They never appear in-game, with the exception of Brendan/May/Kellyn/Kate. Just because no one says they are missing doesn't mean they aren't.
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Yes, but you're complementing Tim for doing something that the other protagonists don't do even though they may not have a reason to do it.
We know Tim's father is missing because that's why he's in Rhyme City. And it is certainly a commendable quest, especially considering the circumstances around it and the events he gets into while doing so (plus not having any Pokemon of his own, Detective Pikachu being a partner that can't battle). However to say he's better than the other protagonists because of this alone is a bit presumptuous.
However we're usually told very little if nothing about the protagonists fathers aside from Gen III. I know in Gen I and V at some point when looking at something in the Department Store (a NES (sports game) in Gen I, a wide screen TV in Gen V) the character mentions how your father would love it. I don't think such a casual comment would be made if the father was missing. Gen II & IV I don't remember any mention of him. In Gen VI your mom mentions a little story about one time accidentally hitting your dad when racing her Rhyhorn. And Gen VII mentions your dad stayed behind in Kanto to work.
Also, we have to remember that Tim is his own character while the player character is meant to be a reflection of the player. "But I have a dad/don't have a mom!". You have to give the game some leeway on this as the role of the mother isn't meant to say every player (just) has a mother but rather the mother is a quick representation of a parental guardian figure to give the player permission to go on their Pokemon journey. While this does sound a bit harsh, its a compromise the game makes. Now, they do play around with this by giving the mother a more developed character (especially in recent games) and Gen III gives you a father who is a Gym Leader, but that's more them wanting to get more out of these characters and create unique circumstances for the player to face.
Finally, this could also be a tradition kept since it was done in the first game. Only having a mother raising you is a common thing in Japan as men who are salarymen are expected to work long hours and even take business trips that prevent them coming home for a while. This was the same relationship that Satoshi Tajiri had with his father (and no doubt other GF employees).
Interesting. I didn’t know that gender roles is what inspired Pokémon protagonists to be “ father-less”. Where does it say the protagonist of X/Y’s father is in Kanto?
Bulbapedia mentions it and that they keep in contact by writing letters. It might be an interactable object in your house somewhere, or dialogue that Bulbapedia didn't record for her yet. However I was reminded by a GameFAQ thread that if you examine your family's car in USUM it says "It's your dad's car. Mom brought it along so she could use it to go out and run errands...".
I’m a big fan of Wonder Trade. I’m not sure what GF intended you to use it for, but it’s really nice IMO to have a place I can toss the legendaries I’ll never use, send my in-game team before resetting, etc, without feeling like something is being wasted. Plus Wonderlockes are a great way to end up using mons you’d never use otherwise.
It's a tiny weird running gag in the early pokemon anime, but I always found the phone call noise hilarious.
Also gotta love that early dub humor. "I knew I should have been a lawyer."
Sadly they didn't always do it, and eventually stopped completely.
Although it might be because we interrupted the Poke-telenovellas
Sadly they didn't always do it, and eventually stopped completely.
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One thing I really like about Unova is the emphasis on dynamic music, a feature that really needs to be brought back.
From the amazing "Victory Lies Before You" / Gym Leader's Last Pokemon music (why hasn't this track from the anime gotten a clean release, it sounds amazing there too) to the music changing between seasons to the overlooked changing in BPM of the cave music (and the Dreamyard) when you go deeper, it's just awesome. The low HP music is also a neat idea even though it can overwrite epic music sometimes. There's a great article on the subject too: https://whimsicallytheoretical.com/2017/01/03/pokemon-black-sound-design-music-an-in-depth-analysis/
But, no dynamic music listing would be complete without mentioning two areas: the Badge Check Gates in BW1. With the Badge Check Gates, instruments are added as you go through each Badge Check Gate, eventually building up to the main Victory Road theme at the end. It's SUCH a cool idea to do, sets the endgame tone well, and makes up for the (in my opinion) otherwise fairly unexciting Victory Road theme (though not as bland as Sinnoh's). It's a really awesome moment in Black and White, and it's such a shame that while the Badge Check Gates in BW2 look cool, it's nothing compared to the buildup the prequels offered.
The Village Bridge theme is also really cool. It has potentially like eight different variations on the music, all for an initially postgame area in BW1 (which was put in the main game in BW2). You have the harpsichord, acoustic guitar, grass flute, beatboxing, "Enka Vocals" as a video calls it, an instruments part, a vocals part and a without beatboxing variation. It's such a cool idea and only adds to the fantastic atmosphere that the location already has by showing a timeless village with great, varied scenery with plenty to explore.
Say what you will about questionable design choices like late evolution levels and the changed EXP system of Unova, but the dynamic music was very immersive and needs to make a comeback in a later game. In general, the normal music is pretty good too. Every town and city has a unique theme, even Anville Town (with a flute player) and Lacunosa Town (a postgame area in BW1 made into main game in BW2 again). I'm sorry if I gushed and repeated myself some, but I just think the dynamic music feature is not talked about when people talk about Gen 5.
(Edit): And another thing is the awesome varied Gym music in BW2. Roxie's song, Burgh's tranquillity, Elesa's...amazing stage number with encounter themes used NOWHERE ELSE for the Beauty trainers, the changing music from the start to the in-between to the GIVE ME WHAT I NEED into the main gym theme, Clay's adventurous mining tune, Skyla's serene grace of the air, Drayden's...BATTLE MARCH, and Marlon's elevator music...Even Cheren's Gym, who shares the gym theme from the previous games, emphasizes the basics from BW1, even if is unchanged. Only Elesa's may be dynamic, sure, but BW2 are the only games to have variations on the Gym theme (while unrelated, Successor Korrina's remix of the Gen 6 Gym Leader theme is awesome even if it only lasts for two seconds).
So yeah, dynamic music is awesome and underused. Thanks for reading!
