Displaying items by tag: Pokeball

Franchises I love

Pokemon

POKEMON! Catch them all ! Ah so many memories. So many great moments spent. And to think that I am writing in the past tense when as soon as I finish the article I will continue to play Pokémon Shield on my Switch. I've been playing this franchise for so long. It’s the first franchise I’ve ever played on my own.

As you may know, this is not the top 1 in my ranking of favorite franchises. It’s still the first franchise I’ve actually played. I had the blue version and my brother the red one. From the start my brother knew some mechanics like being able to swap small monsters.

So he and I were careful to send the missing Pokémon to the other's version's Pokédex. Also, we were careful that some could only evolve while being exchanged. For example Machoke or Graveler or Haunter.

Last detail and not the least, in these versions as in most afterwards, it was impossible to have the other starting pokemon. There was Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. What we were doing was simple. We were moving forward in the game's story until we could trade. Then we gave the other the starting companion we had chosen. And we would do it all over again until we had it all twice. Yeah we were trying hard.

In short, it was excellent.

Then when the 2nd generation came I was really happy. I had the Silver version and my brother Gold.

The starting Pokémon were super cool, especially the fire one for my taste, Cyndaquil was THE Pokémon of this generation for me. Most impressive was that we also had to go to the island of the first generation to beat the arenas and the league! So there was twice the work than in the first game!

I remember the train to take, it was fantastic! But I almost forget the yellow version! With my brother we had this version too! Pikachu following you like in the anime. You can talk to him to see how happy he is. And you had all three starting Pokémon without having to resort to trading! You receive them if Pikachu is happy to the maximum. It was great to do, otherwise the game was the same as the first generation naturally.

With Silver and Gold we had a lot of fun. There were great things to do, and the new Pokémon were looking good. It was well done but there was nothing really new after all. Then there was the Crystal version, crazy innovation, a battery to be able to remember the time and so the game was on real time. So you had / could tell the difference between playing at night and playing by day. What good memories.

On the other hand, when generation three came, Sapphire and Ruby. I was so excited. I will always remember this! We were in the south of France on vacation. We had the Game Boy Advance. My parents had gone shopping. I was on the little terrace with my grandparents and there we get the game in hand. I must have said "I can't believe it" at least ten times.

I have to say, I wasn't too impressed with the starter Pokémon. They didn’t stand out for me. I still think I remember Sceptile's crazy speed. Otherwise nothing new under the sun for the starting Pokémon. On the other hand Tarsal, Terhal and Draby marked me! These Pokémon, if I can get them in every Pokémon game I play, I catch them. I find them awesome!

However, the story was super cool. The bad guys too. What also stood out to me was the new HMs (Hidden Machines). Those are abilities (attacks) learned by Pokémon. You could buy abilities and you MUST find the special ones called HM. Without these you could not move forward. Like Fly, Surf, Strength or Cut. You had to get them or else you were stuck.

In Sapphire / Ruby, there was additional Waterfall and Dive. There were places where you could use it to get underwater and find new Pokémon. What crazy innovation, it was exhilarating.

Then there was Emerald for this generation, which I missed yes. Too bad but without too many regrets anyway.

Then there was Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. A less memorable story than its predecessor and fewer Pokémon that I liked. I played and enjoyed it but it was hard to do better or as well as Sapphire and Ruby in my eyes. So less exciting.

What I remember deeply is Lucario. He's iconic and everyone loves him. No wonder I love him too but loved this super cool little monster. Otherwise it was a bit bland in my opinion.

A little refreshment with the Heartgold and Soulsilver versions. You will understand, they have remade Gold and Silver with the new possibilities offered by 2010. I did not buy it for myself because I did not see the point ... and still not today.

The next generation, the 5th now is with White and Black. The starting choices are earlier cool in design and there's the appearance of Roggenrola which is clearly too cool in final evolution. What's also pretty cool is that there weren't any other Pokémon available other than this generation. You had to receive the National Pokédex in order to obtain other Pokémon from previous generations. This was no longer the case in Black and White 2. Pokémon of the 5th and other generations are available from the start of the adventure. The map, the champions and those kinds of details change a bit, but nothing much better.

Who says Pokémon X and Y says: Greninja I love you. The coolest of his generation and surely the most iconic. Big novelty for this game, the Mega-Gems. This allows the Mega-Evolution, Pokémon then called Mega-Pokémon.

This evolution is not permanent but allows during the fight to clearly gain the upper hand and see your favorite Pokémon take a super cool or "Mega" form. Capturing a Pokémon (finally) gives experience points to Pokémon on its team, there are wild hordes of Pokémon, so we end up at 1 to 5.

More novelties also in terms of internet connection with the game and therefore new features.

Obviously there is also the full 3D view that it is on the Nintendo 3DS that the game is released. This naturally brings a more graphical advantage even if we do not use the 3D option. Too bad though that apart from Amphinobi, no monster will have marked my mind ...

A remaster of Ruby and Sapphire with the names Ruby Omega and Sapphire Alpha. All on 3DS, they also made a special version in 2DS with pretty consoles I must say. This one was given to me with the metal box. It was naturally cool to get back into that story. But nothing more you have to be sincere. The pleasure was still there.

Then comes Sun and Moon. So I was disappointed for the first time. I didn't really like the mechanics, the story and the way of going. I didn't hang on too much. On the other hand, Incineroar is really cool. It didn't impress me so much that I didn't buy Ultra-Sun / Ultra-Moon.

I was even afraid that I would no longer appreciate this franchise. I respect the idea and the attempt at innovation, however for me it was a clear stop. And then what had to happen happened.

Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu / Eevee!

Small slap of nostalgia. On the other hand, I am happy that afterwards they did not stay on this idea. It was great for me especially since I had never touched or even downloaded Pokémon Go!

I don't see any point in it especially since I don't have time for that stuff. I liked this game and go back to that first region and do what we had to do there again. It was quite exciting, but we also notice that it was "important" to facilitate everything. Some things were done more naturally and it felt when you played almost all of the games in the franchise.

It was still a pleasure and what was really great, the flight. When you fly you are on top of the map with your Pokémon and see other Pokémon to catch. It's still super interesting.

With the latter, I am right in it. And I have fun like a kid. Between old-fashioned mechanics and new things, we are right in the middle of what I unwittingly wanted for a game in this franchise.

Sword and Shield, this game is really very good. The history, the fights, the Dynamax, the camping and the cooking. These things make the game epic. I miss this need for CS but it seems that time is over.

Gaming remains one of my highlights over the past two years. I am happy. There are also some notable Pokémon like Corviknight, Orbeetle or Coalossal. Everything is more to me in this game and I'm glad I did not miss the call. On the other hand, we also notice a certain ease in achieving to the end of the game.

I can't wait to see the future. First with the Pearl and Diamond Remaster. To see if that can convince me and patch me up with this generation. Like I said, it wasn't the game that struck me the most. And then what to say about what will happen next: Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

This game which takes up the distant past of the Pokémon universe. We will have to complete the first Pokédex. We're in the Sinnoh region and we're going to have a maybe more sophisticated game system of watching and waiting to catch a little monster. We can choose between combat and the Pokémon Go way to catch a Pokémon.

A game full of promise, full of expectation and above all that changes what we have known so far. To see if the turn this game takes will be a major turning point for the franchise or if it is just a side game. I sincerely favor the first option, especially given, the means they have to make something great.

The past has been bright, the present beautiful, and the future looks great. What happiness with this franchise for which my feelings have nevertheless pitched at times.

Long live Nintendo, Long live Pokémon and long live video games!