Little things you like about Pokémon

Pokemon Legends Arceus Boxart.jpg

Pokemon Legends Z-A Boxart.jpg


A bit late to comment on it, but I love the contrast in the boxart of Legends: Arceus and the boxart of Legends: Z-A. Not just in terms of the time setting but overall setting, vibe, and atmosphere.

Arceus: In the light of day, out in the open, untamed wilderness, with Mt. Coronet in the background, the region centerpiece being a big, tall natural mountain to hammer in the atmosphere. A big wildland to explore, meeting, catching, and studying Pokemon throughout.

Z-A: In the dark of night, in the middle of a crowded, civilized metropolis city, with Prism Tower in the background, the region centerpiece being a tall, man-made tower to hammer in the atmosphere. A heavily urbanized city to navigate, running into Trainers (people) throughout and challenging each other to heated battles.

Equal, yet opposite in a way, and it's so cool.
 
This is one reason I hope even if they do team/level scaling for Boss battles in future entries, they don't alter area levels for Wild Mons. Weaving around Level 35 stuff because I wanted a Dawn Stone ASAP was pretty fun, and actually having a reason to venture into potential over-leveled areas even adds casual value to the mentioned Pokedolls or other escape utility like "Run Away" and the Smoke Ball item.
tbh I'm kind of fine with no scaling at all (at least for now) since that would ruin the joy of sequence breaking. It's also helped by the fact that SV is consistently giving me a decent challenge even when I am on the path with the intended level curve. Plus I have a gripe with the game (that I will elaborate on in the other thread) that would be heavily exacerbated by the existence of scaling.
 
I like how Liko in Pokemon Horizons is the protagonist and hero of the story, but has a battling style where she fights like a villain. It makes her so compelling that she's on one hand a very compassionate and empathetic person with an affinity for connection and bonds, and understanding Pokemon's feelings, on the other hand is a scheming little shit in battle with a trickster-like battling style with Meowscarada that really leans into that part Dark-type. It's the kind of fighting style you'd expect from a villain and it's so cool.

Cetitan Magical Leaf.jpg


Cetitan Magical Leaf 2.jpg

Example 1: Ordering Floragato to fire a massive Magical Leaf straight into Cetitan's mouth in Liko's battle against Grusha

Liko Fool.jpg

Sucker Punch Crocalor.jpg

Example 2: Attacking her own ally (Roy's Crocalor) to have Crocalor use a powered-up Stomping Tantrum against Geeta's Glimmora

Meowscarada Command.jpg

Tripping Incineroar.jpg

Example 3: Aim for the legs and make Incineroar fall down and trip


Example 4: Sneakily set up a trap and go for Incineroar's flame belt to cause a massive explosion when it uses Flamethrower

That's cool actually. This girl has a good heart, naturally, as she's the protagonist, but she's also a scheming, guile trickster in battle and has the kind of fighting style you'd expect from a villain, with a ruthless side that stops at nothing to gain the upper hand, with no restraint against using underhanded tactics.

It's even cooler that she doesn't get punished for it either. If this was anyone else, or Ash, they'd be scolded and told they need to fight fair, but Liko? Nah. What she was called out for early on was being too nice to the point of putting others over herself at her own expense, but now she's shifted to being ruthless and underhanded in a way where she now doesn't stop at anything to gain the upper hand.

She also has a Hattrem and that line has an evil side to it for better or worse, even if hers is kind and is used as a healer, which points to Liko's interesting duality. On one hand a kind and compassionate person who understands and connects with Pokemon at a deep level, on the other hand that becomes her strength in battle in a very interesting way where she's straight up a scheming, guile shithead and honestly? That's hella cool.

A hero and a protagonist with the fighting style of a villain, and I really like that.
 
