Speaking of, I should probably give these games a try, since I have barely played any of the Pokemon games.

I played R/B, so I'm tempted to get X/Y to see where it's gone in 15 years. Aside from that, I don't care about the intermediate releases; it does seem a bit dirty to first release two versions, then another that combines what amounts to two text files from both games. But whatever; I'm not here to tell people what they can or cannot do.

I played Red and Gold and absolutely ADORED the games. I haven't played a Pokemon game since Gold, maybe I'll give the new one a try, just to see how the series changed/didn't change.

I played Red/Gold a ton. Red was really fun, but Gold started to lose me. I didn't like the monster designs as much (they seemed more... kiddy?). Red (and to some extent, Gold) struck a chord with my social group because it was great local competitive play on the bus, and we trained when we got home to beat the crap out of everyone else the next day. When I played Diamond, it was just me (I was also playing it on my little sister's DS while home on vacation, so....). I could appreciate the combat for what it was (a really, really simple JRPG), but the single player game stagnated (8 badges, elite 4, collect-em-all, stop Team XXX, etc.... you played one, you played-em-all) and without real online multiplayer..... ugh.

But Pokemon is still probably the best starter JRPG on the market. Its skill ramp is for toddlers. Its a great casual game to get people into the more niche RPGs I've come to appreciate since. It was the first game my little sister played to completion, and she's now graduated to some Dragon Age, Valkyria Chronicles and Persona.

I'd agree about the additions over the years, but a lot of that stuff doesn't kick in until you actually complete the main 'story' stuff. But yeah...700 Pokemans is getting a bit absurd.

@castiel: Respek, that was a classy move.

As someone who buys the yearly NHL and has purchased every single CoD since it's beginning in 2003, I can safely say Pokemon is a different beast altogether. Meaningful changes are made and believe it or not Pokemon at competitive levels does have a fair bit of depth and involves a fair bit of thought. Sure it's played by children, but I was 8 in 1996 cut me some slack! Pokemon makes me a man child in a way very few Nintendo games can.

I would also sincerely advise you not to question the why's and how's of peoples video game purchases, it doesn't really concern you, it doesn't hurt you and quite frankly something like Call of Duty does deserve the flak it gets far more than Mario or Pokemon. Just let people be, video games are a simple source of entertainment Mario Kart or Call of Duty, if someone enjoys playing it what is it to you?

I MAY get the new game. This would be the first one Ive played. I was too old for the cartoon, and even if I wasnt it would most likely have been too cutesy. People really fucking gush over these games, and I dont get it. I do like RPGs, and the collecting various monsters so i might check it out just to see what the fuss is over. God I wish is wasnt so fucking kiddy though.

Still not as bad as the people who are going to buy Bravely Default.

Same reason bronies exist.

That makes no sense in the context of this conversation, given that Bravely Default is a new IP and not a franchise entering its sixth generation in fifteen years.

Spot on. I mean I'd consider Pokemon Gold one of my all-time favourite games and I still think the game needs a serious fucking shake up. That said, it's Pokemon, you know what you're getting and as bad as I think some of the Pokemon designs are getting the games are polished and each one is the perfect jumping on point. To that point I'm getting back into Pokemon with X/Y... I mean like I said, I know what I'm getting into and every few years it's exactly what I want.

As if you don't like a series of games that hasn't changed all that much. Most gamers do.

These sum it up for me.

wat.

It's a simple and fun RPG.

The reason it hasn't changed in almost 2 decades (man) is because the premise is so fucking ingenius that it hasn't been forced to.

For me, there's enough changed between one game to the next that I feel justified in buying another game in the series. I feel like the gameplay has gotten better over the years. Ghost isn't super powerful, there's more than one family of ghosts, there's finally something else to balance out Dragon. I still just want the one game with all the 'Mons and bells and whistles and best aspects of each game combined.

I'm kind of iffy about the spinoff games. If they have something to do with Pokemon directly, I'll give them a shot (I do like Mystery Dungeon a lot), but if you could easily change the IP and the rest of the game would be the same (i.e. Puzzle League), then I ignore it. I haven't watched the anime in awhile. Once in awhile, though, I will catch a funny snippet, though. I like how Team Rocket exist mostly to break the fourth wall, something sadly lacking in the games.

I love everything Monster raising and Pokemon is one of them, Played pretty much every version except B/W2, can't wait for X/Y.

Bravely Default has randomly triggered encounters.

@ravelle: You didn't really miss much in B/W2, there were some neat advances in a few places, but overall it felt like I'd played it before.

Yeah, I was afraid of that and with XY around the corner I decided to skip it.

Because this awesome Pokemon exists

For some reason I had this sudden urge to pick up a 3DS XL last week, mainly due to Pokemon I think (my last game was R/B) I got the Black one, I managed to pick up that Epic Mickey game for £4 brand new so I am playing that while I wait for my rentals copies of Project X Zone and Pokemon X to turn up, then the Mario games and KHDDD after that I hope.

So?

You say it's a new IP, yet it's not really anything new now is it? A plethora of games already exist which have randomly triggered encounters. Thusly, we already know what randomly triggered encounters are like.

Buying Bravely Default even knowing it has RTEs makes one a special kind of demented.

Again, Bravely Default is not Pokemon. You're bringing up a game that no one is intent on discussing here save for yourself because it has nothing to do with the topic of conversation at hand.

The irony of you saying this is that OP is the one singling out Pokemon for no reason, and created this topic unprovoked. He mentioned CoD, even. All I did was call attention to another game.

I don't know. I've bought Pokémon games before and didn't like them. I'm buying Pokémon Y this time because I think I'll like it with StreetPasses and Online play. If I don't like it this time, that's it for me.

That's not irony. The OP created a topic about Pokemon and made a Call of Duty comparison in terms of annualization, which isn't even that accurate. You're bringing up a new IP out of the blue that has nothing to do with this conversation.

But the issue being presented by the OP isn't the annualization but the fact that people are buying it. I merely offered to put things into perspective.

Haven't played a Pokemon game since Silver. Maybe it's because I never wanted to buy a DS to play them or perhaps because I despise the appearance of the new Pokemon.

Why does anyone buy any video game? Because you'll die one day....