The Pokémon series has undergone major changes over the years. Gone are the days of 8-bit sprites, and welcome are the days of the open world. Despite all the changes, Pokémon has remained the same in many ways, with battle equipment receiving minor tweaks, and large text boxes still cluttering the screen.
With Pokémon Winds and Tides on the horizon, it’s time for Pokémon to get more changes to prepare for Generation 10. Maybe this will be the generation where we finally get voice acting, or maybe we’ll have a rival that feels like a rival and not a cheerleader. At least some of these changes need to happen.
10
The Real Rival
Instead of a Friend
Many trainers remember the struggle to keep pace with their opponents from the early generations of Pokémon games. Gary was a menace, and he cursed every second he got. The same can be said for Silver.
These opponents are iconic in the Pokémon series due to their attitude, strong teams, and opposition to the player character. Stand as a major roadblock during your journey in the first games.
As time went on with the Pokémon games, the opponents got worse. Nemona was a breath of fresh air, but she had never filled a Gary-sized hole in my heart. It would be nice if Winds and Waves brought back an opponent you genuinely want to beat, not just because the game tells you to.
9
No Automatic EXP Sharing
At least, Not Soon
I just replayed Pokémon LeafGreen, then went on to play Pokémon HeartGold, and it made me remember what those games could be. I’ll admit, I’ve gotten comfortable with the EXP allotment that’s given right away.
As I continued to play, I realized that I prefer not to have EXP Share immediately. It makes you more connected to your Pokémon because you’re investing time and energy into them to make them great, not leveling your entire team at once.
With winds and waves, GameFreak should leave EXP sharing locked behind the door of the early game. I think the best time to take it out would be after your third gym battle, as this way you have some experience raising your Pokémon, but you don’t have to wait incredibly long.
8
Legends Must Come Later
They Used To Be Special
Legendary Pokémon are still special, but they somehow lose that special status when they’re instantly given to you. Over time, it became easier to find popular Pokémon, and Scarlet and Violet shared them.
There are many trainers who miss the old days of Pokémon and how hard it was to find legendary Pokémon. Famous birds only appeared in certain places, Regirock required you to complete a certain puzzle, and famous “dogs” appeared anywhere.
The hard work that went into finding these Pokémon made them feel so special when you finally catch them, and it would be great if Winds and Waves could recapture that magic.
7
Bring Back Fishing
It’s Amazing That It’s Gone
Pokémon has had a fishing mechanic in it since the first game, and it hasn’t changed much in the decades the franchise has been around. However, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet removed this mechanic, which many felt was an odd choice, especially since the games were open world.
Instead of fishing, you see Pokémon in the water, which is unusual. Gone are the days of being able to catch Pokémon by fishing, but Winds and Waves can bring it back.
These upcoming titles will include ocean biomes, which can expand fishing rods in a big way, allowing trainers to fish, but also see Pokémon swimming in the ocean so they know where to point their rod.
6
The Great Pokémon Roster
Big Game, Big List
There are over 1,000 Pokémon now, giving GameFreak plenty to choose from when creating Winds and Waves rosters. Most games stick to having a few hundred Pokémon, but Winds and Waves can expand this the way Scarlet and Violet do.
Scarlet and Violet have 400 Pokémon in the base game. The addition of DLCs increased this number to over 700. Winds and Tides can have at least 500 Pokémon in the base game, giving trainers tons of Pokémon to choose from for their teams.
Of course, this includes the addition of the next generation of Pokémon, which should be at least 100. Some games didn’t even break 100 new Pokémon, and that’s a trend GameFreak shouldn’t keep up with.
5
Better Battle Mechanics
Or No New Battle Mechanic
Every Pokémon needs to have some sort of battle gimmick that sets it apart from the rest. First it was double battles, then Mega Evolution, and now we have things like Terastallization.
Many have grown tired of these battle mechanics, especially when they feel like no ton of thought has been put into them. It felt like GameFreak was trying to recapture the high that was Mega Evolution and failed in every attempt.
Winds and waves should have a great battle mechanic or the games need to stick to normal battles without the flash gimmick. There are rumors of a weather-based combat mechanic, and that would be interesting, but I hope it’s well-executed.
4
Better Gyms
That Scale by Level
There is a problem that has arisen in Scarlet and Violet where you can challenge any gym in any way you feel like. Unfortunately, these gyms had fixed levels and fixed groups, meaning that if you ran to Glaseado first, you would lose to the level 47 ice type.
If you train hard, you can take a high level gym, but that also makes the rest of the game much easier. To make Winds and Waves better, it needs to have gym challenges that suit your current level.
For example, if you run to the last gym first, you will face a team that is leveled up to your current level, and the gym leader may have different Pokémon depending on when you visit them. This can make combat gyms more fun and increase the replay value of Winds and Waves.
3
Villains are better
They made them bad
At that time, there were pirates in Pokémon who were trying to destroy the world. There were criminals who wanted to steal Pokémon from everyone. They had good ideas. Now, we have a group of bullies cheering on a rival or a group that wants to end bullying.
It’s amazing to see how the villainous team in Pokémon has changed over the years, and it would be great if they were real villains again. Each generation that has passed has shown the corrupt party becoming weaker and more like an empty shell of what it once was.
Winds and Waves needs a villainous group with a plan, and one that poses a threat to the player character instead of cheerleaders and rappers.
2
Character customization
Let Me Do My Character
Pokémon character creation has evolved a bit over the years, but it’s still the same. Instead of having a static sprite, you now get the option to choose from a variety of preset options.
As you progress in the game, you can change your clothes and your hair. While this is great, it would be nice to see the series move in the direction of adding a full character creation system.
Imagine going through Winds and Waves with a fully designed character, and if the team added more clothing options, it would be even better.
1
Voice Acting
It Must Happen
Pokémon began its journey as a game that required you to learn everything. From the beginning, you learn stage by stage, progressing through the world as the silent protagonist.
This theme remained the same for decades, until Legends ZA was released. We then got a glimpse of what voiced Pokémon would be like, but it was thanks to fans who decided to recreate the cutscenes in the game with full voice acting.
I’m not saying every game needs voice acting, but it’s about time every cutscene got voice acting. After all, fans have been begging for this for a long time.
