Pokemon's Evolution as a Game Series

[melosfox]

Many people have been speculating on the evolution of the pokemon from more simple designs to more complex designs, with more complicated legends and relationships in each generation. I think this has a great deal to do with the age of the first generation of pokemon lovers who are now in their early-mid twenties. Some are in their thirties. Is Pokemon, like Harry Potter did, growing up with its fan base?

 

[shot571]

Thats actually a pretty good point. I reckon youre right. Growing up with the fanbase yet still keeping the right balance to keep new people coming to the series.

 

[Dmatt]

I think they hinted at us with the new young-not-kid main characters and I sure hope they grow it up in this new adventure... giving us more stuff to do, more challenging battles or even mechanics. It'd be wise of them to please us older-money-making fans :D

 

[Rich Boy Rob]

I think that by the way they are hugely pushing the fact that the main characters are older than previous iterations definitely hints towards a shift in target demographic. So basically yes, I agree that it's growing up.

 

[billi1000]

Well, looking at the anime series, ash , brock, and others have mensioned that they have been on their adventure for years, yet they look the same since the series started and Nintendo claims it wants the new young fans to feel they have missed nothing of the series if they started watching lets say from the start of the Hoenn series.

Although after the art of the main female and male characters was released, and being older that all previous characters, it seems like Nintendo is willing to add more teen-aged fans, at least the ones new to the series of games and the anime. The pictures of the legendaries and the the theme thay might hold emphasizes on this fact even greater.

 

[Flare Riqueza]

Slightly growing up. But it'll still have its youth-oriented aspects.

What I can't wait to see is Ash arguing with a teenager instead of a 10 year old in the anime:P

By them two legendaries....it's getting scarier! Although Mewtwo, and evil scientists creating an "ultimate pokemon" was scary...

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

..most of the early fan base is in there mid 20...??? I'm only 15... I feel young compared to the rest of the fan base...but then again I did begin with Kanto(FrLg) then went to Hoenn(E)...and owns (PtSs)...
I do think it's trying to grow up with us but still attract newer people I see it as a plane where it goes from being mostly Horizontal to diagonal...from having a set age target to a bigger age range...

 

[Kirbychu]

I do think it's trying to grow up with us but still attract newer people I see it as a plane where it goes from being mostly Horizontal to diagonal...from having a set age target to a bigger age range...

This is most likely what they're aiming to do, and I don't think one little comment saying that the trainers are a bit older is "hugely pushing it".

 

[Haza]

I think it all works out in the end, giving each generation a specific feel to it, and gives the newcomers that come in at different points something to hold on to. I feel lucky to have gotten into Pokemon in the beginning because I really got to see it evolve, and I appreciate each generation for what they brought to the table. This new generation, and the Pokemons designs have already grown on me because I guess I will always be loyal to the franchise.

 

[Kieran]

..most of the early fan base is in there mid 20...??? I'm only 15... I feel young compared to the rest of the fan base...but then again I did begin with Kanto(FrLg) then went to Hoenn(E)...and owns (PtSs)...
I do think it's trying to grow up with us but still attract newer people I see it as a plane where it goes from being mostly Horizontal to diagonal...from having a set age target to a bigger age range...

Umm, imagine we starting as way younger than Ash and now we're wayy older than him?
I'll be 20 next year, epic, and I'll never want to play as a 10 years old again, so, the changes is good :)

I think it all works out in the end, giving each generation a specific feel to it, and gives the newcomers that come in at different points something to hold on to. I feel lucky to have gotten into Pokemon in the beginning because I really got to see it evolve, and I appreciate each generation for what they brought to the table. This new generation, and the Pokemons designs have already grown on me because I guess I will always be loyal to the franchise.

Yeah me too.
I can look back at the Gen I and now, really changes a lot and I can obviously feel the evolution since then.

 

[MistahDude]

5 years old I started with Pokemon Stadium.
6 years old I got pokemon gold. It was challenging.
7 years old I got crystal.
9 years old I got red and yellow. They weren't as challenging as when I first played gold, but they were still challenging.
11 years old I got ruby, not much of a challenge at all.
13 years old I got Diamond, super easy.
16 years old I got Soul Silver. Not challenging in the slightest.

As I grew up the games became less and less challenging, because I was slowly growing out of the target audience.

In the 5th gen they will have trainers my age again. This MIGHT make the games harder, but this is Nintendo we are talking about. They haven't made hard games since the 90s.

No matter what happens with Pokemon I will always stick with it. Do you know why? Because it was the first game series I ever played and the first game series I got to watch grow as I did. Future generations won't be able to see this happen.

YOUR POKEMON EVOLVED INTO 3D!!??

