4th Gen Safari Zone

[curiousnathan]

In the HGSS we saw the birth of an entriely new Safari Zone, with an added mini shopping plaza and winding waterfall routes. But was this addition a great or medicore one? In your opinion, did you prefer the old Safari Zone located in the first generation games? Did you find yourself any fun or interest in participating in the Safari Zone? What sorts of Pokemon did you catch? Or maybe you prefered the design and creation of the Safari Zone over the actual experience?

Personally, I think it was a great addition in HGSS. Mainly due to the fact that in the original GSC the Safari Zone didn't exist in Johto, and the original one in Kanto was closed. I also found that the additional implementation of routes to be particularly interesting and it added a little more spark to the area. I wasn't too fond of the designing features, as they were just simple click and places; although I did like the ability to change the terrain; but with the limited biomes I quickly lost interest. I remember catching a few pokemon on the routes to the Safari Zone such as Ekans which I later evolved into Arbok. All in all, I quite liked the Safari Zone, and it enabled me to take a break from the main storyline for a little while.

 

[Guy]

Given the fact that a Safari Zone never actually existed in Johto before HGSS, and the old one in Kanto had been closed in GSC, I don't see how anyone could go wrong by adding one in the remakes.

I didn't really care much for the customization feature though, and the long waiting periods for some Pokémon to show up was kind of a stretch at times. Overall, I enjoyed this Safari Zone just as much as I enjoyed every other Safari Zone. Had there not been one like before, then I think it would have been a missed opportunity on GameFreak's part. I especially liked the area right outside the Safari Zone too, because it made for some great training grounds to level up!

 

[Rivvon]

The only things I didn't like about the HGSS Safari Zone were how it took so long to increase your "level" with the areas, and how long it took to put the "accessories" in them. If leveling up took a little less time, and there was a way to put multiple accessories at once, or just a sort of easy "level editing" system, it would be pretty much perfect. It had a wide variety of Pokemon, which is what the Safari Zone is supposed to be about.

Also, the Safari Zone had what I believe to be the best music in the game. I spent a lot of time just standing outside to listen!

 

[PlatinumDude]

I like Johto's Safari Zone because there's no 500-step limit. I also liked how it can be customized. What I didn't like was the method to lure in the newer Pokemon (it can take a long time to lure in the Pokemon you want).

 

[T!M]

I always enjoy the Safari Zone regardless of where they're plotted. I don't like being badgered on a phone demanding that I need to see his new installation for the facility, however.

I still haven't figured out how to work it out completely. But I can't "yay or nay" about it because Safari Zones, in all their great variations across the POKeMON Franchise have never really made me spend hours there.

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

I didn't care all that much for the long waiting periods for certain critters, but I really did appreciate the customization of the areas. It was a nice compromise between having lots of Pokemon but having to walk really far to get the rare ones, and just having a smaller selection but having them easier to find. I actually ended up getting a number of my eventual final team there, so it's definitely a good thing in my eyes. If I can remember correctly, I definitely got a Houndour and a Riolu... and I think I got a Metang as well. Not too shabby, if I so say so myself! :D

 

[Mystical Mermaid]

I wasn't a fan of the new Safari Zone. Having to place the habitats and add accessories in order to make Pokemon appear quickly became tedious and annoying, especially when one forgot to do it and expected the Pokemon they wanted to be there anyway. It's also horribly unrealistic compared to the gimmicks that were added to Hoenn's Safari Zone and Sinnoh's Great Marsh? Where are the other areas when they're not active? Are the resident Pokemon trapped in limbo or something? Maybe I'm thinking about this too much.... I can understand the desire to create an interactable environment, but I think Game Freak could have come up with more plausible ways of doing this.

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I like Johto's Safari Zone because there's no 500-step limit. I also liked how it can be customized. What I didn't like was the method to lure in the newer Pokemon (it can take a long time to lure in the Pokemon you want).

I agree it took awhile and several rearranges later to get the Pokemon desired. Though the removable of the limit was nice.

 

[Zephele]

It was something I never really got into because it took quite a while to level up the areas. But the removal of the step-limit was nice, and the customization concept is really great since it allows for a huge number of Pokemon to be catchable in the, relatively small, area.

Perhaps I'll consider using a Pokemon only available in the Safari Zone in a later playthrough so I'll be forced to get more familiar with the system...

 

[Hikamaru]

I did the Safari Zone challenge quite a bit when I played SoulSilver, I liked how they removed the step limit cos that bothered me in previous games.

The area customization and large variety of Pokemon available in the post-game made it interesting (some Pokemon could only be accessed with certain combinations) but I liked how it was a bit of a challenge this time around.

Definitely the best thing about the HG/SS Safari Zone was the large variety of Pokemon available to catch. In the post-game you can get loads of Hoenn and Sinnoh Pokemon, meaning you won't have to trade much to get them.

 

[WingedDragon]

I did the Safari Zone challenge quite a bit when I played SoulSilver, I liked how they removed the step limit cos that bothered me in previous games.

The area customization and large variety of Pokemon available in the post-game made it interesting (some Pokemon could only be accessed with certain combinations) but I liked how it was a bit of a challenge this time around.

Definitely the best thing about the HG/SS Safari Zone was the large variety of Pokemon available to catch. In the post-game you can get loads of Hoenn and Sinnoh Pokemon, meaning you won't have to trade much to get them.

But dont you need certain items along with the sinnoh and hoenn region music for it?

 

[bobandbill]

But dont you need certain items along with the sinnoh and hoenn region music for it?

For some of them, yes. But it's not hard to get said items and it's more the waiting for a few of them, and using a guide to know how much of what in what spot will make something appear. that's a vague sentence

I liked the Safari zone; I didn't mind the time limit too much as I just did something else instead which wasn't hard to do with HGSS, heh. Customisation was a neat twist to it, and no step limit was most excellent. Always found that contrived and annoying.