Good Afternoon students, this is Dr. Cooper. Halloween is just around the corner, but a History-Of-Halloween post just didn't seem appealing to me, so I am writing an OP-ed instead.
As all of you are surely aware by now, Pokemon X and Y were released this month for 3DS, Nintendo's newest console (which received tepid reviews). Reception, surprisingly, has been overwhelming positive.
Fans are calling it the greatest Pokemon game ever...except me. As a lover of History and Tradition, I do not like major change. This year has been filled with many changes from the (temporary) disappearance of Twinkies, to my favorite SNL actors leaving, to the recent elimination of the McDonald's Dollar Menu. But Pokemon is where I draw the line. Being a person who was an elementary school kid during the age of the Gameboy Advance (and later the original Nintendo DS), I grew up with Pokemon. Though they underwent many changes during the transition to DS from Gameboy, I still loved them. I stopped after Platinum, however, because I felt it was becoming too much. To this day I'm still implementing a one-man boycott of Black and White. When rumors for X and Y started swirling on the Internet, I of course wanted to see what new "improvements" had been made to the franchise. I was not pleased with these "improvements" and here is why.
The Graphics
Pokemon is well known, even defined, for having classic 2D sprites in every generation, defying the 3D transformations of other Nintendo stars like Mario and Zelda. But now in these new games, the entire format has been changed to 3D graphics. Everything looks completely different.While 3D graphics work well for other games, they are not fit for the 2D world of the Pokemon franchise. You've basically just made an entire new game. While Nintendo probably did this to increase sales and popularity for the 3DS, it is a sad, sad break from tradition.
More Pokemon
X and Y introduces roughly seventy or so new Pokemon. While this isn't nearly as bad as the 156 that were made for Black and White, it's still bad. There are now over 700 different Pokemon, making it difficult for even the most hardcore player to remember all of them, not to mention all the types and moves. Sure, variety is good, but there has to be a stopping point eventually. I was OK with Generation III Pokemon, and even Generation IV, but it has simply gone too far now. We must remember, Pokemon is still a children's game. How can you expect children to know the names of 700 individual Pokemon? Plus if they can, then why can't they remember the names of every president or every element?...
Battles
With more and more stuff to do in X and Y, there's less emphasis on the main component of Pokemon- battling. Now you can play with your Pokemon, feed them, groom them, ride them, make videos or pictures, and go on unimportant side quests...all of which detract from the original objective of training and fighting with your Pokemon. Sigh...
Mega Evolutions
What I dislike most about Generation VI....Mega-evolutions. A new ability has been introduced, which allows certain Pokemon, under certain conditions, to "Mega-Evolve" and temporary change form for one battle. Basically a ripoff of Digimon. I don't like Digimon. Many Pokemon have been revealed to have Mega-Evolution forms, some even have two. For the life of me I simply don't see the point of it. Pokemon are assumed to be the equivalent of animals, so how can holding an item turn them into some freaky monster Power Ranger-wannabe form? It's supposed to make the Pokemon stronger in battles, but that's what normal evolutions are for. Plus it gives an unfair disadvantage to the opposing trainer if they don't have a Mega-Pokemon. Also, some Pokemon just simply weren't meant to evolve. My most hated addition? Mega-Mewtwo. Mewtwo was already epic to start with, not to mention being a legendary Pokemon. Why evolve him?
So there you have it, my opinion of X and Y....Undoubtedly 97% of all Pokemon fans will love these new games. But not me. The one positive outlook on this is that Pokemon will not be going away anytime soon. As I look back, I realize that Pokemon has gone on to the next generation, and must adapt to meet their new tastes. I'm not happy with it, but I understand their reasoning. So good luck Nintendo. Live long and prosper.
Sources: http://www.pokemonxy.com/en-us/root/
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_X_and_Y
Pictures: http://www.gengame.net/2013/01/why-pokemon-needs-to-be-3d/
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/10/the-2ds-pokemon-x-and-y-and-nintendos-wavering-commitment-to-stereoscopic-3d/
http://inside.anime-expo.org/games/2013-06/pokemon-xy-vs-pokemon-yellow-2d-or-3d/
http://minterc93658.wordpress.com/page/10/
http://www.3dstination.com/pokemon-x-y-meet-mega-charizard-y/
http://pokemmo.wikia.com/wiki/File:Mega_mewtwo.png
http://www.gifbay.com/gif/just_found_out_the_government_shutdown_means_no_panda_cam-89309/
As all of you are surely aware by now, Pokemon X and Y were released this month for 3DS, Nintendo's newest console (which received tepid reviews). Reception, surprisingly, has been overwhelming positive. Fans are calling it the greatest Pokemon game ever...except me. As a lover of History and Tradition, I do not like major change. This year has been filled with many changes from the (temporary) disappearance of Twinkies, to my favorite SNL actors leaving, to the recent elimination of the McDonald's Dollar Menu. But Pokemon is where I draw the line. Being a person who was an elementary school kid during the age of the Gameboy Advance (and later the original Nintendo DS), I grew up with Pokemon. Though they underwent many changes during the transition to DS from Gameboy, I still loved them. I stopped after Platinum, however, because I felt it was becoming too much. To this day I'm still implementing a one-man boycott of Black and White. When rumors for X and Y started swirling on the Internet, I of course wanted to see what new "improvements" had been made to the franchise. I was not pleased with these "improvements" and here is why.
The Graphics
More Pokemon
X and Y introduces roughly seventy or so new Pokemon. While this isn't nearly as bad as the 156 that were made for Black and White, it's still bad. There are now over 700 different Pokemon, making it difficult for even the most hardcore player to remember all of them, not to mention all the types and moves. Sure, variety is good, but there has to be a stopping point eventually. I was OK with Generation III Pokemon, and even Generation IV, but it has simply gone too far now. We must remember, Pokemon is still a children's game. How can you expect children to know the names of 700 individual Pokemon? Plus if they can, then why can't they remember the names of every president or every element?...Battles
With more and more stuff to do in X and Y, there's less emphasis on the main component of Pokemon- battling. Now you can play with your Pokemon, feed them, groom them, ride them, make videos or pictures, and go on unimportant side quests...all of which detract from the original objective of training and fighting with your Pokemon. Sigh...
Mega Evolutions
 |
| The amazing Mewtwo...forever ruined. |
My reaction to Mega-Mewtwo...
So there you have it, my opinion of X and Y....Undoubtedly 97% of all Pokemon fans will love these new games. But not me. The one positive outlook on this is that Pokemon will not be going away anytime soon. As I look back, I realize that Pokemon has gone on to the next generation, and must adapt to meet their new tastes. I'm not happy with it, but I understand their reasoning. So good luck Nintendo. Live long and prosper.
Sources: http://www.pokemonxy.com/en-us/root/
http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_X_and_Y
Pictures: http://www.gengame.net/2013/01/why-pokemon-needs-to-be-3d/
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/10/the-2ds-pokemon-x-and-y-and-nintendos-wavering-commitment-to-stereoscopic-3d/
http://inside.anime-expo.org/games/2013-06/pokemon-xy-vs-pokemon-yellow-2d-or-3d/
http://minterc93658.wordpress.com/page/10/
http://www.3dstination.com/pokemon-x-y-meet-mega-charizard-y/
http://pokemmo.wikia.com/wiki/File:Mega_mewtwo.png
http://www.gifbay.com/gif/just_found_out_the_government_shutdown_means_no_panda_cam-89309/
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