Has Pokémon Lost It's Meaning?

[Skipper Bear]

No, the game is still as meaningful as it has always been. The TV show, yes. I mean the movies were never as good as the first few. As for the cards people don't them too seriously anymore, I just enjoy collecting them. If somebody wanted to have a fun battle then sure :)

 

[Tox]

Anyways, I've been straggling the borderline between competitive battlers and casual players for the past two generations. I read up one competitive battling stuff and know most of the game mechanics inside and out, but I have my favorites based mainly on their aesthetic and conceptual designs, and I often try to use them to their full potential despite what Smogon's tier lists say about them. XD

That's pretty much what I do too. Tiers aren't all that important to me. Of course, I wouldn't ever put an OU with a NU either. I IV breed and EV train every now and then, but usually only after I've done everything else.

To answer OP, I don't think that Pokémon has lost it's meaning. I think that it's actually quite clever. They hide IVs and EVS so children or casual players might never have to worry about them. In game teams can get away with it, no problem. On the other hand, they still include these small things, which give older people (and some younger people too, I guess) another challenge. It makes the game fun for all ages. It can't be too easy. It also shows that a little hard work pays off. I think the meaning of Pokémon is still strong and if that doesn't show it, I don't know what does.

As for the anime, however repetitive, it still gives younger generations the excitement we once had (and still do to some extent). That's good, right?

That story is quite sad. I hate seeing anyone doing that. You don't tell someone else how to play their game, especially an eight-year-old. That's quite a stupid thing to say anyway. I'm sure I could do a solo challenge with a Clefairy and get through the game no problem. It's not like she was WiFi battling, and even if she was, who she wants to use should be up to her. Fair enough if he wanted to suggest Pokémon, but I don't think people should give up their favourites just because someone else tells them to (unless they ask for their opinion).

 

[pkmn trainer natty]

It hasn't lost it's meaning, people just take it too seriously and don't play it the way it was made to be played. I know it's an unpopular opinion but the whole EV training thing, I don't like it at all. I feel like a team should be chosen by balance AND favorites, but mostly favorites. It just doesn't feel like the way the game was made to be played. >:

 

[Season]

I took a lot away from the Pokemon series when I was younger. I loved the way trainers loved their Pokemon, it made me really happy to see even if it was just tv. It had a big impact on me as I got older, it turned me into a very sentimental person, which I am now more than ever. I choose the Pokemon on my team because I love them (usually because of a memory from my childhood or if there's something special about them that I connect with) not because of their stats or rarity.

The reason I joined this site was because I liked the attitudes of the forum members. Pokemon websites like Serebii simply don't have the same atmosphere.

 

[Flex_S]

Pokemon has a number of meanings each individual to the person playing the game/watching the anime etc. it hasn't lost it's meaning cause the meaning is different to every person.

I feel it was created for anybody and everybody.

 

[CyanideEspeon]

I EV train only because it helps me, especially with weaker Pokémon. I only want decent natures at the least, like I don't want a modest Zangoose, but my mild Zangoose is just fine for me. Also, most Pokémon I love are legends and final forms people think are overrated. I don't use them for power, I use them because I actually like them. So what if I like Chairzard more than an NFE? So what if someone likes an NFE more than Chairzard? I don't stick up for final forms and legends because I worry people would hate me or think I'm stupid, but I am changing my mind. And no, I don't like competitive battling.

 

[Kirbychu]

It hasn't lost it's meaning, people just take it too seriously and don't play it the way it was made to be played. I know it's an unpopular opinion but the whole EV training thing, I don't like it at all. I feel like a team should be chosen by balance AND favorites, but mostly favorites. It just doesn't feel like the way the game was made to be played. >:

No, the game is not meant to be played only one way. GF likes to appeal to both crowds. Notice the power items, the ev-reducing berries, the Battle Frontier? The truth is that Pokemon is meant to be enjoyed in many different ways, by many different people.

While I do agree that people should really use Pokemon they actually like, don't hate on the hidden mechanics just because you think it's not "true" Pokemon. Simply just ignore all the competitive talk and we can all live happily ever after.

 

[Taemin]

I'm inclined to believe that it depends on the person.

