Gaming Is Pokemon really fun, or just compulsive?

[regnad]

I don't mean to piss anyone off with this question. I've sunk an ungodly number of hours into quite a few iterations. But playing through White 2, it just seems like, as always, about 80% of the game is mindless level grinding.

It feels more like a compulsion -- as my stats slooowly creep up, and the levels slooowly accumulate, I find myself just mashing buttons on autopilot. But I can't stop. Not because I enjoy the level grinding, but because I need that one tiny step further toward evolving or getting that move.

This criticism can be said about any collecting or stat leveling game I suppose. But Pokemon seems very blatant about it -- it's pure, uncut compulsion.

Just putting this idea out for discussion.

 

[Jiehfeng]

O_O
Calm down man! Pokemon is extremely fun and addictive

 

[Janthran]

I've asked this many times. For the most part, the Pokemon games have all had the same traits:
>Boring gameplay
>Mediocre graphics
>Bland storyline

Honestly, with BW2 they really do seem to be getting better. I mean. now there's a decent story and good graphics.
But it's still not exactly fun, is it?

 

[porkiewpyne]

I dunno about you but levels seem to whizz by until I decide to actually train to get good Pokemon with good movesets and stats etc. Then it starts to be a chore.

Anyway, Pokemon games were never meant to be some literary masterpiece which makes you think about life and all. For me, it's to find out why some numbnut wants to capture *insert legendary here* to take over the world and how he is going to (attempt to) pull it off. And to see how I am going to single-handedly thwart his plan. And save the world as everyone else can only go "OMG what do we do now?".

But yea.

 

[emigre]

Pokemon is milked and a stale IP.

 

[Judas18]

Now that I think about it, I don't really pay much attention to what I'm doing when I play Pokemon. I guess it is mostly compulsive. I like it though.

 

[nryn99]

Unless they make it more than what they are now, probably and MMO and no longer turn-based strategy, I don't think I'll be able to touch another pokemon.

 

[Deleted member 194275]

Pokemon is really fun. It is outdated, that is a fact, but It is hard to imagine a game lasting 16 years with almost no changes and pokemon did it.

 

[Just Another Gamer]

Its fun in its own way. I find I enjoy catching new Pokemon and I actually happy to grind a little more in the games and by little I mean not much since I find the grinding stuff boring as hell and XP modifiers are fun.

 

[nryn99]

Pokemon is really fun. It is outdated, that is a fact, but It is hard to imagine a game lasting 16 years with almost no changes and pokemon did it.

I think pokemon was able to, because it's pokemon. And probably because of the following reasons:
- graphics improve a bit by region. drawing kids new to the series into pokemon and not feel like they're playing an old game.
- each region has different pokemons, and some of us have completionist instincts like they're some sort of achievements/trophy.
- it being portable, you could bring it almost anywhere and doesn't need much focus while playing.

 

[porkiewpyne]

^ That and the remakes with other nostalgia-inducing elements. Like the Pokemon following you in HGSS.

Always taunting about how you miss those good ol' days.

Always tempting you to go back for one more game.

 

[weavile001]

i only played pokemon white 2 because i wanted to hear the new battle themes

and my main objective in most of the games are:have a flygon,ninetales,weavile,metagross,lucario and salamence
and get the main legendary pokemon.

 

[chris888222]

The thing about Pokemon is (for me at least):
Even though the mechanics and all are repetitive crap for 16 years, I have no idea why I can get so engrossed into the game.

There's this kind of feeling that you need to finish them all or defeat the evil teams bla bla... Don't really know how to put it.

 

[someonewhodied]

I only really play pokemon to make new strategies for PvP battling and because of the music =P

 

[InuYasha]

It is what it always has been,for the most part the main series hasn't been fun since the gbc era...most people out grow it for one reason or another whether its age or bordem,honestly why I still love it in a way is due to the dungeon series and not the main series,I found black and black 2 extremely boring but thats me,even tho I havn't played it in awhile I prefer dragon quest monsters series over pokemon any day only thing its really missing is that adventuring aspect pokemon has...

