The Pokemon series has been going strong since 1996 when it made its debut on the humble GameBoy. Back then, however, I thought I was too old for Pokemon and the pocket monsters phenomenon completely passed me by, preferring instead to play Tomb Raider and leave Pokemon to the kids.

However, in the summer of 2007, I reviewed Pokemon Diamond on DS and quickly realised that rather than being a game aimed squarely at children, Pokemon was in fact a deep and thoroughly rewarding role playing game for all ages.

Since then, other Pokemon games have come and gone, and while they have provided dozens of hours of enjoyable gaming, they have evolved at a snail's pace. However, X and Y introduce a host of important changes which shift the series in a more forward-thinking direction resulting in the most comprehensive Pokemon title to date.

For starters, X and Y - each game contains a smattering of exclusive Pokemon - has had a significant graphical overhaul bringing the world of Kalos to life. Strangely, though, the environment isn't presented in eye-popping 3D. Instead, the hardware's raison d'etre is reserved for cut scenes and the game's battles. Gone are the flat sprites of the past, replaced instead with delightful animations which gives the miniature melees far more charm and personality than before.

Multiplayer options have also been beefed up and improved upon significantly. Gone are the endless trips to a central location to trade Pokemon - a simple tap now enables gamers from across the world to trade no matter where they are in the Pokemon universe. Online battles are a breeze, too, with everything handily accessed from the bottom touch screen. And it is this decluttering of the UI and streamlining of central aspects of the game which elevates X and Y above its predecessors.

There are a host of neat added extras crammed on to the game cart which again enhance the overall experience such as the ability to train, feed and play with your captured creatures in smart, bite-sized mini games and the early introduction of an EXP Share - an item which gives all your team a slice of experience even if they're not chosen to slug it out on the battlefield. This addition takes away a huge amount of the monotonous grind from earlier Pokemon games and lets the player simply concentrate on having fun without needlessly messing messing about.

So these are a few of the new features, but at its core, Pokemon X and Y still follows a tried and tested path.

Players still scour the world solo, battling other Pokemon trainers in turn-based battles, collecting their own formidable army of cute pocket-sized critters, filling out the all-important Pokedex and taking on Gym Leaders to progress throughout the storyline.

But while X and Y boasts major changes, the menu systems and switching Pokemon in and out of battle can still involve a trifle too much faffing about. However, it's a minor niggle in an otherwise splendid game.

I've said it before but Pokemon isn't just a game for children - it's a game for everyone. Its tactical combat, squad selection and customisation options make X and Y a deep and rewarding experience and one which will suck hours of your life away. It's brilliantly realised and a must for every 3DS owner looking for a cracking and long-lasting RPG. If you don't already have it, put it on your Christmas list and hope Santa drops it down your chimney.