As expected of a modern title in the most successful media franchise of all time,Pokemon ScarletandViolethave provided players with the expectation of more experimentation with the eponymous pocket monsters. OncePokemonwent 3Din the main series, every subsequent generation introduced a new gimmick to upgrade older Pokemon. The first of said gimmicks, Mega Evolutions, were praised for bringing attention to Pokemon that were previously seen as forgotten by many fans, especially the likes of Medicham, Kangaskhan, and Mawile. However, they were also criticized for overly focusing on Pokemon that were already triumphantly popular and did not need any upgrades due to being powerful enough.
There has yet to be any confirmation on whatPokemon ScarletandVioletis planning on doing regarding the now expected alternate forms of regular Pokemon. However, like with every major release in the series, the games’ features were leaked. Instead of only focusing on the previous generation’s features, this new generation will supposedly introduce a variety of ideas that will give Pokemon alternate appearances, type combinations, and even evolutions, just like the regional variants of before. Regardless if the direction the game takes, it should still give the last push needed to neglected “classic” Pokemon before moving on to more recently introduced creatures.
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Old Pokemon in Need of an Upgrade
Within the context of thePokemonfranchise, the closest thing to “classic” is arguably the series’ first two generations, which made up the bulk of the initial Pokemania in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Sure, the third generation came out in an era that is now considered retro, but when the idea of “old Pokemon” is brought up, the first two generations are the ones people will likely focus on. Due to how long these aforementioned Pokemon have been part of the franchise, most of them have gotten some form of upgrade by now. Gen 2 gave new evolutions to plenty of Kanto Pokemon, and Gen 4 returned the favor with itsfamous Sinnoh evolutions.
After Gen 4, the series stopped introducing new evolutions to regular lines, withSylveon being the notable exception. The concept was revisited with Mega Evolutions in Gen 6, and the regional possibilities offered new possibilities for mediocre Pokemon, even though the upgrades are not as permanent, nor as accessible as the evolutions introduced in Gens 2 and 4. It’s inPokemon SwordandShieldwhere regional variants opened doors to new possibilities with new evolutions to older Pokemon. If the recent leaks are true, thenScarletandVioletwould need one last push to finally make every Pokemon from the older generations useful is some capacity.
Among the Pokemon introduced in the first generation, only Tauros, Mew, and Ditto lack any evolutions or new forms in some capacity. Mew is a Legendary and Ditto is specifically tailored around a gimmick that already satisfies the player base.Tauros has gotten nothingsince the early days of the series, and if the Scarlet andVioletleaks are correct, then this will change. Assuming the leaks are true, the new generation is taking full advantage of its Spanish-inspired setting by giving the very first bull-based Pokemon some love.
With Tauros taken care of, every single Kanto Pokemon that needs an evolution or extra push in the battling realm is now free from the stigma of being useless. The same cannot be said for Johto Pokemon, who have gotten love recently, but there is still work to be done. Amongthe lonelier Gen 2 Pokemon, there are Unown and Smeargle, who are likely too conceptually one-dimensional, just like Ditto, for their evolutionary lines to spice up. Other non-Legendary Pokemon left with a single stage, such as Girafarig, Dunsparce, Miltank, and Delibird, currently have nothing but themselves. However, a new form for Miltank could complement the heavily implied one for Tauros, and the other three Pokemon will all get something new to their arsenal if the leaks are true.
AssumingPokemonfans are not being fooled,Pokemon ScarletandVioletwill likelyfind some good in Pokemonthat Game Freak left hanging for too long. This is a terrific step in the right direction and hints at a hopeful future for the entire roster of monsters, whose recent additions will get more opportunities for tweaking.
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