From the amazing "Victory Lies Before You" / Gym Leader's Last Pokemon music (why hasn't this track from the anime gotten a clean release, it sounds amazing there too) to the music changing between seasons to the overlooked changing in BPM of the cave music (and the Dreamyard) when you go deeper, it's just awesome. The low HP music is also a neat idea even though it can overwrite epic music sometimes. There's a great article on the subject too: https://whimsicallytheoretical.com/2017/01/03/pokemon-black-sound-design-music-an-in-depth-analysis/
But, no dynamic music listing would be complete without mentioning two areas: the Badge Check Gates in BW1. With the Badge Check Gates, instruments are added as you go through each Badge Check Gate, eventually building up to the main Victory Road theme at the end. It's SUCH a cool idea to do, sets the endgame tone well, and makes up for the (in my opinion) otherwise fairly unexciting Victory Road theme (though not as bland as Sinnoh's). It's a really awesome moment in Black and White, and it's such a shame that while the Badge Check Gates in BW2 look cool, it's nothing compared to the buildup the prequels offered.
The Village Bridge theme is also really cool. It has potentially like eight different variations on the music, all for an initially postgame area in BW1 (which was put in the main game in BW2). You have the harpsichord, acoustic guitar, grass flute, beatboxing, "Enka Vocals" as a video calls it, an instruments part, a vocals part and a without beatboxing variation. It's such a cool idea and only adds to the fantastic atmosphere that the location already has by showing a timeless village with great, varied scenery with plenty to explore.
Say what you will about questionable design choices like late evolution levels and the changed EXP system of Unova, but the dynamic music was very immersive and needs to make a comeback in a later game. In general, the normal music is pretty good too. Every town and city has a unique theme, even Anville Town (with a flute player) and Lacunosa Town (a postgame area in BW1 made into main game in BW2 again). I'm sorry if I gushed and repeated myself some, but I just think the dynamic music feature is not talked about when people talk about Gen 5.
(Edit): And another thing is the awesome varied Gym music in BW2. Roxie's song, Burgh's tranquillity, Elesa's...amazing stage number with encounter themes used NOWHERE ELSE for the Beauty trainers, the changing music from the start to the in-between to the GIVE ME WHAT I NEED into the main gym theme, Clay's adventurous mining tune, Skyla's serene grace of the air, Drayden's...BATTLE MARCH, and Marlon's elevator music...Even Cheren's Gym, who shares the gym theme from the previous games, emphasizes the basics from BW1, even if is unchanged. Only Elesa's may be dynamic, sure, but BW2 are the only games to have variations on the Gym theme (while unrelated, Successor Korrina's remix of the Gen 6 Gym Leader theme is awesome even if it only lasts for two seconds).
So yeah, dynamic music is awesome and underused. Thanks for reading!
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i really like the way bug types have been handled in recent gens.
in early gens (1-4), they were mostly just made with the intent of introducing the player into the world of mons by starting them off with bug types they could find in their backyard. but as seen by their low stats, bug types aren't meant to be kept along for the whole game; instead, you're supposed to pick up something more out of the ordinary.
but lately, gf has been taking a new approach to bug types. don't get me wrong, there are some strong bugs made in early gens (heracross, scizor, yanmega) but they were the exception, not the rule.
gen 5 was the first gen that really changed this. let's go over the gen 5 bugs:
then in gen 6, they added sticky web, and the early route bug they introduced turned out to be a monster. turns out making a mon with quiver dance and an rng based move that stops your mons from moving with no sleep clause was a good (?) idea.
modern bug types like ribombee, araquanid, and the ultra beasts are good examples of how far the bug type has come. these mons are now designed with actual purpose, rather than just as early game filler, and it shows.
in early gens (1-4), they were mostly just made with the intent of introducing the player into the world of mons by starting them off with bug types they could find in their backyard. but as seen by their low stats, bug types aren't meant to be kept along for the whole game; instead, you're supposed to pick up something more out of the ordinary.
but lately, gf has been taking a new approach to bug types. don't get me wrong, there are some strong bugs made in early gens (heracross, scizor, yanmega) but they were the exception, not the rule.
gen 5 was the first gen that really changed this. let's go over the gen 5 bugs:
leavanny is probably the worst of the gen 5 bugs, but it can still hold its own. high attack + surprisingly good speed (base 92!!!) + good moves in sd/leaf blade/x scissor help it win a lot of neutral typed matchups in game. as long as you keep it away from its numerous weaknesses it should be fine.
scolipede is great. its typing is bad, but unlike beedrill it gets good coverage in aqua tail/earthquake. high attack + swords dance + speed boost is wild, and it can even be a good spikes setter. free bp
crustle has a great design. it has shell smash which is insane, but it's kept in balance by average attack and low speed. i love the idea of it too.
galvantula is really cool. it's not as fast and strong as stuff like latios, but it has that interesting typing without solid resists. compound eyes thunder + electroweb is great in game.
escavalier is slow, but it has good bulk and the typing to take many hits. it starts weak, but strong stabs in iron head and x scissor mean that it can hold its own in the end of the game. overall a very good mon
accelgor is one of the coolest mons in the game, and is in my opinion the best take gamefreak has done on a "ninja" mon. it has absolutely crazy speed, and what it lacks in power it makes up for in annoying support moves. spikes, encore, yawn, struggle bug, final gambit, this mon has it all.
durant is insane. good coverage? high speed? hustle? sure. truant + entrainment can help you cheese through the battle facilities too
volcarona is cool. i don't think i need to explain why
genesect never gets that much attention, but i just played through white 2 with a hacked in level 5 one and it was super fun. its stats aren't on the same level as stuff like dialga, but it still has great tools like download and an amazing movepool. one time i managed to solo a plasma grunt 6 mon double battle with genesect + shelgon lead (golbat was bypassed by screech into dragon claw!!!). game breaking but not in a boring way.
let me also mention the introduction of quiver dance which means there was actually a reason to use some of the old bugs like butterfree
scolipede is great. its typing is bad, but unlike beedrill it gets good coverage in aqua tail/earthquake. high attack + swords dance + speed boost is wild, and it can even be a good spikes setter. free bp
crustle has a great design. it has shell smash which is insane, but it's kept in balance by average attack and low speed. i love the idea of it too.
