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Which main series game did you find to be the hardest?
I feel like I struggled a bit more in HGSS and DPPt than other Pokémon games. What about you guys??
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it's interesting because i don't think i've found any of them particularly difficult aside from SM because Totem Pokemon sure as heck were kind of annoying to fight the first time around, alongside some other tough challenges i've faced like Nanu (somewhat) and Hala (when he was part of the E4).
i guess if you count battle frontier, then technically Emerald was my hardest game because of the different Battle Frontier limitations and how frustrating it was for me at the time, but that aside, ehhhhh. |
I don't think any of the Pokemon games are actually hard but if I had to pick one then I'll go with Sapphire.
My first time playing Sapphire was about 6 months ago and going back to Gen 3 after being spoiled with Audino in Gen 5 as well as Exp. Share in Gens 6/7 meant that I was very under-leveled for most of the important battles in Sapphire. That was basically the only reason I struggled with Winona (that Altaria tho) and Elite 4 in this game, still I wouldn't call Sapphire a hard game. I don't think I would have struggled at all in Sapphire if I had the patience to get my team at least close in levels to the teams of the trainers I was facing. |
Really, if I'm being honest, no main series game, aside from some specific battles, made a pokemon game hard for me. Pokémon games are very easy, and are only beginning to be made easier.
Although, I guess this is situational? Sometimes I have a hard time in a Pokémon game because I do a lot of Egg raised Pokémon only runs. Those are difficult, especially if you aren't lucky and don't get egg moves. |
SoulSilver was mercilessly tough in my recent playthrough with only a team of Water-types.
The postgame was especially brutal, as some bosses have crazier coverage and Pokémon that just love to set up with Dragon Dance, while others crit haxed my Pokémon after lengthy setting up bulk, speed and offenses with X Items, as well as some being just impenetrable in general. It was the most challenge I had in a Pokémon game, even if I do monotype runs in Gens VI or VII. |
I never whited out on my first playthrough of any main series game, but I will admit Cynthia posed a challenge.
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When I was young, trying to finish Platinum was a NIGHTMARE thanks to Cynthia. Even now it gets tricky sometimes. I also think HG/SS is a little difficult, but my main reason is because of the poor choices I make every single time I want to build a team in those games xD
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Thinking about it, D/P would probably be the hardest, if only for Cynthia's original team.
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i mean as a kid i thought everything was hard lol but like as an adult replaying the games, the only ones that still give me struggles even though i know what i'm doing are platinum and BW2. yellow CAN be a little difficult at times bc the gym leaders have such wild level spikes. but yeah, those are my picks.
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Pokemon is an easy game let's be real. The only real difficulty I noticed was HGSS because of the fucked up level curve and the trial battles in USUM.
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I think S/M was the only one I've played that was consistently challenging. It wasn't especially hard, but there was some difficulty throughout rather than just being right at the end.
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Definitely White 2 on challenge mode. The only Pokémon game I've played that was consistently difficult the entire way through. I had an absolute blast playing through, and finally defeating Iris at the end of it all was such a great feeling. In most of the other games where you annihilate everyone it's just not that satisfying.
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I struggled more on Emerald.
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I only remember struggling with b/w after you defeat team plasma. Mainly because it opens up a section of the region where everyone was so much higher leveled than me.
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I absolutely struggled with DPPt. But that was mainly because I was a lazy kid who couldn't be bothered to train my Pokemon, yet expected to be able to win. I can't even remember how many times I battled the elite four.
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I remember getting lost a lot in RSE. Not exactly difficult, but still an obstacle of sorts.
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i struggled a bit more with the gen 4 games. it was particularly hard to grind in hgss
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Probably Black and White. Gen 5 remains the generation I know the least about, and it shows in the teams I build. I haven't finished Black yet, but I've always had trouble with Elesa's gym, to the point where I was stuck there for a few weeks until I randomly booted up the game and just...cleared her like she was nothing.
Ominous. |
Black was tricky at the start depending on the starter, but sun was prob the hardest due to lack of motivation to play
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The original Black and White. Honorable mentions to Elesa and her emolgas. While I got passed her without taking that much damage, she is kinda annoying, countering all three of the starters and volt switching in and out. I can see why some people see her as the Whitney of gen 5. The Unova gym leader that devastated me however was the sixth gym leader Clay. He softens you up for the kill with his first few pokemon, spreading confusion, speed drops, torment and all kinds of mess throughout the team, then he'll burst jn with that exadrill who sets up in the middle of the chaos with hone claws for the sweep. It was a crushing defeat. I had to do the battle over.
