On Tuesday, Nintendo announced the latest version of its extremely popular Pokémon franchise. Neither direct sequels to previous titles nor remakes, "Pokémon X" and "Pokémon Y" are brand new adventures built ground-up for Nintendo's 3DS handheld.
Both games will be launching this year in October. In addition to being the first Pokémon games on the 3DS, they will be the first titles in the series to receive a simultaneous release in Japan, North America, and Europe.
Breaking away from the top-down viewpoint that's been a staple of the franchise, "Pokémon X/ Pokémon Y" will feature a fully 3D perspective in a cel-shaded world. The initial trailer (starting at 7:20) teases lush landscapes and large cities for players to explore, as well as dynamic-looking battles and effects.
"We brought Pokémon into an entirely new dimension and we're incredibly excited to bring 'Pokémon X' and 'Pokémon Y' to fans," said video game director Junichi Masuda, in a Nintendo press release. "The stunning visuals, a completely redesigned environment, game scenario, music, and communication features will bring smiles to the faces of video game players around the world."
Nintendo also revealed the game's three starter monsters: the grass creature Chespin, the fire-breathing Fennekin, and the frog-like Froakie.
The video game maker surprised many by releasing "Pokémon Black/Pokémon White" a few weeks before the launch of its new 3D handheld, and even more when it opted to release "Black 2" and "White 2" on the same system over a year later. The "X/Y" installments will be a much needed boost to the 3DS' current position in the market.
Though the 3DS has picked up momentum over the past year, it hasn't enjoyed anywhere near the runaway success of the original Nintendo DS. A high initial price of $249 led to lackluster sales, forcing Nintendo to drastically reduce the price to $169 less than a year after release.
