6. Double battles
Introduced: Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire (2002)
Generation Three was a major leap forward in many ways for the whole series. The Game Boy Advance brought us amazing colours, snappy animations and a whole new world of options when it came to battling.
Double battles made their grand debut here, giving trainers a challenging new way to play. Nintendo clearly was proud of the new format because spin-off Pokemon Colosseum featured exclusively double battles for the entire game.
These days it’s hard to imagine the games without them, seeing as the entire VGC format revolves around it. While triple and multi battles formats have come and gone, doubles seem to be here for the long haul.
7. Pokemon abilities
Introduced: Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire (2002)
While missing from specific titles like Lets Go Eevee/Pikachu and Legends Arceus, abilities normally are one of the most important parts of any new Pokemon game. Battle stats matter, but abilities can make or break a Pokemon.
For example, Regigigas has colossal stats but is useless thanks to its Slow Start ability. Meanwhile, Shedninja only has one health point, but its Wonder Guard lets him be a fighting threat.
8. Physical/Special move split
Introduced: Pokemon Diamond and Pearl (2006)
Learning how to use Physical and Special moves are clear to even the most basic trainer these days. Thunder Punch? That has got to be a physical, electric-type attack. Thunderbolt? I can’t picture physical contact there, so it’s probably a special electric-type attack. There are some exceptions, but for the most part, they are logical.
Back in the early generations, this was far from the truth. From generations one to three, all moves were Physical or Special based on their type alone. Poor Hitmonchan’s 105 physical attack stat is a little bit worthless when Ice Punch, Fire Punch and Thunder Punch are all classed as Special attacks.
Generation Four took a revolutionary step, classifying every move as Physical or Special individually. Finally, we had some choice, and all the physically strong Ice and Dark-type Pokemon could use thrive. No matter how many features get dropped in future titles, it would be very surprising to take such a step back as to remove this overhaul.
9. Customising your character
Introduced: Pokemon X & Y (2013)
The leap to 3D not only bought physical depth to our character models but a wide range of customisable options! With choices in eye colour, race and a massive array of clothes to be bought, you could finally build a true representation of yourself.
It’s hard to put the genie back in the bottle. While some games like Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire removed the feature, the fan backlash seemed to make the message clear to Game Freak, and almost every game since has had at least limited customisation.
With the expressive new animations, Legends Arceus takes this to a new level, your avatar finally feeling less like an emotionless piece of wood. We’re excited to see what style options the next entry will have, as it presumably won’t be as limited as the ancient past of Hisui.
10. Playing with your Pokemon
Introduced: Pokemon X & Y (2013)
While you had the chance to speak to your Pokmon as it followed you around in Yellow and HeartGold/SoulSilver, it was never a real focus in the game. X and Y’s Pokemon-Amie finally gave players a chance to get close to their virtual friends, with head-pats and sweet-treats galore.
This feature is not only a fun way to spend time for casual players it can give huge benefits to you in battle as well. With the right level of affection, your Pokemon can even survive fatal hits, just with the power of love! Rebranded as Pokemon Refresh in Sun and Moon and brought Pokemon Camp in Sword and Shield, it seems likely that this feature will continue to evolve as we move forward with the franchise.
While Legends Arceus doesn’t have the same in-depth nuzzling system, being able to throw out all your Pokemon anywhere at any time has its own unique appeal. Many do miss the feature though, so we would be very surprised if we didn’t see it return in some shape or form soon.
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Featured Image Credit: Nintendo/Game Freak