I feel SM's postgame Looker missions get eclipsed in favor of USUM more bombastic Episode RR, but I enjoyed what they did there. My favorite part was going to find and catch the various Ultra Beasts. I like how all of these have different places where they're located, all fitting for the respective UB. The giant mosquito Buzzwole is located at the flower meadow where Cutiefly and Oricorio also eat their nectar, Pheromosa invades a cavern area reminiscent of its habitat, Kartana and Celesteela invade the japanese inspired Malie City, etc etc. Also we get to hear this theme so cool points.

 
Ash being explicitly framed as the Alola rep in the Journeys' Masters 8 instead of Kanto
Related, but an annoyance, is that no one in the Masters 8 tournament used any Alolan mons. I complained about this before in the adaptations thread:

One adaptational thing that slightly annoyed me is the lack of an adaptation: Pokemon Masters has given a lot of trainers Pokemon that the never had in the main games, but with the exception of Cynthia having Kommo-o in one episode, I don't think any of these pairings made it into the anime. In particular, this could have been a way to work some Alola mons into the Masters Eight tournament. Literally no Alolan mons appeared in that tournament! Cynthia could have used Kommo-o, Steven could have used Alolan Sandslash, heck, let Iris have her Halloween Naganadel.

Like, obviously they opted to go with mons they had in the main series games (plus Iris' Best Wishes teams), but they couldn't think of a way to slip any Alolan mons in? Give Alain an Araquanid or Kommo-o or something.
 
Quagsire is, without a doubt, the most incredible and lovable Pokémon in existence, and there’s no question about it. From the very first time I laid eyes on Quagsire, I was immediately taken by its unique, goofy charm—its big, round eyes, its relaxed, almost carefree expression, and that delightful little tail that sways like it has nowhere to be. It's like Quagsire is always in a state of contentment, unaffected by the hustle and bustle of the world around it, and that vibe is something I’ve come to deeply appreciate. The way it just floats around, effortlessly gliding through the water without a care in the world, gives it an almost magical quality that no other Pokémon can replicate. And let’s talk about that signature move, Water Gun—how it shoots out jets of water with such casual ease, like it’s just going about its day with zero stress. It embodies such a pure sense of joy, which I think is rare in both the world of Pokémon and in life itself. Quagsire’s personality is the perfect balance of silly and endearing, effortlessly winning hearts with that simple yet completely irresistible demeanor. I love how it’s the embodiment of the phrase “go with the flow,” as it doesn’t seem to rush through life or let anything faze it. There’s something deeply comforting about Quagsire’s attitude—it’s just so chill, so content, and so sure of itself. Every time I see it, I’m reminded to take a step back and embrace the simple joys of life, to not sweat the small stuff, and to just be. What’s even better is that Quagsire, in all its splendor, is a dual-type Water and Ground Pokémon, and that combination makes it so versatile and tough in battles. Its typing lets it brush off Electric-type moves like they’re nothing, which is not only super cool but makes me appreciate it even more because, despite its relaxed exterior, Quagsire is a force to be reckoned with when the situation calls for it. But it doesn’t let that intimidate it—it doesn’t go looking for a fight; it’s just content, always, with whatever comes its way. And don't even get me started on its design—there’s a certain quirkiness to it that you just can't help but love. It’s almost like it was made to be the most perfect Pokémon in the way it captures the essence of laid-back charm, with that little mouth that’s almost always curved into a grin, as if it knows something you don’t, and it’s keeping that little secret just to itself. I love how it’s both understated and endearing at the same time. You can’t help but fall for Quagsire's charm, no matter how many times you see it. It’s like a gentle reminder that even in the most chaotic of worlds, there’s always space for a Quagsire—a reminder to stay calm, to enjoy the simple moments, and to embrace everything around you with a smile. That’s why Quagsire is, without a doubt, the absolute best, and I’ll continue to adore it for all of eternity, with all my heart, because nothing else in the Pokémon universe will ever compare to how much I love Quagsire—its goofy smile, its laid-back nature, its unshakable confidence, and that sense of peacefulness that it exudes. There’s nothing better than a world with Quagsire in it, and I’ll keep loving it endlessly.
 
