But how do you convince your Ham-Ham friends to come back with you to the clubhouse? With Ham-Chat, the secret hamster language around which the whole game revolves. Each new Ham-Chat word lets you perform new actions. You can say hi to other hamsters, apologize to them, or compliment them. You can also learn special words that allow you to perform special actions, such as digging holes, doing summersaults, or climbing. But the best part of Ham-Chat is that each word is associated with a move, so when you go to the clubhouse's dance room, you can link your Ham-Chat words together and Ham-Jam. With a link cable, you can trade your dance with friends.

You can buy 30 different outfits for Hamtaro and try stuff on back at the clubhouse. You can take a photo that can be displayed in the room and on the title screen, and as you play the game, new places within Hamtaro's neighborhood become accessible. All of this makes a great game that children will love, especially those who are fans of the show. Some adults may find it too cute to resist, too. --Bryan Karsh

Pros:

• Some of the best Game Boy Color graphics you're likely to see
• Make your own dances
• Take pictures of Hamtaro
• Explore Hamtaro's neighborhood

• You can't transfer dances to Game Boy Advance