I think Game Freak is trying to win back the Gen 1-3 crowd?

[Gaga]

@FairyGaga; And y'see, what you brought up is the key problem when it comes to the Gen III blasting: None of it ever touches upon the REAL problems with the games but more one-off personal nit-picks, refusal to accept legitimate circumstances and suddenly deciding to find issue with things that always existed.

Huh, right. Well, Pokemon designs are the primary decider for me when judging generations. I don't like generation 1's designs all that much either, it is not nostalgia. If I don't like the designs, I won't like the game. That may seem off putting but I'm being honest.

I can't go back to playing gens 1-3 personally, since there is no physical/special split and that makes so much sense to me but yeah!

 

[Chief KazamiNator]

I personally think Kanto has the best designs, followed by Johto, but Johto is my favorite region overall. It was the first time brand new Pokemon were introduced, alongside the many fixed mechanics, the ability to hold items, the day-night system, the colorful GBC graphics, Mystery Gift, 2 new types introduced, the PokeGear, the fact you could travel back to Kanto, and so much more!
It had many, many more new features than what Gen 3 had. Also, another gripe with Gen 3 is the downgrade to no day-night system, yet there was still clock based events. There was something I didn't like about the soundtrack either. It's like every song sounded the same.
Oh, and don't get me started on the water exploration... talk about overkill.
I don't HATE gen 3, but when I did play it around 5 years back, I didn't enjoy it all that much. Even when I watched my sibling play it back in the day upon its release, I wasn't too interested.

 

[Foxeaf]

*cough* I loved Gen 3. The OST was beautiful, it felt like an adventure. Every route theme matched the design of that specific route, with underwater and surf being one of the best. My Pyre's theme was spooky, not as creepy as Lavender Town's, but it still worked. They were so experimental with every bit of Hoenn, with the Pokemon designs, villainous team plots, region design, exploration mechanics, berries and contests, and the Battle Frontier. Everything was about adventure and exploration. Then, just to be more awesome, made a great remake of Red and Blue. They did really well with adapting the music. It shows that GF had guts, especially after what happened with Gen 2.


Anyway, all of that is irrelevant.
Whether they are or not, it seems to be working. A lot of people who claimed that they were over Pokemon are getting X and Y. This could be for many reasons.

They could just be going back to old roots just so their new regions and ideas don't become too abstract. It's a company that grows and learns from their mistakes.

 

[Spectacular Snivy]

I think the reason some people hate pokemon now is because well like it our not pokemon when it came to the west was a fad. It suddenly exploded in popularity and it was everywhere. And as is the nature of fads to the main main stream (housewives, people who picked it up only when it intently exploded onto the scene) and people look back on the fad and say "wow why did I ever like that?" add that in with the fact that Pokemon continues to this day and the obsession with nostalgia that most western countries feel and we get a recipe of nostalgia filled hate.

Sorry for the poor writing I suck at it.

Wow.....well....hear this quote from the internet

this guy told me that pokemon bw2 sucked because the original games were better and the new pokemon are all crappy.

 

[VeggiePopper]

To be honest I don't get why all the Gen III hate nor the nostalgia. Even when I started playing Pokémon in good ol' 1998 and Gen II is my favorite, I'm not overdriven by nostalgia. I love both Gen IV and Gen V to death and I'm pretty excited for Gen VI.

As for the Pokémon designs, every Generation has its good and bad designs, its good and bad mechanics and so on.

Also, I have the feeling that Gen V sold less than previous generations because it was released on a dying handheld. Most people had moved on to the 3DS and thus skipped the games to focus in the new handheld. Even myself got a little pissed off by the games not being for the 3DS (the international release was mere 3 weeks before the 3DS launch) which did affect the games' performance. While Gen V looked better than Gen IV, it was only slightly better, and gameplay-wise it didn't evolve the series as Gens II, III and IV did, o in the end it felt like a rehash of the previous installments, like if it was Gen 4.5 instead of Gen V, but I digress. The thing is that overall, the games didn't feel as fresh and the dying console didn't help, which prompted to the declining sales. But now that Gen VI will debut in the 3DS and is bring so many new dishes to the table, I predict sales to go at least as high as Gen IV.

