A whole new element to the game focuses on how berries are used in battle. And if you collect enough berries, you can take them to a Berry Blender and make a PokéBlock, which is a little super-charged candy that raises your Pokémon's "Condition" attributes. You can then groom your Pokémon for regional contests and compete for ribbons like "Best of Show," which will unlock additional contests. There's even strategy in how to best use your berries: pick too many and the berry tree will disappear; plant berries, though, and a tree will grow. You can also build a Secret Base in special areas of the game, which you can decorate just like you can your room. And let us not forget that Pokémon Sapphire has a kickin' multiplayer system, too. You can trade Pokémon, and link up to four players for incredible battles. The only downside is that you can't link up with the old Game Boy Color games. -Bryan Karsh Pros: You can control two Pokémon in battle Much needed graphic and sound facelift Nice multiplayer feature (requires link cable and extra game cartridge) Cons: Can't trade Pokémon with Game Boy Color.

A whole new element to the game focuses on how berries are used in battle. And if you collect enough berries, you can take them to a Berry Blender and make a PokéBlock, which is a little super-charged candy that raises your Pokémon's "Condition" attributes. You can then groom your Pokémon for regional contests and compete for ribbons like "Best of Show," which will unlock additional contests. There's even strategy in how to best use your berries: pick too many and the berry tree will disappear; plant berries, though, and a tree will grow. You can also build a Secret Base in special areas of the game, which you can decorate just like you can your room. And let us not forget that Pokémon Ruby has a kickin' multiplayer system, too. You can trade Pokémon, and link up to four players for incredible battles. The only downside is that you can't link up with the old Game Boy Color games. -Bryan Karsh Pros: You can control two Pokémon in battle Much needed graphic and sound facelift Nice multiplayer feature (requires link cable and extra game cartridge) Cons: Can't trade Pokémon with Game Boy Color.

Sharp, vivid landscapes, detailed towns and dungeons, and awesome weather effects-it looks like a Super Nintendo game with some extra zing squeezed onto a handheld system. Fans of Secret of Mana or Chrono Trigger will appreciate the feel of this game. But the game's greatest strength is its magic system. Your characters each have their own latent psychic abilities based on one of the four elements of alchemy (earth, water, wind, and fire). The characters will be called upon to use their individual forms of telepathy and telekinesis to solve various puzzles in the game. Also, you can collect Djinn (elemental spirits) and link them to your characters. Not only can these Djinn be summoned in battle, they can also bolster or hinder your characters' latent psychic abilities, give them special attacks, and even change your characters' class. This system is similar to Final Fantasy VIII's guardian system, though far more intuitive and easy to master. Golden Sun employs a basic turn-based battle system, but it has amazing spell and fighting techniques that really take advantage of the GBA's technology. The game achieves a nice balance between flashy attacks and the brevity of these same attacks-a lesson the makers of other RPGs should learn. Battles are beautifully and quickly fought, and don't overtax the gamer. The game also has an addictive arena mode in which players can fight monsters they've already encountered in the game. Players can also link up with another GBA (this feature requires another Golden Sun cartridge) and fight against another party. While it's not true a multiplayer option, it adds a great replay value to the game. Golden Sun's weakest point, however, is its standard-issue story. In essence: boy wakes up amidst disaster, meets stalwart friends, and rises to the challenge to save the day (all while living up to the image of his dear departed father). The story is a little stale, but the mechanics of the game transcend this flaw and bring the gamer into a state of handheld nirvana. -Bryan Karsh Pros: Vivid graphics Deep, intuitive magic system Addictive multiplayer arena mode Cons: A plot straight out of "RPG Story Lines 101" This role-playing adventure for one to two players lets you delve deep into a new world of fantasy and wonder, and experience the dawning of a new series. Your quest is to recover a powerful artifact that was stolen from your secluded village and now threatens the world with absolute destruction. You will make use of psychic powers, magical spells, and the lost art of alchemy to undo the evil that has befallen the land. Gather the four elements-fire, water, wind, and earth-and use them in different combinations to master new, more complex spells. New interactive possibilities are possible with the multiplayer mode that allows two players to quest together (requires Game Boy Advance Game Link cable).

nothing happens, do something and something WILL happen!.

The game starts off easy and advances in difficulty as it progresses. It will appeal to novice and expert Pokemon fans alike. For the first time, a Pokemon's moves can be linked and used together in one turn. This feature offers the player a strategic choice of attacks and is an entirely new concept in the Pokemon world.