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Are Pokémon Games Hard?

HaiImNate

Ice Cream
209
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen Jul 27, 2013
I though that all of the Pokemon games were super easy. I thought that Black 2 was a bit challenging though.
 

disciplish

supreme meme machine
880
Posts
11
Years
I personally think that the difficulty depends on three things:

1) Your knowledge of the system. While the veteran player could easily breeze through the installments knowing weaknesses, reistances, etc., a new player will have no idea what they're doing, and will probably find it difficult- or at least more difficult.

2)How you train/your methods while you play. This is a worthwhile example; for example, Emerald was easy for me in the beginning, in fact all the way to the champion, because I pummeled through it with Blaziken and Rayquaza. But obviously, when it came to the Battle Frontier, I was a total screwup. In B2/W2, which is the more notable example, it was more difficult for me to fully storm through the game but I eventually made it with my team. and now my team is the most badass thing on six slots. Or at least, it is in game.

3)The competitve aspect. Whether you're going competitive or not definitely changes the level of difficulty, no matter what, and... well, I suck at that kind of stuff. Nuff' said.

---

Now, the way I play, I find it pretty easy. But that's just me.
 
Last edited:
2,334
Posts
15
Years
  • Age 32
  • Seen Aug 21, 2021
I don't think they're that hard....but on the other hand it's not so easy that it becomes boring. I think there's a nice balance. Although I feel like the 5th gen games were a bit easier than the 3rd and 4th gens. I didn't get to try the challenge mode because you get it after you completed the storyline...which was a bit silly.

I think it becomes a bit easier for me because I know all the type strengths and weaknesses inside out and I make sure my team has a good variety of types in it.
 
37,467
Posts
16
Years
  • Age 34
  • Seen Jan 2, 2024
I do think they are very easy. If you grind and capture the "right" pokémon, you'll have a breeze finishing the game. It's not often I've run out of money to buy potions or helpful items.

However, you can adjust your difficulty setting by capturing less powerful pokémon or pokémon who are more difficult to raise. That's why pokémon is so diverse - it's a different playthrough with every team.
 
50,218
Posts
13
Years
I do think they are very easy. If you grind and capture the "right" pokémon, you'll have a breeze finishing the game. It's not often I've run out of money to buy potions or helpful items.

However, you can adjust your difficulty setting by capturing less powerful pokémon or pokémon who are more difficult to raise. That's why pokémon is so diverse - it's a different playthrough with every team.

Basically what Rika said. The games can necessarily be made easier by capturing strong overpowered Pokemon. Also, while veterans may have an easier time due to experience playing the games, a new player would think otherwise. While there have been new challenges added in later games, there's a reason why Pokemon games can be played any way, and that's why PC's Challenges forum exists, to give experienced players a new twist to playing. Also, competitive play can determine as a factor.

But I guess the main reason is because of the fact Pokemon is targeted towards children. It's a reason as to why the franchise is so successful. The games aren't necessarily hard, it's basically the player's thoughts that determine it. I'm actually quite skilled right now than back when I first played Ruby.
 

.:batto:.

Pokébreeder
266
Posts
15
Years
I've never had a problem with pokemon regarding difficulty really. besides whitneys miltank, or brock in pokemon yellow. as i know most matchups and i like training my pokemon. the only thing that has ever really given me trouble would be finding HM's or a certain item. but google has always helped me. :)
 
59
Posts
11
Years
the mainstream games aren't hard, but the spinoffs can be ridiculous. especially the gen 3 games. colosseum was harsh, and i replayed mystery dungeon blue a few months ago, took me like six or seven times to defeat moltres.
 

Meaii

The countdown begins ...
86
Posts
10
Years
The mainstream games can be easy or hard, depending on the way you play it. Say, you hack 6 LV. 100 Arceus into the game at the very beginning, that's easy. If you just catch really powerful Pokémon who don't need much training for levels and you grind for a few days, that's easy. However, if you use an Audino, Magikarp and Stunfisk, that's a lot harder and a lot funner then completely destroying the game.

