Unpopular opinions

[Kurona]

Conkeldurr is, and will always remain, a bleak attempt at making Machamp over again. And it's a poor design, to boot.

That goes for pretty exactly half of the Unova dex too, actually. The latter half of the roster is filled with pretty creative and original designs. The first half is just trash and clones of designs we already saw in the previous generations. You could replace half of Gen. V with existing designs, and I doubt I'd even notice.

This is an unpopular opinion?
Regardless I fully agree. I've heard people cite "reboot" of Pokémon as an excuse for this, but that doesn't quite work when you still have the Pokémon you've based them off of. I'm not entirely sure what the point of a reboot is if you're not getting rid of anything; would there be any real problem with putting in Geodude, Zubat, Machop etc.?
Unova's always been half and half for me - I love Volcarona and Reuniclus, but Bouffalant and Unfezant are just plain awful. They had the best legends in the series, but by far the worst starters...

 

[SwampySwampert]

This is an unpopular opinion?
Regardless I fully agree. I've heard people cite "reboot" of Pokémon as an excuse for this, but that doesn't quite work when you still have the Pokémon you've based them off of. I'm not entirely sure what the point of a reboot is if you're not getting rid of anything; would there be any real problem with putting in Geodude, Zubat, Machop etc.?
Unova's always been half and half for me - I love Volcarona and Reuniclus, but Bouffalant and Unfezant are just plain awful. They had the best legends in the series, but by far the worst starters...

I liked the fusions of Kyurem and Reshiram/Zekrom, although I'm not sure exactly why Black Kyurem is allowed in the Black Tower :D
The starters were terrible. Tepig's line was bad by virture of being the third consecutive Fire/Fighting starter, Samurott was unoriginal, and Serperior never really caught me.

 

[Darth Manaphy]

This is an unpopular opinion?
Regardless I fully agree. I've heard people cite "reboot" of Pokémon as an excuse for this, but that doesn't quite work when you still have the Pokémon you've based them off of. I'm not entirely sure what the point of a reboot is if you're not getting rid of anything; would there be any real problem with putting in Geodude, Zubat, Machop etc.?
Unova's always been half and half for me - I love Volcarona and Reuniclus, but Bouffalant and Unfezant are just plain awful. They had the best legends in the series, but by far the worst starters...

I liked the base form of all the Unova starters thanks to PokePark 2 (Do I need to post the Oshawott commercial from it). It's the only generation that I actually DID like all three starters and not just one or two of them.

I also liked Emboar (but mostly because it reminded me of me especially with my old high school nickname).

 

[HelenTheHero]

I don't really like Emboar and Samurott, they seem over-designed and Samurott has these weird shells all over. Emboar is just strange to me, especially after the adorable Tepig. I like Serperior though, it is a simple yet elegant design. I also don't like the Fennekin line much, and I think Quiladin is just about the scariest middle evolution ever created. I also used to hate Greninja for the fact it had a tongue scarf, but now I like the design.

 

[Pikachu315111]

Conkeldurr is, and will always remain, a bleak attempt at making Machamp over again. And it's a poor design, to boot.

That goes for pretty exactly half of the Unova dex too, actually. The latter half of the roster is filled with pretty creative and original designs. The first half is just trash and clones of designs we already saw in the previous generations. You could replace half of Gen. V with existing designs, and I doubt I'd even notice.

And that's the problem with people wanting just new Pokemon vs. using old Pokemon as "filler". While having new Pokemon is always exciting unfortunately there are certain "roles" that need to be filled in a RPG. While using old Pokemon as filler is probably frustrating to some people sadly if they don't do it many of the new Pokemon will just be expies of them. I kind of like how in XY they had so many old Pokemon acting as filler and filling certain roles that the small amount of new Pokemon they released they could do new and interesting things with. Who would have ever thought a Regional Bird and Rodent would be OU or a regional bug would become the biggest thing to collect? While each gen does bring in new and interesting Pokemon, the more older Pokemon are in the Dex the more unique the new Pokemon can be.

I don't like Mega Lucario in X/Y. It makes Wulfric and Wikstrom way too easy, and 240 power Close Combat with Adaptability Mega Lucario is just broken.

Well you don't have to use it (like I didn't), though I'm still guilty of using the welfare Latias for ORAS. As the "welfare" joke applies, I think they add them in to help the younger players who are having a hard time. I don't think they'll be changing that mindset anytime soon, though I do hope maybe they add in a Hard Mode for those who are looking for it and don't want to artificially limit ourselves.

I liked the fusions of Kyurem and Reshiram/Zekrom, although I'm not sure exactly why Black Kyurem is allowed in the Black Tower :D
The starters were terrible. Tepig's line was bad by virture of being the third consecutive Fire/Fighting starter, Samurott was unoriginal, and Serperior never really caught me.

Still waiting for the Original Dragon.

Emboar should have been Fire/Dark. He's based on a demon! But yeah, I think they needed to work a bit more on the Unova Starters as I feel they maybe were sticking too much with tradition (with the idea of this being a reboot) instead of doing what was right for the Pokemon.