galvantula is really cool. it's not as fast and strong as stuff like latios, but it has that interesting typing without solid resists. compound eyes thunder + electroweb is great in game.
escavalier is slow, but it has good bulk and the typing to take many hits. it starts weak, but strong stabs in iron head and x scissor mean that it can hold its own in the end of the game. overall a very good mon
accelgor is one of the coolest mons in the game, and is in my opinion the best take gamefreak has done on a "ninja" mon. it has absolutely crazy speed, and what it lacks in power it makes up for in annoying support moves. spikes, encore, yawn, struggle bug, final gambit, this mon has it all.
durant is insane. good coverage? high speed? hustle? sure. truant + entrainment can help you cheese through the battle facilities too
volcarona is cool. i don't think i need to explain why
genesect never gets that much attention, but i just played through white 2 with a hacked in level 5 one and it was super fun. its stats aren't on the same level as stuff like dialga, but it still has great tools like download and an amazing movepool. one time i managed to solo a plasma grunt 6 mon double battle with genesect + shelgon lead (golbat was bypassed by screech into dragon claw!!!). game breaking but not in a boring way.
let me also mention the introduction of quiver dance which means there was actually a reason to use some of the old bugs like butterfree
then in gen 6, they added sticky web, and the early route bug they introduced turned out to be a monster. turns out making a mon with quiver dance and an rng based move that stops your mons from moving with no sleep clause was a good (?) idea.
modern bug types like ribombee, araquanid, and the ultra beasts are good examples of how far the bug type has come. these mons are now designed with actual purpose, rather than just as early game filler, and it shows.
While I agree with the analysis above, I think there has always been an element of duality to Bug-types: Some were common and weak, but the exotic and strong ones have also been there since day 1. Look at Scyther and Pinsir, for instance. Rare, late-game 'mons with high stats, designs full of spikes and sharp blades, and access to strong moves ...well, by Gen I standards, which are pretty low in that department. Besides Swords Dance and Slash (or Guillotine in Pinsir's case), there wasn't much to cheer for. Gen II followed it up with Scizor and Heracross (and to some extent Shuckle and Forretress). Gen III didn't have any strong, late-game Bug-types, but Gen IV came back to form with Yanmega and Vespiquen - and more importantly, actual reliable Bug-type moves in X-Scissor and Bug Buzz.
Gen V was the undisputed King of Cool Bugs, but I'd argue that the concept was invented as far back as Gen I, and followed up in most generations since. It wasn't executed that well, due to a lack of moves, but it was there.
Gen V was the undisputed King of Cool Bugs, but I'd argue that the concept was invented as far back as Gen I, and followed up in most generations since. It wasn't executed that well, due to a lack of moves, but it was there.
Gen 3 made an attempt with Armaldo, it just didn't turn out particularly well unfortunately. It lines up remarkably well with the previous strongbugs too - 125 base Attack (same as Pinsir and Heracross) and a 495 BST compared to Scyther/Pinsir/Scizor/Heracross 500 BST (and Shuckle's 505).
Gen 3 definitely marked the period of "Bug-type evolution gimmicks" though, with the Wurmple personality evolution and Shedinja. Gen 4 built on it with Burmy, Combee, and Yanmega, and then Gen 5 cooled off somewhat (though there's still Karrablast and Shelmet's weirdness). Gen 6 and 7 stayed away from the weird Bug evolution gimmicks altogether, with Vikavolt ripping straight from Magnezone and Probopass, which is a shame since I kind of liked them.
Gen 3 definitely marked the period of "Bug-type evolution gimmicks" though, with the Wurmple personality evolution and Shedinja. Gen 4 built on it with Burmy, Combee, and Yanmega, and then Gen 5 cooled off somewhat (though there's still Karrablast and Shelmet's weirdness). Gen 6 and 7 stayed away from the weird Bug evolution gimmicks altogether, with Vikavolt ripping straight from Magnezone and Probopass, which is a shame since I kind of liked them.
I like that the games haven't been truly dark for the sake of it, and as such, can appeal to almost anyone.
One thing I can't stand is various fangames making familiar and new characters swear, kill, and do otherwise morally questionable acts just for the sake of being "adult" and "mature." That kind of stuff doesn't belong in Pokemon, in my opinion. It's out of place.
Not to say plenty of official games don't have frightening elements...
..but they never truly go super far to the point where it would alienate their target audience completely.
On that note, everyone has a chance at redemption, or another way of thinking. From the Some Anvils Needed to Be Dropped page on TV Tropes:
"There's also some subtext that no one, no matter how cruel or mean they are, is beyond redemption if they truly do mean it — Silver, Maxie, and Archie, and especially N are all primary villains (the latter three, anyway) that reform when they realize the error of their ways. Maybe they were just misguided in life, and simply need to be shown that there is another way. And of course, Pokémon too are individuals, and many are probably just Punch Clock Villains that are simply following the orders of their trainers. The Aesop gets a bit broken in later generations, where the leaders of Team Galactic and Team Plasma don't reform, and we find out Giovanni, who since the very first games was implied to go off and try to live a peaceful life after being defeated, never learned his lesson either."
...
"There's another Aesop in that there are some people out there who won't accept a second chance or a chance for redemption. It doesn't mean that offering them a second chance is pointless, but it's naive to expect that all people will automatically renounce their ways if you give them a second chance. And if they do reject that second chance, you should kick their butt without hesitation or remorse, as they will hurt someone if they're not stopped."
Honestly, both of these messages are really true, and they needed to be said.
One more thing I like about Pokemon: How it brings fellow fans on forums like these together, paraphrased by Gladion:
"You know why being a Trainer is so great? Because when you're battling, it doesn't matter if you're a kid or an adult. Everyone's equal in Pokemon battle!"
Darn straight.
