• A new LGBTQ+ forum is now being trialed and there have been changes made to the Support and Advice forum. To read more about these updates, click here.
  • Hey Trainers! Be sure to check out Corsola Beach, our newest section on the forums, in partnership with our friends at Corsola Cove! At the Beach, you can discuss the competitive side of the games, post your favorite Pokemon memes, and connect with other Pokemon creators!
  • Due to the recent changes with Twitter's API, it is no longer possible for Bulbagarden forum users to login via their Twitter account. If you signed up to Bulbagarden via Twitter and do not have another way to login, please contact us here with your Twitter username so that we can get you sorted.

Preservation of the Pokémon video games

I don't even touch my copy of Ruby or my two copies of Sapphire.
Just because you don't want to touch them, it doesn't mean others will do the same. RBY sold extremely well in VC when they were released for the 20th annyversary, so there's obviously a market for people that want to play the originals.
 
Just because you don't want to touch them, it doesn't mean others will do the same. RBY sold extremely in VC when they were released for the 20th annyversary, so there's obviously a market for people that want to play the originals.

You're also comparing $10 releases to $60 releases. As I said, I own 4/6 VCs (Blue, Yellow, Silver, Crystal) and I haven't even played Blue or Silver. I got them because they were cheap and thought I'd play the originals after Yellow and Crystal, but I didn't. For $10 who wouldn't play a VC release? That's completely different than saying "just play FRLG" when physical copies of Gen 3, 4, 5, and even 6 games are at ridiculous prices right now. There's certainly a justification to say "I'll just get a $10 VC Crystal instead of shelling $100-150+ for a copy of HGSS" for something that's "close enough" to the same game. So your comparison is skewed because you're talking sales numbers without talking prices.

Of course, at some point Johto will be remade anyways and it's most likely the next remake in line, following the trends since FRLG -> HGSS -> ORAS -> LGPE -> BDSP (Kanto remake in Gen 3, Johto remake in Gen 4, Hoenn remake in Gen 6, Kanto remake again in Gen 7, Sinnoh remake in Gen 8, most likely another Johto remake is next).
 
I agree with @Fairy Type Arceus and @EmpoleonProd that remakes are a pretty satisfactory way to preserve games. Really, there have only been eight different Pokemon games so far, in slightly varying incarnations.

As @SpinyShell and @Norzan pointed out, we should ideally be preserving every incarnation of every game, because each of them is a work of art in its own right. I like to revisit the earlier versions for nostalgia purposes, and sometimes there are things about them that I prefer (such as RSE's soundtrack). But really, as long as there is always an official way to play at least one game for every region, I'm content.

I came back to this thread because of the announcement of BDSP's day one patch, which has raised some new questions about preservation. Once the Nintendo Switch servers shut down, the complete version of BDSP will be unavailable except to people who already downloaded the patch. Those purchasing the game second-hand will only be able to play it with unfinished music and some missing features.

Do you think a group of dedicated fans might set up an unofficial server people can download the patch from, like they did for the DS Mystery Gifts? Or will people turn to emulation to get the complete BDSP experience? There's also the possibility that Nintendo will manufacture pre-patched copies of BDSP at a later date, but I imagine it could be difficult for second-hand buyers to distinguish them from the release-day copies.
 
Last edited:
I guess it's a YMMV thing, but I'm surprised graphic hasn't come up much in this thread. One of the reasons I'm personally hesitating to pick BDSP over Platinum is because I find pixel art to be more charming compared to 3D, and really, pixel and 3D in general are each their own visual experience. The same goes for other games before it.

This is a non-issue if VC release happens, but that's if. Otherwise we turn to ROMs and emulators and the previously discussed downsides will apply.
 
Even after we've learned everything about BDSP, I stand by what I said previously, there is virtually no reason to play the original DP over BDSP, and an argument can only be made for Platinum, but even still, BDSP does have a fair bit of cool stuff that even Platinum didn't have, so BDSP may very well become the definitive Sinnoh game, much like how HGSS is the definitive Johto experience (until we get round 2 remakes of Johto).
 
I see this being the most important for the original versions of generations that have gotten a remake, if only to preserve the matter they existed. As for the DLCs, I know nothing about the situation they create, but that has never stopped the fandom before. I'm sure they will find some way to include them for people that may want to experience them in the future, or simply for historical purposes. Yes, I see ROMs as the only way this will be done.
 
Emulators are usually the best solution, but they're not perfect. For example, you'll never get the same experience playing XY as you could in 2014 as even if the servers were up there just aren't very many people online in that game anymore. As games become more and more dependent on online features their shelf life becomes shorter and shorter. I can still get the same experience out of Pac-Man now as someone could thirty years ago, but thirty years from now playing Fortnite would be completely different.

Things like DLC and updates could still be downloaded with a homebrewed system, there are still around ten people that play Mario Kart Wii online because of that. At least the warranties will all be expired by then.
 
Please note: The thread is from 2 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.
Back
Top Bottom