What do you miss most about the older games?

[qualotberry]

Pokémon was my biggest obsession when I was younger even though I only "had access" to the anime and the cards, since I never had a gameboy or DS when I grew up. Later on though! First time I played it was a ridiculously expensive copy of Fire Red and I loved it. Now I've played most of the games, while Black/White and Pearl/Diamond is still on the to-play-list.
Like many others I really liked the walking with your Pokémon function that Soul Silver brought. I love it. It's cute, I love how you can interact with your fave pokemon, I love seeing them walking behind you and how the sprites move. For example I never felt any strong feelings for Sentret, but when I saw how it was walking on four legs instead of on it hind legs (which I had imagined) I instantly liked it more. Was really hoping for it to come back in Sun/Moon tbh.

Other things I miss... better villains, I guess? Team Rocket in Fire Red and Soul Silver are surprisingly evil for being a game for "children" and that's what I like about them. It feels great to ruin their plans. Team Flare mostly felt like comedy, funny haired evil guys you'd have to beat, kinda. I never liked them, even though I might've had a soft spot for Lysandre. Team Skull is better, I guess, but I never really liked them either... Team Rocket has derpy grunts as well so I guess it might be my personal taste rather than them being less... good.

I also kinda wanna bring up the HM thing... Especially now when I'm replaying Soul Silver and have to learn HM's here and there. It's not as much of a hassle as I remember it being. At first I really liked the thought of having no HM's in Sun/Moon, but at the same time it's really cute to see your own Pokémon help you with surfing or cutting trees or whatever. (Specially in Silver when your walking buddy skips before they jump in the water). Idk.

Been talking to myself long enough now so I'll end this before I come up with even more things... <:

 

[TechSkylander1518]

It's an odd thing, but I really miss having unique characters who weren't part of your story so much as having a story that crossed yours, if that makes sense? Like a character who's special enough to get their own model and have their own story, but who isn't part of the Pokemon League and isn't really involved in your major quests. I love the casts in the main storyline, but I think there's something special about seeing someone who's like the main character of their own game.

• Gen 2 had Eusine
• Gen 4 had Cheryl, Mira, Riley, Buck, and Marley
• Gen 5 had Yancy/Kurt, Benga,

And it's not really something I should really miss, I guess, seeing as we still get characters like this in Gen 6 and 7. (Annabel, Looker, Emma, Zinnia, Ryuki, etc-plus the Battle facilities frequently have characters like this) I guess I just miss the trainer interactions? Like you could pair up with the Gen 4 characters in challenges, trade with Yancy/Kurt, battle most of them in non-gym settings, like the kind of fun you'd have with friends. It made the world feel bigger.

 

[Esserise]

It's an odd thing, but I really miss having unique characters who weren't part of your story so much as having a story that crossed yours, if that makes sense? Like a character who's special enough to get their own model and have their own story, but who isn't part of the Pokemon League and isn't really involved in your major quests. I love the casts in the main storyline, but I think there's something special about seeing someone who's like the main character of their own game.

Gen 2 had Eusine

Gen 4 had Cheryl, Mira, Riley, Buck, and Marley

Gen 5 had Yancy/Kurt, Benga,

And it's not really something I should really miss, I guess, seeing as we still get characters like this in Gen 6 and 7. (Annabel, Looker, Emma, Zinnia, Ryuki, etc-plus the Battle facilities frequently have characters like this) I guess I just miss the trainer interactions? Like you could pair up with the Gen 4 characters in challenges, trade with Yancy/Kurt, battle most of them in non-gym settings, like the kind of fun you'd have with friends. It made the world feel bigger.

I agree, and I would say that there is a tangible difference between the earlier examples compared to the people like Anabel/Zinnia/Ryuki. I think the people in Gens 2-4 were just everyday people, going about their earthly business and moving forward on their own journeys. You could imagine them just existing, passively and regularly, independently of your own exploits, and that helps make the world feel wider and more alive (much like seeing some of the Sinnoh Gym Leaders in various places in HGSS or Sabrina at Pokéstar Studios).

But it’s harder to get that sense from somebody like Ryuki or Emma, who only really exist for one streamlined section of the game (Emma forms the anchor of the Looker Bureau story, and that’s all she does (though to be clear I do love that story and am not necessarily criticizing the use of her as a character), and Ryuki, well... even as of USUM he’s still kind of an extremely minor Who-The-Heck-Are-You Dude... his function in the games is that of a trapped tourist at the Malie Gym and then an occasional challenger at the League because Alola lacks a Dragon specialist). Or from somebody like Anabel or Zinnia who are literally multiverse-shakers. Anabel is there to blow your mind with all the D E E P L O R E, and Zinnia is as well in addition to being retroactively responsible for the entire main story plot and being part of an ancient fantastical tribe with secret knowledge about the universe. Character-wise, Interpol Anabel hardly even is one, and although Zinnia is on a “journey” of sorts, it’s a very melodramatic one that involves her putting the whole planet at risk multiple times while offering weird unsatisfying justifications for doing so. Compared to Eusine who, although he does want to meet a Legendary Pokémon, feels like he’s on more of a personal spiritual quest that may-or-may not pay off, but won’t destroy the world if it doesn’t (which is helped by Ho-Oh and its ilk being a lot looser and unconnected to the plot and the global natural order). Essentially, it is harder to view these newer characters as equals or as regular people. (Although I will say that Colress has been a pleasant surprise in that regard.)