One thing I can't stand is various fangames making familiar and new characters swear, kill, and do otherwise morally questionable acts just for the sake of being "adult" and "mature." That kind of stuff doesn't belong in Pokemon, in my opinion. It's out of place.
Not to say plenty of official games don't have frightening elements...
On that note, everyone has a chance at redemption, or another way of thinking. From the Some Anvils Needed to Be Dropped page on TV Tropes:
"There's also some subtext that no one, no matter how cruel or mean they are, is beyond redemption if they truly do mean it — Silver, Maxie, and Archie, and especially N are all primary villains (the latter three, anyway) that reform when they realize the error of their ways. Maybe they were just misguided in life, and simply need to be shown that there is another way. And of course, Pokémon too are individuals, and many are probably just Punch Clock Villains that are simply following the orders of their trainers. The Aesop gets a bit broken in later generations, where the leaders of Team Galactic and Team Plasma don't reform, and we find out Giovanni, who since the very first games was implied to go off and try to live a peaceful life after being defeated, never learned his lesson either."
...
"There's another Aesop in that there are some people out there who won't accept a second chance or a chance for redemption. It doesn't mean that offering them a second chance is pointless, but it's naive to expect that all people will automatically renounce their ways if you give them a second chance. And if they do reject that second chance, you should kick their butt without hesitation or remorse, as they will hurt someone if they're not stopped."
Honestly, both of these messages are really true, and they needed to be said.
One more thing I like about Pokemon: How it brings fellow fans on forums like these together, paraphrased by Gladion:
"You know why being a Trainer is so great? Because when you're battling, it doesn't matter if you're a kid or an adult. Everyone's equal in Pokemon battle!"
Darn straight.
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The original Hoenn games were also the ones that experimented with the Erratic and Fluctuating experience groups. A few Sinnoh Pokemon fit into these categories too, but not any Unova, Kalos, or Alola monsters. I wonder why GameFreak abandoned these extremely fast and extremely slow experience groups.
So, Pokemon apparently now have custom shirts. Their first video to advertise them is just a cheap looking step-by-step guide. Pretty boring, especially if you don't speak Japanese. Realizing they probably should have a more energetic and appealing commercial, they then made one with this young guy (not sure if he's famous or not) showing off the various styles and a singing a song which, from what I can tell, is just naming off the Pokemon the patterns are based on (and, what a surprise, it's all Gen I Pokemon). While certainly more energetic and appealing, and something you would probably see on TV, the story probably would have ended here... EXCEPT in comes Tomoaki Imakuni. Come on, you all know Tomoaki Imakuni, or probably better know him as Imakuni?:
Yeah, you probably would best remember him for his joke appearance in the early days of the TCG. If you want to know what he actually does he's mainly a musician for the Pokemon anime but has done other stuff for the Pokemon Company here and there (his Twitter shows he's still very much in promoting the TCG). Outside his Twitter, last time he made a wild appearance was for a version of the Slowpoke song where he danced around in a Slowpoke costume. But he's back in his black costume, along with various other fashionable Pokemon clothes, to give his take on selling you the idea. It's as glorious as you imagine it to be:
Never change Imakuni?, never change.
Yeah, you probably would best remember him for his joke appearance in the early days of the TCG. If you want to know what he actually does he's mainly a musician for the Pokemon anime but has done other stuff for the Pokemon Company here and there (his Twitter shows he's still very much in promoting the TCG). Outside his Twitter, last time he made a wild appearance was for a version of the Slowpoke song where he danced around in a Slowpoke costume. But he's back in his black costume, along with various other fashionable Pokemon clothes, to give his take on selling you the idea. It's as glorious as you imagine it to be:
Actually, this is one of the things I like. Location-based evolution always felt like it encumbered the game a little, that they had to keep implementing that mechanic solely for the sake of a small handful of Gen IV Pokémon. We all know the Pokémon games have way too many examples of such mechanics already; those that were created to give a gimmick to one or two Pokémon and never expanded on again, yet each new game had to accommodate it to keep those few Pokémon supported. So I think it's refreshing to see Game Freak use one of the existing, obscure gimmicks instead of continuing to make more and more of them. It gives those mechanics a purpose beyond "We have to do it or we'll break compatibility".
In that respect, Gen V was the king of reusing gimmicks, by the way. More than 150 new Pokémon, and as far as I can tell, only ONE new evolution gimmick. Gen V gave a purpose to almost all the old evolution stones (without adding a single new one), kept playing with high evolution levels, had trade evolutions that didn't require an item, and generally played much more with reuse than trying to come up with novelties for novelty's sake. Gen VI and VII fell right back to the gimmicks, of course (as far as I remember, every single evolution family in Gen VI and VII, except some Ultra Beasts, have a unique Ability and/or a unique move), but for a short while, it seemed as if Game Freak was aware of content inflation.
Well... there was Feebas. Not a new Pokemon, of course, but because contests and contest stats were dropped entirely, a new method needed to be devised so players could evolve Feebas into Milotic.
Now if only either Eevee could have used any snowy location to evolve into Glaceon or Crabrawler used the Icy Rock's location to evolve into Crabominable. But that's something for the little annoying things thread.
I recently remembered something that I had almost let slip from my memory and this thread seemed to be the right place for it: Special Secret Bases!
While I had already applauded Game Freak for their use of homages, like the one to the well-liked former Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, in the Gen 7 games in a previous post in this thread over a year ago, I decided today that I wanted to place the emphasis on yet another form of tributes and references, hidden inside the ORAS game from Gen 6.
We all know secret bases, one of the Hoenn regions's trade mark features, but, what some of us here might not know is the fact that Game Freak used this feature, in tandem with the QR code function, to pay tribute to a myriad of people that are connected to the Pokémon franchise to some extent. By scanning very specific QR codes, you can not only access the personal secret bases of Game Freak coworkers like Junichi Masuda, Shigeru Ohmori and Shigeki Morimoto for example, but you can literally also pay a visit to voice actors from the Pokémon anime, as well as artists and editors from the Jump magazine for example.
