*****

Letter to Game Freak
Re: future Pokémon games

[I am posting this letter on my blog, instead of trying to figure out which email address is the best for reaching those who need to/should see it. I trust the forces that be will guide my words to the right source, somehow. I forewarn anyone who reads this; it is a lengthy letter…because I see many areas for improvement and have a fair number of compliments to offer, as well.  If you know where to send such letters to achieve my desired goal, feel free to suggest a direction/address in the comments below.]

Listen, game designers. I hate to sound like an adamant or rash Granbull, but it’s time we talk about remodeling these Pokémon games; specifically those involving extensive exploration of vast landscapes, collecting countless items and attempting to build up a team capable of defeating some advertised champion in battle. [And, I don’t mean complicating them, requiring more investment of time. No one needs to spend years playing one game (or…how many have you made/sold, now?) and ignoring their real world duties/interests. Although, having reason and/or zeal to revisit places (in changing weather/seasons) and replay the games is usually good.]

I *like* your games! Other than the thought of forcing my pets fight other animals in a strange sort of “cock fight,” over and over and over, again, I really do! I’ve spent countless dollars and hours chasing colorful creatures in so many different forms. I’ve chased to fast-food chains for toys when there were promotions. I feel like Ash Ketchum (Satoshi) sending in post cards to get his Kanto League baseball cap (instead of someone just handing it to him, along with new clothes, when he gets to the next region)! I once deemed myself a “Pokémon freak” for wanting and buying so many things. [There is a particular Pokémon character players encounter in the early games, who wears a costume set of dinosaur legs and a tail and is called something like a game or Pokémon freak; that would probably be me because I tend to enjoy wearing costume pieces and imitating other animals.]

The creature designs…well, most of them…are great. I think my first “loves” were Geodude and Bulbasaur. I don’t know why a round, rocky meatball with arms appeals to me, but it does! It’s the best “pet rock” I’ve ever seen. And, Bulbasaur screams “Chia Pet” but has a certain inexplicable charm, as well, unlike its evolutions. I love Articuno (but hate cold/icy things and weather). I favored Moltres until I saw Ho-Oh, which looks like a classical, cultural phoenix without being bathed in fire…like the exceptionally cooler Galarian Moltres (better design of the flames than the original), which is a little creepy. Wartortle is awesome; I love the feathery wings on its head, like Thor from Marvel Comics. Dragonair is beautiful; again, wings on its head…and a graceful form to represent wind and water, similar to Suicune, which is also beautiful. The Kantonian Vulpix could learn a few style tips from its Galarian cousin, but Ninetales is a dream, both the Kantonian and Alolan forms, as is Rapidash, both the Kantonian and Galarian forms. If I didn’t like enough of the Pokémon, I’d probably ignore the games.

The splashy battle effects, when they’re done right, are delightful. [I LOVE fighting (well, not exactly enjoying combat but doing just about anything that isn’t labor) in the rain and am currently contemplating some new Pokémon that might make better use of Drizzle, which is better than Rain Dance if it still boosts water attacks/accuracy without requiring the use of a precious move slot.] Some moves look much cooler than they actually are. Spite, Sweet Scent and Confuse Ray, in certain games, are very cool visual effects but not very helpful.

The human character designs…well, let’s not talk about the Galarian region as much (including guys and gals that are…confused?…which caused certain members of my family to raise eyebrows and feel equally confused)…are mostly pleasing, as well, even “villains” like Giovanni and his Team (R) Rocket. They were a very clever mob in the early games because you didn’t know who worked with Team Rocket until they announced their allegiance. An agent could be anyone from a scientist to a person hanging out at a casino (unlike Team Skull who stood out like sore thumbs and seemed to only assist the beautiful yet somewhat scary boss lady, Lusamine, who headed the Aether company).

