5th Gen BW/BW2 Seem To Be The Easiest Games

[Sytiourious]

I've been replaying Black, and Black 2 quite a bit because I love the Unova region. But these seem like the easiest and shortest games in the entire series. You can easy buil your team and be overleved quick due to Audino abusing, and it seems like the games are just really short in general. Even with Challenge Mode I can still beat the game with no sweat. Am I the only one who thinks this?

 

[Ho-Oh]

That's one of the problems of these games really. It's TOO easy to level up and due to the game being so story orientated there's less sidequests (unlike other games which have a lot so the game tends to drag out a bit more). I think another reason is that the games motivate you to continue. Like, you want to complete the story - you want to know what's happening. You don't really want to stop and take in the sights (there are things to do but they're skipped over in favour of a compelling story - both games). That and the Dream World would've been great to help make the games longer but without wifi you can't even access that. So it loses out compared to other games, they don't need wifi as much for their extras. Amazing games but yes they do feel waaaaayyyy too short and due to being a 'restart' (or at least implied to be) they're generally easier to make it easier for new players to get into, whereas the other games before it don't really have that.

 

[Nah]

Really? Most people complain that X/Y and ORAS are too easy.

Pokemon games have never really been hard though.

 

[Hikamaru]

I agree with Nah, most Pokemon games never really had a "difficulty" but rather some parts of the game were designed to be a challenge, like certain Gym Leaders or locations.

 

[RedJ]

B2/W2 have always seemed fairly balanced to me, but I've always felt that Black and White are the hardest games in the series, if only because Gym battles are so hard that it feels like the game expects you to stop and make a completely new team to deal with whatever Gym Leader you're dealing with at the time. Since we were stuck with just the new Pokemon for those particular games I suspect they may have done this on purpose in an attempt to encourage people to experiment and use the new Pokemon rather than sticking with the same team through the entire game. OR maybe I just took constantly losing to the evolved form of the obligatory first route rodent and the obligatory Pikachu clone in certain Gym battles too hard and decided to always go to extremes to make sure it never happens again. Or maybe I'm just terrible at Pokemon, I dunno.

As for Audino grinding, while it did make grinding a bit easier, you still had to actually find Audino for that to be of any help. At least in the first games, I don't know how many times I would run up to some shaking grass expecting to find an Audino but instead got an overpowered Zebstrika that would one shot whatever Pokemon I was trying to raise at the time.

 

[The Den]

I guess that's why they stepped it up in X/Y, because they made it so difficult to keep up with levels and training in that game. I beat BW in a day, which is the quickest I've ever completed a pokemon game (aside from the 1st gen). And the whole game just became boring, because there was no real challenge.

 

[Karous]

Pokemon games have never really been hard though.

I would say the Orre Colosseum in XD with an ingame team is pretty rough esp since the OP mons you get have limitations (Lugia is banned, Salamence/Dragonite/legendary birds come late with no EVs and very limited opportunities to grind them making them have low stats). Also Battle Mode in either of the two Gamecube games if you don't trade/transfer. Not main series, but counts because they're fully compatible with main series games and feature the same gameplay.

But yeah, none of the main series is particularly hard sans like RB E4 when I was 8 years old lol

EDIT: Orre Colosseum in Colosseum is pretty rough too, just checked. I'm fairly sure the final battle is impossible with an ingame team since it's a Kyogre/Soul Dew Latios/Rayquaza team LOL.

 

[Ho-Oh]

B2/W2 have always seemed fairly balanced to me, but I've always felt that Black and White are the hardest games in the series, if only because Gym battles are so hard that it feels like the game expects you to stop and make a completely new team to deal with whatever Gym Leader you're dealing with at the time. Since we were stuck with just the new Pokemon for those particular games I suspect they may have done this on purpose in an attempt to encourage people to experiment and use the new Pokemon rather than sticking with the same team through the entire game. OR maybe I just took constantly losing to the evolved form of the obligatory first route rodent and the obligatory Pikachu clone in certain Gym battles too hard and decided to always go to extremes to make sure it never happens again. Or maybe I'm just terrible at Pokemon, I dunno.

As for Audino grinding, while it did make grinding a bit easier, you still had to actually find Audino for that to be of any help. At least in the first games, I don't know how many times I would run up to some shaking grass expecting to find an Audino but instead got an overpowered Zebstrika that would one shot whatever Pokemon I was trying to raise at the time.

