Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The first hour of Pokémon X knows exactly what it is doing: you pick a starter, begin filling out the Pokédex, and get that old urge to check every new encounter in case it becomes a permanent party member. That loop remains wonderfully hard to resist. Kalos has a Pokédex split into three sections, which gives collecting a broader, more organized feel and makes the region seem packed with possibilities.

The important change is not merely that there are more things to catch; it is that the game nudges you to reconsider how you build a team. The Fairy type is a genuine shake-up for anyone arriving with long-established assumptions about matchups. Mega Evolution adds another layer, temporarily boosting certain Pokémon through Mega Stones and sometimes changing their type and abilities as well as their stats. It is the kind of feature that makes a familiar monster feel newly worth experimenting with.

Horde Battles and Sky Battles add welcome variety to the standard turn-based rhythm. Horde encounters, in particular, change the shape of a fight by putting several opponents on the field at once. They are not a replacement for the series’ core battles, but they break up the routine at useful moments.

Outside battle, Super Training and Pokémon-amie give you more ways to invest in a party you already like. Super Training lets you raise stats through a regimen, while Pokémon-amie turns bonding into minigames, interaction, and Poképuffs. If you mainly want to push forward and catch everything, these are optional diversions; if you tend to get attached to a handful of Pokémon, they make that attachment feel more tangible.

Graphics

Pokémon X brings the main series into full 3D, and that alone makes Kalos feel like a meaningful step forward from earlier entries. Your customizable protagonist also helps the adventure feel more like your own rather than a fixed character’s journey.

Mega-Evolved Pokémon receive different looks alongside their battle changes, so the temporary transformation has a visible payoff instead of reading as a numbers-only boost.

Story

This is an adventure built around the Pokémon journey first: choose a starter, travel through Kalos, and gather information for the Pokédex. That straightforward setup is a strength because it leaves room for the real star of the series—the steady growth of your own collection and party.

You are not asked to arrive with detailed knowledge of new systems. The new type, new battle formats, and Mega Evolutions unfold within a familiar framework, making Pokémon X easy to settle into even as it gives series regulars new decisions to make.

The customizable protagonist matters here more than it might in a more heavily authored role-playing game. Since the journey is fundamentally about the Pokémon you choose and raise, being able to tailor your trainer is a small but fitting way to put your stamp on the trip.

Overall Experience

Pokémon X earns its 8/10 by refreshing a formula without losing the cozy momentum that made the formula endure. You can play it as a breezy collecting adventure, then gradually discover how much time you want to spend on stats, affection, battle matchups, and Mega Evolution. That flexibility is its biggest strength.

Veterans will get the most immediate kick from the Fairy type and the chance to rebuild familiar strategies around Mega Evolutions. Newer fans, meanwhile, get an approachable turn-based RPG whose most satisfying moments still come from finding a Pokémon you did not expect to love and making room for it on the team.

If you want a Pokémon entry that marks the series’ move to 3D while retaining the classic starter-to-Pokédex journey, Pokémon X is an easy recommendation. For a very different Pokémon-flavored detour, the strategy-focused Pokémon Conquest is also worth a look.

Retro Replay Score

8/10