Originally published for G4@Syfygames on 2/25/2016
With every end lies a new beginning. The sixth generation of Pokémon (X&Y, ORAS) is finally riding off into the sunset after three years of being the face of the legendary franchise. Pokémon Sun & Moon, the new ranch hands, will be the seventh generation of Pokémon titles to grace Nintendo 3DS handhelds, and honestly, I couldn’t be more excited. Before we start foaming at the mouth for Sun & Moon, I’d like to take the time to appreciate what Generation VI has done for the franchise.
The Leap to 3D Graphics
For 17 years, Pokémon was known for its beautiful sprite work, from lush landscapes to the cute critters themselves. Generations IV and V attempted 3D environments on the Nintendo DS by making the landscapes and buildings pop out, but everything else was comprised of the series’ traditional sprites. However, when Generation VI was unveiled in 2013 with Pokémon X&Y, we were all floored when they announced that the titles would be completely rendered in 3D. This was an excellent move because it catered to a new generation of fans while also lassoing back the old faithful. The leap to 3D graphics was also a sign of what to expect for future Pokémon titles. Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, remakes of the original Game Boy Advance titles, followed suit after Pokémon X&Y’s release. ORAS pushed the graphical limits even further by featuring a fully navigational 3D map, which was a first for the series. Hopefully Pokémon Sun & Moon will feature the same thing, but with any Flying-type Pokémon.
Introducing the Fairy type
It’s no secret that Dragon type Pokémon were nigh-invincible during their 17 year reign over the franchise. There weren’t any Ice type Pokémon that could stand up to the sheer power of lizard-mon, despite the type advantage. The only way you could defeat a Dragon type was by having one, and that was the Pokémon meta for almost two decades. Then, with Generation VI, the Fairy-type was unveiled, and battles would never be the same again. The Fairy type was designed with the sole purpose of keeping Dragon types in check by not only dealing super effective damage towards them, but by also being immune to Dragon type attacks. Although they were still powerful, Dragon types were no longer revered as gods. Introducing all new Fairy type Pokémon was only the first step of Game Freak’s plan, as the developers went further by changing some of the previous monsters’ type to Fairy, too. Gardevoir was an excellent example of this by transitioning from a pure Psychic type to a Fairy/Psychic hybrid, which drastically altered its capabilities. With Generation VII underway, I’m curious if Game Freak will reveal a new type to shake up the metagame. Space type would be pretty cool, just saying.
Introducing Mega Evolutions
This was one of Generation VI’s major selling points for fans of the franchise. By having certain Pokémon hold their respective Mega Stone, they could evolve into a powerhouse mid-battle. This was a massive change to the metagame, because it gave some Pokémon a new lease on life. Lopbunny is an excellent example of this. The Normal type rabbit Pokémon was considered laughable in the competitive community ever since its inception in Generation IV. However, in ORAS, it was blessed with a Mega Evolution. Almost overnight, Lopbunny went from a DeviantArt joke to a major threat in competitive play. Mega-Lopbunny became a Normal/Fighting type hybrid, and its attack and speed stats skyrocketed. It also gained the Scrappy ability, which allowed it to hit Ghost type Pokémon. With proper EV training, Mega-Lopbunny is one of the deadliest Fake-Out users in the entire game. It’ll be interesting to see what Sun & Moon have in store for Mega Evolutions in Generation VII.
The Shift to Online Functionality
If there’s one thing many gamers take for granted these days, it’s online functionality. We expect it to be in our titles, and for some developers, it’s treated as an afterthought. However, for Generation VI, Game Freak understood how crucial it was for the franchise’s longevity. It extended the life of titles by expanding trade and battle capabilities. Gone were the days of link cables and transferring data from one cartridge to another on the Nintendo DS. Now, collectors could trade with anyone worldwide with just a few taps on the screen. Competitors could battle anyone from Anchorage to Singapore, and more importantly, it allowed fans to establish their own community in-game thanks the Player Search System (PSS). This nifty feature allowed players to create a friend list, and add anyone they like for battling and trading purposes. You no longer had to scour your local town for a battling buddy or trading partner; you could add a Passerby to your list and go from there. I’m curious if Game Freak will expand, tweak, or leave the PSS alone for Generation VII.
