Power Pro Kun Pocket series
Encyclopedia
Power Pro Kun Pocket series (パワプロクンポケットシリーズ, abbrv. :パワポケ), sometimes simply called Pawapoke or Power Pocket, is a sub-series (spinoff
) of the Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series baseball
game developed by Konami
. The series is released only on the Nintendo
's hand held platform (GBC
, GBA
, and Nintendo DS
). The series consists of 14 game entries (12 main series, 1 spin-off and 1 remake).
Originally, the game was planned to link the story with the Success Mode storyline in the main (Pawapuro) series. However, the series now departs from the world of Pawapuro series and forms independent storylines. Since the 8th iteration, Konami uses Baseball variety instead of Sport/Simulation as a game genre. Instead of baseball, the portion in Success Mode are much larger than the main series, which will be mentioned below.
It is noted that the Atsumare! Power Pro Kun no DS Koushien
is not included in the series, although the prequel Pawapoke Koushien was (see note). The DS version of MLB Power Pros 2008
also used the sprites in Power Pro Kun Pocket, but obviously it is not a Pawapoke series member either.
like character without face parts (other than eyes) and have its legs detached from the rest of its body) using nearly the same game system as the main series, the Power Pro Kun Pocket series is completely different from its mother series (Power Pro Series) in other aspects. It uses a more simple system in baseball than their main series. Many features outside the Success Mode were removed from the series, however, features related to Success Mode is increased.
As a feature of the whole Power Pro Series, passwords produced in the Pawapoke series can be transferred to Nintendo consoles' Power Pro Series for playing, but the ability may be weakened a lot.
series, which was the original success mode in power pro series intends to, even Konami itself admit the series becomes "a Gal-game with baseball contents", making them changed its genre to "Baseball Variety".
Like the Power Pro's setting, fictional pro teams exists in the series as well, but it is completely different teams since the setting has been developing on its own now.
The only way to obtain the Super Abilities is playing in Success Mode. In "Outer-Success", players can obtain Super Abilities by finishing the girl's endings, which each of them keep two (one each for pitcher and fielder) Super Abilities. However, in each of the series there exist a wild-card girl character, who can give any Super Abilities by players' choice, but usually it needs tougher requirements.
Note: Power Pocket Koushien (DS) was released as a Power Pro Kun Pocket series title entry when it was released in 2005. However, as the storyline has no relationship with the main series, currently Konami has removed it from the series' website. Although KDE-J did not have any official announcement towards such change, nor any declaration about that removal of series entry, it was assumed Power Pocket Koushien are no longer one of the series' entries. (Power Pocket Koushien's sequel, Atsumare! Power Pro Kun no DS Koushien
was a completely different case to presequel since it was never released as a Power Pro Kun Pocket series title entry.)
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
) of the Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
game developed by Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
. The series is released only on the Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's hand held platform (GBC
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
, GBA
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, and Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
). The series consists of 14 game entries (12 main series, 1 spin-off and 1 remake).
Originally, the game was planned to link the story with the Success Mode storyline in the main (Pawapuro) series. However, the series now departs from the world of Pawapuro series and forms independent storylines. Since the 8th iteration, Konami uses Baseball variety instead of Sport/Simulation as a game genre. Instead of baseball, the portion in Success Mode are much larger than the main series, which will be mentioned below.
It is noted that the Atsumare! Power Pro Kun no DS Koushien
Atsumare! Power Pro Kun no DS Koushien
is an RPG baseball game for the Nintendo DS. It is developed by Power Pros Production, the development-unit from Konami developing the Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series and Power Pro Kun Pocket series, and it is treated as the sequel of Power Pocket Koushien...
is not included in the series, although the prequel Pawapoke Koushien was (see note). The DS version of MLB Power Pros 2008
MLB Power Pros 2008
MLB Power Pros 2008 is the sequel to MLB Power Pros. It is a baseball video game developed by Konami for Nintendo's Wii and the Sony PlayStation 2 video game consoles, as well as the Nintendo DS handheld, and is part of the traditionally Japan-only Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series of video games....
also used the sprites in Power Pro Kun Pocket, but obviously it is not a Pawapoke series member either.
The game
Although the game nearly retains everything, including the feature of Power Pro series mascot (The Pawapurokun: a RaymanRayman
Rayman is a platform video game published, produced and developed by Ubisoft and is the first game in the Rayman series of videogames. Originally released on the PlayStation in 1995, it was re-released for the Atari Jaguar, Sega Saturn and MS-DOS in 1996. It has also been ported to various formats,...
like character without face parts (other than eyes) and have its legs detached from the rest of its body) using nearly the same game system as the main series, the Power Pro Kun Pocket series is completely different from its mother series (Power Pro Series) in other aspects. It uses a more simple system in baseball than their main series. Many features outside the Success Mode were removed from the series, however, features related to Success Mode is increased.
