I recently wrote an absolutely gushing review of Pokemon Sun, in which I praised it for just how much of a joy it is to play. In the same review, I mentioned Pokemon Black, and how its in-depth story and self-reflection on the series' internal logic made it appealing.
It really made me think: Why do I like the Pokemon games? I mean, there's a pretty simple reason why I like all of them: The Pokemon designs are endlessly creative, and the mechanics started off really good and got progressively better and better with each installment. Even without the various distinctions of the different games strengths and weaknesses, Pokemon would be worth playing just for the combat alone.
And yet, that's not the only (or even main) reason I play any given game in the series. It seems like each game has a new and different appeal to me, and it's the series' ever-changing nature that really keeps me hooked, never quite sure what the thing that'll stand out to me in the next one is.
Because of that, though, I have trouble justifying to myself why Pokemon Blue is still one of my favorite installments in the series. Being the first, it's the most baseline of the Pokemon games, and I don't think many people will claim it isn't the absolute weakest mechanically. It's a ridiculously standard adventure, with the Kanto region lacking the originality of future regions and the story being as basic as it gets.
Part of me screams that this must be nostalgia goggles. This is the first game I ever really played, of course I'd be fond of it. But yet, on my very numerous return trips through Kanto on my by now decrepit GameBoy Colour, I've never been disappointed in my high expectations the same way I have by other childhood favorites. Instead, I find the simplicity and straight-forwardness of Kanto charming. Future regions go for specific vibes, be it the traditional Japanese Johto, tropical Hoenn, or distinctly European Kalos. Kanto is just a simple collection of fairly vanilla towns and fields, but that gives it its own personality and universal appeal (though there are certainly many memorable locations around). Meanwhile, the story, simpler than any other game, is somewhat charming, with Team Rocket being just obviously evil, and Red slowly growing in power to be able to defeat them. Pokemon Blue is charmingly simple and innocent, without the nuance of the future games. It's by far the most childish of the Pokemon games, and this is what brings me back to it a lot.
Its sequel, Pokemon Crystal, however, is possibly my least favorite game in the series, duking it out with generation four's Pokemon Platinum for the bottom spot. I can understand the appeal of it, I really can. Johto's a cool region, feeling distinctly ancient, which contrasted with Kanto's vanilla vague modernity, and the larger emphasis on story and character made the stakes feel both bigger and more personal. I view Pokemon Crystal as a stepping stone to the things that made me love every future generation, be it its larger emphasis on an interesting region or on character, but I simply don't think it fleshed out those aspects enough. I have heard from its many fans the argument that what makes it great is the lack of focus on every aspect, giving it a jack-of-all trades appeal, and that's certainly one that I can understand. It also features two of the coolest moments in the series: Realizing that you get to go through Kanto after beating Johto, and of course, the unforgettable battle with Trainer Red deep within Mt. Steel.
Generation Three for me is where the Pokemon I really love begins. Pokemon Ruby is in my triumvirate of 9/10 Pokemon games, though it definitely comes in behind Black and Sun. The Hoenn region is simply an accomplishment unlike anything else in the Pokemon series up until this point. It's fundamentally different from either Kanto or Johto, feeling considerably more fantastical. It's a tropical region, with lakes formed inside craters, fields of ash created by active volcanoes, a city entirely in the trees of a jungle, and a small, rustic village floating on logs in the ocean. Hoenn is brimming to the edge with cool things to discover, little cryptic secrets to uncover, and marvels of nature to wonder at. It's also full of unique characters, with their own quirks and personalities. It's bigger than anything the Pokemon series had ever produced, and I'd argue it's to this day the most creative region we've seen. I recently re-visited the region playing Omega Ruby, and was blown away by just how damn cool this thing is. Pokemon Ruby is a game that puts me in awe every time I turn a corner, no matter how damn well I know what is around that corner. Also, that soundtrack is the best, fuck everyone who complains about the horns, they rule.