Introducing Pokémon-Amie
This feature was the biggest draw for Generation VI. Pokémon-Amie made many fans’ dreams come true by letting players interact with their Pokémon. This may seem insignificant at first glance, but this had huge implications for battling. Whenever you feed, pet, or play with your Pokémon (via mini-games), their affection towards you increases, which carries over into battles. For example, if a Pokémon is afflicted with a status ailment, it will cure itself out of love for its trainer. If your critter gets hit with a powerful move, it may hold onto its last sliver of HP to show its toughness. They also gain an extra experience boost after a battle. In other words: the greater their affection towards you, the greater the benefits. This incentivizes players to spend time with their Pokémon while also bringing a huge smile to their faces. I hope they keep this feature for Sun & Moon.
Easier EV Training
For competitive Pokémon nerds like myself, this was huge news. Super-Training (read: target practice) and Core Training regiments (read: punching bags) were put in place to allow competitors to EV train their Pokémon in shorter time. Players no longer had to sleuth online to find which Pokémon to battle for particular EVs. Each Super-Training regiment featured a target practice session for all six base stats (HP, ATK, DEF, S.ATK, S.DEF, SPD). The Core Training system allowed Pokémon to train autonomously while the player was busy catching other Pokémon or finishing the game’s story (albeit slowly). If players wanted to speed up the process, they could repeatedly tap the bag to finish faster. There were several different bags to choose, too. Besides the six basic stat bags (varying from light to heavy), there were other cool ones like the Reset and Strength bags, which allowed trainers to reset EVs and double the number of points earned per shot in the next Super-Training session, respectively. In tandem, this made EV training far easier than it used to be in the past, and was a genius move by Game Freak. This gave newcomers a smoother transition from casual to competitive play, and the simplicity of the Super-Training and Core Training regiments bolstered that notion.
A Cohesive Narrative
Let’s face it, Pokémon wasn’t known for fantastic storytelling. For 17 years, it was about catching them all, stopping an evil organization, and conquering the Elite Four. But with Generation VI, a deeper narrative was established. For the first time in the franchise, Pokémon embraced the concepts of life, death, and rebirth. To emphasize this, X&Y featured a tragic backstory about AZ and Floette, whom were forever torn apart after the latter dies in a bloody Pokémon war. Out of grief, AZ constructed a massive structure that absorbed the life force of other Pokémon to resurrect his best friend. Still overcome with despair, he turns the device into a doomsday weapon to kill everyone on both sides to end the war. He succeeded, but when Floette realized the atrocity behind his actions, she was disgusted, and left AZ to wonder the world alone for 3000 years. The content and context of this anecdote was unprecedented for the franchise, and it successfully reinforced the concepts of life, death, and rebirth, which were all themes of X&Y.
As for ORAS, Game Freak expanded on the titles’ lore by explaining the origins of Mega Evolution. Thousands of years ago, Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, their true forms, were fighting all over Hoenn, and indigenous inhabitants were constantly being caught in the cross fire. But one day, Rayquaza came along and tried to stop the fighting, but the duo’s Primal powers were too much for it to handle. Then, the inhabitants began praying for Rayquaza to stop them. As a result, the very first Mega-evolved Pokémon, Mega-Rayquaza, was born. With its newfound power, Rayquaza nerfed Groudon and Kyogre to what they are today, and Hoenn was able to live in peace once more. This directly ties into ORAS’s Delta Episode, which takes place after the player has defeated Elite Four. A massive meteor is hurling towards Hoenn, and if it hits, it will destroy the entire continent. A mysterious new character, Zinnia, is introduced, and it’s up to them to save the world. These two anecdotes are excellent examples of how a well written narrative can thrive in Pokémon titles. Generation VI upped the ante, and with Generation VII taking over, Sun & Moon will have some major shoes to fill.
Generation VI was a major step forward for the illustrious franchise, but it also set fans’ expectations high for the future. I hope Pokémon Sun & Moon will surpass its predecessor in every way imaginable.
The Longform Vault 