Not only did they skillfully link this to the iconic secret bases of the Hoenn region, but they also managed to make a throwback to that "mysterious" house in Mossdeep City that puzzled many of us players back in the day and that was pretty much useless, unless you were one of the few people that actually owned an E-Reader. In a sense you and these celebrities are on equal terms when visiting these special secret bases. They individually decorated these places, just like we do, and are waiting for challengers, just like we do.
If some of you wish to try these out for yourselves, please find enclosed the whole list with the respective QR codes here (courtesy of Serebii).
Again, this may indeed just be a minor thing, but I personally genuinely enjoy these little easter eggs.
While I had already applauded Game Freak for their use of homages, like the one to the well-liked former Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, in the Gen 7 games in a previous post in this thread over a year ago, I decided today that I wanted to place the emphasis on yet another form of tributes and references, hidden inside the ORAS game from Gen 6.
We all know secret bases, one of the Hoenn regions's trade mark features, but, what some of us here might not know is the fact that Game Freak used this feature, in tandem with the QR code function, to pay tribute to a myriad of people that are connected to the Pokémon franchise to some extent. By scanning very specific QR codes, you can not only access the personal secret bases of Game Freak coworkers like Junichi Masuda, Shigeru Ohmori and Shigeki Morimoto for example, but you can literally also pay a visit to voice actors from the Pokémon anime, as well as artists and editors from the Jump magazine for example.
Not only did they skillfully link this to the iconic secret bases of the Hoenn region, but they also managed to make a throwback to that "mysterious" house in Mossdeep City that puzzled many of us players back in the day and that was pretty much useless, unless you were one of the few people that actually owned an E-Reader. In a sense you and these celebrities are on equal terms when visiting these special secret bases. They individually decorated these places, just like we do, and are waiting for challengers, just like we do.
If some of you wish to try these out for yourselves, please find enclosed the whole list with the respective QR codes here (courtesy of Serebii).
Again, this may indeed just be a minor thing, but I personally genuinely enjoy these little easter eggs.
As much as I don't like Stealth Rock, I do like the in-game justification of it bitting flying snd levitate Pokemon.
The user lays a trap of levitating stones around the opposing team. The trap hurts opposing Pokémon that switch into battle.
The user lays a trap of levitating stones around the opposing team. The trap hurts opposing Pokémon that switch into battle.
In a post that I made here long ago, I mentioned that one thing I really like about Pokémon is the actual Pokémon themselves. But I did not write very much about that, so I want to expand my thoughts on it a bit.
I really like most Pokémon that exist. There are so many of them, and there are so many different varieties. There are Pokémon that are cool, cute, tough, beautiful, weird, odd, unexpected, crazy... there's even Pokémon that doesn't look like Pokémon! I like nearly all of them. I also like how they are coming up with new Pokémon and new surprising ideas for Pokémon in every generation. If there's one thing I'm always looking forward to in a new generation, it's the new Pokémon. That is something I have never been disappointed with in a new generation.
In addition to the above, there's one more thing I like. The number of Pokémon that we have nowadays. There are a lot of Pokémon now, but it hasn't always been that way. Looking back, I feel that during Gen 1-2 as well as Gen 3 and even Gen 4 to an extent, there were too few Pokémon. But from Gen 5 and forward, the total number has been great. I don't think that there can ever be too many Pokémon, but when I look back now, I think that there were too few in the past. This might also be one of the reasons I have enjoyed Pokémon more as an adult compared to when I was a kid. There's more Pokémon now which makes the games and the franchise more enjoyable for me.
A while ago, I thought a bit about what I like more about Pokémon. Three main things I like are the games, the Pokémon Adventures manga and of course the Pokémon themselves. But there's a fourth thing. The Pokémon world. Nowadays, there are many regions, places and environments in the Pokémon world which makes it feel large and more real, compared to how it was in the past when there were only a few regions. One thing that made me think about this was Pokémon Generations, I think the mini-series managed to showcase the Pokémon world really well.
In addition to the above, I like when there are references to other regions in the games. It creates some great world-building and it makes the Pokémon world feel more alive and connected.
A minor thing I thought about recently that is somewhat related to the above. I like the museums in the Pokémon games. I really like how they manage to tell the player about both real-life facts and random minor tidbits about the Pokémon world. The Slateport and Pewter museums are good examples of this. Or how they sometimes only showcase various aspects of the Pokémon world, like how the Lumiose and Lilycove museums shows artwork of various things from the Pokémon world.
Next up, something different. I like how in some generations, the main legendaries have a different theme compared to what can be expected at first glance. I think the best example here is Gen 6. When X/Y were first revealed, many fans speculated that Xerneas and Yveltal would have something to do with genetics or mathematics, but that turned out to be wrong as their themes are life and death. Looking back now, I think it was cool how they had such an unexpected theme.
More on the topic of legendaries. One other thing I like about them is that in the recent games (starting from Platinum), they respawn if you defeat them and then defeat the Elite Four again. This makes it easier if you want to catch the legendaries after beating the game instead of during the main story (providing the game lets you do this) or if you accidentally defeat one without saving before facing it.
I mentioned in an earlier post that I like how the Gentleman/Madame's clothes in Gen 7 have Pokémon patterns. But it turns out that they are not the only ones. I recently noticed that the Preschoolers in Gen 7 also has Pokémon patterns on their clothes. The boys has a Vikavolt pattern and the girls has a Komala pattern. And on the subject of preschoolers, I like how in X/Y, the boys have a Charizard doll in their backpack, while the girls are holding a Buneary doll. So cute!
