Your controversial opinions

[There Is No Arceus]

I’m not a big fan of introducing pre-evolutions in later gens. I like Mime Jr & Munchlax, but the truth is that first stage pokemon are only useful very early on and then you must evolve them to be able to progress in the game. So to me it ends up being pointless to create more of that kind of pokemon. We spend most of the rest of the game in tougher battles (late gyms, pokemon league, battle facilities) that require stronger pokemon. There are a few pokemon that work with eviolite, but those are almost always second stage evolutions such as porygon 2 and Rhydon. Granted, there are exceptions, I loved to use Gligar with eviolite in pokemon XY. Regardless, it would be nice if we got a pokemon facility that requires first stage pokemon only (like Sunny Park Colosseum in battle revolution) because I’m not interested in online play with smogon rules.

i think baby pokemon are mainly there for the collectors; they aren't supposed to be used in battle. In gen 2, the only way you could get them other than Tyrogue and Togepi was by breeding the parent pokemon. Not every pokemon has to have use in battle; it's ok for some of them to just be dex filler.

 

[skynerel]

Not every pokemon has to have use in battle; it's ok for some of them to just be dex filler.

Well, I sort of disagree. I gain nothing by having a pokemon seating in a box because I can’t use it in a game in which the main thing to do is battles. At least in gen 3 & 4 contests were a thing so I could use them in other activities. If not battles, it would be nice to have minigames in which they are usable.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Well, I sort of disagree. I gain nothing by having a pokemon seating in a box because I can’t use it in a game in which the main thing to do is battles. At least in gen 3 & 4 contests were a thing so I could use them in other activities. If not battles, it would be nice to have minigames in which they are usable.

i guess we have a fundamentally different view on pokemon then. To me, the main appeal of the games has always been to catch them all. Having it sitting in the box is a goal in and of itself. Battling is also a lot of fun, hence why i'm doing a series of nuzlocke challenges, but it's ok if some mons are only there for the collectors.

 

[Pasio]

I'm actually not a fan of some baby Pokémon because of the aforementioned points, especially in spinoff games, where developers have a lot more creative freedom to make baby Pokémon do anything.

I'm not against all baby Pokémon. Plenty evolve into Pokémon powerful enough to make up for it and I don't mind them, but I can never fully get over Pikachu and Jigglypuff having prevolutions when they could've had a much better third stage instead.

 

[toastghost]

i like baby pokemon purely bc i think a lot of them look neat. pokemon don't always need a use imo

 

[Yung Dramps]

The main benefit of retroactive pre-evolutions is to make it so Pokemon can have a greater amount of time on a player's party throughout any given game. Snorlax is a good example where on its own its BST was too high to be anything but a late-gamer, but with the existence of Munchlax you can plop it in the intro stages so players can add the line to their team earlier, allowing more time for bonding and battling with them.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

The main benefit of retroactive pre-evolutions is to make it so Pokemon can have a greater amount of time on a player's party throughout any given game. Snorlax is a good example where on its own its BST was too high to be anything but a late-gamer, but with the existence of Munchlax you can plop it in the intro stages so players can add the line to their team earlier, allowing more time for bonding and battling with them.

Pikachu, Marill and Roselia weren't too OP for the early game though

 

[Thegameandwatch]

Pikachu, Marill and Roselia weren't too OP for the early game though

Also Pikachu is the only one that is even an early game Pokemon in their debut since Marill and Roselia are mid game Pokemon.
in their debut game. All 3 are coincidently only available in one location in their debut game and Marill only had a 1% encounter rate normally until Crystal.

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Also Pikachu is the only one that is even an early game Pokemon in their debut since Marill and Roselia are mid game Pokemon.
in their debut game. All 3 are coincidently only available in one location in their debut game and Marill only had a 1% encounter rate normally until Crystal.

sorry to go all "ackshually" on your ass, but Pikachu was available in Viridian Forest and the Power Plant in its debut games

 

[Rachael]

I don't mind that most of the main series games have "basically the same plot." Or rather, I don't have a problem with the plots that the game's writers have created. There may be a similar overarching plot for every game, but what I love is that the details change. Each game focuses on a different area of the Pokeverse or humanity in general--in RSE/ORAS, it was the environment. In BW, it was the ethics of Pokemon training. In XY, it was human greed.

And there are variations in the gameplay, too. In Sun/Moon/USUM, there were no gyms. In SwSh, there was no Elite Four. In SV, we had Team Star base raids using our walking Pokemon. Sure, they're not major changes, but that's never bothered me.

And here's the usual disclaimer that this is just my opinion, and it's okay if you feel differently.

 

[Princess of Lumas]

I don't mind that most of the main series games have "basically the same plot." Or rather, I don't have a problem with the plots that the game's writers have created. There may be a similar overarching plot for every game, but what I love is that the details change. Each game focuses on a different area of the Pokeverse or humanity in general--in RSE/ORAS, it was the environment. In BW, it was the ethics of Pokemon training. In XY, it was human greed.

And there are variations in the gameplay, too. In Sun/Moon/USUM, there were no gyms. In SwSh, there was no Elite Four. In SV, we had Team Star base raids using our walking Pokemon. Sure, they're not major changes, but that's never bothered me.

And here's the usual disclaimer that this is just my opinion, and it's okay if you feel differently.