Quagsire is, without a doubt, the most incredible and lovable Pokémon in existence, and there’s no question about it. From the very first time I laid eyes on Quagsire, I was immediately taken by its unique, goofy charm—its big, round eyes, its relaxed, almost carefree expression, and that delightful little tail that sways like it has nowhere to be. It's like Quagsire is always in a state of contentment, unaffected by the hustle and bustle of the world around it, and that vibe is something I’ve come to deeply appreciate. The way it just floats around, effortlessly gliding through the water without a care in the world, gives it an almost magical quality that no other Pokémon can replicate. And let’s talk about that signature move, Water Gun—how it shoots out jets of water with such casual ease, like it’s just going about its day with zero stress. It embodies such a pure sense of joy, which I think is rare in both the world of Pokémon and in life itself. Quagsire’s personality is the perfect balance of silly and endearing, effortlessly winning hearts with that simple yet completely irresistible demeanor. I love how it’s the embodiment of the phrase “go with the flow,” as it doesn’t seem to rush through life or let anything faze it. There’s something deeply comforting about Quagsire’s attitude—it’s just so chill, so content, and so sure of itself. Every time I see it, I’m reminded to take a step back and embrace the simple joys of life, to not sweat the small stuff, and to just be. What’s even better is that Quagsire, in all its splendor, is a dual-type Water and Ground Pokémon, and that combination makes it so versatile and tough in battles. Its typing lets it brush off Electric-type moves like they’re nothing, which is not only super cool but makes me appreciate it even more because, despite its relaxed exterior, Quagsire is a force to be reckoned with when the situation calls for it. But it doesn’t let that intimidate it—it doesn’t go looking for a fight; it’s just content, always, with whatever comes its way. And don't even get me started on its design—there’s a certain quirkiness to it that you just can't help but love. It’s almost like it was made to be the most perfect Pokémon in the way it captures the essence of laid-back charm, with that little mouth that’s almost always curved into a grin, as if it knows something you don’t, and it’s keeping that little secret just to itself. I love how it’s both understated and endearing at the same time. You can’t help but fall for Quagsire's charm, no matter how many times you see it. It’s like a gentle reminder that even in the most chaotic of worlds, there’s always space for a Quagsire—a reminder to stay calm, to enjoy the simple moments, and to embrace everything around you with a smile. That’s why Quagsire is, without a doubt, the absolute best, and I’ll continue to adore it for all of eternity, with all my heart, because nothing else in the Pokémon universe will ever compare to how much I love Quagsire—its goofy smile, its laid-back nature, its unshakable confidence, and that sense of peacefulness that it exudes. There’s nothing better than a world with Quagsire in it, and I’ll keep loving it endlessly.
May or may not be ai…
 
Was reading through the unpopular opinions thread and there is a discussion on type balance. Not gonna comment on that too much, but I think its pretty cool that even types traditionally considered weak have their own unique attributes to give them their own niche.

Some typical contenders are grass, Psychic, Rock, and bug, and each has some really good traits to make them stand out with their various moves or innate properties.

Grass-types are immune to powder moves + have access to some of the best general utility attacks like Leech Seed, Spore, and multiple Draining moves like Horn Leech and Giga Drain. Psychic types have access to a ton of moves with unique properties like Psychic Noise, Future Sight, Psyshock, and Stored Power, allowing them to be played in interesting different ways depending on what they run. Rock-types are kinda ass, but spdef boost from sandstorm is cool and they have Stealth Rock, one of the most broken moves in the game, under their belt. And lastly bug has a lot of broken moves tied to it too, like Quiver Dance, Tail Glow, and U-turn.

I think type balancing can be improved with some adjustments, but it is cool that most types have their own distinguished place. Having a few centralizing types like steel, water, and Ground are imo pretty good for the game, but I like that you dont need to be those types to be successful. I am hoping next generation continues adding unique properties to the types.
 
