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Is Pokemon getting too easy?

I get that pokemon is now aimed towards casual audiences, but GF should at least make an optional, and far more difficult sidequest. I think that GF is onto this with the battle maison (those super single battles tho...) and even beating the elite four for the second time is harder (not by that much...).
 
I get that pokemon is now aimed towards casual audiences, but GF should at least make an optional, and far more difficult sidequest. I think that GF is onto this with the battle maison (those super single battles tho...) and even beating the elite four for the second time is harder (not by that much...).
The problem with increasing difficulty in Pokemon is accessibility. For example, I don't get much out of the Battle Frontier (other than the Battle Factory, perhaps) because I don't do much breeding. I might be able to get a couple Silver Symbols easily, but beyond that I'm out. Having a high difficulty sidequest does nothing but create more problems. What does it add? Does it contribute something useful (eg., a very useful item, significantly easier access to something, a legendary)? If yes, then you have to take the difficulty into a lot of consideration because then it would be unfair. If it contributes nothing, then what's the point? If it doesn't add anything other than difficulty, what GameFreak has done is created a circle-jerk sidequest for the "hardcore" fans that think they're above the "casuals."

I think what it ultimately boils down for me is that if you want a difficult RPG, don't play Pokemon.
 
I get that pokemon is now aimed towards casual audiences, but GF should at least make an optional, and far more difficult sidequest. I think that GF is onto this with the battle maison (those super single battles tho...) and even beating the elite four for the second time is harder (not by that much...).
The problem with increasing difficulty in Pokemon is accessibility. For example, I don't get much out of the Battle Frontier (other than the Battle Factory, perhaps) because I don't do much breeding. I might be able to get a couple Silver Symbols easily, but beyond that I'm out. Having a high difficulty sidequest does nothing but create more problems. What does it add? Does it contribute something useful (eg., a very useful item, significantly easier access to something, a legendary)? If yes, then you have to take the difficulty into a lot of consideration because then it would be unfair. If it contributes nothing, then what's the point? If it doesn't add anything other than difficulty, what GameFreak has done is created a circle-jerk sidequest for the "hardcore" fans that think they're above the "casuals."

I think what it ultimately boils down for me is that if you want a difficult RPG, don't play Pokemon.
So don't play it if you gain nothing from it. I would love that difficulty just because I find it fun to play Pokemon in a difficult challenge. To not have it is a slap in the face for those who like it. That way everyone can be happy. We're here to have fun, and we shouldn't have to go to an entirely different game for some challenge.

Now, to answer the thread, I think it's only getting easier because a) People know what they're doing, and b) Exp. Share on everyone + Pokemon Amie + Super Training gives you a boost. I don't mind that though, because you don't have to use it, and I'd rather get the story over with so I can play online, as I find that more fun personally.
 
I'm playing ORAS and found out that the beginning of the game, up to the first gym, was far too easy. I would perhaps rather have started with a level 1 Pokemon, just to get some more challenge.

I decided not to use any exp items and no super training (since I can reset EVs anyway), and I do not evolve my starter Pokemon until it reaches level 46 (this is a challenge I did in Ruby, to learn a special attack; but because of different special/physical rules it is not so needed any more, though I do it now anyway). Getting to the second gym, I think it was, I got a shock as the difficulty level rose abruptly. Because of the game at first seeming so easy, I had not done much training.

Doing some training, the game got a moderate difficulty. I'm at the other island now, and it's getting a bit easy again, probably because I have too few Pokemon so the exp is not distributed a lot. This appears to be the main reason why a Pokemon game gets too easy, because I remember in RGBY, if I had a party of just 6 Pokemon, there was no difficuly in sweeping through the game. Especially in Yellow, where you could get the starter Pokemon. I have even tried to beat a game with one single Pokemon, and the only problem that occurs is that my PP runs out, but in new games you can often restore the PP.

If a Pokemon game is to be difficult, the enemies must be your level or higher. To make a Pokemon game more difficult to play, you would have to get a certain number of Pokemon at certain points in the game and try to distrubute exp evenly to them. Because a lv.60 Pokemon would just sweep through lv.30s and a team of lv.30 can easily take down Trainers with 1-3 lv.30s (if you carry healing items with you to use between battles). Since you will try to use type-advantage, using lv. 25 Pokemon against a lv.30 Trainer is more challanging.
 