Pokemon Platinum, however, takes a different approach. I've mentioned previously I'm not a massive fan of the Sinnoh region, but I can't really diss it for being badly made. Whilst approaching Kanto levels of blandness, Sinnoh is big. I mean, really massive. There's a lot to explore and do in Pokemon Platinum. This is by far the biggest game in the series, and, whilst I don't think the content is as fun minute-per-minute as most other entries, there's definitely more sheer amount of fun to be had simply because of the amount of time you'll be spending in even a non-completionistic adventure through Sinnoh. Familiarity with a world breeds fondness, and I was certainly fond of some of my favorite hangouts in Sinnoh by the time I was done with the massive adventure through it. It's not like Sinnoh is completely devoid of flavor by any means, but it's not as jam-packed with it as its predecessors or some of its successors. I tend to become irritated at Pokemon Platinum because of how damn slow-moving it is, and how it doesn't have as many cool things in it as say, Ruby, but it's not an experience I deem unworthy in any way.
Pokemon Black's Unova is just as dull, if not even duller, than Sinnoh. However, what Pokemon Black does is put all its eggs into one basket: That of its story and characters. As a result, this is by far the best story told in a Pokemon game, filled with fantastic characters with tonnes of depth and complexity. Pokemon Black is a dark and complex game, exploring moral questions that the rest of the series had taken for granted. Exploring its story and its moodier, more grown-up worldview would make it an outstanding game in the series, but it cleverly peppers its cast of great characters throughout the world, often making Gym Leaders active participants in the plot around the area of their town. As such, the world feels a lot more alive than it really is, and you get a real feeling as to what Gym Leaders' role in the world is, which is a huge boon for the rest of the series. It's also an absolutely gorgeous game, which I think was only recently overthrown by Pokemon Sun as the prettiest in the series. Whenever I feel like playing a Pokemon game that makes me think, or one that's slightly moodier than the rest, Pokemon Black is a solid choice.
I unfortunately have nothing to say about Black 2 or White 2. I own a copy of White 2 and plan to play it soon, but this duet is still the only main series installment I've not played.
Pokemon X carries the tradition of me not really caring for the even-numbered generations, though to a much lesser extent than Crystal or Platinum. The french-flavored Kalos region is a stunning place. It really does compete with both Hoenn and Alola for the "favorite region" spot, even if I think it falls slightly behind the two of them. Pokemon X might be the most stylish game in the series. It oozes with elegance and beauty the entire way through, in a way very uncharacteristic of the series. It also takes a similarly dark tone to Black, though playing it in contrast to the beautiful surroundings as opposed to Black's moody American-inspired cities. Its story is admittedly fairly boring, and the massive roster of important characters ends up being quite bland, but these are faults that Ruby also had, and I think just how damn cool Kalos is makes up for it
My main issue with X, and the reason I come back to it less than Blue, Ruby, Black or, I'm sure now Sun is that it's the only Pokemon game that I don't enjoy the combat in outside of multiplayer. Pokemon X is simply too damn easy. In both of my playthroughs I turned off the EXP share, which means I was essentially playing on hard mode, and I never once lost a battle, breezing through every gym leader, the boss of Team Flare, and, most upsettingly of all, through the Elite Four. There's simply no challenge here, and as such the game becomes really boring to play. I'm just hoping the inevitable remakes a few generations down the line up the challenge. As is, I think I'll limit revisits to Kalos to simply tourist-trips through my completed save file rather than starting a new one. It's a real shame, because if I liked playing through the game getting to see Kalos again would be a treat similar to the pleasure of seeing Hoenn for the millionth time. I may prefer X to Platinum or Crystal, but it's a lot more likely I'll replay the latter two.
Of course, I already gave a very long explanation of why I absolutely adore Pokemon Sun, which you can find here. To summarize: I think this is the game with the best region in the series. Alola is an amazing place, one that feels more real than any other region so far. It's full of welcoming, warm people, but is deeply connected to its primal roots. You're also graced with an absolutely fantastic assemble cast of characters that go on a journey with you, and with Lillie, the best character in all of Pokemon. Most of all, it's an amazingly pleasant experience. Most of everything is nice, warm, and inviting. This makes the moments that aren't stand out even more, but most importantly it makes Pokemon Sun a real joy to play through, a game that kept a smile on my face for most of my play time in it. Rather than the complicated reasons the rest of the series gives me for playing them, Pokemon Sun made me real happy, and that's all I needed.
I really do adore the Pokemon series. It's often accused of sticking too closely to the same formula, but I think that that's an unfair accusation. It's a series that goes in many different directions, with different reasons to play each entry. It's maintained itself fresh and enjoyable throughout the years because it's willing to shake up what makes the experience stand out whilst leaning on the same incredibly solid mechanical core. Even the entries I like less I enormously respect, because I think they simply nail experiences I don't necessarily care about having that much. You don't get to be a series as well-loved and enduring as Pokemon without having the guts to present experiences that have such wildly different appeals.