To some people, Pokemon might still be defined as a light-hearted series of games, and anime that focuses around friendship, and teamwork. They view it as more of a simple-minded, happy thing.. Yet with to other people, Pokemon may not be anything more than competitive battling from the time they leave the game's hometown. I think it's a matter of how each person chooses to perceive it. Some don't want to think about Pokemon as some happy, friendship franchise, they'd prefer to kick butt in battles. While others don't like competitive battling, and focus on actually caring about their Pokemon in-game.

So to sum that up, it's really a matter of opinion, and how each person views it.

 

[Brittani]

Forgive me if it sounds like I'm preaching, because I'm honestly not; but does anyone feel like the purpose of Pokémon has slipped over the years? When it first came on, it was a show about bonding, experiencing new things with friends and generally showing how a team is always stronger than one individual. As cheesy as these messages were, Pokémon managed to whisk me away into this fantasy like world and feel a connection with these animated characters as a young child that very few shows did for me, (I wasn't into television much as a child.) I didn't care if people thought Pikachu was 'weak' or 'didn't have good stats', he was fun, he was light hearted and he made me smile as a child, so why would I care?

As I got older, my view on Pokémon did change and I looked at is as a fond memory of my childhood that I loved to revisit and though I got into EV's and breeding, I found myself surrounded with people who honestly took it far too seriously. People got into huge debates/arguments/insult wars over which Pokémon was better, how the other person's team was pathetic. I even remember one horrible kid being seriously cruel to his sister because she wanted a Clefairy and he thought that was sad and pathetic because it had low stats and was useless.

Now don't think for one second I am suggesting everyone is like that and so far, I have yet to meet a single person on this board who is like that, it's more from past experience of seeing how for some people, they have warped something that was meant to be about bonding and having fun, into some elitist kind of community which quite frankly looks a little sad and defies the point of Pokémon.

Does anyone else feel that some people take this too far? So what if someone likes a Pokémon you don't, so what if someone wants to keep their Pikachu a Pikachu and not evolve it? I just feel that sometimes we take these things too seriously and lose sight of what it was meant to be about, which was originally something rather sentimental.

....Wow, that really did sound like preaching! XD Sorry guys.

Well, i posted a recent thread asking what is it about pikachu that you like the most and some people were like "i hate pikachu, its way too overrated and weak" so i guess some people on here are like that. and i'm agreeing with you, now its like some people only care about pokemon that are strong and pokemon that aren't strong are worthless to them. it sounds like paul off of the pokemon shows doesnt it? to me it does and i dont think thats what pokemon was supposed to be like. anyways, i see people fighting over all kinds of reasons, which pokemon are stronger, who's team is better than who's etc...its sad it really is ):

 

[PiPVoda]

I don't think it's lost its meaning...it's just evolved to better suit the young gamers of today. Pkmn is still about catching new pkmn, beating gyms, meeting new people, etc. it's just that they've taken it to a new level. Now the anime definitely seems to have lost the value it once had. The same storyline (mostly) for over 12 years that it's been airing in the US gets kind of.....predictable after awhile. But it doesn't mean I don't like to tune in sometimes to see an awesome battle xD

 

[Hydra]

My boyfriend and I play together. We both grew up playing the game. I think poke'mon now is still fun. Ev training and knowing more about how the game works makes it funner being an older player.

 

[sgspacemonkey]

Does anyone else feel that some people take this too far? So what if someone likes a Pokémon you don't, so what if someone wants to keep their Pikachu a Pikachu and not evolve it? I just feel that sometimes we take these things too seriously and lose sight of what it was meant to be about, which was originally something rather sentimental.

I've not ever known anyone to be rude about it, but I've found all games have there players that are too serious. Really annoys me because I play games for fun. I'm competitive, but not to the point where it's more important than enjoying the game and getting along with other people.

Unfortunatley I wasn't into Pokemon back in the day when it was popular so I have nothing to compare it to. I do feel however, that it's a game experience that's suppose to be shared with other people, trading and battling them. Last time I went to a Pokemon even though, nobody wanted to interact or do anything, which was a huge disappointment. As far as choice of Pokemon goes, I find that there aren't enough good ones and everyone feels the need to go for the overused ones which is a bit boring.
It'd be good to see more variety and to have people use more of what they like rather than seeing the same ones being sent out over and over. I actually have a friend who was into Pokemon back in the old days, and he's even against EV training, believing it be ruining the game. I don't really agree (it'd make me hypocritical afterall), but he sees it as a thing that people who take it too seriously do.