5th Gen Are these the easiest games in the series? Why (not)?

Now, before you all say "Pokémon has always been easy", read the whole post first.

Pokémon has, for the most part, been an easy series, but there tend to be exceptions and throw a few challenging opponents at you, like a few Gym Leaders, the Elite Four and the Champion (and N and Ghetsis in Black and White's case). Even regular trainers can have strong Pokémon to throw at you.

However, Black 2 and White 2 on Normal Mode have been regarded by quite a few to have no opponents that are a challenge at all, and that there is not a single hard battle in the game on the level of any previous Gym Leaders (say, Whitney, Norman, Fantina, Lenora, etcetera). And i'm inclined to agree to an extent for a few reasons: one, the Gym Leaders have mostly the same teams as they did in the originals. Two, their movesets have been considerably dumbed down from the originals (for example, Elesa's Emolga does not have Aerial Ace, so it can't really do much to Grass-types). Three, with the expansions to the New Unova Dex, it's much easier to find counters to them.

But some people say X and Y have even worse Gym Leaders/Elite Four/Champion than this does. While the Exp. Share does break the game if you leave it on throughout the whole game, i've talked before about why I don't think they're that easy if you don't. That said...

Do you think Black 2 and White 2 on Normal Mode are the easiest games in the series?
Why or why not?
If not, who has the hardest opponent been for you?
If you said yes and have played on Challenge Mode, do you think that is the second easiest only ahead of Normal Mode?

All this said, discuss.

Tbh, I think a lot of it depends on the team you're using/what is available to you, but yeah, overall Black2/White2 is one of the easier Pokemon games. Maybe its because I'm an experienced trainer, but most of the opponents in my 2 runs of Black 2 were never that hard. I was a bit surprised at how easily I defeated Clay, Drayden, and Marlon during my Fire monotype run. Only guy who wasn't easy was Ghetsis.

But part of feels like it was easier because of the wide variety of Pokemon available to you in Black 2 (which iirc, is second only to X/Y), the re-usable TMs, and the ability to get competitive items like a Life Orb, Leftovers, or Choice item in-game and not in the post game. Whereas in, say, Diamond/Pearl, your selection of pokes is kinda limited (like the lack of fire types, lol @ Flint), TMs aren't re-usable, and the hold items you get are kinda meh for the most part. Though I don't remember how Black/White compares in difficulty......

But I'd say that X/Y is still easier than Black2/White2. And there isn't anything wrong really with the main story being easy; if you want difficulty, try the in-game battle facilities or WiFi battles.

As Zekrom stated, Black/White 2 were one of the easier games. I think it is 2nd or 3rd to easiest in the main series in my opinion.

X/Y were the easiest ones however.. I never used the EXP Share, and Diantha's Gardevoir was still a 2-Hit KO for me. I feel that Pokemon and Game Freak are taking closer steps to make the game beatable by younger audiences. It may be a good thing, but for older audiences, there is not alot of sense of exploration, seeing as now the games are being more and more linear. Meh, that's just my opinion.

Yeah they're the easiest one I've played as I've haven't played Pokemon X/Y due not having 3ds I haven't tried the Hollow tower/Black tower in Pokemon White 2 since I don't normally do after game stuff

Flame999 said:

Yeah they're the easiest one I've played as I've haven't played Pokemon X/Y due not having 3ds I haven't tried the Hollow tower/Black tower in Pokemon White 2 since I don't normally do after game stuff

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You Don't have a 3DS Yet? I got a 3DS at launch and I played BW and B2W2 on it and not on my DS. I prefer my 3DS over my DS but then again I jumped from GBA Micro to DS Lite to 3DS. Anyways 3DS's are awesome, unfortunately X/Y aren't in 3D as they promised so the overworld graphics in X/Y feel more awkward knowing it was designed for 3D but there is no 3D. Also Some Battles aren't in 3D ether! :O

I don't think B2/W2 are the easiest. Actually, when I look at the other Pokemon games, I have to say they're far from the easiest.

Aside X/Y, the 2nd generation will always be the easiest in my opinion. I mean, the Champ's strongest Pokemon is level 50....
FR/LG are also really easy, considering you have the VS Seeker, which made training your Pokemon a joke. And with strong Pokemon, of course the games are easy.

So yeah, no, B2/W2 are far from being the easiest in series.

I don't think that they are the easiest Pokémon games of all time. Yes, they were quite easy, but I actually struggled with some parts in the storyline involving Team Plasma.

I have to agree with LightningAlex, the easiest Generation was the second, seeing as the Champion's highest level Pokémon was Level 50. Nowadays, they are much more challenging.

I don't agree Black and White were the easiest games, there were times I had a struggle in-game :P But, most of the time I like to play Challenge Mode in the B2/W2 series for, well, more of a challenge ;)

LightningAlex said:

I don't think B2/W2 are the easiest. Actually, when I look at the other Pokemon games, I have to say they're far from the easiest.

Aside X/Y, the 2nd generation will always be the easiest in my opinion. I mean, the Champ's strongest Pokemon is level 50....

So yeah, no, B2/W2 are far from being the easiest in series.

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Mega Venusaur said:

I have to agree with LightningAlex, the easiest Generation was the second, seeing as the Champion's highest level Pokémon was Level 50. Nowadays, they are much more challenging.

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I don't think that Gen 2 was the easiest. Level =/= difficulty. Generally poor movepools and a bit of a lack of in the availability of some types made it a bit harder, not to mention the fact that there's no good place to train pre-E4 and you're probably coming in at about level 40.

Zekrom said:

I don't think that Gen 2 was the easiest. Level =/= difficulty. Generally poor movepools and a bit of a lack of in the availability of some types made it a bit harder, not to mention the fact that there's no good place to train pre-E4 and you're probably coming in at about level 40.

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I suppose you're right, but if you have a lot of time on your hands, you can easily grind up to Level 44 - 46 and receive the experience up to Level 50+ through the Elite 4.

I think X and Y are the easiest because the EXP Share gives exp to all pokemon in your party, though you can turn it off.

I found R/S/E really easy too because you got EXP share really early into the game, which allows you to just overlevel your starter Pokemon and still level up other Pokemon. Which is what i'm doing in my (randomized) nuzlocke run