Thursday, January 10, 2013

Time for a New Generation Already?

Pokémon started off the new year with a big bang. Merely eight days after the new year, this happened.

Meowth that's right! You're looking at the logos for the newest main series Pokémon games, X and Y. X and Y will launch for the 3DS WORLDWIDE this October! No longer must we wait months after Japan gets it.

So, what do I think about all this? It's kind of weird. Yes, saying I'm a huge Pokémon fan is a gross understatement. It's rare to find a time when I'm not playing Pokémon. But, I just don't see myself 100% getting behind these new versions. Don't get me wrong, these games seem great, but there a few things that bother me. 

In my opinion, these games came out way too fast. I felt like I just started playing 5th gen and now we're moving on. Usually, it takes four years for a new generation to be released. Ruby and Sapphire were released in 2003 (2002 in Japan). In 2007 (2006 in Japan), we got Diamond and Pearl. Likewise, Black and White came out in 2011 (2010 in Japan), four years after Diamond and Pearl. With X and Y coming out two years later, I felt I didn't get to spend enough time with Black and White.
 
With a new generation comes new Pokémon. Nintendo revealed the three starters of this generation right off the bat. This is definitely a rare move, especially since they like to keep starter information hidden until closer to the release date. The one benefit about a simultaneous international release is that the English names are already revealed. The new starters look pretty cool. Some people say that this is the first generation that all the starters are unanimously cool. Doesn't happen; the only time it did happen was 1st gen. Sorry Froakie fans, I'm just not digging the water frog all that much. My choice will probably be between Chespin, the grass-type Oshawott, and Fennekin, the Vulpix-Zorua hybrid. Pretty much, it boils down to their final evolutions. Hopefully I can make my decision soon. If the starters were revealed this quickly, we might get information about their evolutions sooner than later.

Which one will you choose?

The mascot legendaries were also revealed in the first trailer. I wasn't kidding when I said Pokémon started the new year with a big bang. My opinion on the new legendaries? They're stupid. Go ahead, hate me, it's all good. To me, they're missing that "cool-factor" past mascot legendaries had. Look at Zekrom, Kyogre and Lugia. They look like they could destroy cities with a cough. A light flutter of Lugia's wings can destroy houses! Zekrom scorches the world with lightening with the electricity generated from its tail! Kyogre summons torrential downpours that can literally flood continents! So what does 6th gen get? A wyvern and a deer. The dragons and behemoths of previous generations will now have to face the wrath of a deer. Sure, the wyvern looks pretty cool, but he doesn't seem like a version mascot. He'd fit more with the likes of Zapdos and Entei, still a legendary but not as big as Mewtwo and company. The deer...don't get me started. It looks like a wimpier version of the Muskedeer trio. Even Sawsbuck looks tougher than this. So many of these things will be named Bambi, it's not even funny. What's it going to do, use flash with its brightly colored antler!? I wanted to pick Y so I could avoid catching it, but my brother already claimed it. Guess I'm stuck with X...stupid deer. I will laugh if it turns out to be the best Pokémon competitively. Oh, the irony.

Meet Xerneas and Yveltal, the legendary deer and wyvern Pokémon


For a while, we've been clamoring for a full 3D Pokémon game. Sure, we've beaten the 8 gym leaders, defeated the evil organization, and challenged the Elite Four to become the champion. But we want to do it in 3D! So, ideally enough on the 3DS, we get just that with X and Y. And no, it's not a lazy attempt at 3D where the backgrounds are 3D and the Pokémon  are flat. Everything is in the third dimension! We're talking better than Stadium or Battle Revolution quality fights! Froakie literally goes up to a Patrat and scratches him. Yeah, I'm going to miss the sprites from past games, but this is freaking sweet! If nothing else, this is probably the main reason I'm buying Pokémon X and Y.
You are so going to get it when he evolves

Nintendo believes its time for a new generation of Pokémon, so here we are. While I'm for sure getting these games, I'm not as stoked as I was for other game releases. Maybe over time, more information will be revealed that will rekindle my excitement for Pokémon. For now, I wait with lukewarm anticipation. What do you think about the new generation so far? Watch the reveal trailer below and leave your comments. I'd love to hear from you. 

1 comment:

  1. Awesome post Smiles! I'm with you on the thing about it coming out so soon. I haven't played much of the recent games, but it does feel weird that I've barely gotten used to hearing Black and White 2 being the current generation when this announcement comes out. I wonder what it's like knowing there's going to be a ton of new Pokemon this soon after catching the last new release.

    I'm curious what you think about this idea I thought of when I saw the trailer. What would you think about a new Pokemon generation where instead of releasing 100 or so new species being the draw of the game, they stuck with the species released in the previous generation? Instead, the focus would be a completely new story structure. Because you mentioned it here, we've all beat the 8 gym leaders and Elite Four while defeating the criminal organization multiple times already. Do you think sticking to existing Pokemon (while maybe introducing a couple new legendaries to keep trainers on the chase) and coming up with a completely new set of goals for the hero to go after in the story would be an interesting game? Kind of like how Majora's Mask strayed away from the formula for Legend of Zelda. I'd buy that game!

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