As a feature of the whole Power Pro Series, passwords produced in the Pawapoke series can be transferred to Nintendo consoles' Power Pro Series for playing, but the ability may be weakened a lot.
Differences between Pawapuro and Pawapoke Series
Here are some of the major differences between the two series:For Baseball
- There are no real ballparks included, other than Koshien StadiumKoshien Stadiumis a baseball park located near Kobe in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The stadium was built to host the national high school baseball tournaments, and opened on April 1, 1924. It was the largest stadium in Asia at the time it was completed, with a capacity of 55,000.The name Kōshien comes...
. - Farm team players are not included in the series. Individual default tactics towards team and players are not available.
- No coaches, managers, player flows and growth in pennant mode.
- Card Baseball can be played instead since the eight game (Introduced by spin-off Power Pro Kun Pocket Dash)
For Abilities
- Existence of Super Ability, which are stronger than usual abilities.
- Changes of explanation, and effects of some abilities.
- Name changes for some abilities, abilities in Power Pro series with the suffix 2 becomes X (△ for 10), 4 becomes ○ and 5 becomes ◎.
For Game Modes
- Money system is introduced to buy expansion teams, mini games, or some other features (similarly to MLB Power ProsMLB Power ProsMLB Power Pros is a baseball video game developed by Konami for the Wii and PlayStation 2 video game consoles. It is part of the traditionally Japan-only Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series of video games, and is the first game in the series to be released outside of Japan. It was released on October...
series). - Mini games are included in nearly every series. Some can be played upon certain conditions, but most needed to be obtained by Success Mode.
The Success Mode in Power Pro Kun Pocket series
Other than the first game (one success mode), and Koshien (does not feature any success mode), all other Power Pro Kun Pocket series titles features at least two different success modes, which called "Outer-Success" and "Inner-Success". Unlike the Power Pro series, this series did not follow storyline with realism, and many fantasy elements were mixed into the series. The series was greatly influenced by Tokimeki MemorialTokimeki Memorial
is a popular dating simulation series by Konami. It consists of 6 main games in addition to a large number of spin-offs. The games are notable in the dating sim genre for being highly nonlinear. Their nickname amongst their fans is the contraction TokiMemo....
series, which was the original success mode in power pro series intends to, even Konami itself admit the series becomes "a Gal-game with baseball contents", making them changed its genre to "Baseball Variety".
Like the Power Pro's setting, fictional pro teams exists in the series as well, but it is completely different teams since the setting has been developing on its own now.
Super Ability
There exist 10 rare abilities collectively called Super Ability, which can give a great increase to statistics (can exceed limit) or have more negative effects towards opponent players. Pitcher and fielders have a separate 5-set ability and no one can hold more than one Super Abilities. Some Super Abilities will cancel out other Super Abilities in play. Such abilities will not be kept when the player is transferred to the Power Pro series.The only way to obtain the Super Abilities is playing in Success Mode. In "Outer-Success", players can obtain Super Abilities by finishing the girl's endings, which each of them keep two (one each for pitcher and fielder) Super Abilities. However, in each of the series there exist a wild-card girl character, who can give any Super Abilities by players' choice, but usually it needs tougher requirements.
Main Series
- Power Pro Kun Pocket (GB) - 1 April, 1999
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 2 (GB) - 30 March, 2000
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 3 (GBA) - 21 March, 2001
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 4 (GBA) - 20 March, 2002
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 5 (GBA) - 23 January, 2003
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 6 (GBA) - 4 December, 2003
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 7 (GBA) - 2 December, 2004
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 8 (DS) - 1 December, 2005
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 9Power Pro Kun Pocket 9is a baseball game for the Nintendo DS. It is part of the Power Pro Kun Pocket series of games published by Konami, and is the second Power Pro game released for the Nintendo DS...
(DS) - 7 December, 2006 - Power Pro Kun Pocket 10 (DS) - 6 December, 2007
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 11 (DS) - 18 December, 2008
- Power Pro Kun Pocket 12 (DS) - 3 December, 2009
Spinoffs
- Power Pocket Dash (GBA) - 23 March, 2006
Note: Power Pocket Koushien (DS) was released as a Power Pro Kun Pocket series title entry when it was released in 2005. However, as the storyline has no relationship with the main series, currently Konami has removed it from the series' website. Although KDE-J did not have any official announcement towards such change, nor any declaration about that removal of series entry, it was assumed Power Pocket Koushien are no longer one of the series' entries. (Power Pocket Koushien's sequel, Atsumare! Power Pro Kun no DS Koushien
Atsumare! Power Pro Kun no DS Koushien
is an RPG baseball game for the Nintendo DS. It is developed by Power Pros Production, the development-unit from Konami developing the Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū series and Power Pro Kun Pocket series, and it is treated as the sequel of Power Pocket Koushien...
was a completely different case to presequel since it was never released as a Power Pro Kun Pocket series title entry.)