It really made me think: Why do I like the Pokemon games? I mean, there's a pretty simple reason why I like all of them: The Pokemon designs are endlessly creative, and the mechanics started off really good and got progressively better and better with each installment. Even without the various distinctions of the different games strengths and weaknesses, Pokemon would be worth playing just for the combat alone.
And yet, that's not the only (or even main) reason I play any given game in the series. It seems like each game has a new and different appeal to me, and it's the series' ever-changing nature that really keeps me hooked, never quite sure what the thing that'll stand out to me in the next one is.
Because of that, though, I have trouble justifying to myself why Pokemon Blue is still one of my favorite installments in the series. Being the first, it's the most baseline of the Pokemon games, and I don't think many people will claim it isn't the absolute weakest mechanically. It's a ridiculously standard adventure, with the Kanto region lacking the originality of future regions and the story being as basic as it gets.
Part of me screams that this must be nostalgia goggles. This is the first game I ever really played, of course I'd be fond of it. But yet, on my very numerous return trips through Kanto on my by now decrepit GameBoy Colour, I've never been disappointed in my high expectations the same way I have by other childhood favorites. Instead, I find the simplicity and straight-forwardness of Kanto charming. Future regions go for specific vibes, be it the traditional Japanese Johto, tropical Hoenn, or distinctly European Kalos. Kanto is just a simple collection of fairly vanilla towns and fields, but that gives it its own personality and universal appeal (though there are certainly many memorable locations around). Meanwhile, the story, simpler than any other game, is somewhat charming, with Team Rocket being just obviously evil, and Red slowly growing in power to be able to defeat them. Pokemon Blue is charmingly simple and innocent, without the nuance of the future games. It's by far the most childish of the Pokemon games, and this is what brings me back to it a lot.
Its sequel, Pokemon Crystal, however, is possibly my least favorite game in the series, duking it out with generation four's Pokemon Platinum for the bottom spot. I can understand the appeal of it, I really can. Johto's a cool region, feeling distinctly ancient, which contrasted with Kanto's vanilla vague modernity, and the larger emphasis on story and character made the stakes feel both bigger and more personal. I view Pokemon Crystal as a stepping stone to the things that made me love every future generation, be it its larger emphasis on an interesting region or on character, but I simply don't think it fleshed out those aspects enough. I have heard from its many fans the argument that what makes it great is the lack of focus on every aspect, giving it a jack-of-all trades appeal, and that's certainly one that I can understand. It also features two of the coolest moments in the series: Realizing that you get to go through Kanto after beating Johto, and of course, the unforgettable battle with Trainer Red deep within Mt. Steel.
Generation Three for me is where the Pokemon I really love begins. Pokemon Ruby is in my triumvirate of 9/10 Pokemon games, though it definitely comes in behind Black and Sun. The Hoenn region is simply an accomplishment unlike anything else in the Pokemon series up until this point. It's fundamentally different from either Kanto or Johto, feeling considerably more fantastical. It's a tropical region, with lakes formed inside craters, fields of ash created by active volcanoes, a city entirely in the trees of a jungle, and a small, rustic village floating on logs in the ocean. Hoenn is brimming to the edge with cool things to discover, little cryptic secrets to uncover, and marvels of nature to wonder at. It's also full of unique characters, with their own quirks and personalities. It's bigger than anything the Pokemon series had ever produced, and I'd argue it's to this day the most creative region we've seen. I recently re-visited the region playing Omega Ruby, and was blown away by just how damn cool this thing is. Pokemon Ruby is a game that puts me in awe every time I turn a corner, no matter how damn well I know what is around that corner. Also, that soundtrack is the best, fuck everyone who complains about the horns, they rule.
Pokemon Platinum, however, takes a different approach. I've mentioned previously I'm not a massive fan of the Sinnoh region, but I can't really diss it for being badly made. Whilst approaching Kanto levels of blandness, Sinnoh is big. I mean, really massive. There's a lot to explore and do in Pokemon Platinum. This is by far the biggest game in the series, and, whilst I don't think the content is as fun minute-per-minute as most other entries, there's definitely more sheer amount of fun to be had simply because of the amount of time you'll be spending in even a non-completionistic adventure through Sinnoh. Familiarity with a world breeds fondness, and I was certainly fond of some of my favorite hangouts in Sinnoh by the time I was done with the massive adventure through it. It's not like Sinnoh is completely devoid of flavor by any means, but it's not as jam-packed with it as its predecessors or some of its successors. I tend to become irritated at Pokemon Platinum because of how damn slow-moving it is, and how it doesn't have as many cool things in it as say, Ruby, but it's not an experience I deem unworthy in any way.
