Pokémon today and the first generation

[Poneto]

Personally, my take-home message for any Pokemon officials who might be reading this (ha), regarding the question posed by the tthread title, is so: step up the game, or let go; and this is specifically directed at LGPE.

I played Gen I when it first came out, am currently doing a run of Virtual Blue, and have passionately written before in defence of Kanto vs newer gen storylines (specifically praising its sleekness). So I'm very much part of their target audience for Gen I nostalgia milk. And yet LGPE annoys me a lot, and if I do get it, it will be for no other reason than the fact that I have always bought every core series pkmn game.

The thing is, I'm not just a Gen I fan; I'm a Pokemon fan. That means I love ALL the gens, and I absolutely despise how much Kanto is being blatantly favourited over the others. I understand that it was the 20th anniversary of the first gen, so its fair to do something special ... but from what I've seen LGPE isn't particularly special. Its just FRLG with better graphics and worse everything else. And that's quite unfair, for at least 2 reasons:

• There is a clearly defined place for previous games and gens, not just in lore but in remakes and sequels too. And it was Sinnoh's turn next for a remake. If they were just going to release a graphically updated version of an older game, they should have released Sinnoh. So its kind of a snub to Gen IV fans
• Its boring. Like I said, its a remake of a remake.

All this said, I'm not trying to question why they didnt remake Sinnoh. The real question is why didn't they release a Pokemon Stadium remake for switch instead. That would both honour the original gen and provide something that the fans actually need, which is new and fresh (unlike FRLG: Part II), since Stadium is practically unplayable now with advances in technology (ironically). It would be perfectly suited to the Switch as well.

Or even in lieu of Stadium Remake, why didn't they make something that celebrated the franchise as a whole rather than just Gen I? Yeah, I know its the anniversary ... but its the anniversary of the entire series really too, not just Gen I. They could have made anything. They could have made:

• a game where we can go to select portions of every region e.g. Cianwood Island, Sevii Island, Hoenn Islands, Sinnoh Battle Resort, a portion of Unova, an island from Alola)
• a Stadium style game where you can travel to stadiums around the Pokemon World, and win the title of Pokemon World Champ
• a game that focuses on exclusively on Coordinators and Contests, as well as previous side-ventures like Musicals and Pokeathlon, where the real challenge is travelling round the region to become a Master Coordinator or w/e instead. You could even still have like one gym so gyms are like the side-venture in the game

All of these and more would be much fresh instalments and would do better jobs of honouring the anniversary than remaking Kanto ... again.

Every thing else they have done--mega evolutions, Alolan forms--I'm totally fine with those. Sure, iirc there're no Alolan forms of other gen pkmn, but I don't see that as an issue ebcause the precedent has been now set that other regions can have their own specific variants of older gen pkmn, and thats quite good IMO. Its opens the door to future gens having their own regional variants, and I for one hope this continues, specifically with Gen VIII having regional variants of Johto pkmn (as well as adding new megas from gens other than gen I).

 

[RileyXY1]

I would be upset if they decided to make Kanto the setting of the Gen 8 games instead of a new region.

 

[Icy Wind]

I would be upset if they decided to make Kanto the setting of the Gen 8 games instead of a new region.

I mean, that’s obviously not happening. Not sure why you’re fearmongering.

 

[RileyXY1]

I mean, that’s obviously not happening. Not sure why you’re fearmongering.

It's not out of the question, considering GF's obsession with Kanto.

 

[Icy Wind]

It's not out of the question, considering GF's obsession with Kanto.

Oh come on.

They’re obsessed with Kanto, yes, this entire thread is proof of that, but they’re not making a Kanto game literally a year after another. They’re not that stupid.

There’s criticizing GF’s obsession with Kanto, and there’s panicking for nothing.

 

[zoroarctic]

Personally, the complaints about Kanto/Gen I pandering have always come off as embellished.

This pushback against the overexposure of old stuff happens with other franchises too. Look at Star Wars. People hate how nostalgia-reliant the new movies are instead of trying something new.

IDK about that. Whenever I see people bashing the new Star Wars movies, it's usually for...other reasons.

 

[RileyXY1]

Personally, the complaints about KantGen I pandering have always come off as embellished.



IDK about that. Whenever I see people bashing the new Star Wars movies, it's usually for...other reasons.

Sometimes it is justified. Some people don't like Kanto pandering because they want the other 6 gens to have some time in the spotlight.

 

[zoroarctic]

Sometimes it is justified. Some people don't like Kanto pandering because they want the other 6 gens to have some time in the spotlight.

I don’t find Kanto references any more noticeable than references to other regions.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I don’t find Kanto references any more noticeable than references to other regions.

Well... an entire forest in XY was a copy of Viridian forest, the Kantonian gym, the protagonist from SM being from Kanto, only Kanto Pokemon getting regional variants, getting a Kanto starter almost alongside the Kalos one in XY, the diglett tunnel in SM, Lillie going to Kanto at the end of SM, Team Rainbow Rocket, Red and Blue's return and Kanto being the only region so far to get a re-remake...

And I’ve listed it without even trying to come up with a plethora of references. I've just scratched the surface.

 

[Aulos]

I just bought a box of Lucky Charms, and it's advertising Pokemon... And guess what? Only Pokemon Generation I. rolls eyes I could have understand if it would have been an advertisement alongside the release of Lets Go, but this is a new thing just introduced for Lucky Charms boxes within the last few days.

 

[RileyXY1]

Well... an entire forest in XY was a copy of Viridian forest, the Kantonian gym, the protagonist from SM being from Kanto, only Kanto Pokemon getting regional variants, getting a Kanto starter almost alongside the Kalos one in XY, the diglett tunnel in SM, Lillie going to Kanto at the end of SM, Team Rainbow Rocket, Red and Blue's return and Kanto being the only region so far to get a re-remake...

And I’ve listed it without even trying to come up with a plethora of references. I've just scratched the surface.

Yeah. Sometimes, GF's obsession with Gen 1 can get in the way of new content.

 

[TheElderKing]

The Kanto focus/attention from GF is quite clear, but for Gen 8 I doubt they’d be dumb enough to set the games again in that region, so I honestly think there’s zero chance of that happening.

References might still happen, as well as new regional versions of Kanto Pokémon, though that is also something I really doubt it’ll happen, or at least not with a stric focus on Kanto.

If regional versions of old Pokémon will be back, I think there are high chances it’ll be about either a mix of previous Gens or a Gen different from I.