Next up, a big thing which I like but I don't think I have ever posted about it in this thread before. I thought I should post about it here after seeing some negative discussions about this subject in other threads recently. I like battling in Battle Facilities. It has become one of my favorite things to do in the Pokémon games. I am not a competitive player as online/competitive battling has never really appealed to me that much (though I'll admit that I haven't tried it that much, only a little in Gen 3 and 6). But I really like battling in Battle Facilities. I got started with battling in them thanks to the Emerald Battle Frontier, and then I have continued with it in all generations that has been released afterwards. I think that battling in them is a lot of fun, and it can be very challenging too. I'd say they are my favorite challenge in the series. I also like how you can set your own goals regarding Battle Facilities. Some players are satisfied with beating the lines and getting things like Symbols, Prints, Trophies, Trainer Card upgrades or Passport Stamps, while others want to win 100 and/or 200 battles in a row to get the special berries you get from that, and even others are trying to get streaks over 1000 and/or trying to be number #1 on the leaderboards. Plus various other ideas and things I have seen regarding Battle Facilities over the years. There's a lot of different goals to have in the Battle Facilities. Not everyone has the same goals but everyone can find something to strive for. I originally posted this in the Battle Tree thread in 2017 but I decided to repost it here as well since it is suitable for this thread too.
However, I know that some people find the threshold to get into any Battle Facility to be too high to start with. You have to learn and take into account the existence of IVs, EVs, Natures and more complex battle strategies compared to the main game, which the games doesn't explain very well at all. That's a valid complaint, and I can understand if that prevents some players from getting started in any Battle Facilities. But I do personally not care. I have done it for so many generations and games now that I'll do whatever it takes, as many times as I have to. I guess I just have it in me. I also find it a lot easier nowadays with all the luxuries we are gifted with in modern generations. For instance, traditional breeding back in Emerald was an utter pain compared to all the things that can be done with in the modern generations. Destiny Knots, Power Items, Ability Capsules, Hyper Training, QR Codes... those are just the main things on top of my head. So I guess I should say that I like battling in Battle Facilities, and I like how it has been getting easier to obtain good Pokémon for them in recent generations.
One more thing I like regarding Battle Facilities. I like how the standard Battle Facility keeps getting improved in every generation. I never battled in the Crystal Battle Tower that much but I remember that it was extremely hard to win even one battle there. The R/S Battle Tower was a lot easier to win at, you could even use your in-game team to win several sets of battles there. But it still offered serious challenges if you were up to that. It made the challenge more balanced, which I liked. The D/P Tower was mostly the same as the R/S Tower, but with one new thing. It had a boss trainer, which was something the R/S Tower lacked. The Subway in Gen 5 decided to improve a bit more as it split the lines into the Normal and Super lines, which meant that you only had to go through the first boring 21 battles once for each line, letting you get started on the harder battles right away in the Super lines. I also found the Subway to be considerably harder than the Gen 4 Tower/Frontier, it feels like they increased the difficulty a lot there. The Maison in Gen 6 added Triple and Rotation lines, making 5 lines in total for even more fun. This is one of the few instances in the games where you can try a lot of Triple and Rotation battles as they aren't that common otherwise. I am especially fond of the Super Triple line since Triple is my favorite and probably also best format. The Tree in Gen 7 did sadly remove the Triple and Rotation lines, but instead, they made it considerably more challenging. I find the Tree a lot harder than the Maison, which is a good thing since Battle Facilities are supposed to be really hard and challenging. They also added a new thing in that they let you face a special trainer every ten battles, which is a really cool idea. Sadly, the Tree in S/M made a big mistake in making the normal lines unnecessarily difficult, making it harder to unlock the Super lines. But US/UM fixed that, which is something I really like and I have written more about it in a previous post. To summarize, the standard Battle Facility has improved a lot over the generations and that is something I really like. I think it is a very good example of something in the Pokémon games that has improved a lot over the years and something which has been improved in every new generation.
Lastly, one thing that I just happened to think about. It isn't really a Battle Facility, but a bit similar. A Battle Challenge, maybe? I like Mt. Battle in Pokémon Colosseum/XD. This was a really fun place. I like how it can be a bit difficult but never super tough since you get healed after each battle and you can win easily as long as you know exactly what you are doing and take breaks when needed. I also like how it is a challenge with a sort of goal, to get up to the top and face a boss in the 100th battle. There were some cool rewards for it too, Colosseum let's you get a Ho-Oh if you complete 100 battles in Battle Mode while XD allows you to obtain a Johto starter with a special move if you can do 100 battles in a row without taking a break or changing your team. I remember that I went through the entire thing three times in one of my XD files just so I could get all three Johto starters. That was a ton of fun. Mt. Battle is also a pretty good training spot in the Orre games. So yeah, I really like Mt. Battle and I would like to see something like it again. I guess the closest we have gotten in the main series are Black Tower/White Treehollow in B2/W2, which were also amazing.
I really like most Pokémon that exist. There are so many of them, and there are so many different varieties. There are Pokémon that are cool, cute, tough, beautiful, weird, odd, unexpected, crazy... there's even Pokémon that doesn't look like Pokémon! I like nearly all of them. I also like how they are coming up with new Pokémon and new surprising ideas for Pokémon in every generation. If there's one thing I'm always looking forward to in a new generation, it's the new Pokémon. That is something I have never been disappointed with in a new generation.
In addition to the above, there's one more thing I like. The number of Pokémon that we have nowadays. There are a lot of Pokémon now, but it hasn't always been that way. Looking back, I feel that during Gen 1-2 as well as Gen 3 and even Gen 4 to an extent, there were too few Pokémon. But from Gen 5 and forward, the total number has been great. I don't think that there can ever be too many Pokémon, but when I look back now, I think that there were too few in the past. This might also be one of the reasons I have enjoyed Pokémon more as an adult compared to when I was a kid. There's more Pokémon now which makes the games and the franchise more enjoyable for me.
A while ago, I thought a bit about what I like more about Pokémon. Three main things I like are the games, the Pokémon Adventures manga and of course the Pokémon themselves. But there's a fourth thing. The Pokémon world. Nowadays, there are many regions, places and environments in the Pokémon world which makes it feel large and more real, compared to how it was in the past when there were only a few regions. One thing that made me think about this was Pokémon Generations, I think the mini-series managed to showcase the Pokémon world really well.