 

[Yepi69]

Black/White 2 was obviously a 'cash cow' game, it only adds 2 more pokemon and a different story, thats it? it was cool until i beat it so now what?

 

[hack_ziro]

pokemon got rid of all the grinds ever since B/W
never was really there before anyways...
played through the main game and my team was lv60+ at the elite four...
i don't know why ppl think they need to grind...even if you are low leveled, you can win easely (pwned cynthia on challenge mode right away after the elite four with a lv61 team and owned Cheren post game on challenge mode with a lv50 lilligant and a 70 weezing as meat shield)
btw...challenge mode my a$$ >_>
the only real challenges i came across until now is the challenge house thingy at nimbasa city (got et least 5 stars after 100 trials...) and the postgame PWT

not even explored all citys yet and my team (as well as a bunch of other random pokemanZ) are at lv 67-77

note: in this game, i decided to stay away from legendaries and just use random pokemons i like, regardless of their stats
never was a fan of EV training, it was meant to be barely controllable and give the game a random note - i like it

if you need fresh air, why not making some pokemovies? i did them all, because i thought i would be able to change my outfit (that damn dressing room is just a bunch of lame puns)

tip: right after you get the item "lucky egg", exp just get thrown at ya - always give it your first pokemon to hold!
and there are still legendaries...well only one real legendary is obtainable during the main game withouth dream-radar - genesect...that's some superstrong dude with just one weakness

protip: do some festival missions at entralink - it's fun, fresh air and you can unlock "buffs" like "exp+"
in combination with a traded pokemon which holds a lucky egg while defeating an audino...dayum

 

[weavile001]

pokemon got rid of all the grinds ever since B/W
never was really there before anyways...
played through the main game and my team was lv60+ at the elite four...
i don't know why ppl think they need to grind...even if you are low leveled, you can win easely (pwned cynthia on challenge mode right away after the elite four with a lv61 team and owned Cheren post game on challenge mode with a lv50 lilligant and a 70 weezing as meat shield)
btw...challenge mode my a$$ >_>
the only real challenges i came across until now is the challenge house thingy at nimbasa city (got et least 5 stars after 100 trials...) and the postgame PWT

not even explored all citys yet and my team (as well as a bunch of other random pokemanZ) are at lv 67-77

note: in this game, i decided to stay away from legendaries and just use random pokemons i like, regardless of their stats
never was a fan of EV training, it was meant to be barely controllable and give the game a random note - i like it

if you need fresh air, why not making some pokemovies? i did them all, because i thought i would be able to change my outfit (that damn dressing room is just a bunch of lame puns)

tip: right after you get the item "lucky egg", exp just get thrown at ya - always give it your first pokemon to hold!
and there are still legendaries...well only one real legendary is obtainable during the main game withouth dream-radar - genesect...that's some superstrong dude with just one weakness

protip: do some festival missions at entralink - it's fun, fresh air and you can unlock "buffs" like "exp+"
in combination with a traded pokemon which holds a lucky egg while defeating an audino...dayum

challenge house thingy at nimbasa city?

 

[hack_ziro]

challenge house thingy at nimbasa city?

yeah idk how it's named in english...let's google it...

"Battle Institute"

where you can test your skills after beaten the elite four and the champ
aka
the place who kicks the crap out of you with not-very-effective attacks -_-'
gotten alot harder since B/W...the first 3 battles are fairly easy, but then it hits you with pokemon on super steroids which one-hits you with the weakest attack
but mostly they throw the best possible combination of types against you or sometimes even legendaries
either way ---> one hit K.O.
oh and you have to prevent as many K.O.'s as possible...
and they still hit you with blizzard after 6x Flash AND 6x Double Team @_@

 

[GammaGeorgeX]

Even when you play Black and White, the games are always better with nostalgic memories.