Terrible, but Monumental: A Look at “Pokemon NXT”

Ryan Smythe’ 15 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

Cries for a Pokemon MMORPG are second only to cries for Half-Life 3, and this fan-made version may be the only version fans will ever see.

Pokemon NXT is currently in Alpha stage, and open to the public to test out. Fair warning; it’s terrible. The camera controls feel completely detached from the movement controls, and the battle system is borderline useless. Switching Pokemon is about as intuitive as assembling IKEA furniture. Nothing about this game works well, if it works at all.

Ultimately, though, none of that matters. What does matter is that it exists. Even if Nintendo shuts it down, which it likely will, it will still mean that Nintendo and the Pokemon Company have seen it. People are playing an awful version of this game. Just imagine, then, how many will play a real, well-made version. Imagine the amount of money Nintendo would make from that game. Satoru Iwata could legally change his name to Scrooge McDuck and it wouldn’t be weird.

Nintendo even has the perfect platform for implementing this. Besides the amazing potential of menus handled by the GamePad, Nintendo Network IDs could serve as trainer IDs. Couple that with the online capabilities that are ready to handle Super Smash Bros. online play and the foundation is set.

How long would Wii Us remain in stock if this got released? A week? An hour? Only time will tell.