I never really had that problem. Black and White specifically has a lot of broken Pokemon. Scrafty can sweep the E4 on its own... like, combine that with either Tepig or Oshawott's evolutionary lines and it's pretty easy to take down gyms effortlessly (at least that's what I thought). Nothing really appeared as particularly hard to me. Maybe it's because of the exp change/fact that the Pokemon are all new. That's one of the reasons why it might be perceived as 'harder'. It's weird because the games were too easy for me and sped by. I think I had more problems taking down the leaders in XY than BW really. :c Have you tried replaying through the games? You know more now so it might come off as a little easier than it was before...

Unless you like the challenge mode.

 

[LilyGardy]

Gen 5 the easiest games in the series. I'm not sure about that. The Sinnoh games I found to be very easy and XY was even easier

Audino grinding is welcome to reduce the tedium of Level Grinding and whilst there are some overpowered Pokémon you can get early on (Darmanitan comes to mind) most of the Overpowered Pokémon either have really high levels for evolution (Haxorus) are late game (Mienshao) or both. (Hydreigon)

You could theoretically have a Conkeldurr early game or a Lucario before the 2nd Gym in BW2 but that's true of any Pokémon game that has trade or friendship evolutions.

Also other than Grimsley who can be swept by pretty much any Fighting Type the Elite Four are a solid bunch and the end battles with N and Ghetsis is a pleasant change. Iris also has a good Champion's team even if it is somewhat overreliant on the Region's three Dragons.

 

[Adam Levine]

Shouldn't this be renamed and moved to "Pokémon X and Y"?

If you use an Exp. Share, at least...

The easiest? Ghetsis, dude. GHETSIS.

 

[Ho-Oh]

Gen 5 the easiest games in the series. I'm not sure about that. The Sinnoh games I found to be very easy and XY was even easier

Audino grinding is welcome to reduce the tedium of Level Grinding and whilst there are some overpowered Pokémon you can get early on (Darmanitan comes to mind) most of the Overpowered Pokémon either have really high levels for evolution (Haxorus) are late game (Mienshao) or both. (Hydreigon)

You could theoretically have a Conkeldurr early game or a Lucario before the 2nd Gym in BW2 but that's true of any Pokémon game that has trade or friendship evolutions.

Also other than Grimsley who can be swept by pretty much any Fighting Type the Elite Four are a solid bunch and the end battles with N and Ghetsis is a pleasant change. Iris also has a good Champion's team even if it is somewhat overreliant on the Region's three Dragons.

Actually the e4 can legitimately be swept by Scrafty. Sawk is the only issue (with Sturdy) but with a Sash you've got no problems.. If you have dragon dance mold breaker even the tough ones of his team can be taken out. The rest of the e4 can be beaten by crunch and whatever fighting attack it uses (other than HJK).

Yeah the Champions and bosses are a bit harder but with the right Pokémon you will beat the e4 effortlessly.

 

[Keiran]

Hrm, I don't know. I think XY are the easiest. They are basically a tour around Kalos. Black 2 and White 2 are probably the hardest strategically since the AI is very good and the teams are fairly competitive. RB in my opinion the hardest to navigate the first time through because it is the only game that isn't linear and offers no real guidance; try going through the caves with no map and never having played before. Gen 2/HGSS were only 'hard' because of the steep level curve near the end of the game that forced you to grind; through most of the game nearly every trainer used very weak Pokemon of similar types. RSE were pretty well-rounded in difficulty.

Black 2 and White 2 had some very, very difficult content. PWT, Black Tower/White Treehollow, Challenge Mode, Pokestar (trust me I beat every movie, Pokestar was a steep challenge and a headache). I really don't think Gen 5 was the easiest. My vote goes towards Gen 6.

Easiest to most difficult assuming you've never played them: Gen 6 < Gen 4 < Gen 1 < Gen 2 < Gen 5 < Gen 3.

 

[Desert Stream~]

IMO X/Y is the easiest and D/P/pt are the hardest. Gen 5 was kinda easy, but not nearly as easy as gen 6.

 

[LilyGardy]

Shouldn't this be renamed and moved to "Pokémon X and Y"?

If you use an Exp. Share, at least...

