Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky

 DS
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 435 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 396 out of 435
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 435
  3. Negative: 22 out of 435
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  1. AlisonZ
    Nov 9, 2009
    10
    Well, for all you Pokemon fans out there, I seriously want you to buy the game. It has cool feature like unlockable episodes and a new juice bar, many new Pokemon and hours (and days, weeks, and months) of fun. Hardcore gamer or not, you should try, and just because a bunch of fat, lazy critics that have nothing better to do than give poor scores for great games and sit on their rump all Well, for all you Pokemon fans out there, I seriously want you to buy the game. It has cool feature like unlockable episodes and a new juice bar, many new Pokemon and hours (and days, weeks, and months) of fun. Hardcore gamer or not, you should try, and just because a bunch of fat, lazy critics that have nothing better to do than give poor scores for great games and sit on their rump all day munching burritos will not make me or most people listen to them. Many kids from ages six to sixteen will enjoy another Pokemon game because they are Nintendos loyal customers.… Expand
  2. Zoroark700
    Jun 21, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For the Pokemon fans who don't like the RPGs this is definitely the game for them. Its emotional and its just... fun. Its not the best game ever but if I could I would make this game be the number 2 or 3 game ever. Although it gets annoying and frustrating after playing one dungeon then dieing its fun fighting those big bosses like primal dialga or darkrai because it sends a burst of adrenalin through your blood. And to top it off it has epic boss music and a totally great soundtrack. Its also fun recruiting people and evolving them once you unlock luminous springs. So I just recommend this to anyone.… Expand
  3. Vanishing77
    Apr 19, 2018
    10
    This is probably one of the greatest games of all time. Amazing soundtrack, thrilling and punishing game-play, great story and interesting characterisation. It has pretty much everything you could ever want and more. It's also officially nine years old as of two days ago which is kind of cool.
  4. M1styck
    Nov 27, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A very good game, liked it a lot, graphics were decent, story was awesome and it had a decent replay ability, because every time you start with a different pokemon… Expand
  5. Ryleemuffin
    Jul 1, 2013
    10
    What kind of child didn't want to be right next to their favorite video game character? Here, Game Freak gives you a chance to. You start off answering some questions, by the way I got Eevee, to determine what pokémon you are. If you answered truthfully, you might find the game describing who you were. Then, you were thrown into the game. You are started with some startling text. It is aWhat kind of child didn't want to be right next to their favorite video game character? Here, Game Freak gives you a chance to. You start off answering some questions, by the way I got Eevee, to determine what pokémon you are. If you answered truthfully, you might find the game describing who you were. Then, you were thrown into the game. You are started with some startling text. It is a conversation between two people, or pokémon, and someone couldn't hold on.

    You are introduced to your partner, mine was Vulpix, who is pacing around and gets scared by the voice in the grate.

    Only with you, does your partner muster up the courage to become an explorer. I grew to love my partner as a friend. But the ending. There is no future for you, so you end up getting wiped from the face of the Earth. You knew it was coming. But when your partner finds out, she he breaks down in tears and begs you not to leave. After you disappear, your partner forces themselves to move on, to tell your story, the story of the sacrifice you made. Dialga feels your partner's pain and suffering from the Imperial Tower. "I have felt your pain and suffering from here... If Rylee (the name you entered) wishes to come back as well. He she will come back..."

    This game made me cry. Any game, in my book, that makes me cry is beyond amazing. Game Freak, you deserve a medal for this amazing game.    … Expand
  6. sgtmiller3
    Mar 23, 2014
    10
    This game is a beautiful game, pokemon or not. The soundtrack is amazing and touching, the storyline is deep and great. The game-play can be challenging at times, but with the right tactics you should progress through the story just fine. This game is a definite 10 of 10 for me and i must recommend buying it.
  7. Darklycan51
    Dec 8, 2013
    10
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
    This is the most UNDERRATED game in modern gaming history.
  8. destroyer3242
    Feb 25, 2016
    10
    Ironically, this has the lowest aggregate score out of all of the pokemon mystery dungeon games.

    Well they're wrong because this game is aggreGREAT. I remember playing Explorers of Darkness, when that one first came out, and I definitely loved it, improving on everything that Red Rescue team had. And, it had everything I could ever want in a game of this type, variety, personality,    Ironically, this has the lowest aggregate score out of all of the pokemon mystery dungeon games.

    Well they're wrong because this game is aggreGREAT.

    I remember playing Explorers of Darkness, when that one first came out, and I definitely loved it, improving on everything that Red Rescue team had. And, it had everything I could ever want in a game of this type, variety, personality, fun game play, and even a good story (which, in a pokemon game alone is already an amazing feat.)!