Watching the original (American) Pokémon cartoons (from what became known as the Kanto region), from the moment I first saw Brock at a Pokémon Center, I knew I was going to like the guy…and Nurse Joy…and Office Jenny. And, though it became a bit annoyingly repetitive, I enjoyed Misty’s responses to Brock’s behavior. Who couldn’t fall in love with those young women? And, how could I not pity a guy who fails…over and over…to find a proper life partner/wife/girlfriend? How could I not support him and follow his story?…except for that sad, brief period in which he stayed with Professor Ivy, while Ash and Misty were away at the Orange Islands. I was genuinely afraid he would meet some tragic fate after she rejected him.

Aside from all of that which is Brock, I was fairly gripped into following Ash’s journey across the region, trying different foods, ever so slowly learning a few things to better handle Pokémon (and other people) and reaching that Olympic-like championship (which sure looked better in the cartoon than it does in the early games). Despite Ash’s oblivious and hasty behavior (which seems oddly similar to that of Hop in Sword/Shield…though Hop is far less interesting), he is an amusing and somewhat inspiring character to follow. [Maybe Hop just needs a girlfriend or female “foil,” someone to interact with him, rather than just leave our playable character with a dumb smile on his/her face as we let Hop go about his chasing and failures.]

Misty was (is) a perfect travel companion, with her special blend of conflicting outlooks, humbling fear (of bugs, mainly), genuine concern and spirited encouragement. [I’m surprised Brock didn’t have any interest in HER, though I realize there may be a considerable age difference. Or, maybe, he secretly knew she was meant for Ash…though that relationship never seemed to develop!! I think I would have fallen in love with Misty on day one…and then told her to get rid of that odd hair band on day two…and replaced her bicycle by day thirty (because I hate having debt chained to me).] The three were a rather perfect team. [And, let’s not forget the comedic and touching antics of that rebellious Pikachu who wouldn’t stay in a ball.]

I recall how the first generation of Pokémon questing games were so primitive–yet expansive in their own way and time–and failed to capture the magic of the cartoons. Then came Pokémon Yellow, and we players finally got the chance to meet up with Jessie and James and cope with a not-so-easy-to-please Pikachu. Brilliant, though somewhat of an after-thought in terms of planning. The “more accurate” game with a better quality of story came after the other three.

The story aspect, having your character pursue a goal and helping others along the way; that’s great (when it feels like a decent story and not just a flimsy set of directions guiding us through more and more questionable battles). Repetitive music droning without the ability to switch it off (when we just want to scream)…eh, not so much. [I can adjust volume of some things; why can’t I turn off the music?!…or alter the music style the way I was once able to alter the frame/profile card.]

It’s time to stop the TR/TM hunt madness. For over 25 years, you’ve had players scrambling and scratching their heads, trying to find and figure out what skill to teach what creature, worrying about wasting precious one-use lessons on the wrong critter just to win some big battle (or a series of big battles, which is even more excessively stress-inducing).

ENOUGH!!

There have been WAY too many hidden items and too few move tutors. And, the other means of teaching moves are just more confusion in the mix. [Oh!…my gosh! I cannot forget the time spent searching those repeating patches of grass and blank stretches with either the Item Finder or just looking for key spots for hidden items. That is a chore.]

Keep it simple.

EVERY move/lesson you can teach a Pokémon is a TM and free to use as often as players like once they find/acquire it. No more breaking or purchasing TRs at ridiculous rates. No more needing excessive amounts of “watts” to pay or money to reap. [Although, if you go with my following idea about Move Tutors, you COULD have some charge a fee for certain moves.]

I mean…geesh! We spend enough time scouring the maps for items and dealing with trainers looking to ambush us and raising levels to survive certain areas and gym battles. Why complicate all of that investment of time with fussing over what to teach our companions (and worrying about breeding)? [Not to mention…the limitation of 4 moves per creature is REALLY confining and discouraging; but I get it. Any more and the requirements for the game to house so many creatures with varying abilities might be overkill (in coding/memory storage).] If you decided to add more move/lesson options, on top of the already jaw-dropping list, where would you even bother to hide them all? How much more landscape do you need to stash a few dozen or hundred more “lesson balls?” When is enough enough? How long before a sufficient number of brains crash like computers?

