Magikarp jumps into hands of fans

It may not be another Pokemon GO phenomenon this summer, but the new app “Magikarp Jump” created by the Pokémon Company is going to be a memorable one.

In this game, you’re not gathering pokemon in order to defeat the regional champion. Instead, the objective is to raise the weakest pokemon in the game – Magikarp – to be the best and highest jumper. To do this, you not only train your Magikarp by doing various exercises such as tackling punching bags or bashing away tennis balls, but also train by eating berries and getting assistance from various pokemon that can be obtained in the game or be bought by trading diamonds. When your Magikarp is trained up adequately or to the max, you take on the eight leagues that you as a trainer must complete before becoming a Magikarp Master.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: Only the first few are easy, until I have to sink in money to boost my Magikarp’s power. My answer for you is, both yes and no.

Yes, you can buy diamonds to trade in for decorations, support pokemon to raise your Magikarp’s JP (jump power), along with assorted items and even coins – which are used to upgrade and purchase training equipment and berries – but entering the game, it does say that the game can be played and completed without any purchases. Coins can be earned by leveling up, random encounters after training, and also after defeating trainers in the league. You also earn diamonds by leveling up your trainer, completing certain spots in the league, filling out achievements, and even by random chance.

Plus, there’s no need to worry over being stuck with the same Magikarp for the whole game. Either by retiring a Magikarp after a certain amount of training, maxing out its level (which varies depending on your trainer level), or by horrible circumstance, such as a bird pokemon snatching it away or an electric type doing it in (RIP Spot IV), not only will you be able to fish out a new Magikarp, but also earn experience points towards you as a trainer. Another cool thing is that each Magikarp has an individual bonus that boosts a certain aspect of the game, be it JP earned from training, or berries, or even coins earned.

The coolest thing about the game overall, however, isn’t just training and interacting with your Magikarp. In this game, excluding its normal and shiny form, this little guy has 17 new forms, ranging from calico to purple with diamonds. Not only does this add variety, it also adds incentive to try and literally catch them all! My future hope, as a longtime player of the games, is that the skins get transferred into the next generation or pokemon game and that the patterns transfer over to its evolved form – Gyarados.

Along with the catchy music, design, and set up of the game as a whole, this new game definitely deserves a 5 out of 5 rating. It’s easy for the casual player who wants to save a little dough, and fantastic for the longtime pokemon fans, as well.

For those itching to try it out, ‘Karpe diem,’ my friends. To the fullest, at that!

Advocate Staff