Welcome to The Pokémon Gazette, dear Poké-fans. This newspaper was especially made for your enjoyment and awareness of recent events that develop in the gaming and Pokémon world. Please enjoy this issue of the Gazette, and e-mail us with any ideas, questions, or answers!
Ages 3 And Up

Do you ever notice how everything in entertainment has a rating on it, stating what age you should be to play a certain game or watch a certain movie or play with a certain toy? Well, why is that? Why can an adult indulge themselves in something that everyone will say is "inappropriate" and "unsuitable for children?" I understand toys that may pose a choking hazard not be given to a small child, but what about movies and games?

Why is there even a rating such as R and PG-13? Why do we, as we get older, suddenly begin to enjoy watching and playing things that were once unthinkable to even look upon when we were children? Why do we suddenly have an urge to watch violence, immorality, and swearing? Was it something that we were lured into as we got older? Or... was it always in us and we just never were able to act on it before?

When we are young, very young, we don't even like to see people kiss in a movie. "That's gross," little kids say. But, then we grow up, and as our feelings mature, aroused in us is this desire to not only kiss, but to actually enjoy it. Is it simply a chemical change that occurs, though, when we begin to find the dark side appealing? Is it just part of us maturing and growing up when we suddenly begin to sneak into an NC-17 movie or read a graphic romance novel or obsess with gore and violence to no end?

Maybe it just creeps upon us, like we begin to find certain things in a PG-13 movie that we would never see in a G movie appealing. Maybe it's just that we tried a violent video game one day and we discovered that it is also entertaining. From then we are hooked, going deeper and deeper into it. From a PG-13 chick flick to a romance novel, full of infidelities and loose lips, society seems to hand this out to us at a certain age.

For some reason, a teenage boy that tries to steal cigarettes is reprimanded for his actions, but a peer of his that is a few years older can, without a hassle, flash an ID and get a pack without anyone missing a beat. Why do our parents instill in us morals and values early in life, only to watch them get broken once we turn 21 and everything is okay? We go from being a kid and finding guns as terrible weapons to kill with to being 18 and getting drafted into an army where we are brainwashed to believe this is a civil duty.

Is it all something that changes in us... or is it something that the media changes in us? Maybe the reason there is more violence and bad news reports is because we are exposed to it more, it seeps into our minds and in time we rationalize that it's okay. The very things we would never even touch before become okay. We say to ourselves, "I'm old enough to do this." But, is that true? Should there really be an acceptable age for some things?

Personally, I think that some things shouldn't even be mentioned. I think that we shouldn't need ratings and age limits because content should always be clean and honorable. No matter how old we are, we shouldn't think that something that we would hide from a 12 year old is something that we can flash in front of our friends and rant about. I think that there is no age appropriate to act terrible. There is no age when violence, immorality, and debased thoughts should become okay. There are just some values that we should carry with us our entire life, not just until we are a legal age. What do you think?

Evil Espeon?

In the fifth Pokemon Movie (Pokemon 5-Heroes) there are two Team Rocket spies. These Rockets are neither Jesse nor James. These are two different Rockets named Oakley and Annie. Annie owns an Espeon. And, as you may know, an Espeon in Team Rocket is not a good Espeon. But... that is wrong. Just because Espeon is used for bad things doesn't mean its evil. This goes for every other Pokemon as well. There Is No Such Thing As Bad Pokemon, Just Bad Owners.

Point Of View By Red Rusher, aka Leevario.

Well, do you agree with him? Weigh in your opinion now.
Super Smash Bros. Brawl!

Yes, we all know it. The newest game with our returning star Pikachu, with his old, yet powerful, friend Lucario, and three original pokemon from the very first game of Pokemon. Now, what game on the new console, the Wii, has these five stars? If you haven't heard of it, you are living way in the past. The only game would have to be, the best game of the year in many opinions, Super Smash Bros. Brawl! This can only be, the one game to have all our favorite stars from Pokemon! Pikachu, the cute electric Pokémon featured in every Pokémon episode since the beginning of time, Lucario, the strong aura Pokémon who's powers can withstand a great Pokémon war, and the Pokémon trainer, who has in his trusty three pok&233;balls, has the beloved Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard.

If you thought they were assembled here just to woo us with beautiful graphics, think again. These Pokémon mean business. In other games, you would play as the Pokémon trainer, the girl or the guy. Not in this game. You, yourself, ARE the Pokemon! You battle foes to defeat your enemies fast and diligently, doing awesome combos here and there. Don't take it so lightly all the time, though. This game requires a good amount of skill, so don't think you can beat someone if you are strong. Strategy and many other factors are taken into account as you go through the game.

Brawl also features a great story mode, plus many other items and trophies you can collect. As you travel through the areas, battling various people and creatures, it'll be a tough journey. Acquiring stickers to improve your characters, you can defeat enemies easier. Apart from Subspace Emissary, Classic mode recaptures the essence from the previous game, Super Smash Bros. Melee.

New Challenger Approaching! Don't be fooled, Pokémon aren't the only stars in this video game! Super Smash Bros. Brawl features many other characters from the Nintendo company. These new characters consist of Link, Ice Climbers, Samus, Sonic, and the classic character, Mario. Those aren't the only ones that are featured in this game. Many other arrivals appear when you play throughout the game.

With all the new features, characters, levels, and many others, this game has a lot to offer. Good gaming platforms, many new solo and co-op missions, and of course, many characters. You may also battle others across the globe. With this in mind, why don't you try it out? You have no idea what you are missing!

-Kaoru-chan
Pokémon Gazette
Stareon's Hideout
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