<P> Catching Pokémon is another essential element of the gameplay . During battle with a wild Pokémon, the player may throw a Poké Ball at it . If the Pokémon is successfully caught, it will come under the ownership of the player . Factors in the success rate of capture include the HP of the target Pokémon and the type of Poké Ball used: the lower the target's HP and the stronger the Poké Ball, the higher the success rate of capture . The ultimate goal of the games is to complete the entries in the Pokédex, a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading to obtain all 151 creatures . Pokémon Yellow allows players to trade Pokémon between two cartridges via a Game Link Cable, including the previous games Pokémon Red and Blue . This method of trading must be done to fully complete the Pokédex, since each of the two games have version - exclusive Pokémon . The Link Cable also makes it possible to battle another player's Pokémon team . </P> <P> Pokémon Yellow features several enhancements and changes . Including the below - mentioned inclusion of Pikachu as the only available Pokémon to start with, Pikachu is given both a voice and a personality unique from other Pokémon . It follows the player on the overworld, and can be examined by speaking to it by pressing A when the overworld character is facing Pikachu . While it initially has an indifferent opinion of the player, it can grow to love or hate him based on the player's actions; leveling up will keep Pikachu happy, while fainting frequently will make it unhappy (this enhanced feature would be used again in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, (the remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver). There is an area in Pokémon Yellow that features a "Surfing Pikachu" mini-game . In order to play it, players must have a Pikachu who can learn "Surf", a Water - based attack . At the time, players could only accomplish this by winning a contest to get a "surfing Pikachu". However, if players use their Pikachu from Yellow in Pokémon Stadium and beat a certain mode under the proper circumstances, they are rewarded with the move Surf, which can be used both in battle, out of battle, and in the above - mentioned mini-game . Pokémon Yellow has slightly improved graphics from its predecessors and can print Pokédex entries onto stickers using the Game Boy Printer . </P> <P> Like Pokémon Red and Blue, Yellow takes place in the region of Kanto, which features habitats for 151 Pokémon species . The objectives remain the same as well, though some differences exist along the way . For example, in the beginning, the player is not given an option of choosing one of three starter Pokémon . Instead, a wild Pikachu that Professor Oak catches becomes the player's starter Pokémon, while the rival character takes an Eevee . The plot is loosely based on the Indigo League saga of the anime, and features characters that were not featured in the game or have been enhanced to resemble their designs used in the anime, including Jessie, James, Meowth, Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny . Similar to the anime, Pikachu refuses to evolve . Players are also given the opportunity to obtain the original three starters . As players quest on, they gradually progress catching Pokémon for the Pokédex which you use to defeat the eight Gym Leaders and eventually the Elite Four, all the while battling Team Rocket, a gang devoted to using Pokémon in order to make themselves more powerful . By the time of the encounter with the Elite Four the player has had the opportunity to capture 149 types of Pokémon; in the after game (after the Elite Four is defeated) a player may enter Cerulean Cave, where Mewtwo, the final Pokémon in regular gameplay, can be found, battled and captured . The last Pokémon in the Pokédex, Mew, cannot be captured during ordinary gameplay, though exploiting bugs in the game makes this possible . </P> <P> Pokémon Yellow first began development after the completion of the Japanese Pokémon Blue's development, which was made after the Japanese Pokémon Red and Green . It was developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld game console . Its release was made to coincide with the release of Pokémon: The First Movie . Nintendo president Satoru Iwata commented that people likely felt Yellow to be unnecessary due to the upcoming release of Pokémon Gold and Silver, which were scheduled to be released in the same year . It was released in Japan on September 12, 1998, in Australia on September 3, 1999, in North America on October 19, 1999, and in Europe on June 16, 2000 . A Pikachu - themed Game Boy Color bundle was released in North America on October 25, 1999 . A collaboration between Volkswagen and Nintendo resulted in the creation of a yellow Volkswagen New Beetle with some features taken from Pikachu . This was done as a promotion for Pokémon Yellow . Nintendo World Report listed Pokémon Yellow as one of the notable handheld releases in 1999 . </P>

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