Pokemon Black's Unova is just as dull, if not even duller, than Sinnoh. However, what Pokemon Black does is put all its eggs into one basket: That of its story and characters. As a result, this is by far the best story told in a Pokemon game, filled with fantastic characters with tonnes of depth and complexity. Pokemon Black is a dark and complex game, exploring moral questions that the rest of the series had taken for granted. Exploring its story and its moodier, more grown-up worldview would make it an outstanding game in the series, but it cleverly peppers its cast of great characters throughout the world, often making Gym Leaders active participants in the plot around the area of their town. As such, the world feels a lot more alive than it really is, and you get a real feeling as to what Gym Leaders' role in the world is, which is a huge boon for the rest of the series. It's also an absolutely gorgeous game, which I think was only recently overthrown by Pokemon Sun as the prettiest in the series. Whenever I feel like playing a Pokemon game that makes me think, or one that's slightly moodier than the rest, Pokemon Black is a solid choice.
I unfortunately have nothing to say about Black 2 or White 2. I own a copy of White 2 and plan to play it soon, but this duet is still the only main series installment I've not played.
Pokemon X carries the tradition of me not really caring for the even-numbered generations, though to a much lesser extent than Crystal or Platinum. The french-flavored Kalos region is a stunning place. It really does compete with both Hoenn and Alola for the "favorite region" spot, even if I think it falls slightly behind the two of them. Pokemon X might be the most stylish game in the series. It oozes with elegance and beauty the entire way through, in a way very uncharacteristic of the series. It also takes a similarly dark tone to Black, though playing it in contrast to the beautiful surroundings as opposed to Black's moody American-inspired cities. Its story is admittedly fairly boring, and the massive roster of important characters ends up being quite bland, but these are faults that Ruby also had, and I think just how damn cool Kalos is makes up for it
My main issue with X, and the reason I come back to it less than Blue, Ruby, Black or, I'm sure now Sun is that it's the only Pokemon game that I don't enjoy the combat in outside of multiplayer. Pokemon X is simply too damn easy. In both of my playthroughs I turned off the EXP share, which means I was essentially playing on hard mode, and I never once lost a battle, breezing through every gym leader, the boss of Team Flare, and, most upsettingly of all, through the Elite Four. There's simply no challenge here, and as such the game becomes really boring to play. I'm just hoping the inevitable remakes a few generations down the line up the challenge. As is, I think I'll limit revisits to Kalos to simply tourist-trips through my completed save file rather than starting a new one. It's a real shame, because if I liked playing through the game getting to see Kalos again would be a treat similar to the pleasure of seeing Hoenn for the millionth time. I may prefer X to Platinum or Crystal, but it's a lot more likely I'll replay the latter two.
Of course, I already gave a very long explanation of why I absolutely adore Pokemon Sun, which you can find here. To summarize: I think this is the game with the best region in the series. Alola is an amazing place, one that feels more real than any other region so far. It's full of welcoming, warm people, but is deeply connected to its primal roots. You're also graced with an absolutely fantastic assemble cast of characters that go on a journey with you, and with Lillie, the best character in all of Pokemon. Most of all, it's an amazingly pleasant experience. Most of everything is nice, warm, and inviting. This makes the moments that aren't stand out even more, but most importantly it makes Pokemon Sun a real joy to play through, a game that kept a smile on my face for most of my play time in it. Rather than the complicated reasons the rest of the series gives me for playing them, Pokemon Sun made me real happy, and that's all I needed.
I really do adore the Pokemon series. It's often accused of sticking too closely to the same formula, but I think that that's an unfair accusation. It's a series that goes in many different directions, with different reasons to play each entry. It's maintained itself fresh and enjoyable throughout the years because it's willing to shake up what makes the experience stand out whilst leaning on the same incredibly solid mechanical core. Even the entries I like less I enormously respect, because I think they simply nail experiences I don't necessarily care about having that much. You don't get to be a series as well-loved and enduring as Pokemon without having the guts to present experiences that have such wildly different appeals.
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