Just finished the Psychic gym in ORAS and am so annoyed! I was really excited as Emerald was the hardest Pokemon game (for me) so I thought it would be awesome. I'm doing a Nuzlocke where I can't use shops and I'm not using Pokemon Amie, ST or Exp share and I have only lost a Loudred and a Zigzagoon... this is ridiculous!

The exp share is not the culprit of how easy the games are as of gen 6 but the fact that gym leaders have so little Pokemon and poor range of them!
 
I see it to get easier too. X/Y was finished to quick for me and I felt like they toned down OR/AS, especially when I defeated Norman (who usually kicks my ***) with ease.

Kinda wish they brought back the challenge/easy mode function from Black 2/White 2 because it feels like this gen is more dedicated to, Online, Mega Evolution and Visuals which only one of them (Mega Evolution), I care about.
 
So don't play it if you gain nothing from it. I would love that difficulty just because I find it fun to play Pokemon in a difficult challenge. To not have it is a slap in the face for those who like it. That way everyone can be happy. We're here to have fun, and we shouldn't have to go to an entirely different game for some challenge.
That's not what I meant. I was referring to adding a harder post game. You can't add difficult, optional content without it rewarding (with in-game items/Pokemon) players for playing it. But if the reward is too great and the content is too difficult for a casual player, then it's unfair.

And to the thread in general:
I again offer my Pokemon Fuck Casuals version. Your starter starts at level 1 (level 5 is too much of a giveaway) and only knows Growl, Tail Whip, or Splash, trainers start their rosters at level 20, you are given no free Potions or Pokeballs or even Pokedollars (#fuckfreeshit). You can't trade, use the GTS, or Pokebank until you get your first badge. A real Pokemon fan should be able to win this version easily. If you're a casual, well, fuck you.
 
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So don't play it if you gain nothing from it. I would love that difficulty just because I find it fun to play Pokemon in a difficult challenge. To not have it is a slap in the face for those who like it. That way everyone can be happy. We're here to have fun, and we shouldn't have to go to an entirely different game for some challenge.
That's not what I meant. I was referring to adding a harder post game. You can't add difficult, optional content without it rewarding (with in-game items/Pokemon) players for playing it. But if the reward is too great and the content is too difficult for a casual player, then it's unfair.

And to the thread in general:
I again offer my Pokemon Fuck Casuals version. Your starter starts at level 1 (level 5 is too much of a giveaway) and only knows Growl, Tail Whip, or Splash, trainers start their rosters at level 20, you are given no free Potions or Pokeballs or even Pokedollars (#fuckfreeshit). You can't trade, use the GTS, or Pokebank until you get your first badge. A real Pokemon fan should be able to win this version easily. If you're a casual, well, fuck you.

Thing is, that should be a personal restriction you put on yourself if you want to play that way. If the games force all players to follow those rules, or any Locke-ish rules, it's only going to result in more complaints than compliments because all players have different playstyles.

Difficulty levels should be given as an option, not forced upon.
 
Thing is, that should be a personal restriction you put on yourself if you want to play that way. If the games force all players to follow those rules, or any Locke-ish rules, it's only going to result in more complaints than compliments because all players have different playstyles.

Difficulty levels should be given as an option, not forced upon.
I thought it'd be obvious that that was an exaggeration. (You honestly would be unable to make any progress anyways since you can't actually attack anything and have no money to capture anything.)

I'm all for difficulty levels and general increased difficulty vis-à-vis smarter AI. However, I think some people are misinterpreting the difficulty of Pokemon, conflating it's supposed decreased difficulty with the revamped EXP. Share or limited boss rosters rather than general improvement of the games (see: Type Chart, Physical/Special Split, diversified moveset).
 
Difficulty levels should be given as an option, not forced upon.

This, This, This. So much this.

I don't think anyone would actually care that they're making the game easier if Game Freak weren't so intent on limiting the player's choice. But because they force a lot of the things people complain about like linear region design, limited trainer rosters, and lack of content, it makes the game less appealing for older players.
 
I really don't get why they took it from Black 2/White 2 out in X/Y. If it was still in and available from the start it might fix some issues in difficulty (Was kinda upset seeing the admins in OR/AS only have 1 Pokemon).
 
I feel it's becoming too easy. Then again, I've a veteran, being a fan since 1998. I pretty much know what to expect, and can plan accordingly.
 
