There will be those who say that it was only a matter of time, that maturing was also this and that the fans have lasted for a long time. On the other hand, I, who continue to enjoy any cartoon with a bowl of cereal as if I were still five years old, did not expect to ever have to abandon Pokémon.
I doubt it’s a matter of getting older and losing the magic that made me enjoy Pokémon . Actually I think that, over the years and also experience, the wide sleeve that I once had with the saga now leaves less room for milongas and half measures.
New Pokémon Snap has opened my eyes
New Pokémon Snap, the animal photographing game that is already around the corner promising to bring me back to my preadolescence, has been the trigger for a sensation that I knew was there but did not want to recognize.
It is the Pokémon game that I have been most excited about in … For so long that I don’t even remember it.
And with that idea hanging around my head, it has been inevitable to reach the harshest and most realistic conclusion. That that game that I grew up with and that accompanied me in some of the most tender moments of my childhood, from dealing with Pokémon with my friends to missing a chapter of the series to go to give my first kiss, I no longer like it. That I am tired of Pokémon .
Some might imagine that here comes the time to include a “it’s not for you, it’s for me “, but even though it’s the first thing that came to mind -thinking about that idea of growing more than Pokémon can ever grow- Actually, I am very clear that it is not my thing, but Game Freak’s .
I would like nothing more than to continue enjoying this saga. I envy those who continue to enjoy each of the new deliveries that reach the stores. But I have the feeling that there are many aspects in which it is impossible for me to continue laughing thanks to the saga.
Pokémon needs a change, and although I know for a fact that it will continue to triumph and sell by what I do, I have stopped to think about what I should change to make me fall in love with the franchise again. This is all I ask of Pokémon to return to him with the illusion of the first day .
History: the narrative must evolve
A seemingly fatherless boy leaves his childhood town with the intention of becoming a Pokémon Master and meets an evil rich man who wants to take over the world by using Pokémon. In the end, the boy defeats evil and wins the Pokémon League.
Ok, I get it, good versus evil. But we also have that same song in dozens of manga and anime that, in addition to focusing on the fight between light and darkness, know how to tell personal stories and bring twists that nobody sees coming . And I focus on those two examples because of their obvious relationship with the saga, but I think it is clear that most of the time Pokémon does the right thing to get out of trouble.
Maturity: Ghibli and Pixar have been proving it for years
There is room for other types of stories and you don’t even have the need to abandon the little ones along the way. That’s why watching Toy Story today is not the same as when you saw it for the first time more than 20 years ago. The same reason why now you do not stop seeing hidden messages in My Neighbor Totoro despite the fact that years ago you simply freaked out with the idea of getting on a catbus.
Pokémon can remain a game for children, but not necessarily abandoning those of us who have grown up with them. It’s just a matter of investing in better stories and winks that bring more depth to those who can look beyond.
World: if an indie can get it, also a multimillion dollar company
There will be those who say that it is fine for them and it seems legitimate to me. In my case, however, the level of visual quality of Pokémon is something that especially unnerves me. I refuse to believe that it is a creative decision, and it is certainly not a budget-driven decision either.
I don’t care if it’s bigger or smaller, I just want to get to the grave with a console in my hands and a game of Pokémon that makes me exclaim “ how cool ” for the last time. Not because it is realistic and not because it is spectacular, but because it is consistent with the size, significance and infinite budget of this franchise.
Mechanics: there is life beyond rock-paper-scissors
While Game Freak dresses its Godzilla monsters with greater size and powers that change the game’s approach little, the community manages to invent new ways to play Pokémon . In other words, the Nuzlock is the best the franchise has given us in so many years, and it’s been thanks to the players.
The idea of a challenge in which you cannot continue playing with a Pokémon if it falls in combat and you have limited catches is fantastic to, precisely, give an excuse to those more experienced players who want to do more than repeat the same story with different bugs . Imagine so many more ideas left to discover that the game team is not exploring.
Better: not necessarily more
Since its launch, Pokémon has focused on a formula of more, more and more, but not always better. Hundreds of new critters give a good account of how the strategy employed has constantly pursued the idea of creating new plush toys and iconic designs instead of improving what already exists .
I’m not only talking about changes like those presented with the Alola versions, but also about better animations for each of the Pokémon already created to date, better scenarios, better puzzles, better combats … In short, a better Pokémon . I sincerely believe that it is more within reach than its creators seem to understand.
