Pokemon X and Y Reviews

Pokemon X and Y is ranked in the 96th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10.0
Mar 9, 2016

Pokemon has been a big part of my life since it first arrived on US shores in 1998.  It is a game that has captured the imaginations of children and adults alike. For the first time in the series\’ history, Pokemon X has made the full transition to 3D.  It also offers advancements to the series as never before seen, changing the battle formula and how we battle each other online.

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9 / 10
Oct 4, 2013

Once again, Game Freak hits the nail squarely on the head, making Pokémon X and Y an excellent new addition to the series' expansive library. Thanks to the simultaneous multi-region release date more players than ever before will be able to experience first-hand that indescribable sensation of unearthing brand new Pokémon that have nimbly avoided the dreaded internet leaks.A wonderful blend of excitement and nostalgia, Pokémon X and Y evolves the core series with its impressive polygonal 3D environments and magical camera angle mastery, adding a few technical adjustments along with a brand new Pokémon type to the original formula that we all know and love. It's not quite a revolution — and is hindered slightly by the meagre use of its host platform's glasses-free 3D capabilities — Pokémon X and Y is sure to steal the hearts of Pokémon fans new and old alike.

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Oct 20, 2013

Pokémon X and Y isn't quite an impassioned love letter to the series, but it's damn close. Players can finally experience this world in full polygonal 3D, and despite its remaining grid-based roots, the sense of freedom and openness is tangible and real.

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Will Greenwald
Top Critic
Oct 25, 2013

Pokemon X/Y doesn't change how it plays over Black/White, Diamond/Pearl, and so on, but it looks great and is still a fun, satisfying time-sink for your 3DS.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 17, 2013

Welcome to the Kalos Region, where Pokemon has truly evolved.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 21, 2013

Pokémon X and Y is a stellar entry in the series. Get it.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 22, 2013

Pokemon X and Y are definitely two of the best games in the series to date.  The new features are fun to play with (especially the PSS), and the Mega Evolutions and new Fariy-type changes things up with the type-matchups.  Whether you’re a veteran or just starting your very first journey, Pokemon X and Y are definitely worth picking up.

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Oct 23, 2013

If Pokemon’s greatest pleasure is the joy of discovery, then I’ve finally discovered it. And hooray for that.

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Oct 15, 2013

Pokemon X and Y are the 3D Pokemon games that fans have been waiting all of these years for. An overly predictable plot and a hit and miss 3D feature are but a few blemishes on what’s otherwise an impeccable set of games.

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Shacknews
Top Critic
9 / 10
Oct 4, 2013

All told, it's an impressive accomplishment, and a great start for the series on the Nintendo 3DS. I have no idea what the future holds, but for another few years at least, the beat will go right on for what may be the most important series on any Nintendo platform

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9 / 10
Oct 4, 2013

The best new Pokémon for a decade and a game of exquisite depth and longevity, with visuals and online options that finally do the series justice.

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IGN
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Oct 4, 2013

Game Freak has really outdone itself this time, and Pokemon X and Y will be remembered as great transition point for the series’ transformation into an even more social, beautiful, and strategic game. Building on five generations of games, a digital menagerie of captivating creatures, and a wide range of diverse regions to explore, Pokemon X and Y proves this formulaic portable role-playing series can still deliver an innovative experience.

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9.5 / 10.0
Oct 11, 2013

Nobody has demonstrated they can do Pokemon better than Pokemon can. X and Y does everything it needs to remain relevant, to prove why it's the top of its field, and if that's not good enough for you, there's nothing Ekans say to change your mind.

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9.5 / 10.0
Oct 4, 2013

Pokemon X and Y is a completely interconnected experience, which is exactly how Pokemon is meant to be played — a fact I'd forgotten since my schoolyard days.

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96%
Oct 30, 2013

Revitalizes the aging franchise and breathes new life into old mechanics.

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Unscored
Nov 14, 2017

I'll have more to say when I beat it, especially because these third-version games always seem to load the super-cool, crazy stuff into the back half. Right now, Pokemon Ultra Sun comes across as the same game as last year with a bunch of new stuff on top. I dig it.

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Drew Leachman
Top Critic
Unscored
Oct 23, 2013

It’s all here. Fans of Pokémon will be in familiar territory while newcomers will have a great time learning the ropes. It never deviates from the norm too much, but what X and Y does and does brilliantly, is the improvements to connectivity and game progression. Sure, it may feel the same, but it is so refined, that hardcore players will see past it. With more monsters than I can count, and an improved online and overall experience, Nintendo has proven that Pokémon is still alive and well, and with X and Y, anyone with a 3DS should play it. It really is the best Pokémon game I have ever played.

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Guardian
Top Critic
Unscored
Oct 19, 2013

Just when he thought he had kicked the habit, Matt Kamen finds himself captured by the new improved Pokémon adventures

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No Recommendation / Blank
Oct 4, 2013

Pokémon X & Y is the finest expression of Satoshi Tajiri's obsessive vision yet.

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Unscored
Oct 17, 2013

The core Pokémon franchise has largely remained unchanged, both graphically and mechanically, since its inception with Pokémon Red and Blue. While Game Freak has kept adding on various elements to keep the games fresh, each new title didn’t really present a whole lot in terms of variety. I also admit that both Pokémon Black and White 1 and 2 completely lost my interest. I never even got past the second gym. It was Pokémon fatigue at its worst. Pokémon X and Y changed all of that. I was a fan again. I couldn’t stop playing. I couldn’t stop catching and collecting.

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