The worst is saved for last. The true horror of BW is defeating that thing below in the end fight with Ghetsis. https://i.postimg.cc/4dvLv4FX/hydreigon.png |
In order:
1. The original Black and White. Why? -Limited amount of Pokemon. With no prior knowledge you have to learn how each pokemon works. Too many Unova mons evolve at a high level and unless you grind it is impossible to do it pre end game for some of them (Hydreigon) without any trading or so forth. - The AI and movesets got a bit of change this time around. This not only helps you with having access to newer decent moves but so does the enemy AI. Not to say every battle is difficult, but there is a noticeable change compared to gen 4 -Ghetsis. Having Ghetsis as the final boss gives me such anxiety. The Hydreigon is one thing but dealing with an entire team of bulky mons is absolutely dreadful (in a good way). Not only does his Hydreigon have coverage for any possible type it hits like a truck. The only Pokemon I had to survive that was the Reshiram the game just gave me. And even then, I had to heal. -The post game levels are outrageous. I guess they were just figuring out the Exp and how to make it work this gen onward because having to face level 60 mons when I'm still mid-late 40's is something else. 2.Ultra Sun and Moon -Why is this 2nd? You actually have a variety of Pokemon in this game which is what I like about gen 7. You can learn new moves easily with BP and you have better TMs to use over and over. That and the game is very generous with money/healing. But does that make this an easy road? No. -The totems All of them in the Ultra Games and OGs are annoying in some way. Dealable, but still. Lurantis? Bring backup to confuse you and have an item to instantly use solar blade. Araquanid? Have Aurora beam for any grass types. Togedemaru? Use spikey shield over and over again. Rhibombee? Use quiver dance and sweep. Have a berry and summon Pelipper to make things harder too. Mimikyu? Don't pay attention, you wasted your Z move. Can't use a priority move like Extreme Speed. Then you have Haunter that will constantly hypnotize you. Say what you want about the game being easy but at least this time around you get screwed if you aren't prepared. -Ultra Necrozma. You have to find a way to beat this thing and survive it's attacks at the same time. If you can't stall or take it out quickly you won't survive. Poor Nuzlockers end here. -The variety of Pokemon. Because many of the trainers aren't just using Alola mons in the main game, it adds a bit to this. I can remember strictly a few annoying trainers thanks to carrying bulky mons. 3. HeartGold/Soulsilver. -The level curve is outrageous. Having to face each gym so quickly really messes with the leveling curve. I remember beating Pyrce at level 27. It's so easily to be underleved in the this game and the fact they didn't really change this in the remake makes it worse. -Your variety of Pokemon are really weak. A lot of Johto Pokemon are super weak and not worth using stat wise. Sure you can like them however you please, but try dealing a Ledian against a Dragonite and see how it goes for you without any proper planning. To this day I stick to only a few specific Johto mons because they're either A. Hard to find, B. Stat wise really weak, or C. Don't learn really good moves. -End Level trainer buffs require a ton of grinding. Want to survive against the Elite 4? Unless you figure out a good strategy you have to grind. Red? He got a buff so you have to grind. The Kanto Leaders aren't bad as you have trainers to work with to even things out, but the highest levels I had with a full team was around the 60s, all with a fast experience yield. There's no way you can match in Red's levels by that point without some form of grinding. It's especially bad here. |
Generation 1 on first playthrough, for the lack of a lot of information that could have been useful, like what the different items do, or what a certain move does (and why I shouldn't replace my Charizard's Flamethrower with Fire Spin... I'm still bitter about that 20 years later) .
Generation 2 improved on that tremendously simply by providing blurbs for items or moves, but unfortunately not where it really matters: in the menu that lets you replace a move when a Pokémon levels up, and if you're abandoning a new move, you're never learning it. |
Honestly? Any game set in Jhoto. For some reason I just can't get my team strong enough by the halfway mark to actually take on and defeat the Elite 4 and Champion without having to grind on wild Pokemon for literal days (bearing in mind I challenge every single trainer I can find along the way), and I just don't have the patience for that. To this day I still haven't managed to explore Kanto outside of games set in it to start because of this, and Jhoto remains one of the only two regions in the franchise I haven't entered the hall of fame in.
If you're wondering, the other one is Unova, but that's because I keep flip-flopping on what Starter I want to use and starting over. I've gotten close, but it isn't difficulty that's been stopping me, it's been my inability to choose between Serperior and Samurott. Doesn't help that I got White 2 pretty late into Gen 5's life cycle (And by that I mean X and Y was literally announced and coming out shortly afterwards) so I've kinda just been playing the newer games instead. |
This is difficult for me because I've never really found any of the games to be especially difficult. Even on hard mode, I completed a solo nuzlocke of White 2 using only my oshawott > dewott > samurott, but the games aren't geared towards being especially difficult because they're for all ages. That being said, the Ultra Necrozma fight in USUM was brutal, even if I beat it the first time because I knew it was coming.
From a more humorous perspective, gen 7 was the hardest to play because it was so damn boring from a gameplay perspective imo. I still haven't finished UM (I finished US, but UM... I can't stand to sit through Alola again as much as I love the concept of the region). |
None of them are that difficult, but I don't build my teams very thoughtfully. Playing through Heart Gold 4 members of my team were weak to Water/Ice, causing me trouble at certain points like Misty. If I planned and thought ahead I would probably rip straight everything.
Directly answering the question I would guess Emerald was the most challenging, but on my last play through I had no trouble. |
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