In addition to the above, I like when there are references to other regions in the games. It creates some great world-building and it makes the Pokémon world feel more alive and connected.
A minor thing I thought about recently that is somewhat related to the above. I like the museums in the Pokémon games. I really like how they manage to tell the player about both real-life facts and random minor tidbits about the Pokémon world. The Slateport and Pewter museums are good examples of this. Or how they sometimes only showcase various aspects of the Pokémon world, like how the Lumiose and Lilycove museums shows artwork of various things from the Pokémon world.
Next up, something different. I like how in some generations, the main legendaries have a different theme compared to what can be expected at first glance. I think the best example here is Gen 6. When X/Y were first revealed, many fans speculated that Xerneas and Yveltal would have something to do with genetics or mathematics, but that turned out to be wrong as their themes are life and death. Looking back now, I think it was cool how they had such an unexpected theme.
More on the topic of legendaries. One other thing I like about them is that in the recent games (starting from Platinum), they respawn if you defeat them and then defeat the Elite Four again. This makes it easier if you want to catch the legendaries after beating the game instead of during the main story (providing the game lets you do this) or if you accidentally defeat one without saving before facing it.
I mentioned in an earlier post that I like how the Gentleman/Madame's clothes in Gen 7 have Pokémon patterns. But it turns out that they are not the only ones. I recently noticed that the Preschoolers in Gen 7 also has Pokémon patterns on their clothes. The boys has a Vikavolt pattern and the girls has a Komala pattern. And on the subject of preschoolers, I like how in X/Y, the boys have a Charizard doll in their backpack, while the girls are holding a Buneary doll. So cute!
Next up, a big thing which I like but I don't think I have ever posted about it in this thread before. I thought I should post about it here after seeing some negative discussions about this subject in other threads recently. I like battling in Battle Facilities. It has become one of my favorite things to do in the Pokémon games. I am not a competitive player as online/competitive battling has never really appealed to me that much (though I'll admit that I haven't tried it that much, only a little in Gen 3 and 6). But I really like battling in Battle Facilities. I got started with battling in them thanks to the Emerald Battle Frontier, and then I have continued with it in all generations that has been released afterwards. I think that battling in them is a lot of fun, and it can be very challenging too. I'd say they are my favorite challenge in the series. I also like how you can set your own goals regarding Battle Facilities. Some players are satisfied with beating the lines and getting things like Symbols, Prints, Trophies, Trainer Card upgrades or Passport Stamps, while others want to win 100 and/or 200 battles in a row to get the special berries you get from that, and even others are trying to get streaks over 1000 and/or trying to be number #1 on the leaderboards. Plus various other ideas and things I have seen regarding Battle Facilities over the years. There's a lot of different goals to have in the Battle Facilities. Not everyone has the same goals but everyone can find something to strive for. I originally posted this in the Battle Tree thread in 2017 but I decided to repost it here as well since it is suitable for this thread too.
However, I know that some people find the threshold to get into any Battle Facility to be too high to start with. You have to learn and take into account the existence of IVs, EVs, Natures and more complex battle strategies compared to the main game, which the games doesn't explain very well at all. That's a valid complaint, and I can understand if that prevents some players from getting started in any Battle Facilities. But I do personally not care. I have done it for so many generations and games now that I'll do whatever it takes, as many times as I have to. I guess I just have it in me. I also find it a lot easier nowadays with all the luxuries we are gifted with in modern generations. For instance, traditional breeding back in Emerald was an utter pain compared to all the things that can be done with in the modern generations. Destiny Knots, Power Items, Ability Capsules, Hyper Training, QR Codes... those are just the main things on top of my head. So I guess I should say that I like battling in Battle Facilities, and I like how it has been getting easier to obtain good Pokémon for them in recent generations.
One more thing I like regarding Battle Facilities. I like how the standard Battle Facility keeps getting improved in every generation. I never battled in the Crystal Battle Tower that much but I remember that it was extremely hard to win even one battle there. The R/S Battle Tower was a lot easier to win at, you could even use your in-game team to win several sets of battles there. But it still offered serious challenges if you were up to that. It made the challenge more balanced, which I liked. The D/P Tower was mostly the same as the R/S Tower, but with one new thing. It had a boss trainer, which was something the R/S Tower lacked. The Subway in Gen 5 decided to improve a bit more as it split the lines into the Normal and Super lines, which meant that you only had to go through the first boring 21 battles once for each line, letting you get started on the harder battles right away in the Super lines. I also found the Subway to be considerably harder than the Gen 4 Tower/Frontier, it feels like they increased the difficulty a lot there. The Maison in Gen 6 added Triple and Rotation lines, making 5 lines in total for even more fun. This is one of the few instances in the games where you can try a lot of Triple and Rotation battles as they aren't that common otherwise. I am especially fond of the Super Triple line since Triple is my favorite and probably also best format. The Tree in Gen 7 did sadly remove the Triple and Rotation lines, but instead, they made it considerably more challenging. I find the Tree a lot harder than the Maison, which is a good thing since Battle Facilities are supposed to be really hard and challenging. They also added a new thing in that they let you face a special trainer every ten battles, which is a really cool idea. Sadly, the Tree in S/M made a big mistake in making the normal lines unnecessarily difficult, making it harder to unlock the Super lines. But US/UM fixed that, which is something I really like and I have written more about it in a previous post. To summarize, the standard Battle Facility has improved a lot over the generations and that is something I really like. I think it is a very good example of something in the Pokémon games that has improved a lot over the years and something which has been improved in every new generation.
