it probably wasn't intended when launched, but the Pokémon franchise has evolved - you can praise that sharp wit in the comments - into a sprawling IP with over 700 'mon in its Pokédex. It's got levels of complexity that, to the uninitiated, can seem downright intimidating.
A common refrain with each new generation is to question whether more Pokémon are really needed for the series. The numbers continue to increase with each game, and in reality this is a consequence of Game Freak being under pressure to make each new release enticing and unique enough to attract fans.
Of course, other explanations can be made. PBS Game/Show, which we've featured in the past, considers ecological reasons for the growing masses of Pokémon.
It's a pretty entertaining watch, so check it out below and let us know what you think.
Comments 15
praises that sharp wit
I'm sorry, but I can't help but cringe every time I see that man. There's something off about him, he feels awfully plastic.
I literally completed the national dex in 3 weeks with X and Y alone. It's not hard and people who complain about it have no merit. If no new Pokemon are made then what do I catch now? I have everything. I don't want the same Pokemon every game, that'd be awful. I want new unique Pokemon and locations to discover and explore, I mean, that's what Pokemon was about at its core wasn't it? Discovery, exploration, and working hard to be the best? Did everyone forget that? No one complains when Mario gets a new power-up.
I actually enjoy the new Pokemon and look forward to more new Pokemon and Mega Evolutions. I have been playing Pokemon since the Game Boy Pokemon Red and Blue days. It has come a long way and with each game always improving. My favourite Pokemon games would have to be SoulSilver and HeartGold on DS though because they allowed me to collect 16 Gym badges and visit 2 regions, in one game! I wish the new Pokemon games done that.
I don't see a problem with there being tons and tons of Pokemon.
You don't HAVE to be familiar with all of them. Of course some fans will know all of them, but some won't and that's fine too. You don't need to know every Pokemon to enjoy the game.
Bring on the new Pokemon.
PBS Game Show is garbage, I really don't know why you guys are talking about it.
@TheWPCTraveler Because he is the definition of a tool.
Ehhh, wasted effort. Pokémon is meant to be a fantasy-shaped imitation of our world and its aspects. That obviously includes parts of the ecosystem and the natural life-cycle. Trying to explain something in more detail than its very concept is based on is pretty pointless.
But Pokémon tries to keep it simple. Berries grow with just water and time in a matter of few days, every Pokémon eats berries (even inorganic ones or predatorial designs), and breeding is a mysterious case of "poof, there's the egg, don't ask for details".
GameFreak tries to give most Pokés a logical reason to exist in some sort of fashion, but they're not only sloppy about that in several cases, they also don't really go very far with their explanations, something I see as an immense waste of potential. The current Pokémon lore is mostly generic and random, and also influenced by the incompetence team called 4Kids Entertainment.
That said, I think there can never be enough Pokémon overall, but the pacing has to be just right. If Pokémon managed to pull off yearly installments with several new Pokés per game, fans would be overwhelmed quickly. But if new designs were to faar in between, people would lose interest too soon, either. In that sense, I think GameFreak acutally managed to nail the timing, even if that's the only thing they manage to nail nowadays.
@TheWPCTraveler I agree. Oh, well.
Jamin is pretty brilliant, actually. But whatever.
Well there can never be too many Pokémon.
People complain about the newer ones being uninspired but that's just silly. We've had blobs and spheres and nonsense since the beginning.
I don't mind new monsters but I agree that they don't need to pump out hundreds at a time.
Wah, he mispronounced Dedenne!
@Joenen I think it's funny when people call gen V terrible (mostly people who stopped with the first game, you know, those guys who never get invested in a series you like but always find something to complain about even though they were only there during the fad days and never truly cared in the first place? The type that were just there because it was "cool"?) and say the designs lacked inspiration, because all of the Pokemon in that generation were all made to be counterparts of the Pokemon introduced in Generation one. So if Gen V is unoriginal, doesn't that mean all original 150 they think are "superior" are unoriginal too? XD
This VSauce Wanna-be makes me cringe.
I wanted to do a Master's Thesis on themes of Environmental Philosophy in Pokemon games (primarily Black and White). This gives me a bit of hope, actually.
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