A rare Pokemon spin-off game that was considered lost media for over two decades has resurfaced on social media thanks to the efforts that one avid collector undertook to preserve the game. Since the Pokemon franchise’s arrival in 1996, the monster-collecting series has seen numerous mainline and spin-off titles across different genres.
Although the mainline series gets most of the attention from fans, Pokemon spin-offs have also carved a niche within the franchise. This includes games like Pokemon Pinball on the Game Boy, and the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series that started on the GBA and DS systems. One of the more popular spin-off titles of the decade is Pokemon Pokopia, a cozy life simulator and home-building title exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2 systems. Pokemon Pokopia also has an Expansion Pass that will offer players more content to enjoy.
A Working Copy of PokePark Fishing Rally DS Has Been Discovered
While the Pokemon series is notorious for rare collectibles, a collector stated that he is in possession of a game that was originally lost to time. Content creator and avid Pokemon collector Daniel Quadri said that he owns a working cartridge that contained PokePark Fishing Rally DS, a game that was only available in the summer of 2005 at the PokePark theme park in Nagoya, Japan via the DS Download Play service. Quadri demonstrated the cartridge’s legitimacy by inserting it into a New Nintendo 2DS XL system, which is backward compatible with all DS titles. The cartridge could even transmit the game to other nearby DS and 3DS consoles via the DS Download Play function. However, users who downloaded PokePark Fishing Rally DS in this manner had a limited time to play before the game disappeared from their system.
Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.
In PokePark Fishing Rally DS, players could catch a variety of aquatic Pokemon from first through third generations by aiming a fishing rod and pressing the A button repeatedly once a Pokemon was on the hook. Some of the fish Pokemon that players could encounter in the DS downloadable title were Magikarp, Goldeen, and Feebas. After reeling in a catch, the Pokemon would then be rated based on its level, weight, and rarity. Shiny Pokemon were also featured in the game, meaning players who caught one could score a high amount of rarity points.
Players could then upload their five highest-scoring catches onto a server, where a leaderboard would show which Pokemon made the top 50. Quadri said that a Pokemon-themed DS screen protector was one of the prizes that players could earn from playing PokePark Fishing Rally DS while it was available. Although games such as Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver are among the first Pokemon games that players think of from the DS lineup, spin-offs such as PokePark Fishing Rally DS have also been recognized as part of the franchise’s history.
Quadri stated that he submitted the PokePark Fishing Rally DS cartridge to PSA for authentication and to ensure it could be encased for posterity and preservation. Along with the cartridge, Quadri also had a Japanese magazine issue that featured PokePark Fishing Rally DS in its pages and a PokePark hand fan that was initially given to park visitors at the time.
Source: IGN
