What happened to your rival being a rival?

[Team Rocket's Raichu]

In generation 1 and 2 you had a rival.

This is my grandson. He's been your rival since you were both babies.

Even though I don't remember them ever calling him your rival. We didn't get along. He was as different to me as day is to night.

In generation 3 and 4. (Even though it is like "Rival Jun would like to battle!" they aren't like Green or Silver)

...he is never classified as a "rival" in the games themselves...

Now, this boy here... I believe he is your friend.

So what do you think happened. Personality I don't like it, I want someone who would try to punch me when he loses instead of someone who would say "Good battle! Let's battle again!" What happened?

 

[Air Pichu]

I think they went south for the winter :P

 

[Timbjerr]

This is why Barry, Brendan, and May all fail supremely in comparison to Blue and Silver. :P

 

[e4darthteej]

I get that the poll is supposed to be funny, but I think that it's stupid.

Anyway, when I first saw how Gamefreak treated Barry I felt like this too. However when I actually got the game I realized that he was quite funny(he reminded me of a friend of mine), and also fairly strong(his starter is higher level than Red's Pikachu). That's what they were going for, someone to make you smile, and to challenge you.

However, it was really bad in the third gen. Your two rivals were either a nerd who are so weak that they don't even evolve their starter, or an asthmatic kid who you must crush the soul of. Yeah, I'm shaking in my boots.

 

[Sydian]

The fact that you can't even name Brendan/May just automatically made me think, "GASP THEY ARE NOT A REAL RIVAL!", so I've never really counted them as such. They're the most boring "rivals", seeing that you never get to fight their starter past the second stage and they only end up with four Pokemon, whereas the other rivals end up with a full team of six. And let's not forget that you can't rematch them. Oh, heavens no! To be frank, I consider Wally the RSE rival. Can you name him? No. But he does get a full team (or at least five, I think) and you can rebattle him. Not the strongest of rivals, but Mr. Wally can easily defeat Brendan/May.

/rant

 

[Citrinin]

It's probably part of the campaign to make Pokémon cushy. It's happened on the anime already. :/ I'd much rather have a true rival like Blue or Silver, than a half-rival half-friend. >_<;

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

The "your rival is your buddy" thing infuriates me to no end. I want a rival who is intent on pounding you into the ground. One who isn't afraid to resort to violence (Silver).

I honestly don't know who's worse: Brendan/May act all buddy-buddy and don't get higher than the mid 30's. Wally was just "there". And the D/P/Pt rival (I refuse to refer to him as "Barry") is The. Most. Annoying. Character. In. A. Pokemon. Game. Period.

 

[Team Rocket's Raichu]

And the D/P/Pt rival (I refuse to refer to him as "Barry") is The. Most. Annoying. Character. In. A. Pokemon. Game. Period.

Agreed your just walking along minding your own business. Then bump. Annoying.

 

[Dominus Temporis]

Well, I looked up the definition of the word rival, and I got:

a person who is competing for the same object or goal as another, or who tries to equal or outdo another; competitor.

Seems to me that that definition suits Barry perfectly, he's always trying to get badges and beat the League ahead of you, and he is one step ahead of the player for most of the game.

I don't particularly think Hoenn had any one rival, if Wally had appeared more and gotten badges and stuff he might count, but otherwise... eh.

The rival doesn't need to be a total jerk, let's be honest- if they were all like the original, I'd probably be posting in a topic complaining about the lack of rival variety right now.

 

[~*!*~Tatsujin Gosuto~*!*~]

I just think that they went south for the winter but Barry I can consider a real rival


:t354:TG

 

[Niprop]

Let's see,

Blue is full of himself.

Silver is an arrogant jerk.

Brandon underestimates you because you're a girl.

May thinks you don't know anything.

No one ever really payed much attention to Wally in the first place.

And Barry is hyperactive.

...

Yep, that sums it all up.

 

[derozio]

I too would like him to be like someone who remains a rival no matter what. Blue was actually a real rival to me as it remained a rival till the end. Silver was also good but the others fail in comparison to these two you know.

 

[SquirtleGirl]

Silver was the best example of a rival, he never stopped to chat just battled you and then told you to get out of his way to greatness... *nostalgic sigh* He had a wild haircut.... :P

I hope the rival in HG/SS isn't all matey [/offtopic]

 

[xxxLatiasxxx]

I've got to say I think they all went South for the Winter.

 

[DestinyBender]

The "your rival is your buddy" thing infuriates me to no end. I want a rival who is intent on pounding you into the ground. One who isn't afraid to resort to violence (Silver).

I honestly don't know who's worse: Brendan/May act all buddy-buddy and don't get higher than the mid 30's. Wally was just "there". And the D/P/Pt rival (I refuse to refer to him as "Barry") is The. Most. Annoying. Character. In. A. Pokemon. Game. Period.

Lol, why can't they change Rival battles to 'Rival battles'?
What I mean is:

Destiny used Slap!
It's super effective!
Tom used Chinese Burn!
It's not very effective!

Lol, just my idea ^^

~DB

 

[Wings Don't Cry]

Silver didn't really seem to be a rival, he seemed more like some guy who hates your guts and wants to kill your Pokemon every time he sees them.

Barry is actually a rival, no one ever said a rival has to hate you or be mean to you, they can be friends is well. Just like Ash and Ritchie, they're considered rivals and they get a long well.

But GenIII really didn't have single rival, none of the other characters were even aiming for the same goal.

 

[Peeky Chew]

In 3rd gen May was more of a rival than what's he called...

 

[Kirbychu]

Well, I looked up the definition of the word rival, and I got:

Seems to me that that definition suits Barry perfectly, he's always trying to get badges and beat the League ahead of you, and he is one step ahead of the player for most of the game.

I don't particularly think Hoenn had any one rival, if Wally had appeared more and gotten badges and stuff he might count, but otherwise... eh.

The rival doesn't need to be a total jerk, let's be honest- if they were all like the original, I'd probably be posting in a topic complaining about the lack of rival variety right now.

I agree.

I actually quite like "Barry". Honestly, he's my second favorite next to Silver. Silver was a really great character all around. He had development and an actual background (In HG/SS), easily making him better than the others.

But GenIII really didn't have single rival, none of the other characters were even aiming for the same goal.

I think Wally was pretty close. He did desire to challenge the Mauville Gym (Until you crushed him. :P).

 

[poopnoodle]

Guess they just didn't want to promote the idea of retaliation when someone talks trash. To me, the smug/rude rivals made the game.

 

[Pokémon Ranger ✩ Moriarty]

I'm in the rivals-can-also-be-friends-yanno camp, but there's just no way I can treat either Pearl or Lucas like rivals in Platinum. ;_; Pearl because he is just laughably weak (poor boy, I love him, but every time he shows up it's a one-hit-KO show and my Pokémon don't even really get a lot of XP out of it...) and Lucas because he seems to have a mini-depressive breakdown every single time he shows up to give away more of his stuff. ("Ohhh, you're so fantastic! Me? I'm...I'm a bit rubbish...heh..." Even Professor Rowan seems to worry about how awful he is at everything o.O).

Silver was a great idea for a rival, but he just disturbed me on so many levels. Talk about being full of a desire to kill everything. o.o