So, you've started your Pokémon adventure. Or you're about to start one, that doesn't matter. You set out from the first town, and at some point you inevitably meet a myriad of different wild Pokémon. At some point, you're likely to want to catch a few of them, to use as your trusty companions when travelling the region.
But have you ever thought about why you catch the Pokémon you do? Or rather, why you stick with them? Whether we make an informed choice or play the game "blindly", we end up forming some sort of opinion on most of the available Pokémon as the game progresses. Some Pokémon we skip entirely, not wasting a single Poké Ball on them unless for dex completion. Some we try out, then drop after a few levels. Some we keep as HM slaves, and some we sort of tolerate, we keep them until something better turns up.
And then there are those we're willing to search for. The ones we simply can't pass on without. Those that make us think "I want to use that one!", and which don't disappoint. Those we plan to catch, long before we even buy the game. Or those you catch because "eh, why not?" and it ends up as your Most Valuable Pokémon from then on until the credits roll. Simply put, some Pokémon are just more fun to use than others.
But why is that so? What makes a Pokémon so special for you that you feel that you "have" to use it if you encounter it in-game? Likewise, what makes you turn down a Pokémon?
When I asked myself that question, the first thing that dropped into my head was "It has to be good, duh!". But then I remembered that I never use cover legendaries in-game. They're godly good from the moment you get them, and will plow through anything you put them up against, but they're still boring as heck. I catch them, box them, and maybe I train them at some point post-game.
Conversely, though, I've had lots of fun using Pokémon such as Golduck or Venomoth in the past. They're not exactly powerhouses, but they do the jobs I give them, and well enough that I ended up not replacing them.
I've come to conclude that power is not all. I think I have found a more comprehensive answer, but first, I want to hear what you think. Yes, you. What makes a Pokémon an in-game favourite for you?
But have you ever thought about why you catch the Pokémon you do? Or rather, why you stick with them? Whether we make an informed choice or play the game "blindly", we end up forming some sort of opinion on most of the available Pokémon as the game progresses. Some Pokémon we skip entirely, not wasting a single Poké Ball on them unless for dex completion. Some we try out, then drop after a few levels. Some we keep as HM slaves, and some we sort of tolerate, we keep them until something better turns up.
And then there are those we're willing to search for. The ones we simply can't pass on without. Those that make us think "I want to use that one!", and which don't disappoint. Those we plan to catch, long before we even buy the game. Or those you catch because "eh, why not?" and it ends up as your Most Valuable Pokémon from then on until the credits roll. Simply put, some Pokémon are just more fun to use than others.
But why is that so? What makes a Pokémon so special for you that you feel that you "have" to use it if you encounter it in-game? Likewise, what makes you turn down a Pokémon?
When I asked myself that question, the first thing that dropped into my head was "It has to be good, duh!". But then I remembered that I never use cover legendaries in-game. They're godly good from the moment you get them, and will plow through anything you put them up against, but they're still boring as heck. I catch them, box them, and maybe I train them at some point post-game.
Conversely, though, I've had lots of fun using Pokémon such as Golduck or Venomoth in the past. They're not exactly powerhouses, but they do the jobs I give them, and well enough that I ended up not replacing them.
I've come to conclude that power is not all. I think I have found a more comprehensive answer, but first, I want to hear what you think. Yes, you. What makes a Pokémon an in-game favourite for you?