Now, you could…

A) Have players finding hidden balls/scrolls that contain all of these moves and scatter them around the regional maps. [Good luck when the sheer number of moves exceeds land mass. I picture Easter egg hunts in which people run out of hiding places and/or interest and just dump a few here and there and call it done.]

OR

B) Scatter “wise folks” (move tutors) across the land, waiting for trainers to find and learn from them, like a “guru” or “sensei.” This would be an incentive for players to interact with the various people you place around the maps, including some of those pointless passersby who don’t seem to be doing much except requiring useless coding. Instead of having people that speak worthless nonsense, just to appear like they’re alive, give a few TMs to teach. A casual passerby might know a skill you could put to good use, if you let him/her “bend your ear.” [I recall the stout figure near the middle of town in one of the early games; he offered to teach Rollout, which was a new and amusing move, at the time.]

Perhaps, to scale down the number of required tutors (for the growing number of moves), you could have certain tutors help with a select variety of moves or function like those particular tutors who help remember “forgotten” moves, who don’t just re-teach one move. A tutor could be a master of a particular element/type, able to teach any move that fits under that type. Maybe certain tutors are better with teaching aggressive, physical moves while others are adept at training the mind or evasion/agility. Maybe some tutors work better with Pokémon of a particular nature/personality, much the way real teachers have differing results with different types of students. [A teacher with little or no sense of humor won’t likely put up with a “class clown.”]

I mentioned breeding earlier. Let’s talk about that, too, while we are here. Why do we even need to breed, honestly? Why do you need to complicate your games with an additional task just to HOPEFULLY get some ideal type/makeup and maybe satisfy the perfectionist virus in those who are cursed with it?

If breeding is to continue being a thing you can do, why not simplify it? Why can’t breeding just be a way to get a different personality or gender while retaining…

A) all of the moves known by one parent. In the case of breeding with a Ditto, the non-Ditto Pokémon’s full four-move set is passed to the offspring. Boom. Done. All that changes is the gender/personality of the offspring. Some children will be happier/nicer than others, who may be naughty/fussy.

OR

B) half of the moves known by the father and half known by the mother, specifying which slots are transferred, so trainers know where to place the passed-on moves. This would be a fair method/alternative for breeding without Ditto.

Now, let’s talk about the whole complication of Natures and whatever that other Personality trait is that also seems annoying. [‘Something about which IV stat is favored? Whatever!]

WHY ON GOD’S GREEN EARTH would anyone WANT a Pokémon that is “vain” or “naïve” or “finicky” or “likes to fight” or “lonely” or “capable of taking hits.” That last one really scrambles my brain. If every creature in your games cannot take hits, what’s it doing in a game that requires creatures to fight each other?! Seriously. That’s like saying “capable of running.” Yay. My Pokémon can get slapped and won’t complain because it’s also simple-minded and probably a masochist. And, if a Pokémon is traveling with you or another Pokémon, how can he/she/it be lonely?! That’s just stupid; that’s like saying the poor critter is oblivious to who or what is around him/her/it, even when they are receiving care.

I think you might need to clean the slate on some of these aspects and refresh the lists a bit. Try these options:

NATURES:

KIND (instead of Mild),
CARING (instead of Gentle),
HELPFUL (instead of Quiet),
FIERCE (instead of Adamant),
RABID/AGGRESSIVE (instead of Hasty/Rash),
REBELLIOUS (instead of Impish and/or Sassy which are both unpleasant, to say the least, if you consider sassy as rude, impolite and/or verbally cruel),
PROTECTIVE,
DEFENSIVE,
HONORABLE,
TRICKY (instead of Impish),
SMART,
WISE (instead of Timid)

[Quirky, Bashful (better than Timid which could be defined as afraid/cowardly), Docile, Bold, Jolly, Brave and Modest are just fine, I guess. Remember, these creatures are our companions/pets/defenders/teammates. Why would we want negative or defeatist traits? And, why do we need to “wonder trade” those with the lousy traits just to toss them away when we see them and become disappointed? That’s just a huge waste of time and coding!]