Was reading through the unpopular opinions thread and there is a discussion on type balance. Not gonna comment on that too much, but I think its pretty cool that even types traditionally considered weak have their own unique attributes to give them their own niche.

Some typical contenders are grass, Psychic, Rock, and bug, and each has some really good traits to make them stand out with their various moves or innate properties.

Grass-types are immune to powder moves + have access to some of the best general utility attacks like Leech Seed, Spore, and multiple Draining moves like Horn Leech and Giga Drain. Psychic types have access to a ton of moves with unique properties like Psychic Noise, Future Sight, Psyshock, and Stored Power, allowing them to be played in interesting different ways depending on what they run. Rock-types are kinda ass, but spdef boost from sandstorm is cool and they have Stealth Rock, one of the most broken moves in the game, under their belt. And lastly bug has a lot of broken moves tied to it too, like Quiver Dance, Tail Glow, and U-turn.

I think type balancing can be improved with some adjustments, but it is cool that most types have their own distinguished place. Having a few centralizing types like steel, water, and Ground are imo pretty good for the game, but I like that you dont need to be those types to be successful. I am hoping next generation continues adding unique properties to the types.

It would be cool if few non-Rock type Mons learned Stealth Rock, just like currently happens with Toxic. Unfortunately, the move has very wide distribution, stealing potential niche from Rock types. Almost all Ground Mons learn Rocks, almost all Steels, many Psychics too and shit like Clefable (this one makes sense, it came literally from a meteor) and Blissey too. In an ironic unjustice, there is also one Rock Mon that doesn,t learn Stealth Rock and would have liked to due to the Speed, Iron Boulder.
 
Boulder doesn't want Stealth Rocks, it's a Swords Dance sweeper through and through. Quark Drive really pushes you in that direction, and it doesn't really have any other tools that lend it to a utility role.

I agree in that its best use is being a SD sweeper. However, with that Speed, it could have been a Sash Rocker that outspeeds almost everything and prevents Defog with Taunt. Aerodactyl and Terrakion used such sets in previous generation, and Terrakion in fact still does this in lower Tiers, Lycanroc too. Its not the best thing to do, but it would certainly have been viable.
 
Actually kind of a fan of how Pokemon Home handles Generation transfer movesets now, since it gives GF and co. room to actually experiment with giving tools to a Mon and not have to worry about being "saddled" with it should it prove detrimental. Draining Kiss a bad idea on Calyrex? Just don't include it for its Gen 10 learnset.

While I doubt the example from the previous post about SR distribution would see action, given GF doesn't really support much for formats where the move matters, it is another case they could adjust any time much like they did with reduced Scald/Toxic distribution to reign back Status spam (please do this for Spikes next Gen).
 
Been thinking about Gen 9 lately, and I really like how it has done a lot of things that I personally think are really great, even outside of the games. Notably the following:
- For the first time since Gen 5, over 100 new Pokémon were introduced.
- Just like S/S, ScaVio had DLC instead of a third/alternate version.
- No remakes. Right now, it looks like Gen 9 will be the first generation since Gen 5 to not have any remakes. Unless there will be some kind of remakes between Z-A and Gen 10, but I doubt it.
- A break year. 2024 was the first year since 2015 with no new main series games or DLC.
- Z-A will release in October instead of November.
- Z-A spoiler 1: The game takes place in the present, not the past. And it takes place after X/Y (from what it seems like, at least). I have always wanted more sequels after the greatness of B2/W2, so this has the potential to be really great.
- Z-A spoiler 2: Mega Evolution is back! I have always liked Megas and I feel like they were removed from the series in a rather half-hearted way. I think they should have been expanded on instead of getting axed. I hope Z-A will make good use of Megas now that they are back.

That's not to say I think Gen 9 is perfect, but I feel like it has been doing a lot of things right, both within the games and with the circumstances surrounding them.
 