Lastly, one thing that I just happened to think about. It isn't really a Battle Facility, but a bit similar. A Battle Challenge, maybe? I like Mt. Battle in Pokémon Colosseum/XD. This was a really fun place. I like how it can be a bit difficult but never super tough since you get healed after each battle and you can win easily as long as you know exactly what you are doing and take breaks when needed. I also like how it is a challenge with a sort of goal, to get up to the top and face a boss in the 100th battle. There were some cool rewards for it too, Colosseum let's you get a Ho-Oh if you complete 100 battles in Battle Mode while XD allows you to obtain a Johto starter with a special move if you can do 100 battles in a row without taking a break or changing your team. I remember that I went through the entire thing three times in one of my XD files just so I could get all three Johto starters. That was a ton of fun. Mt. Battle is also a pretty good training spot in the Orre games. So yeah, I really like Mt. Battle and I would like to see something like it again. I guess the closest we have gotten in the main series are Black Tower/White Treehollow in B2/W2, which were also amazing.
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I like how Pokemon mystery dungeon gates to infinity succeeded in getting me to use almost all my recruited pokemon. It took away IQ skills and made it team skills instead so you no longer have to gummi grind pokemon. It has exp shared across the entire team so you don't have to exp grind, and there is the V wave to encourage you to use different types. All three of these factors is what I think makes it work so well. By allowing you to have a pokemon in reserves then right as you use it, it has strength on par to the rest of your team, I think that is what makes it work. The V wave also encourages you to use a different mono-type team every day so you don't start to fall back on the same four pokemon.
Even after I learned about Paras and Parasect's dex entry and real life model, I still love burning it to death. But what I love more about it is that Paras, in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, remarks that The mushrooms on my back are my friends! Is Paras that brain-damaged to remark that the very thing sucking its soul is its friend?
Bah, Mimikyu has nothing on the Paras line when it comes to how demented a Pokemon can be.
Bah, Mimikyu has nothing on the Paras line when it comes to how demented a Pokemon can be.
Super Pokemon Mystery Dungeon does have the privilege of letting you use every Pokemon you like, though the caveat is that some are "off for vacation" for an in-game day or so. It seems to happen more often to the higher-level Pokemon, but it still happens to the weaker ones. V Wave isn't present in Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, but Vitamins, which permanently boost your stat and has a cap at 255 stat (except HP, which probably has a higher cap), are abundant will buff your Pokemon to ridiculous degrees, so if you really like to have a Farfetch'd who has higher Special Attack than Chandelure or a Shuckle with higher speed than Ninjask, it's definitely possible. And it also renders evolution as moot and merely cosmetic, so what I love about these Mystery Dungeon games is that you can muscle through with Magikarp at 255 stats everywhere, and if you hate Emboar and Pignite so much, it's no big deal at all to stick as a Tepig.
That's a great article! I noticed that it mentions the tritone, which actually has tremendous significance in another hidden gem of Unova's soundtrack - Ghetsis's battle theme. If you listen closely, the very opening notes of the timpani form the tritone! And why is this significant? Because Ghetsis is pure evil, rightfully represented by an unnatural sounding musical interval (frequently used to represent the devil like in Liszt's Dante Sonata), as opposed to Natural Harmonia, N's full name! In fact, Ghetsis's name was originally G-Cis, which is shorthand for G and C-Sharp, which just so happens to be a tritone.
Well, you kinda have to, considering that the (earlier, at least, I don't know about GtI or Super) games usually prevent evolution until the main story is completed. Movepool/typing/ability considerations still matter once the option presents itself, but you can clear the main story of Explorers with a Skitty and Phanpy (although it will be difficult).
Which, incidentally, I kinda enjoy. Moreso than even Colosseum/XD, Mystery Dungeon gives first-stage evolutions and other otherwise weak Pokemon a chance to truly shine.
That's true, but post-game, they could ramp up the difficulty and then have evolutions increase stats, but nevertheless, I like this set-up and it's fun when both the base form and the evolved forms are viable for many Pokemon. However, some do benefit from movepool expansion and a typing change, but unless you use Magikarp or something, don't usually have to evolve Cyndaquil or even Torchic. Still, I like to see how they can handle evolution while in the story; they kind of dabbled with it in Super Mystery Dungeon, but wouldn't it be fun if you could freak out your friends by evolving?
One thing I particularly like about Pokemon: The Spin-Off activities, such as contests, PokeStar Studios, and Alola Photo Club.
Let's talk about contest in particular: I love contests. There all about showing off and dazzling, which really fits me as an artistic person. Then there is the strategy element. In each games that contests appear, you have to choose between which move is appropriate so you can get the main appeal, so its not just simply choosing right move. Diamond and Pearl had another layer where you had to dress up your Pokemon to get points, as well as dancing to decide turn order.
To be honest, I wouldn't mind if contests replaced battling altogether. This is because most Pokemon can stand equally in contests. Doesn't matter if its Pikachu against Zekrom. In contests, they have an equal chance. What's better, blocks like IVs and EVs that apply in battling don't matter. Regardless if you bred your Pokemon to have 31 IVs or was caught in the wild, they have an equal chance in contests. The only grinding would be Pokeblocks and poffins, which has been made been simpler in ORAS which instantly makes them altogether.
I'm dissapointed they dropped contests entirely. Its become much easier to do contest than battles, despite battling being the main appeal.
Let's talk about contest in particular: I love contests. There all about showing off and dazzling, which really fits me as an artistic person. Then there is the strategy element. In each games that contests appear, you have to choose between which move is appropriate so you can get the main appeal, so its not just simply choosing right move. Diamond and Pearl had another layer where you had to dress up your Pokemon to get points, as well as dancing to decide turn order.
To be honest, I wouldn't mind if contests replaced battling altogether. This is because most Pokemon can stand equally in contests. Doesn't matter if its Pikachu against Zekrom. In contests, they have an equal chance. What's better, blocks like IVs and EVs that apply in battling don't matter. Regardless if you bred your Pokemon to have 31 IVs or was caught in the wild, they have an equal chance in contests. The only grinding would be Pokeblocks and poffins, which has been made been simpler in ORAS which instantly makes them altogether.
I'm dissapointed they dropped contests entirely. Its become much easier to do contest than battles, despite battling being the main appeal.
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