Rating the changes: Pokémon RYB vs Pokémon Let’s Go

[Alolan_Apples]

As we wait for the new Animal Crossing game, I decided to have a blog entry that rates all of the changes between the original Pokémon games to the latest Pokémon games (since they are just the same game but with a few differences). This is a beta test on how I rate the changes, but when ACNH comes out, it’s going to be big.

When I rate the differences, they get a score between -3 and +3, where scores greater than 0 are good, scores less than 0 are bad, and 0 means it’s a completely neutral change, either because I don’t care at all, or because it is just as good as it is bad.

• +3/-3 - Strong opinion: The change was actually very good that it would make me recommend buying the game. If it’s negative, same thing except that it’s a horrible change.
• +2/-2 - Average opinion: My opinion isn’t strong enough to affect whether or not I recommend buying the game, but they are definitely not neutral. Good changes, I love, but bad changes, I hate. Either way, I would be okay.
• +1/-1 - Weak opinion: The change is actually more of a neutral change, but it’s leaning more positive or negative. The goods may have diluted the bad enough to where it’s like this (or vice versa), or it’s just neutral, but it did make the newer version better or worse.

I also have a rating scale for similarities, but it’s from -2 to +2. If the score is positive, then it means that the developers were right about not changing it. If the score is negative, then it means that there needs to be a change. If the score is 0, I would’ve not cared if they changed it or not, but it has not changed.

Stuff that changed in Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu/Let’s Go Eevee:

Now that I went over the scoring guide, it’s time to rate the changes. Keep in mind that it’s only in between the originals and the Switch variants. It is not between Pokémon Sun/Moon and Let’s Go.

• Graphics: While it’s not fair to judge graphics because the original games were made in a time when data limitations are strict, this is an extreme change. They changed from pixelated and black and white to HD 3D graphics that looked like if Pokémon Stadium had an HD remaster. Even the 3DS didn’t have graphics that good. Score: +3
• Sound: The problem with switching from 8-bit to orchestra is that it sounds less catchy. I listened to some of the older soundtracks and their modern comparison, and some of them (like Pallet Town) sounded much better on the original version. But because of the improve in quality, it’s more of a positive change. Score: +2
• Gameplay: Same like always, but there’s one major difference. Pokémon Let’s Go replaced random encounters with what Pokémon Go had. I do not like Pokémon Go because it’s a mobile game, I have to walk all over to find some worthy Pokémon, and that it drains the battery fast. But the catching mechanic is fine. The only downside is that it’s more tedious to level up my Pokémon. But that is always tedious anyway. And they have candies, which level up stats like how Poké Pelago did, but you can do it to any stat. This didn’t make it any better, but I did like candies. Score: +1
• Modern Stats: One thing Gen 2 and Gen 3 did right was that it improved the strange stats with Pokémon Red/Yellow/Blue (which had complicated stats). While Let’s Go is trying to be a tribute to the older games, I like the fact that they chose to keep IVs, natures, special attack, special defense, and the three new types that didn’t exist in Gen 1. But one thing to keep in mind: Due to the lack of Dark and Dragon Pokémon and the overabundance in Poison Pokémon, Fairy-type Pokémon are quite useless. Score: +3
• Partner Play: Although HMs are fine in Gen 1, they are an outdated feature that needs to be changed. Partner Play is a perfect replacement since it’s not using up any move space. Score: +2
• Unlimited use of TMs: Prior to Gen 5, TMs can only be used once, and you can have only one TM of each move per file. By making TMs unlimited use, that was a great step forward. And they were able to carry that over to the Gen 1 remake. I don’t even know why they were single use to begin with. Score: +3
• Character Customization: Some may be better than none, but I am not happy with the customization feature. Especially when it’s just the same outfit but with different colorings. This is not a proper customization feature. They could’ve used the Celadon Department store for more character customization like in Sun and Moon, but they didn’t. By having a customization feature, they didn’t make it any worse, but I hate this system. Score: 0
• Storing Pokémon on the go: We live in an age where we like to make changes on the go rather than wait until we get to a stop. This also includes putting Pokémon away in boxes or getting them out. This is something that Let’s Go had that Sun and Moon (and earlier) didn’t have. What’s even more spectacular is that this is a Gen 1 remake. Score: +3
• Requirements to face gym leader: I thought this was rather interesting. In games past, you could enter no matter how much progress you made: But in this game, you had to do something or have a specific Pokémon (like based on type or based on level). It’s an okay change, but it’s more good than bad. Score: +1
• No bike riding: Now this is where the Switch remake starts to get in trouble. Since it’s a Gen 1 remake, a lot of mainstay features (like abilities and Pokémon breeding) have been removed, bringing us back to this. But what’s worse is that there are even fewer features in Let’s Go than in the originals. Bike riding is something you cannot do in Let’s Go. Score: -2
• Getting Mew: In the original, you could get a glitched Mew, but they took out that glitch. At the same time, you could get Mew very early if you got the Pokéball Plus. This was something I did like. Mew was one of my first Pokémon in the game, yet I never even had him/her in Sun and Moon. Score: +2
• Game Corner: The biggest insult in this game is that the Game Corner just turned into an arcade. Worse yet, but you can’t even play the games. Score: -3
• Regional Variants: I once admitted that I would be okay with a Pokémon game with just the first 151 Pokémon as long as they had the Alolan Pokémon. And they did give us one. Score: +3
• Pokémon Go Park: The last change I would like to evaluate is the change of the Pokémon Safari into a Pokémon Go transfer zone. As someone who doesn’t like Pokémon Go, I could care less about this. Score: 0
• Average Score: The final score is +1.286. The changes made it a little better, but when there is a bad change, it’s really bad.

