Pokemon Dash is the first Pokemon title to appear on Nintendo DS, and it races onto the new handheld with an innovative flair. Your goal is to guide Pikachu from one Poki Ball checkpoint to the next by sliding the stylus across the touch screen. Pikachu races across land, sky and sea in a heated competition to beat other Pokemon to the finish line.
The most striking thing about Pokemon Dash is the play control. The stylus-based control may sound strange, but after a few rounds of racing against Munchlax in Practice Mode you'll be sliding away like a pro. Pikachu can run fastest on paved roads, so whenever possible try to stay on the beaten path. You'll slow down when running on sand or through the forest, but special power-ups like the Forest Pad allow you to keep up a speedy pace even on tricky terrain.
A key aspect of the gameplay in Pokemon Dash is exploring the sky in a hot-air balloon. Frequently, large bodies of water or other impassable terrain will stand between your Pokemon and the next checkpoint. Unless you find a Lapras to ferry you across the water, you'll have to locate a hot-air balloon and take to the sky. Use the radar to find the next checkpoint, then dive toward your goal. If the ground is soft enough, you can use the stylus to pop the hot-air balloons and make Pikachu plummet to the ground faster.
The main mode of play is Grand Prix mode, which challenges you to clear five cups, each with five unique courses. It's no cake walk to make it to the final checkpoint in first place, and the competition becomes even tougher in Hard and Expert Grand Prix modes.
One of the most intriguing features of Pokemon Dash is its ability to connect with GBA Pokemon games to unlock new courses in the shape of your GBA Pokemon. To access this mode, you must first clear the Regular Grand Prix mode.