Jumped the Sharpedo

[funguy2121]

How to answer that one...how do you define "jump the shark" for a franchise like Pokemon? On what grounds was it ever groundbreaking, original, thoughtful, good storytelling, or compelling? To me, it was none of these. I'm sure there may be things I don't know about, but I never saw anything of interest about the Pokemon. Transformers fan though I am, I can admit that, beyond a pretty cool premise, there's not much there to compare the level of devotion of, say, Where the Wild Things Are or Being John Malkovic. But, compared to Pokemon, an obvious ground-up cash cow ("gotta catch 'em all!"), Transformers was The Odyssey.

 

[Mullahgrrl]

I don't. I think it came close in Gen 4, but I think Gen 5 is doing a good job creating new momentum. So far, it's my favorite generation.

(Clever title, by the way.)

Also, inb4 "AARGH THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 150 POKEMANS."

151, mew totally counts.

 

[Queen Michael]

But there will always be the "hardcore" gamers that insist:

Only 150 pokemon

And anyone who disagrees is a gaming imbecile.

I hate those people so very much.

I don't hate them, but I do agree that Mew-deniers can be annoying at times.

 

[Zagzag]

It definitely hasn't People still love and play the games. Only small groups of people would say that this isn't the case, and these are usually the same people who refus to acknowledge the existance of any game from Ruby/Sapphire onwards.

 

[RandallJohn]

I don't. I think it came close in Gen 4, but I think Gen 5 is doing a good job creating new momentum. So far, it's my favorite generation.

(Clever title, by the way.)

Also, inb4 "AARGH THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 150 POKEMANS."

151, mew totally counts.

I know, I was just making an example.

 

[Mittens The Kitten]

I've played every generation since redblue and each one is slightly better than the last, with the exception of D/P, but that was atoned when Heartgold and Soulsilver ended up being the best ones yet. (havent picked up black or white though, waiting to get em cheap)

 

[Sutter Cane]

Also what IGn article? I am unaware of this article.

EDIT: Oka, nevermind. I found it. Well, actually had a friend from IM link it to me, since she favorited it. Point is, I have it now.

<url=http://ds.ign.com/articles/114/1143427p1.html>here you are

ok, read through the article and i really don't see a problem with it. The Pokemon series has always been improving in subtle ways thought the series, and it's to the point where if you go back to the gen 1 games after plying the most recent titles it makes you think " Wow, this is the game in the series people think will never be topped?" The problem as i see it is taht f you change too much of the Pokemon formula, it ceases to be Pokemon and alienates much of the audience that would have been looking forward to the game. Still Black and white have done more for the series than any game not named gold or silver.

 

[martin's a madman]

No way, I'm really enjoying White version.

A bit too easy though.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Snip

I'm not saying the other games havent added to the series in a major way, just in my opinion I think Black/White has done the most, since its all new pokemon, 3-on-3 battles, abilities, type combinations, moves, how items are used, and even a new world (the dream world).

 

[GamemasterAnthony]

It hasn't Jumped the Sharpedo. Personally, I feel that this generation is finally doing some great things. In fact, and I think this may very well be proof that Pokémon might have had an epiphany of sorts...

This may be the first generation of Pokémon that I am playing where I do not need to use a Gameshark/Action Replay/Codebreaker to tweak it.

Seriously...this was a problem I had with the earliest incarnations of the series. Sure, it was a good game with a unique premise at the time. Problem was that it was so badly broken is some respects that you pretty much had to use one of the aforementioned devices in order to actually play the game!

Thankfully, a lot of these issues that required the tweaking have been dealt with over the generations...with Black and White taking care of a big one. The Pickup mechanic somewhat elimnated the need to use a code to max out your money, Wi-Fi capabilities made more of the event items more readily available so those codes weren't needed...and this generation, ALL the TMs could be reused, not just the HMs, so codes to give you 99 of all the TMs are no longer needed.

I look forward to see if a lot of the post story elements also help in this manner. For example...I'm wondering if there's a Battle Frontier like element in this game, and if so, I wonder how easy it will be to earn BP this time around.

 

[GamemasterAnthony]

Snipping self...and GAWD does it hurt.

sorry for double post, but there's a way to earn BP in nimbasa city.
it's some sort of subway station, where you can take trains to fight.

Ah yes...the Battle Subway. I'm quite familiar with it...and it looks like there will be plenty of variety in it as well. I'm looking forward to getting to that point.

 

[Apostrophe s]

The only games I hated were D/P/P, but I'm currently addicted to White.
Although I'm not loving the 2 rival thing.
What's with the hate on Gen 3?

 

[Lucas Auraelius]

Not in the slightest. I've invested more time in my Black Version this long after its release than I have in any other Pokemon game, and I've played one from every generation.

 

[FalloutJack]

No offense to all the poke-fans, but I think that Pokemon jumped that one from the start.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

No way, I'm really enjoying White version.

A bit too easy though.

did you pick snivy? I got my ass kicked.

I picked Oshawatt...

Samurott is gamebreakingly OP, especially if you give it Megahorn at the Move Tutor. OH DEAR GOD. I slay Grass types with such ease now. Except Snivy final evo takes 2 hits, thanks to epic defenses, and Samurott's lack of STAB.

OT:

Hell. No.

It's getting better and better. I can't play the originals anymore, they're so archaic in comparison. No hold items? AN INVENTORY LIMIT? WHAT THE FUCK?

 

[Zombie_Fish]

Moved to Gaming Discussion.

--Zombie

 

[Peteron]

I don't think so. Gen 4 made me question Pokemon, but Black and White really was quite impressive. Aside from the damn leaking garbage bag and the ice cream cone....Well anyway, best Gen is the 1st and the 3rd, but this is tied with Johto, which is a damn good standing in my eyes. Campaign was a bit too easy for me, but they are probably trying to expand their audience.

 

[martin's a madman]

No way, I'm really enjoying White version.

A bit too easy though.

did you pick snivy? I got my ass kicked.

Picked Tepig, at the first gym it was no challenge because of pansage.
At the second Gym it was no challenge because Pignite knew Arm thrust.
At the third gym I had Pignite who knew fire moves.
At the fourth gym I had a Foongus.
At the fifth gym Foongus again.
At the sixth gym, Pignite knew Rollout.
At the seventh gym Pignite.
At the 8th gym, I had a Beartic and finished in Under 5 minutes.

Now I'm grinding for the elite four.

My team is Scolipede, Archeops, Confagrius, Beartic, Amoongus, Emboar, and Victini+Boldore as subs, but boldore won't be very useful until I'm able to trade him and get Gigalith.

What's your team?

 

[GiantRaven]

Good god no! Pokémon just continues to grow as a franchise.

Diamond/Pearl were the best when they came out.
Then Heart Gold/Soul Silver came out and they were the best.
And now, finally, Black/White are the best!

Hooray for Pokémon!

 

[ThatDaveDude1]

No, Black/White are (in my opinion) the best games since Gold and Silver (as far as I'm concerned they started going downhill with Crystal.