Pokemon is the hottest toy craze in years -- an analog to the 1980s Cabbage Patch Kids feeding frenzy. If you've tried to buy Pokemon trading cards, you know they're flying off the shelves faster than they can be restocked. The Pokemon TV show is the highest-rated kids' show on TV. Schoolyard status can even hinge on Pokemon ownership. Here's the lowdown on the game, and some Pokemon bestsellers to top it off! There are multiple electronic versions of the Pokemon game, which is available on Nintendo's GameBoy system and a Nintendo 64 offshoot called Pokemon Snap. Depending on where you live, (in the U.S. or Japan) you can choose from Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow Pokemon. Red is considered the strongest overall, while Blue is somewhat rare. Green was released along with Red in Japan, but it quickly became known as "the boring version" and isn't sold in the U.S. Yellow is currently available only in Japan. Upcoming Gold and Silver Pokemon releases are planned later this year, also in Japan. In the game itself, you play a character who lives in an alternate world where animals are replaced by Pokemon -- colorful creatures with super-powers. Your job is to collect and catalog as many Pokemon as possible -- there are more than 150 -- while battling Pokemon and completing mini-quests. By doing this, you earn badges, and if you earn all the badges you can attain the coveted status of Pokemon Master. Pokemon have another nifty trait: they evolve as you train them, sometimes developing entirely new powers and abilities. Their personalities can also change based on your interaction with them.
Pokemon Game Items and Guides:
	Pokemon Trading Card: Booster Pack The Pokemon game set in a card format. This booster pack supplies additional cards to supplement the player's game deck. Random card types come in every booster. Because these are so hot, please limit your purchase to five booster decks.
	Pokemon Trading Card: Jungle Booster Pack Are you ready to explore the jungle? If you look hard, you'll find 48 new Pokemon cards in the exciting Jungle expansion for the Pokemon trading card game. Because these are so hot, please limit your purchase to five booster decks.
	Pokemon: Prima's Official Strategy Guide (Red Cover) Japan's Pocket Monsters have invaded America! You must find, capture, and tame these monsters to capture the title of champion Pokemon trainer. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Pokemon will take you from the starter monsters through the role-playing, collecting, and trading frenzy that is Pokemon. Plus, both the RED and BLUE versions of the game are covered in one amazing book.
	Pokemon: Prima's Official Strategy Guide (Blue Cover) Same book as the Red Guide but with a blue cover.
	Pokemon Trainers' Survival Guide Author Mark McDonald traveled to Japan to study Pokemon in its native environs (where it is actually called Pocket Monsters) in addition to extensive Pokemon study in the U.S. The result is the Pokemon Trainers' Survival Guide, a comprehensive guide to the towns, tricks, and routes that make up the game, as well as details on all 150 Pokemon (and a sneak peek at number 151).
	Pokemon Author Jason Rich has put together a Pokemon storybook that also includes strategies and clues you can use in the Pokemon game! Good advice disguised as a story puts a new twist on the world of Pokemon game guides, and it's a successful experiment. Gotta catch 'em all! And don't miss our interview with Jason Rich.
	Pokemon Snap: Prima's Official Strategy Guide Through the wilds of Pokemon Island you must find, stalk, and capture on film dozens of Pokemon in their natural habitat. This will take a clear head, nerves of steel, and Pokemon Snap: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Within its pages you'll discover complete maps of Pokemon Island revealing the hiding places of every Pokemon, tricks for bringing shy Pokemon into the open, hints for honing your photography skills, and detailed breakdowns of all seven environments. You have to catch this book!
	Official Pokemon Handbook The official guide to the mega-popular video game as well as the hit television show and the collectible line of toys.
Check out some more Pokemon books.
Pokemon Videos: The celebrated animated Japanese series is now on video. Each volume contains three complete episodes suitable for children of all ages and comes with mini-comics, trading cards, and more!
	Pokemon Vol. 1: I Choose You Pikachu Ash sets off to see the world with Pikachu in tow, and runs straight into trouble. VHS DVD
	Pokemon Vol. 2: The Mystery of Mount Moon Ash travels to the Pokemon Center, only to run into bad guys. VHS DVD
	Pokemon Vol. 3: The Sisters of Cerulean City Can Ash Ketchum catch 'em all? With friends like Brock, Misy and Pikachu anything is possible. VHS DVD
	Pokemon Vol. 4: Poke Friends The Pokemon legacy continues as Ash must battle against the evil Team Rocket. VHS DVD
	Pokemon Vol. 5: Thunder Shock Ash attempts to earn a ThunderBadge. Later, on a cruise with Misty and Brock, things appear to be going awry. It appears that the evil Team Rocket are at it again. VHS DVD
Check out some more Pokemon videos.

Pokemon Music:
	Pokemon: 2.B.A. Master Soundtrack This is an enhanced audio CD which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files, including the PokeRAP music video.