Looker is sort of a middleground... technically he’s fulfilling the role of someone who is just doing their job in a typically-unseen corner of the world, like the older characters, it’s just that his job is a very high-profile one that often gets him entangled in important, plot-relevant events.

 

[Dieter]

It's an odd thing, but I really miss having unique characters who weren't part of your story so much as having a story that crossed yours, if that makes sense? Like a character who's special enough to get their own model and have their own story, but who isn't part of the Pokemon League and isn't really involved in your major quests. I love the casts in the main storyline, but I think there's something special about seeing someone who's like the main character of their own game.

• Gen 2 had Eusine
• Gen 4 had Cheryl, Mira, Riley, Buck, and Marley
• Gen 5 had Yancy/Kurt, Benga,

And it's not really something I should really miss, I guess, seeing as we still get characters like this in Gen 6 and 7. (Annabel, Looker, Emma, Zinnia, Ryuki, etc-plus the Battle facilities frequently have characters like this) I guess I just miss the trainer interactions? Like you could pair up with the Gen 4 characters in challenges, trade with Yancy/Kurt, battle most of them in non-gym settings, like the kind of fun you'd have with friends. It made the world feel bigger.

Esserise makes a good point, and I'd like to add I would include Wally here as well. I mean, he does become your rival in the end, but in both R/S/E and ORAS he just mostly is on his own journey, which you can track by gym qualifications. But it's much less connected to your journey than Brendan/May's journey and goal of filling up the pokedex.

In that regard, I think USUM did a good job with all the little sidequests. The only thing I miss a little here is that all of them use default models. The actress you meet in all the meadows for example would have benefited from a model that at least set her apart a little. But I have some gripes with the models in Gen VII in general, I mean, female golfers are just Beauties with a golf club...

Anyway, point being that the older generations' unique npc's and USUM's sidequests should def make a return (and honestly, they could make for at least decent DLC to keep you playing after the main plot is over and you finished most side stuff as well)

 

[Lemmy]

I miss when regions didn't have over half of their dex be non-native pokemon. Hoenn and Unova (and in a small part, Sinnoh) were really good at this, but the last two gens had so many old pokemon it ofuscated the new pokemon (im looking at you, usum.). The ideal game for me would only allow you to get most old pokemon after post game, so i will never have to see them in my normal gameplay

 

[colours]

I suppose having more freedom to explore is one thing I miss about the older games. The biggest problem with newer games is that the more plot that they have, the more Game Freak feels like they have to restrict your freedom in order to advance in said plot. I feel that to be a rather interesting but yet unfortunate tradeoff when it doesn't have to be so.

 

[Silktree]

Bill, Fuji, Kurt, Kimono Girls, Fennel and Mohn should also be added to the "unique but not in your face" club. They aren't the "main characters of their own games," but still.

 

[TeaWest]

This may just be rose colored glasses for me but I missed the pre-internet age where people were spreading lots of rumors about hidden secrets and glitches. Even in generation 3 I remember a friend in middle school telling me about a "secret trainer" I could battle in Fortree City.

Those days were fun, I miss them.

 

[Esserise]

I miss when they put actual effort into the in-game television programs. That was one of my favorite little sources of worldbuilding, and now it’s just boring malasada ads.

In particular, I really liked that B2W2 had the spatial awareness to feature Nancy and Christoph on the TV.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I miss when they put actual effort into the in-game television programs. That was one of my favorite little sources of worldbuilding, and now it’s just boring malasada ads.

Maybe it’s to reflect the real world television and annoying ads?

 

[Galactic_V]

I have a lot, but since most are nostalgia-based things, I'll point two: like people said already, how everyone was into the franchise back then. At school children played, my friends at the condominium, parties, malls, etc... Not just the games, lots of stuff regarding Pokemon, like magazines, picture albums, knock-off toys, bubble-gum albums and stickers, and the list goes on.

Now, another thing that happen to lots of franchises, how the first generations felt fresh and original. Even though it took me years to find out, the Garagara story in RGBY is something we'll never see again. As simple as the game was, without no animation or picture whatsoever, how we are able to feel sad for the Pokemon. I don't remember any other drama scene in other games, or anything with that impact. For a long time already GF's been aiming to make the franchise too kid-friendly.

 

[Almonds]

I miss when they put actual effort into the in-game television programs. That was one of my favorite little sources of worldbuilding, and now it’s just boring malasada ads.

In particular, I really liked that B2W2 had the spatial awareness to feature Nancy and Christoph on the TV.

And in Emerald there were events like the Blend Master event that was available through checking the TV. Those kind of tidbits make the game fun and give meaning to the background objects as well.