    But, something was missing. Something to give it that one final push, and fully secure it as something I'd love forever.

    Then, along came Explorers of Sky, which added the last bits to the game that I needed. Adding new dungeons to the post-story mode, making use of even more of the cool pokemon from Gen 4 that we were all still riding the hype train over (for the most part), adding little extra things around the place to spruce up the game even more, and what was possibly my favorite part: The side stories. Yeah, some of them were weak, but what they added was character development. Even if it was small, or insignificant on some of them, it was still necessary character development. You understood the character a little more after playing through their back stories. And then it closes out with a bigger side story that actually takes place during important parts of the game, from different POVs, which by itself was a relatively large amount of content for just being some additional 'junk' to justify an extra edition.

    Understand, however, that this review is not based off pokemon nostalgia, or anything like that. I don't really feel nostalgia for... well, any franchise anymore, because they've either become unlikable over the years, or they just aren't for me any more. No, the game was honestly that fun for me, as much as it was back then, and still is fun for me today, with all of the expansive things you can do in this game, how much there is to see, how much there is to explore. There's no nonsense about it either. You want to go explore somewhere, you can do it whenever you want (provided you met the unlock conditions). There are few times when you are locked into the story mode of the game, and even then, you have as long as you like to be able to prepare for these points in the game; it doesn't force you to proceed in the game. This is a good thing. Sometimes, I mysteriously like to take my time with games I like. Yeah, if the game sucked, I'd like it to be over faster, but that's not the case with this game.

    It doesn't matter if the graphics in this game are old now, or you might find the story cheesy at first, or you just don't like pokemon anymore for whatever reason. You'd want to buy this because it is a great game.

    Also those modern ones with Gates and Super don't have ANYTHING on this one.    … Expand
  9. srx
    May 2, 2021
    10
    hard to find flaws with this game. I guess if you want to be technical, the story is logistically impossible, but I won't get into that. Brilliant story, brilliant character, brilliant soundtrack, solid gameplay, great sprites and portraits. I love every game of this series but this one takes the cake as the top dog.
  10. Karala
    Aug 1, 2014
    10
    I joined this site to say that this is the most engaging game I've ever played. I am not a huge gamer (I'm in my late 20's) but I enjoy RPG types. Despite enjoying them I almost never have completed a game, they get really hard or they just get too repetitive. This one was not. The story was compelling and emotional. I have never been invested in characters in a game before this one, andI joined this site to say that this is the most engaging game I've ever played. I am not a huge gamer (I'm in my late 20's) but I enjoy RPG types. Despite enjoying them I almost never have completed a game, they get really hard or they just get too repetitive. This one was not. The story was compelling and emotional. I have never been invested in characters in a game before this one, and at one point I possibly teared up (and no, I am not the type to cry watching movies).

    I haven't played its predecessors, but I think of this like main Pokemon games that are designed to be released in a set of three; they all have a lot in common. I do not see why that should give this one such a low rating -- I do not see Pokemon Gold or Silver getting a low rating just because the other is almost identical in every way. If you're hesitating on the game because of that, then don't! I'd say this is like the Pokemon Crystal to Gold and Silver. AKA: The one I wait to buy instead of the other two!    … Expand
  11. ikereview
    Nov 2, 2014
    10
    this game is nearly perfect sure its an upgrade but people allow many franchises to do this and say there sepiorer the story is great its the MOST UNDERRATED GAME IN MODERN HISTORY BISIDES HALO WARS
  12. Kchewz
    Jan 24, 2021
    10
    Make. A. Sequel. Or. Remaster. This is undoubtedly the apex of this series.
  13. noisestrike
    Jan 27, 2016
    10
    This is an amazing game. It still makes me cry 6 years later so to all those who are posting **** reviews because of graphics, you are the cancer of the internet.
  14. Weesum
    May 31, 2015
    10
    There is literally nothing that i can say that I didn't like about this game. So i cried a little inside for my second favorite pokemon game, trailing just behind platinum, being rated as worse than my most hated pokemon game, gates to infinity.
  15. rabbitdog321
    Aug 22, 2015
    10
    Absolutely brilliant in every aspect, the plot, the mechanics, the feels, just absolutely everything. If you are a fan of Pokemon it makes it even better.
  16. Xidas
    Jul 21, 2015
    10
    While the gameplay may not be the game's strongest point, it makes up for it with an incredible storyline as well as its 141-song soundtrack. It's easy to give this game a bad review if you only play for 30 minutes, but if you play long enough to experience the entirety of what the game has to offer, you will not be disappointed.
  17. a_neat_guy
    Nov 15, 2015
    10
    This game's game play is surprisingly addicting with one of the best stories in recent memory and is SUPER UNDERRATED please play this game you wont be disapointed
  18. ggCodgg
    Nov 28, 2015
    10
    Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky is the pinnacle of the Mystery Dungeon Spin Off Series. With the combination of graphics, story, game play and music this game is one of the best Pokemon Spin Off games in history. The main story and endgame content can leave you with countless hours of entertainment, and despite its age, still reels me back into playing even into this day. In termsPokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky is the pinnacle of the Mystery Dungeon Spin Off Series. With the combination of graphics, story, game play and music this game is one of the best Pokemon Spin Off games in history. The main story and endgame content can leave you with countless hours of entertainment, and despite its age, still reels me back into playing even into this day. In terms of pros and cons:

