The release of the new Pokémon X and Y has stirred a lot of conversation especially with all the changes the game brings to the world of Pokémon, particularly the new fairy type.
But let me first say that I have been playing Pokémon since the blue, red, and yellow versions. I started playing since Diamond and Pearl were released in 2007. Yes, this does include all that nonsense with EV training and various tiers of Pokémon. (For the less Pokémon-savvy, EVs or Effort Values determine how strong your pokémon—or pocket monster— will be in a certain area.)
[one_third]With a catch rate of about 50%, the legendaries of the game are now easier to catch than a Pikachu.[/one_third]
Now that that has been established, let me get straight to the point: Pokémon X and Y are comparatively a lot easier than their predecessors. Don’t get me wrong; actual competitive play and online battle have been expanded through new pokémon and type changes. I am talking about the game itself. For example, on Route 12, a man in green will give you a free Lapras. If you’ve ever watched the TV show, you might have seen Ash ride one and figured out that a Lapras is not a common pokémon.
In previous versions of the game, one would have had to travel into the heart of a mountain and struggle with it. So to just get one for free out of the blue made me question the current game developers. If a Lapras is supposed to be hard to find why in the world would some random stranger give one to you?
Battling gym leaders has also lost some of its difficulty as all of them have only three pokémon and after unlocking mega evolutions (a new feature in the game), players are able to just overpower them with a buffed up pokémon. Pokémon was supposed to shy away from using a single pokémon all the time.
Another qualm I have is how easy it was to catch Yveltal and Xerneas, the game’s legendaries. With a catch rate of about 50%, the legendaries of the game are now easier to catch than a Pikachu. I mean really? Who would make an electric rat easier to catch than ancient creature of enormous power. During my playthrough of Y, I chucked one ultra ball (a better version of the Poké ball) at it and BAM! It was caught. The only thing I thought at the time was, “Surely these aren’t the legendary pokémon I remember?” I had bought 50 ultra balls in preparation because everyone knows that a legendary is not easy to catch unless you’re Ash Ketchum. Sure, there are other legendary pokémon that are harder to catch (like Mewtwo) but that’s what you have a master ball for.
In short, my main problem with the way Pokémon is going is that it is becoming too dumbed down and too easy. If a game becomes too easy, players quickly lose interest. And when they do, they’ll soon drop the game.
