Review: Pokemon Conquest for Nintendo DS & 3DS

I'll admit I wasn't all that psyched about a new Pokemon game. But Pokemon Conquest, for the Nintendo DS and 3DS, proved to be a pleasant surprise.

This isn't one of those fight, fight, fight games that gets boring after about 10 minutes. There's a lot of strategy involved. But first the back story: The game takes place in old-time Japan, a region called Ransei, which is made up of 17 different kingdoms (one for each of the Pokemon types). Your warlord and your Pokemon face off in against other warlords in an attempt to unite the 17 regions and awaken the Legendary Pokemon.

You obviously have to use the right strategies in each individual battle. But as you win battles and your kingdom grows, you also have to be smart about what regions you take over and where your allies are, because you're always at risk of invasion. There's also a handful of different settings where battles take place, which can affect the outcome of the fight.

Obviously, diehard Pokemon fans are going to love this game. But even if you're more of a casual fan, this game is deep enough and interesting enough to keep you playing for a while.