    Pros:
    -Beautiful Cut-scenes
    -Fantastic Story
    -Beautiful Music
    -Great Game play
    -Memorable Locations
    -Fantastic Character Development
    -Great twists and turns
    -Unpredictable environment
    -Very High Replay ability
    -Many Dungeons to Explore
    -Many Pokemon to Face(Up to Gen IV)
    -Adds additional stories explaining characters and situations from Time and Darkness

    Cons:
    -Remake of Time and Sky, some players may feel shafted

    Overall, if you are reading this review today, and have not played this game, you should find this game somewhere on ebay and purchase it. This game offers an entire experience no other game has left me, from a fantastic story and memorable locations, along with hours of content, I found little to no time of where I felt bored. This game is simply put the best game in the Mystery Dungeon Series, and is highly underrated. With how modern gaming industries are working, this game shines a light in the darkness of how a simple DS game can generate the best experience of a lifetime, at such of little cost, with the bountiful amount of content. Please go out and purchase this game yourself, you will then know of the feelings I am speaking of as I wrote this review. Its a 10/10 game!    … Expand
  19. AstralSonic
    Dec 29, 2015
    10
    One of the few games that made my cry in the end (and of happiness). Everything about this game, from game play, to soundtrack, characters to story line, is something I'll hopefully never forget.
  20. moss69
    Mar 4, 2020
    10
    Not only the best mystery dungeon but my favorite pokemon game. A game where you can actually "catch" them all.
  21. Grovyle
    Apr 8, 2016
    10
    Don't listen to the "Critics" I'll bet 5000$ they never even beat the whole game, also pay the 20$ for this game, it's completely worth it. Beating the game for me took 91 Hours and I'm not even close to completely finishing it.
  22. Cyte
    May 28, 2016
    10
    "The game isn't perfect by any means, it can get a little repetitive at times and the story takes a little while to get interesting. However, it's perfect in my eyes and this game had a massive impact on my life. The story is amazing and the gameplay gives a fresh twist on Pokemon. In my opinion, this is the best game ever made, second only to the sequel, Explorers of Time/ Darkness/ Sky.""The game isn't perfect by any means, it can get a little repetitive at times and the story takes a little while to get interesting. However, it's perfect in my eyes and this game had a massive impact on my life. The story is amazing and the gameplay gives a fresh twist on Pokemon. In my opinion, this is the best game ever made, second only to the sequel, Explorers of Time/ Darkness/ Sky." - A review I wrote for Blue Rescue Team.
    Everything positive I said in that review holds true for this game, everything negative does not. This game is perfect in every way and I heartily recommend it to everyone. The game has the most amazing and compelling story to ever exist and has many aspects from the previous game improved and redesigned (for the better). Many people in this world, alongside myself, may not have become the people we are today without this game. It's that amazing...    … Expand
  23. XTremeGamze
    Aug 6, 2016
    10
    This game is the most under-rated game in history. The plot is the best of any in the Pokemon franchise and has a decent game play time. The music fits perfectly with each scene and level and you can tell effort has been put into it, each stage having it's own music. The downside is little was changed from explorers of Time and darkness and is still the same game. However, it is definitelyThis game is the most under-rated game in history. The plot is the best of any in the Pokemon franchise and has a decent game play time. The music fits perfectly with each scene and level and you can tell effort has been put into it, each stage having it's own music. The downside is little was changed from explorers of Time and darkness and is still the same game. However, it is definitely the one to get out of the three if you are new to the series and don't own any of the others.… Expand
  24. Gameskiller01
    Jul 27, 2018
    10
    Without a doubt this game has one of the best soundtracks and best story of any game in modern gaming history. The "professional" reviewers are absolutely crazy.
  25. Dracoshi
    Mar 3, 2019
    10
    I will NEVER understand the poor reviews this masterpiece of a game received at its launch. It has been almost a decade since it released, and it is still my favourite game of all time. I can replay it endlessly, and always get the same huge amount of enjoyment from it every time.