PERSONALITIES:

[I’m partial to “sturdy body” (versus the Sturdy ability, which is fairly pointless other than acting like a weak Focus Sash, if someone doesn’t use a move that spoils Sturdy like Double Kick), “highly curious” and “loves to eat” (as a fun, adventurous travel companion should be), “alert,” “thoroughly cunning” and “impetuous and silly.” Those are good/okay.]

RESPECTFULLY TIDY/SELF-CONFIDENT (instead of “somewhat vain,” which could be defined as useless or futile as well as obsessed with oneself),

STRONG/ENDURING (instead of that annoying “capable of taking hits”),

MESSY (as a fun alternative to tidy for slob fans, which makes more sense than “scatters things often”),

(FAIRLY/UNFAIRLY) PLAYFUL or TRICKY (versus impetuous and silly and/or mischievous, which could be defined as harmful, evil or mean-spirited, when some who benefit from Special Attacks might not need to be mean, wicked or evil…ya know?),

EXCEPTIONALLY (DARING/AUDACIOUS)

LOVES (LOUNGING/PLAYING) IN BED (versus “takes plenty of siestas,” which I realize is another attempt to infuse the Spanish language, for whatever reason)…or EARLY RISER/NIGHT OWL

ADEPT AT EVADING HARM or FAIRLY EVASIVE (versus “quick to flee,” which sounds cowardly and like someone who would abandon a friend)

Oh! I just had another intriguing idea. You created “mints” for adjusting certain traits/natures (without actually changing the text for those traits/natures). What if there were similar items or means of altering the actual (text) nature/personality to one that is preferred (considering certain code-skilled hackers are able to do this to some degree)? What if you could care for a Lonely and Somewhat Vain Pokémon some way that would turn him/her/it Jolly and Impetuous and Silly? What if a Pokémon Center could include a therapist (a “Doctor Mien” or “Doc Attitude” in an office near Nurse Joy) of some sort who could instill personality adjustments, much the way the café guys in the Galarian region can help with remembering moves and altering names?

Of course, if there were no such natures/personalities as Vain, Timid, Lax and Lonely, this wouldn’t be needed. But, considering you already have them in previous/current games…and considering you came up with the mint idea…why not a…er…mint-effect tutor; a personality adjusting therapist/massage supplier? This would improve the outlook on finding an unpleasant creature by providing a means of improving that outlook. You’re not exactly performing brain surgery or using mind control; you’re “polishing a turd” by instilling a new behavior/attitude. You’re turning a dud into a stud or star; you’re improving the nature of your partner by helping (not warping) him/her/it. Think of it like another way of correcting those status effects like paralysis and burns. A lonely or mischievous Pokémon could be trained/taught to be more jolly and kind/helpful; a timid Pokémon could be given ample feeding of support/compliments to become self-confident and/or brave. Now, you’re not just coping with a lousy “soldier” in your “army” as you pursue war; you’re looking out for your friends and stoking the fire of teamwork (much the way you already offer building “friendship” to allow for evading attacks).

Link Trades. I was recently discussing Link Trading with a family member who also plays some of your games. They were trying to connect with a particular trader via a link code. But, having to enter the same code over and over, only to encounter others trying to reach the same person, seemed rather annoying and futile. There is an option to block certain online players from making some kind of connection with you, as the player. What if there was a feature or bit of programming for filtering out those other people entering the link codes, so traders are not bumping into each other accidentally–which seems rather foolish. Or, there could be a “call-waiting” system which would let traders know where they stand in a line to get to a particular trader, giving each wannabe trader a number in that line. Also, a simple redial button would save the hassle of re-entering the same code over and over, again.