My main issue has been the lack of inclusion of previous gameplay mechanics which were well received and it's like they tried to swap out gameplay mechanics each game. I think people tend to gang up on the plot because it feels like everything is copy/paste with little tweaks, but I don't think the issue is the plot being similar. The issue is the mechanics. I loved the option to pursue coordinating particularly in the format it was presented in RSE and it is frustrating that by Gen V, this was removed. I also liked the secret bases from Gen 3 and the little player intro videos from Gen 6. It's a shame so much of the customization was taken away. Furthermore, they changed UI that worked (the PSS system from Gen 6) in favor of something new for the sake of it. I agree that the plot isn't the issue. The plot could be the exact same every game and as long as they make the game challenging (or allow it the ability to be challenging) and engaging, I would be happy with the new Pokemon games.

 

[CyanLaser]

Here’s a few opinions of mine that I think would fit this thread:
1) The Battle Frontier was the omission that I miss the absolute least when comparing Emerald to ORAS. Not just because of the pain of competitive teambuilding, either — most challenges IMO fail to make a positive differentiation from the standard Battle Tower (except the Factory), and the whole idea of more battling without meaningful increases in strength, progression of plot, or exploration isn’t what I look forward to with this series. If I want to lament something that ORAS omitted, I’d lament the increased difficulty or the inclusion of both evil teams.

2) Cyrus’ battle theme fails to interest me in all of its (mainline, at least ) incarnations. To me it doesn’t have the menace/sinister-ness that an evil boss theme needs (and very frequently excels at, like with Archie/Maxie, Ghetsis, and Lusamine).

3) My least favorite rival, I think, isn’t any of the XY cast, Hop, Silver, or even Klara/Avery, but instead Hugh. When divorcing my personal feelings from an evaluation of “how much personality & backstory is this character able to convey?” I’m less inclined to put the likes of Trevor above Hugh, but going from my favorite rivals (Bianca and Cheren) to someone I frankly saw as being overly pugnacious for no real reason (until Nimbasa, at the earliest) left a bitter taste in my mouth that I didn’t experience with any other rival.

 

[GelpyK]

Cynthia in gens 4 and 5 isn't difficult in the slightest and BW1 Ghetsis is the true team-crushing monster everyone thinks she is.

 

[Rachael]

My main issue has been the lack of inclusion of previous gameplay mechanics which were well received and it's like they tried to swap out gameplay mechanics each game. I think people tend to gang up on the plot because it feels like everything is copy/paste with little tweaks, but I don't think the issue is the plot being similar. The issue is the mechanics. I loved the option to pursue coordinating particularly in the format it was presented in RSE and it is frustrating that by Gen V, this was removed. I also liked the secret bases from Gen 3 and the little player intro videos from Gen 6. It's a shame so much of the customization was taken away. Furthermore, they changed UI that worked (the PSS system from Gen 6) in favor of something new for the sake of it. I agree that the plot isn't the issue. The plot could be the exact same every game and as long as they make the game challenging (or allow it the ability to be challenging) and engaging, I would be happy with the new Pokemon games.

You make a good point. Later gens definitely focus more on battling than things like contests and secret bases. SV also had a lot less character customization available, since everyone was wearing uniforms.

Then you have every generation getting a "gimmick," which gets removed within a generation or two. I doubt we'll see Terastalization in Gen X, just like we didn't see Dynamaxing (my fave gimmick) in Gen IX.

None of these things bother me much, but there are things which would bother me just as much that I won't say out loud (call me superstitious).

And what, Gen V's Pokemon Musicals weren't enough for you? :0 (I'm kidding, haha.)

 

[There Is No Arceus]

Morimoto should have been in Scarlet and Violet. I really liked that easter egg where you can battle one of the devs.

 

[Pasio]

Morimoto should have been in Scarlet and Violet. I really liked that easter egg where you can battle one of the devs.

Gamefreak devs should be wielding legendary gods in the games they're in. They made the game anyway. Why not just flex out their place on us? Makes defeating them all the more rewarding and impressive. I would be down for Kazumasa Iwao to throw out an Arceus and Dawn Wings in battle, especially to represent the games he's directed.

 

[Juliyet]

It didn't even click with me that the GameFreak/Morimoto easter egg was just gone in SV. Would be nice to see again for sure.

Anywho, Dudunsparce, at least in my eyes, was the best case scenario for a Dunsparce evo in terms of keeping it's spirit intact

Dunsparce ramped up a bit of legacy due to it's goofiness and being perceived as an afterthought. I feel giving it an actual badass evo would've ruined its charm. Making Dudunsparce just Dunsparce again but bigger was probably the best way to go about it. Making it a bit better stat-wise, whilst still keeping the dumb goofy design intact. I love it so much

 

[PugScribe]

Pokémon and Sonic have the same philosophy on gameplay: "If it ain't broke, do something completely different."

 

[Thegameandwatch]

It didn't even click with me that the GameFreak/Morimoto easter egg was just gone in SV. Would be nice to see again for sure.

Anywho, Dudunsparce, at least in my eyes, was the best case scenario for a Dunsparce evo in terms of keeping it's spirit intact

Dunsparce ramped up a bit of legacy due to it's goofiness and being perceived as an afterthought. I feel giving it an actual badass evo would've ruined its charm. Making Dudunsparce just Dunsparce again but bigger was probably the best way to go about it. Making it a bit better stat-wise, whilst still keeping the dumb goofy design intact. I love it so much

I think even BDSP included him as a battle despite not being in Gen 4.

 

[Norzan]

Pokémon and Sonic have the same philosophy on gameplay: "If it ain't broke, do something completely different."

You would think improving upon stuff would be easier than just coming up with new stuff because you already have the experience of working on that stuff and you have the feedback from players giving an idea on how to improve it. But no, just remove it instead.

I do think Sega is far more egregious than Gamefreak in this department though, a lot of their games are just one and done in terms of specific mechanics and playstyles.