 

[SwampySwampert]

Unova had a Challenge Mode (in B2/W2), but unfortunately, you have to actually beat the game on Normal to get it, which I hated.
Kalos was very good. I liked the different ways that Pokémon evolve (i.e. Goodra in the rain, Malamar while the 3DS is upside down, Pangoro with a Dark-type in the party, etc.).

 

[HelenTheHero]

Malamar is definitely one of the most unique ways to evolve a Pokemon.

 

[Karxrida]

Malamar is definitely one of the most unique ways to evolve a Pokemon.

I don't think you'd find many people who disagree.

 

[Xen]

Unova's pool of Pokemon were pretty hit or miss imo. I either liked them or disliked them; I can't think of any Unova Pokemon that I feel neutral towards.

 

[Agonist]

Unova had a Challenge Mode (in B2/W2), but unfortunately, you have to actually beat the game on Normal to get it, which I hated.
Kalos was very good. I liked the different ways that Pokémon evolve (i.e. Goodra in the rain, Malamar while the 3DS is upside down, Pangoro with a Dark-type in the party, etc.).

More importantly, you had to beat Black 2 to get it, which entirely defeats the purpose of it. And it was exclusive to Black 2 if you didn't have IR.

 

[Pikachu315111]

Unova had a Challenge Mode (in B2/W2), but unfortunately, you have to actually beat the game on Normal to get it, which I hated.
Kalos was very good. I liked the different ways that Pokémon evolve (i.e. Goodra in the rain, Malamar while the 3DS is upside down, Pangoro with a Dark-type in the party, etc.).

While all these different forms of evolution are neat, at the same time I'm kind of getting tired of them. Or rather, tired of just only a few if not just only one Pokemon have that form of evolution. With all the methods of evolution we currently have, maybe GF should focus on expanding those a bit more and only adding in a new one they feel is needed.

 

[Billy the Uncle]

Pidove is just a rip-off of the Pidgey/Taillow/Starly lines.
Purrloin = Poochyena
Patrat = Rattata/Sentret/Zigzagoon/Bidoof

Regional rodents/birds have been a thing since gen. 1. Gen 5 is no more of a culprit than the others for this.

Also, they missed the possibility to make Emboar a kickass quadruped mono-Fire boar.

 

[Akanthis]

Regional rodents/birds have been a thing since gen. 1. Gen 5 is no more of a culprit than the others for this.

Also, they missed the possibility to make Emboar a kickass quadruped mono-Fire boar.

Any other typing for Emboar would have been way better IMO... It was the 3rd straight Fire-Fighting starter

 

[Codraroll]

Pidove is just a rip-off of the Pidgey/Taillow/Starly lines.
Purrloin = Poochyena
Patrat = Rattata/Sentret/Zigzagoon/Bidoof

Purrloin = Poochyena?

This one is like they didn't even try...

But overall, some early-route birds, bugs and rodents are to be expected. Birds, bugs and rodents are quite "basic" creatures, and a great way to introduce the concept of Pokémon. Meanwhile, veteran players crave to see new Pokémon at the start of the game, to underline that this is, indeed, a new Pokémon generation. With that in mind, it's understandable that GameFreak keep making similar designs for the start of the dex.

What is unforgivable in Gen. V, though, is that they kept churning out new Pokémon built to near-identical specifications to the old ones, making half the line. For instance:

Munna line = Drowzee line (Sleep-related Psychic Pokémon with a tapir-related design)
Roggenrola line = Geodude line (Three-stage, ubiquitous Rock type family, final evolution by trade)
Woobat/Swoobat = Zubat/Golbat (Goddamn bats troubling you through every step of a cave)
Drilbur line = Sandshrew line (Bipedal, Ground type moles)
Audino = Chansey (Pink blob with defensively-oriented stats, a high Exp. yield, and a likeness to nurses)
Timburr line = Machop line (Humanoid mono-Fighting types, final evolution by trade)
Tympole line = Poliwag line (Blue, Water type tadpoles evolving into frogs)
Throh/Sawk = Hitmonchan/Hitmonlee (Humanoid, clothed mono-Fighting types inspired by martial arts)
Cottonee line = Hoppip line (note that their later Fairy typing fixed this)
Lilligant = Bellossom
Crustle = Parasect (relatively small bug underneath massive shell which is not really part of its body)
Cubchoo line = Teddiursa line (cuddly small bear evolving into ferocious, bipedal bear)
Bouffalant = Tauros (big, bull-like Normal Pokémon)
Emolga = Every Pika-clone ever.
Rufflet line = Spearow line (Normal/Flying birds with a somewhat ferocious nature. The pre-evolution has a fuzzy, feathery head, while the evolution soars on great wings)
Also, Galvantula's official art has it in the exact same pose as Ariados. The design is original in itself, but at first glance, it looks like another copy.