And, I know it’s probably asking too much, but I’d like a different general…er…type or model for these Pokémon games; focusing on battles seems deceptively cruel. There’s a splash of excitement and magic thrown over forcing animals to fight until they “faint.” My nephews say “die” and enjoy “killing” opposing Pokémon. It’s a bit difficult to enjoy…anything…when you are driven to “kill” something, without inducing bloodlust and promoting violence. I don’t want my beloved pets/friends/companions tearing, slashing and gutting other creatures I find in wild, natural settings…nor in some gym/arena; I’d prefer them to force the opposing creatures to withdraw with a playful splash, pounce or tail slap. [But, when I do encounter some jerk/bully and/or savage, mean-spirited creatures, I tend to lower my standards and may resort to some “blind” violence.]

[I realize the first games were probably intended for aggressive, restless boys who needed one more outlet for releasing violent energy away from actual human opponents. But, girls and non-violent boys/men (like me) like your “pets,” too. And, not every game or anime has to be about fighting to earn some sort of title or power; striving to achieve does not always equate combat. It may seem like combat, but we don’t actually attack others to get a promotion at work; that sounds more like The Hunger Games or The Running Man.]

Games like Pokémon Snap are…okay. But, I don’t want to just take photos and hope to get a good score/rating to decide my outcome; I don’t want to be rated on everything I do. [And, to be quite honest, taking photos of Pokémon in games seems a bit disappointing. Any photos I try to save always appear a bit pixelated, like an older 8-bit game versus an actual, quality photo I’d want to frame.] Completing a Pokedex is a goal, not a rating/score. And, I want to spend more time with my “pets,” not just throw a ball at them, feed them and then send them into battle only to watch some poor creature fall motionless (or…well…disappear). [Imagine having a monkey ride on your shoulder and toy/play with you or riding your newfound pet horse across the countryside, not watching a poor creature with short legs and lousy speed try to keep up as you speed ahead on a bicycle or motor vehicle.]

Even if my suggestions and these alternative Pokémon games help by providing alternatives to fighting, I get the feeling you may have already put a certain “stink” on the whole Pokémon image. Yet, like some trees, maybe this project just needs sufficient time to amend/heal. This reminds me of how certain legendary Pokémon cease conflicts between other powerful creatures.

Encouraging violence isn’t helping anyone, even if it temporarily can be a stress reliever. [When I get mad at someone, I’d rather play Final Fight or Double Dragon and pound some punks into submission than pick an actual fight with anyone.] If you look at anime like Avatar: The Last Airbender, the protagonists improve themselves with experience and interaction, with learning and observation; the combat is more often in self-defense than a chosen or required path. [And, isn’t one of the oldest lessons about the martial arts that they are not intended for “kicking butt” but for improving one’s ability to defend themselves and those they wish to protect?] Amazingly, people (in the Avatar anime) rarely faint; those who actually die seem to do so quietly or “off-camera” in a way that reduces potential discomfort. Though, I suppose, you have to accept the notion that mortals will eventually die, somehow; that’s also a lesson of life we all must learn.

You tried to steer things in a different direction with those “Pokémon Contests,” back in…was it Emerald? You had May face off against that “fancy pants” boy who boasted about his Roselia; they competed in some sort of exhibition of talents, beauty, strength, etc. Those were actually fun, in the game, by the way.

Maybe a sort of Pokémon Olympics would be a more noble path than fighting to fight some more and be the best fighter, excused as a “Pokémon Master.” [There is a Legend of Zelda game in which Link hones his skills as an archer. Similarly, Pokémon could hone skills with trainers met along a journey, practicing tree-climbing or swimming, for examples, to develop and improve skills which could then be tested in some sort of competition at a designated arena/stadium. And, unlike the actual modern Olympics, there would likely be less concern for coaches doing unpleasant things out of the public eye; in a way, the “parents” would be training and entering their “children” into competition, while encouraging/supporting the effort of helping others along the way to earning a medal/trophy.]