 

[Mokoniki]

I was actually glad Gen V games weren't released on the 3DS because I didn't have one at that point. Were the Gen V games released prior or after the 3DS price drop? Because I remember I didn't want one because it was too expensive and there were hardly any games out for it that I wanted.

 

[VeggiePopper]

^BW were released before the 3DS launch (as I said, 3 weeks prior), but B2W2 were released way after the price drop.

I for one, did want Gen V to be on the 3DS. The debuting handheld lacked launch titles, whereas a Pokémon launch title would have been HUGE.

 

[Regiruler]

Memories of the DS vs. 3DS forum wars are flooding back to me.

On topic: Team Flare is probably the biggest indicator that game freak is trying to cash in on some of the nostalgia for the earlier titles, as its probably closer to team rocket than team M/A, Galactic, or Plasma. I don't think they are specifically after the Gen III crowd though.

 

[VeggiePopper]

Team Flare is probably the biggest indicator that game freak is trying to cash in on some of the nostalgia for the earlier titles, as its probably closer to team rocket than team M/A, Galactic, or Plasma. I don't think they are specifically after the Gen III crowd though.

I just think they simply realized that the 'get legendary Pokémon for powah!!!11' plot is now tired and overused, so they went for a different approach.

 

[shiny_magikarp]

Handheld video game sales:

Red, Green, and Blue: 23.64 million
Yellow: 8.86 million

Gen 1 overall: 32.5 million

Gold and Silver: 23.00 million
Crystal: 3.75 million

Gen 2 overall: 26.75 million

Ruby and Sapphire: 13.00 million
FireRed and Leafgreen: 11.82 million
Emerald: 6.32 million

Gen 3 overall: 31.14 million BUT, if we were to equal the amount of games in gens 1 and 2, this would be the actual number excluding the remakes:
19.32 million

Diamond and Pearl: 17.57 million
Platinum: 7.43 million
HeartGold and SoulSilver: 11.90 million

Gen 4 overall: 36.9 million (but again, let's exclude the remakes). Real number:
25 million

Black and White: 11.51 million
Black and White 2: 6.13 million

Gen 5 overall: 17.64 million


Now of course, since we're still in Generation 5, it wouldn't be fair to call that the official total. I'd give the games a few more years to sell before we get an actual clue on how successful they were.
Now as you can plainly see, Generation 3 was the sour patch in the Pokemon series, and Gen 4 was superior sales-wise. Obviously though, Generation 1 dominates by a long shot, and still outnumbers everything when I included the remakes.
I honestly don't think Pokemon will ever be as popular as it once was.

Generation 3 sales were low in direct comparision with other generations but they were in fact very successful if you consider how low overall GBA systems and games sales were compared to GB and DS systems and games sales.

 

[Chief KazamiNator]

Handheld video game sales:

Red, Green, and Blue: 23.64 million
Yellow: 8.86 million

Gen 1 overall: 32.5 million

Gold and Silver: 23.00 million
Crystal: 3.75 million

Gen 2 overall: 26.75 million

Ruby and Sapphire: 13.00 million
FireRed and Leafgreen: 11.82 million
Emerald: 6.32 million

Gen 3 overall: 31.14 million BUT, if we were to equal the amount of games in gens 1 and 2, this would be the actual number excluding the remakes:
19.32 million

Diamond and Pearl: 17.57 million
Platinum: 7.43 million
HeartGold and SoulSilver: 11.90 million

Gen 4 overall: 36.9 million (but again, let's exclude the remakes). Real number:
25 million

Black and White: 11.51 million
Black and White 2: 6.13 million

Gen 5 overall: 17.64 million


Now of course, since we're still in Generation 5, it wouldn't be fair to call that the official total. I'd give the games a few more years to sell before we get an actual clue on how successful they were.
Now as you can plainly see, Generation 3 was the sour patch in the Pokemon series, and Gen 4 was superior sales-wise. Obviously though, Generation 1 dominates by a long shot, and still outnumbers everything when I included the remakes.
I honestly don't think Pokemon will ever be as popular as it once was.