 

[Vrai]

No matter what happens with Pokemon I will always stick with it. Do you know why? Because it was the first game series I ever played and the first game series I got to watch grow as I did. Future generations won't be able to see this happen.

Um, the games will always grow, no matter where they start. If I just got hooked on Pokemon a year ago, won't the series have grown into Black and White as I grow older, too? I'm really just confused on whatever the hell you're trying to say.

 

[billi1000]

5 years old I started with Pokemon Stadium.
6 years old I got pokemon gold. It was challenging.
7 years old I got crystal.
9 years old I got red and yellow. They weren't as challenging as when I first played gold, but they were still challenging.
11 years old I got ruby, not much of a challenge at all.
13 years old I got Diamond, super easy.
16 years old I got Soul Silver. Not challenging in the slightest.

How did you find Pokemon Gold the most challeging? The Elite 4 have Pokemon between levels 40 and 50 while all others start at 50, and everytime I played Gold I used to reach the league with pokemon from level 48 and above. Even in Kanto most gym leaders had Pokemon in their high 40's so getting the 16 badges was a piece of cake. Red was the most challeging part. But SoulSilver should seem to be about the same difficulty since it contains almost the same Gyms, Elite 4, and Red (actually red is more difficult in SoulSilver).

I'm guessing it was the most challeging since it was your first game of the bunch then you got used to training and stuff finding it easier along the generations. Well, yeah, Yellow was my first game and it seemed challeging as well.

 

[Totaldile]

How did you find Pokemon Gold the most challeging? The Elite 4 have Pokemon between levels 40 and 50 while all others start at 50, and everytime I played Gold I used to reach the league with pokemon from level 48 and above. Even in Kanto most gym leaders had Pokemon in their high 40's so getting the 16 badges was a piece of cake. Red was the most challeging part. But SoulSilver should seem to be about the same difficulty since it contains almost the same Gyms, Elite 4, and Red (actually red is more difficult in SoulSilver).

I'm guessing it was the most challeging since it was your first game of the bunch then you got used to training and stuff finding it easier along the generations. Well, yeah, Yellow was my first game and it seemed challeging as well.

Um, Whitney? I dunno if i't's the same for you guys, but she caned me first five million times. Then I lost gold.
-teardrop-

 

[Myles]

I'd say the new characters will be like 12; 14 at the oldest. And I don't think it's a change of demographic either. They know they have fans of all ages and the anime is really the only 'kid' one; the rest are 'family' (as in suitable for and/or primarily aimed at children, but also enjoyable for and/or minorly aimed at adults).

As for the more in-depth story, that's just because games in general are evolving. Most stories in games around when RGBY were released were excuse plots.

And I don't think the art style has become more complex.

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

Uh, well, if nobody's noticed, it hasn't been much of an increase in purported age. The male character has always been something like 12-15 and so have the girls but for Dawn. The characters for Fire Red and Leaf Green looked pretty old to me. =|

 

[Ronin]

I would love if they made pokemon grow up a bit with older Characters and darker plots, because it is a series that while I love I tend to keep secrete. I got Pokemon Blue (very sad no Water Blue re-release with FR & LG) on the UK release day(ish) when I was 11, I'll leave you to work out how old that makes me now...

Spoiler:

22 :(

 

[shengar]

Yes, they should grow their fan base but still make it appeal to younger. Most of Generation I player are mid twenty or late teen(myself is 16), which most people of that age likely demand a more mature story or at least not too childish.

Uh, well, if nobody's noticed, it hasn't been much of an increase in purported age. The male character has always been something like 12-15 and so have the girls but for Dawn. The characters for Fire Red and Leaf Green looked pretty old to me. =|

That's why FireRed version is my favorite. Sometimes i feel strange why 12 years old defeat a 30 years old veteran.

 

[SinisterEternity]

Yeah, would be good if the storyline could be like, less childish so that we can say to other people Pokemon really is not for crying babies (although it already isn't x/)
I don't ask for murders and all, but something different than : "You're a young trainer that'll face the Team ??? during a Pokemon Journey !"
Give more power to the legendaries ? More importance maybe ? I don't know xD

But we can not say Pokemon Games didn't improve as years passed ;D
It's getting more and more awesome ! <=D

 

[moon]

I would love if they made pokemon grow up a bit with older Characters and darker plots, because it is a series that while I love I tend to keep secrete. I got Pokemon Blue (very sad no Water Blue re-release with FR & LG) on the UK release day(ish) when I was 11, I'll leave you to work out how old that makes me now...

Spoiler:

22 :(

There there, mate. We're swimming in the same boat. Though I would probably keep it secret even if it became more mature.

What was that rumour I heard about the new protagonists going to be older than the previous ones, then?