Pokemon Needs A Change

Many people out there, including myself, grew up as a kid catching Pokemon on Pokemon Red and Blue when it first came out on the Nintendo Gameboy. Over the years, we enjoyed the simple "collect them and evolve them all." The game was addicting at the time, and to others it's still the same working formula where you walk around, fight trainers, catch Pokemon, and level them up. 

I remember being in 4th Grade and Pokemon Gold, Silver and Crystal comes out. Oh! And I forgot about Pokemon Yellow; really wasn't impressed with it.

But as time marches ,on so does another and another and yet another with more and more Pokemon to catch, using the same formula as well as the constant marketing tactic--which is clever, but proof how there is a sucker born every minute. Two or three versions of the same game, but different colors or titles, with mostly the same Pokemon, but each version may not have a small handful of different Pokemon which really aren't worth collecting because we all know that once you get that perfect dream team, it's over.

Me personally, I don't need to catch them all or have the time to level hundreds upon hundreds of Pokemon. Pokmeon Y for the Nintendo 3DS really impressed me because even though it was the same kind of game, I felt like a rock star in this game.

There were some changes that made the game a little more enjoyable with side quests, taking away the annoying rival who is always ahead of you with that smirk on his or her face. Plus I love the map and graphics. The game does feel rewarding and Nurse Joy remembers my Birthday and that's cool and all but in reality it is still the same formula as all the other Pokemon Games prior to it. 

I was so pumped I even did a free give away for Pokemon Sun and Moon and I couldn't wait to get my hands on Pokemon Moon but sadly after two Gym battles, I lost interest in playing this game. I really wasn't interested in playing the same game I've been playing over and over having to restart the same kind of adventure with the same marketing plot and only another handful of the same Pokemon including maybe some new ones.

Yeah the cut scenes are nice and Nintendo is gonna release it because it's Pokemon but I feel the formula needs to be changed but how can you change something that has been the same thing over and over for so many years and has been identified as a collector and level em up game? Changing the game at this point isn't just a major game changer but a scary idea but if the game is going to be a simple collector and level em up game then let's view the possibilities.

Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild is an amazing game and is also a prefect example for Pokemon. Zelda started to fall into that same category of repetitiveness where it's really just the same game with minor changes here and there and the game used to be about exploring and blindly stumbling into a situation or exploring a dungeon out of curiosity but over time it became a more like a theme park ride where you have to go where you needed to go in order to progress to another part of the game and exploring is limited and by the time you reached that spot you've been wanting to get to for so long it ends up losing it's charm because of the ride along feel.

Zelda is good and I love the games, loved the first two games for the Nintendo and super loved A Link To The past for the Super Nintendo but once Ocarina Of time came into play, what was one of the most nostalgic games known to the gamer my age knows it is also the father of what started to ruin Zelda games.

Majora's mask was good and had a great story and the three day rule added a whole new style of fear and motivation. Everything was timed out perfectly to take place in three days and the events in all parts of the map with all the characters are always playing out the same when you reverse time or alter time and a NPC became a part of the game. The game was all about side quests but it followed the ride along very well because certain peoples stories can be altered and there were so many cool things link can do as well as actually making a difference in the world.

But over time and time again the player is put on the same type of ride with Link being spoiled over and over again with the exception of Twilight Princess which had amazing cut scenes and who doesn't like having a spicy side kick, Tatle was fun to have around because of her attitude and so was Midna.

Note: Having a spicy side kick who isn't always just a walking map or GPS yet has a purpose in the game and actually feels like someone I care about because I want to help is a great idea to keep the whole walking map feature in the game.

I wont go into Skyward Sword because we all know Link is spoiled rotten in that game but hands down you know Nintendo was trying to find some way to revamp it but just didn't know how and sure there were times Nintendo just gave up and rushed some titles but people at Nintendo noticed this and changed the formula.

But Breath Of The Wild introduced and revamped some old concepts but changed the formula in hopes to see what Zelda fans would want and it worked. Exploring Hyrule felt big, amazing and intimidating and new surprises and dangers lurked around every corner and over every mountain and exploring never felt so amazing.