 

[Volphied]

I suppose having more freedom to explore is one thing I miss about the older games. The biggest problem with newer games is that the more plot that they have, the more Game Freak feels like they have to restrict your freedom in order to advance in said plot. I feel that to be a rather interesting but yet unfortunate tradeoff when it doesn't have to be so.

This is my biggest issue with the newest games. Sadly, I don't see this changing anytime soon, GameFreak seems to be obsessed with handholding.

 

[Camille]

I somewhat miss the in-battle boost in stats that depended on the Badges you have earned. Shame they dropped it in Generation IV.
Although it was only for a single region, I miss how you had to see all the regional Pokemon to obtain the National Dex in Sinnoh. I certainly miss the National Dex itself, too.
However, the thing I miss the most is using your own Pokemon to explore the world, as it was a great demonstration of the theme of the franchise. Yes, you do use the partner Pikachu/Eevee's Secret Techniques in Let's Go games, but Sea Skim and Sky Dash look tacky and unnatural when used by Pikachu/Eevee, and Light Up and Strong Push only make sense for the former, but not the latter. I have no idea why they didn't just let you ride your Pokemon instead of using Rotom Bike and Flying Taxi in Sword/Shield.

 

[Leaf_Ranger]

I miss the 2D/sprites. Albeit it can be viewed as useless to just have buildings and trees to fill the scenery, I believe they were part of it and helped give a sense of wider world or city. I could get lost in Rustboro and has the idea that Hoenn had many mistery and islands and I got dissapointed how ASOR's Hoenn was with just a couple of trees here and there. The sprite art allowed for things that today are mostly technical limited and shrinked.

I also want to go back to legendaries and the evil team not being the story's driving elements and a pre-climax before the Pkmn League. I liked having yet again Team Rocket coming up in Johto but at least they were not after legendaries...seeing Giovanni and Rainbow Rocket return in Alola just feels something more related to his anime and movies' side than in-game. And while I could bear Aqua and Magma due to the points they were making in environmental struggle, I could not support Team Galatic's approach to Dialga and Palkia instead of Arceus and this is why GF should have stopped with the dual version releases a long time ago! Invest more time in creating other content than just version differences!

Last but not least and something that is tied to handholding and the attention always given to new and younger audiences is the "monsters" side of the franchise. I liked how new and still akward the first entries of the games were, where we were humans trying to understand this new world. I believe this had its last meaningful side revealed in the myths described in Canalave's library. Now they tend to be more creatures that hang around as everyone's partners. C'mon, where are characters like Paul, Silver and where's the Pkmn Police!?

 

[Silktree]

Animated sprites, 8-bit music, Japanese culture, no ridiculous plots and no EV cap.

 

[prog rocker]

no ridiculous plots

Well, considering Aqua and Magma exist...

 

[Silktree]

Well, considering Aqua and Magma exist...

I didn't exactly have RSE in mind.

 

[prog rocker]

I didn't exactly have RSE in mind.

Well, it was the first game that didn't have Team Rocket, so...

Also, I couldn't resist the opportunity to make fun of them.

 

[hanecco]

This may just be rose colored glasses for me but I missed the pre-internet age where people were spreading lots of rumors about hidden secrets and glitches. Even in generation 3 I remember a friend in middle school telling me about a "secret trainer" I could battle in Fortree City.

My first gen was Gen V, and my friends and I still had playground rumours. I think it's more to do with how crazy a child's imagination can be than the rise of the internet, considering that we all convinced each other Zekrom and Reshiram had secret pre-evolutions (Zekbolt and Reshiflare, as we called them).

Anyway, what do I miss?

• Sprite-based graphics. Although models allow for better movement, the sprites had a lot of character and personality, not to mention you could edit them easily (anyone here like spriting?)
• No gimmicks like Mega Evolutions, Z-Moves, or Dynamaxing. Pokemon battles don't need those to be interesting...
• Playing the game without caring for EVs, IVs and Natures. Now that I know my Pokemon could be better, it's very unsatisfying to catch one without near-perfect characteristics.
• The Battle Frontier. I'm not a competitive player, but I always liked the unconventional battle formats of these things.
• Caves you could actually get lost in, like Mt. Coronet or Twist Mountain. Now these are irritating, but I wouldn't mind them returning from time to time because they're a fun challenge to overcome.
• The sense of discovery and wonder from finding a species I'd never seen before. Now that I know all of the Pokemon, this feeling is forever lost to me - though I do find myself forgetting some of them exist, and getting surprised when I see them again...
• A quick start to the game, instead of endless cutscenes. While I do like more plot and characterisation, I think Pokemon needs to go for a more "show, don't tell" approach. In Emerald, for example, meeting Prof. Birch out in the field getting chased by a Zigzagoon tells us a lot about his personality and lifestyle, and it doesn't use reams of dialogue to do so. Even BW, games which I really like, start out way too slowly in my opinion.
• Similarly, maps which are more interconnected - ones with lots of optional areas during the main game, and with each town having lots of alternative paths to get to it. Gen I - III were quite good at this, and made the region feel more... like a region, I guess.