challenging.
Kicking off with an easy portrait, players are given step-by-step instructions on how to use the different tools such as outline pens and markers so that they can get the best result, and if a shaky hand or misplaced finger on the screen happens to mess up all of your hard work, it's simple to remove the error with a quick tap of the R button.
Credit: NintendoI found myself wanting to get every flick and swish of the wrist perfect. If I hadn't covered the pre-laid out lines in the best way I had to go back and do it again. But that's not to say it left me feeling irritated when I didn't get it spot-on. In fact, it was one of the most relaxing video games I've ever played.
In a generation where we see some video games blamed for inciting real-life violence, Pokémon Art Academy can definitely be given the chance to shine as one that does the complete opposite. Any child who plays this will learn patience as well as how to draw, and should love the opportunity to share their drawings with family and friends.
Credit: NintendoThere were only two downsides I could find - longevity and accessibility.
It would have been good to see the 40 lessons perhaps doubled so that time spent on the game's core went up, and the ability to add more than one profile would have been nice so that families could all take turns on separate accounts before showing off their masterpieces.
Other than this, though, it's a stellar offering that's sure to put a smile not only on the faces of the young ones who have just been introduced to the world of Pokémon, but their older siblings who remember just what it was like to be one of the first to try and catch 'em all.
Pokémon Art Academy is available now for Nintendo 3DS and 2DS consoles.
Tagged in Pokemon