Generation 3 sales were low in direct comparision with other generations but they were in fact very successful if you consider how low overall GBA systems and games sales were compared to GB and DS systems and games sales.

They were low because GBA's lifespan was only 3 years, or so. If I remember right, GBA was released in '01 and the DS was released in '04.
The original Game Boy and GBC had a lifespan of over a decade, and the Nintendo DS had a lifespan of 7 years.

 

[Shiny Pinsir]

I was like that when 3rd Gen rolled around. I went on a 5-6 year hiatus from playing Pokemon, then I started up again in 2009 playing Platinum. While 4th Gen wasn't as good as 5th Gen in my opinion, it was still good enough to get me back into Pokemon.
Unless you were one to grow up with it, 3rd Gen was the buzz kill in Pokemon if you started with the originals. A lot of people have a hard time understanding this.

We had a very similar same path. I started with Red back when it first came out. I was a freshman in high school. I was super into the series through Gen II, but by the time Gen III rolled out, I had moved on from both high school and the series. Like you, I eventually returned with Platinum. I didn't perceive Gen III as a buzz kill at the time, I honestly didn't even look into them when they came out, despite being aware of their existence. My general interests in gaming waned, and I got more into music, and going to shows. I cycled back around out of a fit of nostalgia between my friends and I. We happened to get on the topic of Pokemon, and thought of a killer idea to bust out our old Gen I games, and have a tournament. It was a lot of fun an reignited my interest in the series. I bought a DS and Platinum, then eventually all of the other main series games, including all of Gen III. It's hard for me to rate Gen III, as I played it after Gen IV. I could have seen myself being disappointed by certain things, but also loving lots of other aspects of the generation.

 

[shiny_magikarp]

Handheld video game sales:

Red, Green, and Blue: 23.64 million
Yellow: 8.86 million

Gen 1 overall: 32.5 million

Gold and Silver: 23.00 million
Crystal: 3.75 million

Gen 2 overall: 26.75 million

Ruby and Sapphire: 13.00 million
FireRed and Leafgreen: 11.82 million
Emerald: 6.32 million

Gen 3 overall: 31.14 million BUT, if we were to equal the amount of games in gens 1 and 2, this would be the actual number excluding the remakes:
19.32 million

Diamond and Pearl: 17.57 million
Platinum: 7.43 million
HeartGold and SoulSilver: 11.90 million

Gen 4 overall: 36.9 million (but again, let's exclude the remakes). Real number:
25 million

Black and White: 11.51 million
Black and White 2: 6.13 million

Gen 5 overall: 17.64 million


Now of course, since we're still in Generation 5, it wouldn't be fair to call that the official total. I'd give the games a few more years to sell before we get an actual clue on how successful they were.
Now as you can plainly see, Generation 3 was the sour patch in the Pokemon series, and Gen 4 was superior sales-wise. Obviously though, Generation 1 dominates by a long shot, and still outnumbers everything when I included the remakes.
I honestly don't think Pokemon will ever be as popular as it once was.

Generation 3 sales were low in direct comparision with other generations but they were in fact very successful if you consider how low overall GBA systems and games sales were compared to GB and DS systems and games sales.

They were low because GBA's lifespan was only 3 years, or so. If I remember right, GBA was released in '01 and the DS was released in '04.
The original Game Boy and GBC had a lifespan of over a decade, and the Nintendo DS had a lifespan of 7 years.

Exactly, that's why I disagree with calling Gen 3 "sour patch" because lower sales were caused by GBA marketing, not loss of series popularity. Pokemon series never really lost popularity at any point of time so far and probably won't as long as new games are being released.

 

[Fluttershy Pony]

I've been a Pokémon fan for over a decade, but I only started with the Gen III games when they came out, and recently started playing them again. I've never played any of the Gen IV or V games, but many have said they're not as good. So, with that, I am getting the new Gen VI games, so I can see if they really were trying to go back to old routes. It does look like a nice game though.