However, apart from these glaring design repetitions, most of Gen. V is actually pretty well designed. Okay, some of the designs are ugly, but at least they are original. It seems pretty clear that the designers wanted certain "roles" to be filled by Pokémon in the games, just as old Pokémon had filled them previously, and they designed new ones to replace the old ones which used to do the exact same job. However, once the obligatory role list was filled, they let themselves loose with creative designs for the rest of the dex.

 

[noobcubed]

Codraroll unfortunately most of those obligatory roles appeared early in the game. It meant that, going into this new game which promised to feature "only new Pokemon", we were immediately assaulted with the familiar-looking,rather undermining the whole point.

 

[Antihaxxer]

Codraroll, you can also add Patrat/Rattata, Pidove/Pidgey, Audino/Chansey, Klink/Magneti

 

[Darth Manaphy]

Patrat and Pidove were expected. Every game had its own common rat and bird Pokemon. Audino I'm willing to forgive because in game it felt like just "Ooh, lots of experience!" and I honestly don't see much similarity between the Klink line and the Magnemite line...

 

[Kurona]

Patrat and Pidove I don't forgive because they were by far the laziest of their archetypes. I mean, like...
For birds, they done something different each time. Noctowl was bulky and had a lot of psychic moves. Swellow was a fragile speedster. Staraptor just went balls-to-the-wall offence and even got Close Combat. Talonflame... well, it's fire/flying and it even got it's own unique ability.
Now what does Unfezant do different from Pidgeot? ... it's a little faster? It learns Wish as an egg move???
Same deal with Patrat. Okay so the other regional rodents weren't anything to write home about, but at least Linoone was built around speed (evident in it's design), and Bibarel took a step forward in having a new unique typing and also being the biggest HM slave of all time. Diggersby got a unique typing and HUGE POWER. Watchog... is a creepy little shit, and that's it.
It's bad enough when you have to use archetypes, but even worse when you do nothing new with these archetypes.

 

[Cresselia~~]

During the Pokemon Company survey, I noticed one thing:

"What Pokemon would you wear?"
STUNFISK was one of the options.

Just proves how popular Stunfisk is in Japan, whilst being really unpopular in the West.
It has a very similar role with Jynx.

Oh yes, I would wear a Stunfisk T-shirt. I have also bought some Stunfisk stationary.
I think this counts as an unpopular opinion on an English forum.

 

[Darth Manaphy]

Unfeazant does have one of the few "big" gender differences based off of how male birds are generally fancier than female birds.

Also, one thing I keep confusing is Furret and Linoone. They are practically the same animal (a ferret). So there was laziness all the way back in Gen III with them too. They're the same brown and beige ferret Pokemon. If it wasn't for that one event to fix the RS game clock, no one would really know or care about it.

 

[Kurona]

Unfeazant does have one of the few "big" gender differences based off of how male birds are generally fancier than female birds.

Also, one thing I keep confusing is Furret and Linoone. They are practically the same animal (a ferret). So there was laziness all the way back in Gen III with them too. They're the same brown and beige ferret Pokemon. If it wasn't for that one event to fix the RS game clock, no one would really know or care about it.

Eh, I have a friend that fucking adores Linoone and squeed that Zigzagoon was in XY's first route. I myself loved it and actually found it seriously useful on an in-game team.

 

[Darth Manaphy]

Eh, I have a friend that fucking adores Linoone and squeed that Zigzagoon was in XY's first route. I myself loved it and actually found it seriously useful on an in-game team.

To each their own then. My friend loves Unfeazant and said she would use it more if it actually got good physical flying STAB. And it did a good job on my Black team.

 

[Kurona]

To each their own then. My friend loves Unfeazant and said she would use it more if it actually got good physical flying STAB. And it did a good job on my Black team.

I used it and pretty much always regretted it. It just felt like it did so little work; and the fact it got no moves didn't help it's case. At least in Gen 3 the problems Linoone had (basically not being that strong) were far more widespread. In Gen 5's power creep, Unfezant is just horrendous to use - especially coming after Staraptor. I mean hell, it doesn't even get Brave Bird! The heck?

 

[Cresselia~~]

Eh, I have a friend that fucking adores Linoone and squeed that Zigzagoon was in XY's first route. I myself loved it and actually found it seriously useful on an in-game team.

I find linoone and Zigzagoon quite cute. People around me also.

They are also funny in the Japanese 4coma manga.

 

[jordanthejq12]

I used it and pretty much always regretted it. It just felt like it did so little work; and the fact it got no moves didn't help it's case. At least in Gen 3 the problems Linoone had (basically not being that strong) were far more widespread. In Gen 5's power creep, Unfezant is just horrendous to use - especially coming after Staraptor. I mean hell, it doesn't even get Brave Bird! The heck?

Super Luck Air Cutter? (Not off 65 SpA, you won't.) I mean, really, what were they thinking? (It also gets Razor Wind, which also is a just-about-guaranteed crit but is a two-turn move, and for usable Normal STAB you get...Uproar. Well, it is 90 BP, but being locked in for 2-5 kinda sucks.)