Same Generation Version Differences

[Celever]

Every generation since the very beginning has been released in pairs. These are: Red and Blue, Gold and Silver, Ruby and Sapphire, Fire Red and Leaf Green, Diamond and Peal, Heart Gold and Soul Silver, Black and White, Black 2 and White 2, and X and Y. There are also differences between both of the versions, and though many are subtle, it does make a player want to buy both sometimes. I've listed every single difference in the poll above to find the favourite differences between versions on Smogon. Some of these I didn't even know existed (a different colour scheme for Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue, for example) so I will be interested in seeing everyone's past experiences with version differences, and which you think should either be reintroduced to the series or maybe even taken away. In brackets after each option in the poll is the most recent example of the difference. Interestingly, only version exclusive Pokémon and version exclusive Mega-Stones are in Pokémon X and Y to differentiate the two.

Personally, I really loved Reversal Mountain being different in B2 and W2. In B2 it seemed like it had already erupted and all of its lava had disappeared, whereas in W2 it seemed like it was pre-eruption. I also like the version exclusive sprites from Generation 2, because it really feels like a different adventure when, even though you're facing an identical team, it LOOKS different to you. It's interesting how many ideas were in one generation but were later scrapped, and differences between versions is a good topic on this matter. As I mentioned earlier, only 2 version-exclusive things feature in Generation 6 so far, and one is a new idea for Generation 6.

So, what are your thoughts on things exclusive to certain versions? It's definitely necessary if Game Freak wants to continue pumping out two similar games for most of their main series releases, so what are your favourite exclusives? Which don't you like so much? Please answer the poll and post below! ^_^

 

[Leer]

Personally, I think that everything except for Mega Stones should be different. If the two games don't carry a lot of differences, there's no point to making two games. If you know of the difference beforehand, you can choose which game has the more appealing Pokemon/story/whatever, and if you don't know of it, you can play through one version and then emulate the other later to see the difference or play alongside a friend/sibling and compare games. Mega Stones don't seem like something that should be version-exclusive because there's only one of each, so if, for example, you want both Charizard forms on different teams then you'd have to take the missing stone from someone else. Most version-exclusive legends are able to be caught in the sequel/tie-in game (Emerald, Platinum, Black 2, Z, etc.) or even post game, and to enter it in your Pokedex you only have to have it for a brief period of time.

One of my favorite differences was Black City/White Forest. The two each had their own benefits, and it was fun to take people to the city from the forest or let them go when they wouldn't battle anymore. I received some nice Pokemon from White Forest through trade, and my player ended up raking in a ton of PokeYen from Black City. I also wish they would bring back version-exclusive sprites, they seem to really set apart the two versions despite it not seeming so. Pokemon fans still fight about which version had better sprites (it's Gold btw)

The more differences the better imo, just not when there's only one of the item like mega stones.

 

[Lady Vader]

I enjoy the differences. While version exclusive Pokémon can be a pain at times, it is one of the basic concepts that created the series in the first place. When I first heard about things like different villainous teams in Ruby and Sapphire or the differences between Black (2) and White (2), I was excited. Then, I saw how little impact they really had and I was a little disappointed. I would love a game where the differences are more noticeable. For example, instead of having the location of Team Magma/Aqua's hideout be in the same place and with the same layout, why not have different layouts in different locations? That would have been so awesome! Even more so since in each of those, they both exist, one being the villains, the other are heroes. It would be neat to have been able to fight one in one location and just chill in the other.

 

[Hulavuta]

Yeah I'll just go through all of these. I'll just say up front that I like that their are version-exclusive Pokemon as it encourages trade. This was the only real difference in the first games. I usually pick my version based on this.

Version Exclusive Areas - I never really played in the White Forest so I don't really know firsthand, but in general I dislike having a feature in one game that is unobtainable in another (which is why I have no problem with exclusives that can be traded). That just seems like a cheap way to get people to buy and play both to access both features. If it was something like the Hard Mode/Easy Mode feature where you can give it to someone else, that'd be more interesting. You didn't put it in your poll but Hard/Easy mode was another version exclusive feature that was really stupid.

Version Exclusive Stories - This I really like since it isn't really a gameplay feature. However, it causes me a ton of headache since I am notoriously bad at making decisions. At least with version exclusive Pokemon it is easy, just pick the game that has more of the Pokemon you like. I still don't know if I am getting Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire just because I don't know if I'd rather have Team Aqua or Team Magma be the bad guys. (Why can't they both be, like in Emerald!!)

Version Exclusive Mega Stones - No real problem with this, I see it as the same as version exclusive Pokemon. It's true you can only get one per game, but you can only get one of each legendary per game and that works out. You can get one traded to you, but it is going to be a bit of work to get someone who wants to part with theirs, and maybe it will be at the price of your own exclusive mega stone. That rareness but not quite exclusivity makes it more fun for me. It seems more like an actual trade where you are giving up your only copy of something, rather than just trading a Pokemon you already have 30 bred copies of.

Version Exclusive Color Schemes - Not really sure about this one since I don't think I've ever seen it. But just from what I gather from what you said, this seems like a limitation of the times and technology, so I don't think it will ever return, nor do I want it to. We now have the technology to have Pokemon in the games with all of the colors necessary, and we have an official color scheme based on the Sugimori art. If there are differing color schemes there should be a real explanation behind it at least, for example, Hippowdons being different color based on their sex. I see this as the same as people wanting bugs and glitches in newer Pokemon games. Yeah, the glitches were fun sometimes, but doing stuff like that is just not something respectable game companies can do.

Version Exclusive Sprites - Okay, in contrast to the above I actually really love version exclusive sprites and it's one of my favorite features. I guess it's just for the fact that having more official art of Pokemon is always better in my book. Starting with the animated sprites in Gen 5 though, I don't think they can do this anymore. The sprites before that were always the Pokemon standing still in a pose, but in Generation 5 and then on to the Generation 6 3D models, the Pokemon are now in a more neutral pose when idle. With the Pokemon having a bunch of animations now, they don't really need to create a variety of poses to make the Pokemon look more dynamic.

Version Exclusive Gym Leaders - I am not sure what games did this besides Black and White, but it's not really that big of a change so I don't really mind either way. This kinda fits in with the story differences between versions.

Version Exclusive Battle Types - Again, as long as both battle types are available in multiplayer battling, I don't really mind either way. I'm not really into rotations or triples (I am into rotations a little more than triples, but not really more than a passing interesting) so I guess it doesn't really affect me much anyway, at least not enough to get a real opinion.

Different Looking and Playing Areas - I actually had no idea this was different until I saw it in this thread and then looked it up on Bulbapedia, haha. I think this is an alright feature, although the cave being flooded with water sounds way cooler than the cave having magma like in White 2. Lame.

Yeah, pretty much it's a double-edged sword for me. I love to have variety between the two versions, but when you like features in both games it can make it hard to decide if you don't want to buy both (which is totally understandable).

 

[DoctorGamma]

I hope they add some new types of differences; like different dex's, or box schemes, or maybe even ACTUALLY different stories (not just the philosophical/team focus). That'd keep it interesting.