But then comes the Spinoff games, Pokémon Colosseum which was harshly tough, the two Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team games, it took me a long time to get to the high enough standards for many of the main bosses (Explorers and Darkness, Time and Sky were quite easy and I sweeped each one in about 15 hours of playing, which is probably ridiculously long but Rescue Team took me at least 50+ hours).
 

Sirfetch’d

Guest
0
Posts
Challenging yes, but I wouldn't say they are hard. Maybe this is just because I have played them for so long and have a great understanding of the games.
 
2,305
Posts
13
Years
  • Age 25
  • Seen Dec 16, 2022
The main series games have always been designed to be introductory game to the RPG genre, so they do have to have a lower challenge level to compensate for inexperienced players (and other big words)

The spinoff titles are hit-and-miss on this. Some are much easier than main series (Rumble, Poképark), roughly the same (Ranger 2 and 3, Snap) and a few are quite difficult (Mystery Dungeon, Conquest).
 
483
Posts
11
Years
  • Seen Oct 2, 2020
It depends on how you play them, but as a general rule, no, they're not hard.

If you brute force your way through with an overleveled starter and a bunch of legendaries, they're as easy as riding a tricycle. It's probably not a coincidence that that's exactly how many children play the games.

If you go through with a bunch of generally underleveled ordinary pokemon, they can be fairly challenging. You have to pay a lot more attention to movesets and type matchups and use better battling strategy in order to win consistently. But even with that, if you learn enough about the strategies, the games aren't really hard - just more challenging than otherwise.
 
5,983
Posts
15
Years
Haha, not the most challenging. And not the most fun really, after all the times I've played through. I do it mainly for the story now.
 
4,569
Posts
14
Years
  • Age 16
  • Seen May 28, 2019
Pokemon games, to me, are some of the easiest games of all time. The only time I recall having trouble in a Pokemon game was vs Gary for the first time ever.

And yes, that does include Nuzlocke challenge and competitive battling. They're not hard to do/understand. Especially competitive battling, you just have to be smart. It's sort of a pesuedo-chess, only without all the depth.
 

Shrew

is a Shrew
838
Posts
10
Years
I feel as though I have to put my own restraints/rules to the game to make it challenging. I feel as though ti's getting easier, with things like nurse trainers on the routes healing as opposed to having to be prepared with potions in advanced.

I wish hard mode keys could be instantly activated through the first playthrough. Earning them in BW2 did nothing for me, as I don't enjoy purchasing multiple cartridges to play the same thing.

I think Battle Facilities are at just the perfect difficulty.
 

TheKurtzinator

Professional Derp/Trainer
48
Posts
10
Years
It depends really on what you decide to do within your game. I know people who have played through the game doing Nuzlock challenges and Non-regular teams (No fire, water or grass Pokemon). If you play the game normally, it will be difficult at first but its pretty easy once you learn the system.

The Battle Facilities and Competitive Battling are two different ballgames, both of which I'm decent, but not great. Which is kinda nice being challenged in a relatively easy game.
 

Kyrul

Long Live The Note
841
Posts
12
Years
When I was younger some battles I found challenging, but overall; no. It's a fairly simple game. I think pokemon falls under the "Easy to learn, hard to master" category.
 

Whyvile

Toot your horns
40
Posts
10
Years
I will say this.

The games usually start out fairly challenging, have a ridiculously easy mid-game...

and then suddenly Gary, Lance, Steven, Cyrus, Giratina, Cynthia, N, Ghetsis, Iris, or some other guy proceeds to make sure you suffer.
 

Gogofreak

Touhou and Pokemon Fanatic
30
Posts
10
Years
I played Emerald first, and Leaf Green second. Emerald took me around 60 hours to complete. On the other hand, Leaf Green took me under 30 hours to complete.
 
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