Games Happy

Whereas the tail-end of 2022 was dominated by Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, I maintain considering again to the opposite Pokemon recreation that launched final 12 months; Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Whereas each video games are “mainline” entries within the franchise, they couldn’t be extra completely different – and I feel the success of each proves that we’re greater than due for a brand new Pokemon Colosseum.

Though the historical past of console Pokemon video games feels quaint now that we’ve been battling and catching all of them on Change for the previous 5 years now, it’s nonetheless placing to consider the video games that got here earlier than, and the way completely different builders tried to ship a Pokemon recreation tailored for a house console viewers. Pokemon Stadium provided a way for gamers to battle their Pokemon in 3D for the primary time, however Pokemon Colosseum – in addition to Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness – stand out, even at present, for what they provide that no different entry within the collection can muster; a standard RPG utilizing a Pokemon framework.

Foregoing a lot of the extra freeform teambuilding of conventional Pokemon video games, each Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness not solely compelled gamers to deal with a whole Pokemon RPG the place double battling was the usual, but additionally compelled gamers to make use of Pokemon they won’t have in any other case thought of. Each video games provided a greater diversity of Johto area Pokemon – a novelty on the time, resulting from there being no technique of transferring Pokemon from the primary two generations of Pokemon to the GameBoy Advance titles. Locking nearly all of the Pokemon you may use in your social gathering to the snatching mechanic additionally meant that gamers properly and actually may solely take what they might get. Even when Shadow Pokemon as an idea had their points, the essential thought of limiting which Pokemon a participant may use throughout a Pokemon title nonetheless stands out as a daring transfer, even at present.

A daring transfer that in some ways feels mirrored in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Whereas it’s ostensibly a a lot completely different recreation – whereas Pokemon Colosseum and XD: Gale of Darkness relished in limiting gamers in ways in which mainline Pokemon by no means fairly did, Arceus took a totally reverse method. Gamers may, and would, be catching many Pokemon at a time; the core loop of the sport revolved round interacting with Pokemon of their pure atmosphere, and even the Pokedex provided completely different challenges tied to every of the Pokemon you may discover within the Hisui area.

Even different core elements of the Pokemon expertise noticed main overhauls; Effort Values had been simplified, permitting gamers a way more easy-to-understand and streamlined methodology of investing of their Pokemon groups. The battle system was gifted one other wrinkle within the flip order; and the way you may strengthen or weaken strikes with a view to exploit it in the course of battle. Even essentially the most cynical of Pokemon followers would discover themselves hard-pressed to argue that Pokemon: Legends Arceus was a “protected” Pokemon recreation; it provided essentially the most vital reimagining of the core gameplay loop within the collection’ historical past.

Whereas I nonetheless want that the sport hadn’t been compelled to launch the identical 12 months as Scarlet and Violet, it does supply a succinct argument that there’s certainly room for the franchise to develop; and that followers are greater than prepared to offer video games that differ from the tried and true formulation that we’ve grown to like. These completely different experiences don’t need to be locked to spinoffs similar to Pokemon Thriller Dungeon, or Pokemon Conquest; they’ll very a lot supply one thing distinctive whereas standing toe-to-toe with their mainline contemporaries.

When mainline Pokemon first went absolutely 3D again with Pokemon X and Y on the Nintendo 3DS, a part of me was nervous we’d by no means see a recreation fairly like Pokemon Colosseum ever once more, however now greater than ever it feels as if the potential of extra video games in that very same vein are attainable. Pokemon doesn’t need to be restricted to the identical types of video games each time, and if there’s something I hope that The Pokemon Firm takes away from Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ success, it’s simply that. Pokemon Colosseum was the primary recreation to actually attempt to make a Pokemon recreation that was one thing new, and there’s been no higher time to offer it one other probability.