 

[FaerieStar]

I think they're just trying to keep the series fresh while connected to older generations. I don't feel like they're going back to old routes or anything, there is too many new stuff in Gen VI.
I wouldn't even say "gen 1-3 crowd". It would be more like "gen 1-2 crowd" and "gen 3 crowd", imo. Many people left after gen 2 and many joined from gen 3.

 

[MetroLSD]

I've never played any of the Gen IV or V games, but many have said they're not as good. So, with that, I am getting the new Gen VI games,

Gen IV and V were good games. As a matter of fact the same people who said they were bad are now saying Gen VI will suck, This is why you never let the opinions of other people effect your view of a game, especially if you've never even tried the game for yourself.

 

[VeggiePopper]

I was like that when 3rd Gen rolled around. I went on a 5-6 year hiatus from playing Pokemon, then I started up again in 2009 playing Platinum. While 4th Gen wasn't as good as 5th Gen in my opinion, it was still good enough to get me back into Pokemon.
Unless you were one to grow up with it, 3rd Gen was the buzz kill in Pokemon if you started with the originals. A lot of people have a hard time understanding this.

We had a very similar same path. I started with Red back when it first came out. I was a freshman in high school. I was super into the series through Gen II, but by the time Gen III rolled out, I had moved on from both high school and the series. Like you, I eventually returned with Platinum. I didn't perceive Gen III as a buzz kill at the time, I honestly didn't even look into them when they came out, despite being aware of their existence. My general interests in gaming waned, and I got more into music, and going to shows. I cycled back around out of a fit of nostalgia between my friends and I. We happened to get on the topic of Pokemon, and thought of a killer idea to bust out our old Gen I games, and have a tournament. It was a lot of fun an reignited my interest in the series. I bought a DS and Platinum, then eventually all of the other main series games, including all of Gen III. It's hard for me to rate Gen III, as I played it after Gen IV. I could have seen myself being disappointed by certain things, but also loving lots of other aspects of the generation.

Same with me. I was a big fan of the series during Gens I and II, then skipped Gen III and came back in Gen IV. My personal story was that by 2001 I started high school, so like you, my interests switched from video games to rock music and I spent my money in CD's and going to concerts, which, at the time, was a cheaper hobby than videogames. Actually, it's not that I lost interest in video games, just that I couldn't afford them anymore. So by 2001 all the N64, Game Boy and PS1 became obsolete, so if I wanted to keep playing I had to spend a lot of cash on new consoles, add that to a new social circle and suddenly I lost my interest in videogames altogether. By 2008 the then-current circumstances in my life (basically, rejoining my old social circle) made me interested in games once again, and now I could afford a Wii and a DS, so I went for it and got a Diamond Version. To me, the games felt as fresh as when I first played Gen I in November 1998. Of course, it was because now I had TWO generations of new features (today I find it hilarious that I thought mons like Meditie and Chimeco were Gen IV Pokémon). And like you, when I got back to Gen III I found it slightly lackluster because I had already played DPPt, that plus the fact that I skipped that generation, has caused me to not care much or feel attracted by those games (that's why I've said I'm not excited at the ida of Hoenn remakes) but that's becase of personal reasons rather than the true quality of the games which overall, I do like them and I ackowledge they are fine, tight entries in the series, so I don't get why the hate towards Gen III.

 

[Go-Gogoat]

Not everyone who dislikes a certain gen has a hidden motive. I love gen 5 and gen six is looking to be one of my favourites as well, and I still think gen 4 sucks ass.

 

[MetroLSD]

Not everyone who dislikes a certain gen has a hidden motive. I love gen 5 and gen six is looking to be one of my favourites as well, and I still think gen 4 sucks ass.

Mind explaining why Gen IV "sucks ass"?

 

[Zoro]

Not everyone who dislikes a certain gen has a hidden motive. I love gen 5 and gen six is looking to be one of my favourites as well, and I still think gen 4 sucks ass.

Mind explaining why Gen IV "sucks ass"?

Probably because half the dex is legendaries and old pokemon evolutions.