Sure there was an adventure that is your main objective but you don't feel like you are being taken on a planned out ride and every new adventure is different and experienced in new and different way. If I couldn't climb that mountain or if I'm not well equipped or smart enough in a battle then it's my fault and that just means that somewhere out there is something I can do and there is something out there to help me progress to where I want to go and there is so much to do in this big open world.

Exploring the world was fun and unforgettable and there was a LOT of new game play elements and features that were introduced in Zelda that worked out well for the experience.

This game is beautiful and I was able to look past it's flaws because Nintendo polished and fixed a lot of things and the upgrades to the series was refreshing enough to let us know it was worth the wait and there is new and exciting possibilities for future titles to come. Nintendo cares about it's main titles and knows how to change and adapt and that's my point when it comes to Pokemon.  

you thought I was done with pokemon? Now let's look at Pokemon and find some ways to revamp the series in hopes to keep people wanting and not feeling like they are playing the same game over and over again.

Keep in mind this is just and opinion so what I say has no effect on what happens with Nintendo or the Pokemon series. Of coarse you already knew that because your smart!

Pokemon is an RPG and let's treat it as an RPG.

Why not create a large map to explore and why not make it an online experience where thousands of Pokemon Trainers from all around the world play in this new world. No more just online trades and battles but buddy up with friends and others in search of that new Pokemon. Can you imagine hundreds of people including you and your friends just waiting in some area hoping a rare Pokemon would come out and you not only have to battle the Pokemon but the other trainers around you for bragging rights and to make the catch feel worth it?

With a massive map which can be updated and can possibly hold all the old regions up to now and even new regions to explore, work together as trainers to get from one region to another and fight the rush to make it to your destination. Play your adventure in your own way and give the people a Pokemon experience they will never forget.

The new Nintendo Switch would be a great opportunity for a first ever Pokemon game on console and why just stop there? Pokken Tournament offered a great idea for the Pokemon card collectors to join in the fun if Amiibo cards were made such as items, Pokeballs, Purchasing Pokemon or even quickly summoning Pokemon.

Of coarse why stop there when collecting the cards could be in fact a great way to expand the Pokemon universe or add into the catching Pokemon experience. Maybe you have the card but say it's to only help you hunt down a Pokemon or use it as a way to summon the wild Pokemon and catch it. The Nintendo Switch could be a great first console for this series because it's portable and it can be used for enjoying Pokemon in the comforts of your own home or even on the go.

Speaking of on the go, that opens up a brand new experience based on a familiar concept. 

Why stop there when there is only time to go and why not take advantage of the Pokemon Go app? Ok maybe not the actual app but the Nintendo Switch could use the same features and experience that Pokemon Go has offered, combined the virtual world with the real world, enhance the experience of finding Pokemon out in your world and wouldn't it be neat if Nintendo added in a neat application for your smart phone to act as map or use a Nintendo account and your phones location feature to encounter more Pokemon, trainers and rare items or even turn your smart phone into an actual Pokedex?

With the disturbing news of the new upcoming Pokemon games in our near by future it seems Nintendo and Game Freak hasn't opened they're eyes to the bigger picture and the new possibilities to help bring to the loyal Pokemon fans who have been waiting for a unique experience instead of the same old ride we've been riding at Nintendo's theme park for years now only to see they only added new props and paint to the ride. The game isn't broken, just stuck on a pretend one sided picture that has another picture on the other side just waiting to be displayed and enjoyed by millions.

Now I know I'm no game developer or president of a successful gaming company and I'm sure all these things I've listed if was implemented in a new Pokemon game for console would take a lot of time or cause set backs or even require attachments but trust me when I say if Nintendo ever released such a thing that Pokemon fans would buy it and all the extra add on's that would come with this game. Just look at all the countless different "versions" of Pokemon we've bought over the years of the same game with different Pokemon or the countless reboots and revamps of previous games.

We love our Pokemon and we don't want to see the creatures we've raised and trained to become forgettable and lost in repeating nostalgic loop.