[You featured Pokémon Breeder as a path for Brock in the cartoons. Why couldn’t something like that be an alternative game plot? Have players work on being the best at caring for and learning about Pokémon, versus figuring out what deadly, powerful moves will ensure them victory in battle.]

Training could be done in nature, honing skills with splitting stones, meditating under waterfalls, swimming across lakes, listening to nature sounds, climbing mountains/trees, etc. Though, I realize, considering some of those objects in nature may also/actually be Pokémon…this gets a bit vexing. Also, instead of “fainting,” maybe, even in Pokémon battles, a fight could be decided with a “surrender” or “escape” when the opposing Pokémon “can no longer battle.” “The opposing (Pokémon) admits defeat and flees the scene to recover.” These games are not Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy; we’re not seeking tallies of kills in Medieval Times.

I think the Dynamax-pit battles in Pokémon Sword/Shield show signs of what’s to come. You took a diverse list of moves and reduced it to a smaller variety of type moves; all fighting moves become “maximum strike,” and grass moves become “maximum overgrowth.” That’s one step from going back to rock, scissors and paper. I think even you realize the list of possible moves is getting out of hand…yet you continue to try and invent more and more new creatures and keep them interesting. I think the early games should have taught you the lesson; such pursuits are sure to drive anyone mad and consume everything. It’s another green-eyed monster.

150 was a noble feat. 800+ is steering toward madness. You became like a rolling boulder, trying to keep the machine rolling with something new to keep buyers buying without losing or shedding the old. But, feeding such a monster only saps you until you’re nothing. [It’s a…wait for it…giga drain. Ha.]

You created something amazingly popular. Be content with it and move on to something new. Every story has an end; and then we find other stories. Eventually, Ash (Satoshi) gets older (even if he doesn’t mature); maybe he becomes a wistful mentor to the next generation who don’t see a need to have Pokémon fight for sport. Or, continue to make games involving Pokémon without the original questing and struggle to add more creatures/moves.

All of this does not mean anyone will forget what you created. Like other old games, we go back and play them, again, when the mood strikes. [Maybe not checkers, though my nephews are first playing that, now; I suppose some games lose their appeal.] The “Pokémon world” is a somewhat fun and educational place to visit (and return), full of colorful characters and creatures, just like our real world. Sure; it’s constantly evolving (and only expanding by revealing other parts we have yet to explore). But, learn from Monopoly, which is a huge waste of resources to create repetitive and time-consuming gaming just with an endless array of pieces from which players can choose. I know…creativity is both invigorating and taxing; but we all need to master better self-control. [I need to control myself and keep my letters more concise, as I’ve been advised many times.]

[And, I say all of this while a nephew and I have been busy creating new Pokémon; he already has two regions (or hemi-regions for the two compatible games of his generation) in mind and occasionally comes to me with new character drawings and explanations. You’ve given us–and others, I am sure–that itch you know all too well. Now, if only I could get him to work on a story, instead of just creatures and battle tactics.]

Despite your aspirations and/or intentions, we cannot actually LIVE in your Pokémon world. Trying to do so will deplete us until we are nothing. However, we can learn from your world how to better interact with and appreciate our own…you know, if we don’t try pitting a sparrow against a pig in combat.

Hopefully, some, if not all, of the above suggestions improve the quality and appreciation of your laborious works, for designers and players, alike. I think they will. I believe, with these adjustments, lengthy Pokémon questing games will be more worth the journey/investment.

Thank you (or “Domo arigato”) for your time and consideration. And, thank you for continuing to inspire me with your colorful creations. I am currently invested in Pokémon Shield and (excessively in) Pokémon Moon. I look forward to trying your latest Arceus game, considering it appears to add some fresh outlook on the journey and involves some historical elements. [I have an inexplicable interest in Asian culture and ancient history, though a few details occasionally deter my interest.]

Sincerely,

Writingbolt, a Pokémon fan since 1996 (though I first became enamored with the American cartoons in 1998, which drew me back to the games)