What keeps you playing Pokémon?

[Blade_of_darkness]

Lately, I've been losing my motivation to play my Pokémon games, which is something that saddens me, seeing that I used to always want to play it for quite some time. What's even more so is that I joined this place hoping that it would help me get re-motivated, but unfortunately, it's not helping.

So, please tell me what keeps you motivated to play Pokémon, as I'd really like to get it back if at all possible.

 

[Mister Coffee]

Making the most powerful and fun to play team I can build with perfect IV's, EV's, and Natures. Test the team out many times until I perfect the Strategy. Swap in and out the weaknesses and Strengths. Then when it feels just right, climb your way up the rankings online.

This keeps the game alive for me constantly. Just achieving the perfect pokemon is a long arduous task that takes much time and in it's own way is fun. Practicing with your team gives you all the fun of battling with your team but it also teaches you how to develop strategy, how to make your strategy more efficient, and how to recognize weaknesses in your team.
Then when you think you have it down begin climbing your way through Battle Subway and then Test out your Strategies online.

Let me tell you, I get so much satisfaction and fulfillment when I beat somebody with my prized team online. It just feels so good and fun.
Even if you are not a fan of online play, just start out with the goal, "I'm going to try to develop the best and most efficient team I can build." Try achieving perfect stat pokemon, and trust me, you'll feel closer to the game and you tend to personalize your team more and more until it feels like a pokemon team that is a manifestation of your personality and preferences. Once you achieve that point, all the battling and strategy development falls into line on it's own.

Edit: A tip on how to get started on doing this, find ONE pokemon that you have always liked a lot. Then build the team around that pokemon. For me I chose Gorebyss and the rest of the team fell into place for me.

That's how my experience and fun factor with pokemon works. Hope this helps. :)

 

[Retro Gamer'93]

Truthfully, I play it because it is one of the most memorable games of my childhood. Pokemon, for me, is among the ranks of Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, and Star Fox(that game was a pain in the ASS!). But just like those games, I only play it every once in a while(Maybe for a month or two out of a year) to keep that nostalgic feeling with it. Otherwise, just like you, I get tired and bored of it. I would suggest not playing it for a while, let the series build up again before going back. I'm thinking about stopping again already and it's only been a month since I restarted.

 

[miltankRancher]

The prospect of building a whole new team from Pokemon, I haven't even thought of using before.

 

[Sydian]

Challenges, that's half of it. I love doing unique challenges, especially the ones that get me to use Pokemon I've never used before. :) That in mind, I also like raising teams of Pokemon I haven't yet used to see how well they work (in-game of course, I don't do competitive) and considering there are over 600, obviously there are some I haven't used yet. And then I like using my favorites over and over, like Umbreon and Petilil. It's just a fun game overall though. I don't see myself getting tired of it any time soon.

 

[Snivy063]

There's possibly a lot of reasons which keeps me motivated to play this game, I mean there are a lot of things to do in each of the game.

 

[Hikamaru]

Every new Pokemon introduced is what keeps me motivated.

When a new Generation comes around, I want to catch and train every new Pokemon I encounter.

(Or at least any that are easy to catch)

 

[PlatinumDude]

The newly introduced Pokemon of each generation and the competitive battling scene are enough to keep me playing the Pokemon games.

 

[Hikamaru]

The newly introduced Pokemon of each generation and the competitive battling scene are enough to keep me playing the Pokemon games.

He is right, it is the new Pokemon that keep me motivated cos I want to see how they fare in battle to earn a slot on my team.

I've gotten attached to a lot of the Generation V Pokemon, I liked using Samurott, Gothitelle, Chandelure, Hydreigon, Zebstrika and Emolga.

 

[RoseBlade]

The thrill of a new adventure, as strange as it sounds. I am not sure but didn't the game come out before the anime? At least in the US. Regardless, it was the game's story that got me into it and is the major reason that I keep playing. I remember when gold and silver were announced I was all 'Is team rocket going to come back?' 'Will I finally be able to catch Mew?' (after I watched the movie) Then it was the same for the following games.

Even when I finished the main story, getting all the badges and beating the E4, there was still the side story that all the legends had, not really story in the first gen but yeah. I remember when I first went looking for Articuno, did not know it was there till I saw it, it took me a lot of time, a lot of potions and a lot of revives just to get through that stupid cave...I loved those times, ah memories.

