Nintendo's Pokémon Crystal, the latest title in its juggernaut series, shipped yesterday and should be in stores now. The game, which features the addition of a new female trainer, is a special edition of Pokémon Gold and Silver, the highest selling video games of 2000, and includes a number of enhancements and new gameplay options.

The biggest by far of these changes is the addition of a new female trainer, who will serve as a counterpart to Ash. This marks the first opportunity for players to use a female trainer as their character, and the new features don't stop there; the female trainer comes with her own uniquely drawn maps and menus, along with a different backpack that contains special gear. This new trainer, along with Ash, will have her hands full learning more about the mystery of the Unown, a hieroglyphic alphabet-like group of Pokémon characters. Anyone who saw the latest Pokémon movie will be familiar with the story surrounding the Unown, and the game will further develop this plot.

On top of all this, Pokémon Crystal comes with a brand new Pokédex, which sports enhanced graphics, new information, three different sorting options -- by number, evolution type, and alphabetically -- as well as location indicators telling players where they are whenever they change an area. The graphics and battle sequences have also been greatly improved, and players can trade all 251 characters from Pokémon Red, Blue, Gold, Silver and Yellow. The game also includes GameLink support, Game Boy Advance support, and the option to transfer Pokémon into Pokémon Stadium 2.

Pokémon Crystal is developed by Nintendo, Game Freak and Creatures, and it is published by Nintendo. The game will sell for a suggested retail price of $34.95, with an ESRB rating of "E".