Stuff that remained the same:

As they try to make it feel more like a Gen 1 game, they removed a lot of features they introduced in future games. Although I understand why, they’ve been mainstays in the Pokémon series for quite a long time, and removing them makes Pokémon less playable. In addition to the future features, there are a whole lot of other stuff that’s best if they changed or left the same.

• No Abilities: Abilities are fun and unique, but they make the battling more complicated. As long as they’re sticking to Gen I Pokémon only or if they only have every Pokémon up to Celebi, plus other Eevolutions and regional variants of Pokémon in the first two generations, then the games would be better off without abilities, especially if they make another Pokémon Stadium game. Score: +2
• HM routes: Basically stuff with partner play moments, I liked how they were in the way so they can encourage you to play their way. It’s better than handholding (like when that Stoutland won’t let you explore Akala Island unless you completed your trials). Score: +2
• Pokémon Breeding: Now this is a downer when they got rid of it. Part of the reason why I breed my own Pokémon is so if I over-level them, I can still use them without having them disobey me. This is especially a problem if you want to use your regional variants. Score: -2
• Day/Night Mode: Although I am okay with just daytime only, I like the feature where the time of the day changes, as I wish they had that in Let’s Go. Score: -1
• Gyms and Badges: Other than the gym requirements, the whole gym feature remains unchanged. Even if it’s an old feature that lived past its day, badges are a very interesting feature that tell how much you have progressed in the game. When a feature in a Pokémon game is so old it’s time to retire, it’s forgivable if the Gen 1 games have it. Score: +2
• Story: Every game, Pokémon basically had the same story despite different characters, actions, and all that matter. In the first game, Team Rocket is stealing Pokemon and are trying to profit off of them. They also want to take over Silph Co so they could take their Master Balls for power. At the same time, the trainer is trying to battle other Pokémon trainers, get the badges, and become champion. I prefer if they didn’t change the story, but I could care less. Score: 0
• Squared Worlds: I understand why worlds were squared back in the first generation. But to make mountains squared on the HD remake seems pretty weird. I wish they could add more curvy edges, but the map is fine the way it is. Score: -1
• Average Score: The final score is +0.286. Although I like some of the stuff to stay the same, it would be better if we could breed our Pokémon and have a day/night cycle. But they were slightly better off if they left it alone rather than change it.

Conclusion:

Now that I evaluated the similarities and differences between both Gen 1 games of Pokémon, you can see how I would evaluate Animal Crossing New Horizons from the changes from Animal Crossing New Leaf.