I can honestly say that even if they took out the worldwide battling the TCG the IV/EV aspect, were we even supposed to know about that? As long as it had the things that made it an RPG and the 'ever growing' world therein I would keep playing Pokemon till the day I die.

 

[Yoshikko]

Actually at the moment I'm not motivated to play at all, I'm more busy with competitive battling right now, in Pokémon Online, but I am still interested in playing Pokémon and I always will be because I've played since I was 6 years old up till now and I'm not planning to stop anytime soon. I have a feeling gen VI will be guuuud.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

What got me into the franchise in the first place... the idea of going on a grand adventure, clawing your way to fame and fortune through battling, and taking down gangs of ne'er-do-wells. Even if I do use the same team each time, lol. Hey, it's worked for over a decade.

Oh, and Leaf-chan from FR/LG. She's the reason why I'm on yet ANOTHER Leaf Green playthrough. Going on an adventure is all the more awesome when you assume the role of a cutie like her :)

 

[Perriechu]

I don't really know what keeps me playing. I guess it's the new storyline, although they're always predictable and boring I keep playing them. Recently I've been losing interest in the main games and the only thing that really keeps me playing is my competitive battling & trading, and even then it look me a while to get motivated again. I'll probably start playing in-game again when a new main game comes out.

 

[Beaute]

I'm not really sure...I guess I'm just intrigued by the whole concept. And I've been a fan of pokemon for such a long time that it's hard to let go! XD

 

[Deliciousfruit233]

Well, I've recently found out about the whole "competitive battling" stuff, so right now, I'm still learning about the game's deeper mechanics.

Also, I've been trying to play through the games with less power-levelling (which I used to do a LOT of as a kid) and try to strategize better. Recently, I've been attempting to go through all the games with the lowest levelled teams I possibly can.

 

[-_skinny_-]

I find the dominating factor for me is just plain boredom and nothing else to do, but thats not the only reason, i like to go out of my way and make a decent pokemon an excellent one. my morst recent goal is making a smeargle team after i get my shiny smeargle (going to be my very first shiny ever) and its gonna whoop some butt, i already planned it all out.
Which brings me to my last reason, making movesets and not training pokemon, like seeing what would be a good set but do nothing about it and maybe find a different pokemon that the set would be PERFECT for. theres nothing more frustrating than getting a pokemon up to 100 and realizing its gimped cuz you didn't plan properly

 

[sherreamethyst]

In Black & White, what keeps me motivated and playing almost 24/7 is that I enjoy raising Pokemon. I have fun EV training, and building a new team, getting the perfect moveset, and even going back and forth between Pokemon Pearl and White in order to collect Pokemon I would like to EV train and such. I also enjoy training to lvl.100 and then start on the next and get them to lvl.100 too. Plus I also like to go around the game and collect things for my bag and such. I like to find the hold items and tms, and I even go through the Battle Subway to earn BPs, or whatever theyre called, so I can purchase more items. Even though I love to collect Pokes, I have a small collection that way I can concentrate on certain ones and not get distracted. In my White I only have like 12-15 Pokes, LOL.

I guess you just kinda find what you like to do as you play...

 

[d4rk]

I never played Pokemon gens III, IV, V.

And I carry on beginning Pokemon Gold or Silver again and again.
Now my save batteries are dead so I have to play on an emulator.
But before, I played to catch all Pokemon and train them so they beat Red! I had succeeded in my Pokemon Gold. But it fainted one month after that!!!

So when my sister gave me her Silver edition I was happy and beginned to gather all Pokemon, helped by my Red edition and my Blue edition (I just love the Ditto glitch).
But Silver edition died too.

So, for now, I carry on playing Pokemon Gold, but I found it way too easy. That's why I downloaded epic Hacks and played'em!

I'm on my way to become the Ultimate retro Pokemon master!
Yay!

 

[Nash Bandicoot]

A new game, that's it, I feel the same 3 months after a new game comes out

 

[Pixel!]

Well for me,it's the attachment I get with Pokemon every generation,picking my favorite,using them.
Leveling up and training my team,facing gym leaders, doing challenges
It's a conjunct of things.