The easiest? Ghetsis, dude. GHETSIS.

Let's see. Ghetsis's BW is a bit underwhelming. The Coffin Ghost is more annoying than anything else Seismitoad falls to any Grass Move and Bisharp and Bouffalant can be 1 shotted by a Fighting Type. Hydreigon? Hit it with High Jump Kick.

Spoiler:

Actually the e4 can legitimately be swept by Scrafty. Sawk is the only issue (with Sturdy) but with a Sash you've got no problems.. If you have dragon dance mold breaker even the tough ones of his team can be taken out. The rest of the e4 can be beaten by crunch and whatever fighting attack it uses (other than HJK).

Yeah the Champions and bosses are a bit harder but with the right Pokémon you will beat the e4 effortlessly.

Spoiler:

Does Scrafty get Dragon Dance and Mold Breaker? I wouldn't call it OP though. Fighting Weakness is an unfortunate one to have and Flying too. It's quite slow if I remember correctly too. Hydreigon is OP in Gen 5, Scrafty is just a very good Unova Pokémon.

Oddly Marshall insists he is the weakest of the Elite Four when he's not. (Grimsley's BW team is the worst for me). Although even though his main Pokemon is Conkeldurr, his speedy Mienshao is always the one that gives me most trouble. Although last time my own Mienshao with Acrobatics served me well. :)

 

[t0gekiss]

I've recently started playing through White 2 again, and OH MY GOSH, THE FIRST GYM IS SO HARD!

 

[Rivvon]

Shouldn't this be renamed and moved to "Pokémon X and Y"?

If you use an Exp. Share, at least...

The easiest? Ghetsis, dude. GHETSIS.

Even without the use of the Exp. Share, XY are absurdly easy.

I do think B2W2 were easier than BW, but not even close to being the "easiest in the series."

 

[Pryze]

Nah, ORAS and XY with the Exp. Share could be beaten by pretty much any living organism on Earth. Without the Exp. Share, you're simply 20 levels below everything, but still nowhere near any relative challenge.

I found BW2 to be one of the more difficult games in series, but that was probably just due to the designs of my teams.

 

[Ho-Oh]

Let's see. Ghetsis's BW is a bit underwhelming. The Coffin Ghost is more annoying than anything else Seismitoad falls to any Grass Move and Bisharp and Bouffalant can be 1 shotted by a Fighting Type. Hydreigon? Hit it with High Jump Kick.

[/spoiler]

Does Scrafty get Dragon Dance and Mold Breaker? I wouldn't call it OP though. Fighting Weakness is an unfortunate one to have and Flying too. It's quite slow if I remember correctly too. Hydreigon is OP in Gen 5, Scrafty is just a very good Unova Pokémon.

Oddly Marshall insists he is the weakest of the Elite Four when he's not. (Grimsley's BW team is the worst for me). Although even though his main Pokemon is Conkeldurr, his speedy Mienshao is always the one that gives me most trouble. Although last time my own Mienshao with Acrobatics served me well. :)

Sorry I meant to say Moxie. Got it confused with Sawk there. But yeah with DD, Moxie and a high enough level there's really no challenge. Marshal is definitely the strongest though - that's also because everything else fan easily get swept by Scrafty. Like for me all I needed was Scrafty really, and a lot of people at the time went with it because it could do so much damage to the e4. With a focus sash there's really no problem, assuming you outspeed Sawk initially.

 

[Hikamaru]

Sorry I meant to say Moxie. Got it confused with Sawk there. But yeah with DD, Moxie and a high enough level there's really no challenge. Marshal is definitely the strongest though - that's also because everything else fan easily get swept by Scrafty. Like for me all I needed was Scrafty really, and a lot of people at the time went with it because it could do so much damage to the e4. With a focus sash there's really no problem, assuming you outspeed Sawk initially.

I agree with you in that Scrafty is easy mode since it has useful abilities, strong attacks and the ability to sweep every Elite Four member barring Marshal. Move Tutors in B2/W2 opened up even more options to our hooded friend by granting it access to additional moves such as the elemental punches.

 

[Gigadweeb]

I really think X/Y are the easiest; I think I had 1-2 Pokémon faint on my first run of that, and one of those was on Diantha. 5th gen games offer legitimate difficulty that requires you to actually think about what's happening and how to respond to your opponent.