Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team is an action-adventure role-playing game released in 2006 for the Nintendo DS. While it takes place in the Pokemon universe and features creatures from the main Pokemon games, the gameplay in Blue Rescue Team is different from what is found in the main Pokemon games with a new concept and fresh story line.

The gamer controls a human who wakes up mysteriously transformed into a Pokemon. The gamer joins up with other Pokemon to adventure through large, multilayered dungeons in attempts to rescue other Pokemon. In general the gamer's goal will be to search each floor of the dungeon, attempting to find a stairway that will let them get further down.

The game's educational strengths are limited to a moderate amount of reading and solving a variety of problems. The gamer must use strategy, memory, and tactics to successfully progress in the game.

Classroom facts are not present in Blue Rescue Team outside of the fact that it will require gamer to read.  Some of the noted vocabulary utilized included, impish, electromagnetic wave, and natural disasters.

While the gameplay in this game is not much different than the game play in standard Pokemon games, it is definitely not anything that hasn't been done before. That game borrows most of the settings and game play from the Pokemon series. The developers, Chinsoft added a twist with a new story line resulting in little creativity their part. The game does not push the gamer to be terribly creative, either; the gamer's choices are generally limited to choosing which Pokemon to take with on each rescue mission. However, a few decisions will ultimately change the destiny of the game; and the gamer has the option of combining different attacks allowing for more powerful hits.

The business skills present in Blue Rescue Team are limited to the basic buying and selling of goods the gamer finds within dungeons to vendors he finds outside of them. Trading may be utilized if the gamer can connect with other gamers or upload other Pokemon games.

In general the game does not stress people skills but the premise of the game requires the gamer and his or her partner to rescue other pokemon in trouble.

The only problem that is consistently presented to the gamer is to find the path to the next floor in a dungeon. The gamer simply grinds through these multilevel dungeons, completing missions, defeating enemies and improving their character. Problem solving is not generally emphasized except during battle, where the gamer will sometimes have to discover the best means of defeating particular enemies. Because of the rock-paper-scissors nature of combat in the Pokemon universe, this can sometimes be a satisfying problem to tackle.

If the gamer has other Pokemon games, they can import Pokemon from the other games. This permits the gamer to trade objects, missions and pokemon. In addition if the gamer has a friend with another DS or Gameboy Advance they can connect and engage in Pokemon battles.

Blue Rescue Team is not a simulation game. The dialogue simulates conversation but it must be read.

While Blue Rescue Team is not generally poorly reviewed, it will primarily appeal to strong fans of previous Pokemon games.

The game offers the gamer the option to use the DS's touch pad and stylus to play the game, making the experience fresher than it might have otherwise been.

There are some options that can be adjusted, but none will heavily alter the game.

Blue Rescue Team received an E from the ESRB with a descriptor for Mild Cartoon Violence.