Digimon World - easily one of the best games ever created for the Sony Playstation. DW1 was released in 2000. Despite the harsh reviews from the majority of "professional" game reviewers, DW1 sold over 400,000 copies, becoming a Greatest Hit in 2001. To the first few thousand copies released in 2000, there was a "Digi-Battle Game Card" included with the game. There was two magazine advertisements and a TV commercial released for this game. I don't remember the commercial, but I remember seeing the magazine advertisements, one which showed MetalMamemon and had the words "Warning: This is not for people who suck at games." written across the page. The other, was kinda basic-looking, and just had some screen shots and info about the game. MetalGreymon was shown as the "main" image of that advertisement.

Anyway, Digimon World 1 is an awesome game. The graphics are fine for the Playstation days. The areas are pre-rendered, and they look great and highly detailed. The music is good, and each tune suits the mood of an area. The gameplay, is easily where the game shines: it's a tamagotchi-type game, where you must train, feed, and yes, even crap, a digimon. Based on how well you've trained or treated your digimon, his growth will change ("Digivole") to a more powerful creature. The battle system for his game is very unique, also, like it's gameplay. First of all, you must learn techniques, which you can customize by giving up to three techs, to your current digimon. Techs can be learned by increasing brains, or battling enemy digimon. The battles are very different from the usual RPG, of course, and you get to command your digimon and tell it what to do in battle based on his brain power. If your digimon has 500 brains, for example, you can choose exactly which technique he uses. Now, the story, isn't anything to laugh or cry about. Well, maybe laugh. There's no plot twists or anything....you're just a young boy who's been sucked in the digital world via the Digimon keychain, and Jijimon wants you to travel the digital world and recruit as many digimon as you can, to the city. Regardless of a weak story (and silly script), the gameplay is truly where this game shines....everyone must play DW1, digimon fan or not.

When you first start the game, you will be asked a few questions by Jijimon. This determines your partner digimon. The first question asked will be, "Do you own a digivice?" Answer 'Yes', and the next question will be "Which do you like better, Day or Night?" Answer Day for Agumon, and Night for Gabumon. If you say 'No' to the digivice question, "Do you have friends?" will be asked, and if you answer 'Yes', you will get Agumon, and if you say 'No', you will get Gabumon.

Now that you are in File City, and the digital world, Jijimon will explain things to you. Talk to Tokomon to get some items which will really help you, as a beginner. Then talk to Tanemon each day, for 3 meats. Now, you can explore the digital world and go do some recruiting!

BASICS : Thought Bubbles.
These 'thought bubbles' let you know what your digimon wants, or how he is feeling.

MEAT - Your digimon is hungry, of course. If your digimon is a baby or in-training, feed him a food like meat or digimushroom, as they are only one pound, and thats all a baby or in-training needs to satisfy it's hunger. Rookies usually ask for 2 pounds worth of food, but sometimes 3 or even 1, so giant meat is great for them. Champions and Ultimates all ask for food differently, but usually 3 pounds worth of food will satisfy them, unless it's Tryanomon, who can ask for 5 pounds of food or so each time he's hungry.

CRAP - Yeah, your digimon needs to take a crap, so head to the nearest toilet, or use a Portable Potty (Always bring these with you on adventures!). If you do not get to a toilet in time, your digimon will crap on its own, leaving the crap forever in the area he crapped to (Unless you get Numemon or Sukamon to eat the crap...) Also, it raises your virus meter....crapping too often will make your digimon become a Sukamon, and the only way to fix that is to take a trip to the King Sukamon at Trash Mountain.

SWEAT - Your digimon is tired, most likely from training or battle. If you keep training while really tired, eventually training will raise your stats up only by 1 each time unless you rest using Punimon or Centarumon.

ZZZ - Sleep time! Go to the menu to sleep your digimon. Sleeping restores all HP and MP of your digimon, and allows you to save. Useful.

BAND-AID - Your poor digimon is injured from battling! Using the item 'Medicine' or 'Band-Aid' can heal your Digimon's sickness, or a trip to Centarumon can also heal him.

NEEDLE - A scary thing to see, this means your digimon is sick, and if you have no medicine to give it, or you cannot visit Centarumon, your digimon will die. This can occur when you do not sleep or feed your digimon. Also, it can occur from eating something that can cause sickness (Moldy Meat and Happy Mushrooms are examples). Or even lingering in the cold or areas your digimon does not like.

DIGIVOLE - This little black figure means your digimon is gonna digivole.

BASICS : DIGIMON LIFE

There are 5 stages in a digimon's life: Baby, In-training, Rookie, Champion, and Ultimate. All Digimon will reach champion level, but not all of them may reach the ultimate stage. For a baby digimon to become in-training, it takes about 6 hours. For a in-training to become a rookie, it takes about a day. For a rookie to become a champion, it can take up to 5 or 6 days, but if 6 days pass as a rookie, it will most likely become Numemon. Champion to Ultimate, will take 11-15 days.