    Story: This is where the game truly shines. The plot/story is honestly incredible. I can't even put into    I will NEVER understand the poor reviews this masterpiece of a game received at its launch. It has been almost a decade since it released, and it is still my favourite game of all time. I can replay it endlessly, and always get the same huge amount of enjoyment from it every time.

    Story: This is where the game truly shines. The plot/story is honestly incredible. I can't even put into words how the story of this game made me feel. There's so many big moments and plot twists and the build-up to the ending (and the ending itself) are absolute roller-coasters. This game stands out to me as one of the best stories I've ever seen in my life.

    Music: The music/soundtrack is also fantastic; I find myself listening to it frequently even after all these years. Sometimes during the game I'll stop progressing because I want to sit and listen to the music, which shows how amazing it is.

    Gameplay: Although the gameplay is unusual and takes a small amount of time to get used to, it becomes very enjoyable and offers a very unique RPG experience.

    Characters: I never thought a Pokemon game would create some of the most interesting, diverse, unique characters I've ever seen. The character development for both main and side characters is incredible. This is another area where the game is just perfect.

    Content: The amount of content in this game is huge. The main story takes me - on average - around 25 - 30 hours, although this could be much higher if you enjoy exploring everything the game has to offer. There's also a very long post-game, which could easily boost your playtime to over 100 hours. I've played through the game at least ten times, and yet I still find things I haven't done before in every playthrough.

    Art-style: The graphics/art-style, although pixelated, is beautiful. The sprites of the characters and the backgrounds and the pixel arts are just so full of character, and suit the style of the game perfectly. I really wish the newer Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games kept this art-style.

    Overall, I cannot emphasise enough how incredible this game is. It is so so so underrated and honestly a gem. Almost everything in the game is perfect. This game - for me - ranks far above the main-series Pokemon games, and ranks far above the other spin-off games. This truly is the pinnacle of Pokemon.    … Expand
  26. Synnett
    Dec 22, 2016
    10
    This game cannot be rated by simply playing it a few hours. The story is so deep, so complex, so emotional and takes so long to develop properly, without saying all that wonderful music you miss. I feel like those critics did exactly that, they reviewed the game out of two hours of dungeon mechanics and didn't witness the great story unfolding. Or some were bitter off that game and simplyThis game cannot be rated by simply playing it a few hours. The story is so deep, so complex, so emotional and takes so long to develop properly, without saying all that wonderful music you miss. I feel like those critics did exactly that, they reviewed the game out of two hours of dungeon mechanics and didn't witness the great story unfolding. Or some were bitter off that game and simply did not bother, offering a petty 40. The critics reviews are pretty upsetting, as this is the most underrated game in modern history. This game stands as my second favorite game of all time. I'd recommend it to anyone.… Expand
  27. TurtleGames
    Feb 18, 2022
    10
    Man this game is actually one of the best spin offs of the franchise, its a shame that it has such a low score
  28. obi12323
    Jan 24, 2017
    10
    Despite the negative reviews you will see from "video game critics", not only is this game the most under rated game of all time, but it is also the best game of all time. Do yourself a favour and play this game. The story, the music, the characters and the game play are flawless.
  29. NegaMega
    Feb 10, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ¡Es una Joya!
    ¡es Devon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    … Expand
  30. ZeoN
    May 29, 2017
    10
    Buen juego de cara a la saga de Mundo Misterios.Completa bien la saga y tienen buenas mazmorras,buena historia y buen sistema de combate.Historia simplemente genial
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Most Discussed DS Game of 2009
3
#3 Most Shared DS Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 26
  3. Negative: 9 out of 26
  1. Da Gameboyz
    60
    I just can't recommend Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky to anyone that has played the previous games in the series. It looks like a GBA game, and is chock full of lazy and somewhat dated gameplay.
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  2. Cheat Code Central
    60
    While Explorers of Sky would be a decent game if it were judged in a vacuum, when viewed alongside Explorers of Time / Darkness, there simply isn't enough unique, quality content to make it relevant. This is perhaps one of the worst values in gaming I've ever seen.
    Read full review
  3. Gaming Age
    42
    The story isn't interesting enough to keep you involved, and the gameplay doesn't elevate past mashing attacks for combat. All together, it's a disappointing title, and not one that I suggest checking out.
    Read full review
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