Help Pikachu race to the finish line in Pokémon Dash, the first Pokémon title to be announced for Nintendo DS
Up until now, Nintendo's bankrolling super series Pokémon has restricted itself to one genre on the Game Boy Advance, that of a collection based RPG. But the touch-driven, wireless-connecting, exciting new DS console lends itself more to action-orientated play, and it is with this in mind that Nintendo have brought us Pokémon Dash.Pokémon Dash is a racing game and boasts one of the many new and unique control methods that are made possible by the Nintendo DS. The player has direct control over Pikachu, who must race against other Pokémon in a competition that takes him over land, sea and air. The controls couldn't be simpler'you simply drag the Nintendo DS stylus over the track itself. Using the stylus, you must try to keep Pikachu on the paved part of the track'he'll soon slow down over sand and forest. When you come to water, you'll either have to enlist the help of a Lapras to get across, or take to the air in a hot air balloon if you can find one. You'll also need to use the balloon for getting across other, more rocky, impassable terrain, and when you need to come down again, pop the balloon with the stylus and hope for a soft landing.Race in Grand Prix mode through five cups each with its own five courses, and if you still want more, you can generate tracks in the shape of Pokémon from other Pokémon games in your collection. The game is compatible with the GBA titles Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, Leaf Green, and Emerald. Practice racing against an all-new Pokémon, Munchlax (in fact the pre-evolved version of the Snorelax) and once you think you're good enough, you can challenge your friends'up to six DS owners can link up cable-free and thrash it out. So go on, race from Poke-ball checkpoint to checkpoint, be first to the finish line and prove yourself once more in the fiercely competitive arena of Pokémon training.