Actually kind of a fan of how Pokemon Home handles Generation transfer movesets now, since it gives GF and co. room to actually experiment with giving tools to a Mon and not have to worry about being "saddled" with it should it prove detrimental. Draining Kiss a bad idea on Calyrex? Just don't include it for its Gen 10 learnset.

While I doubt the example from the previous post about SR distribution would see action, given GF doesn't really support much for formats where the move matters, it is another case they could adjust any time much like they did with reduced Scald/Toxic distribution to reign back Status spam (please do this for Spikes next Gen).
Not only was this change outright necessary for balancing purposes, it's also at least a small step forward in making "unauthorized" Pokemon distribution less needed. All those cases where a Pokemon might have only learned a specific move via either an NPC tutor from a really old game or a time-limited Mystery Gift distribution are rendered completely irrelevant now, and to be frank that's a good thing.

- Just like S/S, ScaVio had DLC instead of a third/alternate version.
Arguably not a change for the better from a preservation point of view.

SV does at least have a cartridge version with the DLC included, but IIRC only overseas versions of it have all of the data on the cart itself and don't require a patch download that won't be available forever.
 
While I'm not a certified geologist or anything, my current job has me working with dirt and rocks in a laboratory, and it's given me more of an appreciation of Game Freak's decision to make Ground and Rock distinct types. You don't really think about these things until you have to stuff a 50lbs dirt sample through a sieve and figure out whether the rocks in there are actual rocks or just silt stones. (Silt stones are basically just clumps of heavily compacted dirt that will fall apart if you break their seam.)

Also, as an aside, Anakin was full of shit. Sand is great and makes my job easier.
 
While I'm not a certified geologist or anything, my current job has me working with dirt and rocks in a laboratory, and it's given me more of an appreciation of Game Freak's decision to make Ground and Rock distinct types. You don't really think about these things until you have to stuff a 50lbs dirt sample through a sieve and figure out whether the rocks in there are actual rocks or just silt stones. (Silt stones are basically just clumps of heavily compacted dirt that will fall apart if you break their seam.)

Also, as an aside, Anakin was full of shit. Sand is great and makes my job easier.
Materials testing HYPE! Y'all should be glad I wasn't making the type chart, we'd have so much diversity on the various soil mons.
 
Was looking for something else earlier and uncovered this old Pokemon magazine from 2001. Has some fun stuff in it - about half a page about the upcoming Pokemon Gold & Silver (using Japanese screenshots, interestingly - G&S were released in the US in October 2000, but not until April 2001 for us Brits), fact-files on Elekid and Bellossom, an incredibly ugly Ash&Pikachu poster, a very quick paragraph about Spell of the Unown - though here referred to as Lord of the Unknown Tower - and a guide to all the bosses in the trading card game, which I never played even after downloading it on the 3DS some years ago.

Also included are brief previews of Pokemon Stadium 2, Puzzle League, Puzzle Challenge, and even a couple of speculatory pieces about the Gamecube and the Gameboy Advance - it's funny to see them reassuring the reader that Pokemon is "Nintendo's greatest licence" so don't worry, we're bound to get a Pokemon game for the GBA before too long.

And then there's a four-page section on Pokemon's urban legends, which is absolutely glorious and needed to be shared. Would have scanned them but currently Outlook is down, so hopefully these photos are clear enough. Enjoy.

FP&P1.jpg
FP&P2.jpg

FP&P3.jpg
FP&P4.jpg
 
If it hadn't been for the Teraleak having nothing on the subject I think I would be convinced by now that a new Unova game really was in the works but something very weird happened behind the scenes. This TCG set is also doing an art rare for every single Unova Pokemon which is just mental, not even the Kanto 151 set did that right?
Hopping back to this, they put out a version of the video with all the art rares instead of the regular art


a nice way to enjoy all the art
 
Back
Top