Even my ten year old brother recently told me that he's finding the Pokémon games to be way too easy. I think that GameFreak should definitely give us the choice between different difficulty options. Heck, Persona Q has FIVE different difficulty modes.
 
I guess we can all agree that in the very least, everybody's going to appreciate the return of Challenge mode from B2W2.

1. Enable it from the start
2. Allow skipping tutorials unless it is necessary story-wise (like witnessing Wally catching Ralts)
3. All NPC battles have at least one held item, even youngsters and grunts. 'Bosses' (gym leaders, team boss, E4, Champion, rivals) will have all their pokemon holding items. Everyone has at least one Potion and one Full Restore. The 'bosses' will have +1 of what they've got currently.
4. Increase in levels and AI (and prize money of course). Pokemon with hidden abilities will be commonly used by NPCs, not to mention special theme teams (like N's seasonal team in the B2W2 postgame)
5. More optional sidequests given to unlock extra stories.
6. More optional dungeons with rare items, boss battles, or legendaries
7. Exp. reverting back to leveling up only one other team member.

What I just wrote is pretty much the features of B2W2 if they had allowed challenge mode from the beginning. I know people complained about Gen5 being linear and easy, but with the extensive postgame content+sidequests, a nice amount of legendaries available in-game, daily/seasonal bosses, Black Tower/White Tree, Battle Facility like PWT, etc... B2W2 with Challenge Mode activated is actually pretty much what we're looking for, no?

The keyword here is 'optional'. As long as the difficulty mode and everything along with it is optional, I don't see why they can't add Challenge Mode again.
 
Considering that Masuda thinks "people get bored with challenging stuff" you might as well just say goodbye to Challenge Mode. And it's a shame because i wanted to try it, but that key system of BW2 was terrible.
 
Considering that Masuda thinks "people get bored with challenging stuff" you might as well just say goodbye to Challenge Mode. And it's a shame because i wanted to try it, but that key system of BW2 was terrible.

That's why they should go with making it 'optional'. Make it so that people don't have to use it, and if there people looking for a challenge, activate it to their heart's desires.
 
Considering that Masuda thinks "people get bored with challenging stuff" you might as well just say goodbye to Challenge Mode. And it's a shame because i wanted to try it, but that key system of BW2 was terrible.

That's why they should go with making it 'optional'. Make it so that people don't have to use it, and if there people looking for a challenge, activate it to their heart's desires.

^This

Heck, even though this would be impossible. I would love it if they had the Smash Bros. intensity system.
 
Considering that Masuda thinks "people get bored with challenging stuff" you might as well just say goodbye to Challenge Mode. And it's a shame because i wanted to try it, but that key system of BW2 was terrible.

That's why they should go with making it 'optional'. Make it so that people don't have to use it, and if there people looking for a challenge, activate it to their heart's desires.
Battle Frontier is also optional and they didn't add it because he thinks people don't waste time with challenging stuff. So you might as well say goodbye to Challenge Mode because he feels there's no point in putting in the game if people are not going to use it.

Do i want Challenge Mode? Yes, i want. We will ever get it? Most likely not because of Masuda's current mentality. So, i wouldn't hold my breath for it.
 
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Considering that Masuda thinks "people get bored with challenging stuff" you might as well just say goodbye to Challenge Mode. And it's a shame because i wanted to try it, but that key system of BW2 was terrible.

That's why they should go with making it 'optional'. Make it so that people don't have to use it, and if there people looking for a challenge, activate it to their heart's desires.

^This

Heck, even though this would be impossible. I would love it if they had the Smash Bros. intensity system.

The Smash Bros intensity system? They ripped that straight from Kid Icarus: Uprising.
 
Considering that Masuda thinks "people get bored with challenging stuff" you might as well just say goodbye to Challenge Mode. And it's a shame because i wanted to try it, but that key system of BW2 was terrible.

That's why they should go with making it 'optional'. Make it so that people don't have to use it, and if there people looking for a challenge, activate it to their heart's desires.

^This

Heck, even though this would be impossible. I would love it if they had the Smash Bros. intensity system.

The Smash Bros intensity system? They ripped that straight from Kid Icarus: Uprising.

Did they? Never really know much about KI:U except it is made by the same guy who made Smash Bros. Though if (chances are Ultra Mega Slim though) Pokemon had the Intensity system, that would be about 90 difficulty levels to choose from and the idea that when you lose, intensity drop can really showcase a players skill level.
 
Please note: The thread is from 9 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
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