With the news of Pokemon Black & White being announced, this got me thinking. Pokemon has been running for a long time now, and when we were first introduced to Pokemon back in Game Boy days, the whole concept of the gameplay was appealing and somewhat new. Capturing your own team of pocket monsters, and being able to mix and match the them to create your own battle style with the different types took the world by storm. Many games later, the series hasn’t really changed a whole lot. To some people this is fine, and I’m not saying the Pokemon games are bad, because they aren’t. They are good solid RPG games, but the potential that Game Freaks and Nintendo could do with the series is huge. Here’s a look at what, perhaps some people want in the next Pokemon game.

1. More Pokemon?

Some people want less Pokemon, some want more, I sit in between, I loved the original 151 Pokemon and a few of the new generations. But the problem is that some of the Pokemon don’t really look all that creative; especially when compared the first generation Pokemon. While we’re at it, why not give some of the weaker Pokemon evolutions? Some of the underrated Pokemon like Sandslash for example, could use an evolution.

Some people seem to want less cute Pokemon. The only problem with this, is that Pokemon’s fanbase is so large that it sells itself on cuteness to small children and other fans. I do prefer the more hardcore looking Pokemon, but I can understand both sides to the argument. Hopefully Nintendo will find right balance between the two.

2. Visuals and Animation

Every Pokemon game that’s been released never seems to push the handheld or console to its fullest potential, Don’t get me wrong, Soul Sliver looks very nice, but it could still look a lot better too. Battle animations could also use a big step up. I’m fed up of seeing my Pokemon use bubble beam, and watch it come out his chest instead of its mouth. These are only small things, and they don’t effect the gameplay at all. But at the same time, it would please a few fans and the game would look better as well. Whilst I’m on the subject of graphics, why doesn’t Game Freak add some cutscenes into the game? It would help immerse the player into the story a lot better, which brings me onto my next section…

3. Story

One thing that has remained similar since the beginning is the storyline is that  the player has to defeat gym leaders before taking on the Elite Four. Isn’t it time for a change? Keep the gym leaders and the Elite Four by all means; but at least add a real story to the game. Don’t make the gym leaders and Elite Four the main focus or even part of the story, just keep them in for a sidequest. Pokemon is a RPG and a good one at that. So why not have a decent RPG driven story? Alternate endings and story twists depending on certain choices, with certain Pokemon or characters, you make in the game would be a nice change of pace. How about a return of a proper evil organisation like Team Rocket – people who are using Pokémon to further their own goals of criminal damage, stealing and Pokemon smuggling. Not “thugs” who realise the error of their ways and apologize.

4. Open world

The world of Pokemon is huge, so why can’t we go to old regions from previous games? Or perhaps when you start the game, you can pick which region you wish to start in and maybe even visit other players in their “starter” regions via Wifi. You have all these different regions such as Orre, Fiore and Almia. So why just leave them to collect dust until you make ANOTHER revamp of a previous game? It wouldn’t be hard to fit 1 or 2 regions onto a DS cart at all, so do it!

5. Special Events

You know those events where you take your Pokemon game to so you can download a rare Pokemon? Scrap them. No one likes them. They are a pointless waste of time and effort. Just stick them up as downloadable content from DSi ware or something.

6. New starter Pokemon

Instead of the standard Fire, Leaf, Water Pokemon as a choice of starters why not make it random? Out of a set bunch of 15 starters. So each new game you start, 3 of the 15 get chosen for starters and can only be starters. This way the game will seem a lot fresher instead of knowing that your fire starter Pokemon is going to get owned in the first rock type gym.

So are there any things you’d like to see in the new Pokemon games? Agree with this list or not? Let us know via a comment. Pokemon Black and White don’t have release dates as of yet. So stay with Zippy Gamer to find out more, as we know it!