As it stands,Pokemonis estimated to be the highest grossing media franchise of all time, besting the likes ofStar Wars,Mario,Spider-Man, andHello Kitty. Its success in the west began in September 1998 with the release ofPokemon RedandBlue, and it has since gone on to spawn a popular trading card game as well as the wildly successful anime series and a whole host of physical merchandise.ScarletandVioletare the latest mainline entriesin the mammoth property, and will look to recapture the magic of what came before. It’s in the best place to do so, finding a home on one of Nintendo’s more successful pieces of hardware.
The Nintendo Switch is a hit in comparison to its Wii U predecessor. Topping 100 million units and surpassing the Nintendo Wii in sales this past February, the hybrid system is proving to be one of the company’s best ideas to date, and the eShop it provides has been steadily growing, adding plenty of memorable experiences available for purchase. However, there are some games that it curiously doesn’t offer, and older generations ofPokemonremain absent. This is strange, as it would provide Nintendo with plentiful further income that it could use to make the Switch’s successor and exclusives even better.
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2022 is Huge for Pokemon
With the imminent release ofVioletandScarlet,Pokemonis on the minds of many in a year that has been slow for AAA releases. Early 2022 saw the release ofPokemon Legends: Arceus, and the new mainline games are scheduled to arrive this fall. This is on top of the fact that thePokemontrading card gameis seeing a renewed interest, so it’s clear that the franchise is as relevant as it’s ever been. The Game Freak-developed series started its life over quarter of a century ago but it’s facing some of its biggest challenges today, and aside from a few hiccups, it’s handling them with grace.
Some find comfort in the familiar, which makesPokemonthe perfect franchise for them. Its core game design never seems to evolve past being a light-hearted, easy to pick up JRPG property, accessible for younger audiences and memorable to existing fans.2022 has been littered with excitingPokemonnewsand anticipation has been building for what’s to come. The previous generations could ride the wave of the franchise’s popularity on the Nintendo Switch eShop, provoking more sales and further expanding its reach. IfScarletandVioletare a success, this move could entice some to carry on theirPokemonjourney elsewhere, and if they’re a failure, it could grant players access to the games that they wished the new release would be.
eShop Availability Appeals to Nostalgia
WithNintendo Switch Onlineoffering classic experiences for a monthly cost, it now feels like a glaring omission that the older generations ofPokemongames aren’t available on the Switch, a system that feels perfect for the property. With only a few exceptions, olderPokemongames never seem to make the leap to newer consoles in their original state, as offerings likeOmega RubyandLet’s Gosignificantly update the visuals and refine the gameplay. This is welcomed by many, but releasing previous generations as they were when they first released would be even better.
Experiences in the Game Freak franchise have a tendency to lean heavily on nostalgia. Most entries bear far more similarities than differences, withcriticisms ofSwordandShieldarising that it didn’t advance the formula enough. Yet, fans tend to have an attachment to their favorite title regardless of how similar it is to other adventures in the franchise. The starter Pokemon, the regions each game presents, and the gameplay loop are all beloved, and allowing players to experience – or reexperience – the magic on a modern system that doesn’t require AA batteries or squinting at the screen would perfectly blend nostalgia with modern technology.
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eShop is Littered with Forgettable Pokemon Games
As it stands, there are only a fewPokemongames on the Nintendo Switch eShop. Some are decent entries in the franchise, but there seems to be a smattering of less-beloved games on the eShop shelves.Pokemon Questhas been a Switch mainstaysince May 2018, andPokemon Unitearrived over three years later to mixed reviews.
More options is never usually an issue, but Switch andSwitch Liteusers on the eShop spend much time wading through the lesserPokemonspin-offs while looking for the games that are more universally beloved. Bringing the classic games to the Switch would do well to tip the favor back to games that are critical successes.
Nintendo 3DS eShop is (Soon to Be) No More
With theupcoming closure of the Wii U and 3DS eShop, there are a handful of games that will be lost in time. The former system never sold well, but the 3DS offered plenty of fun between the years of 2011-2020, and its nativePokemongames are in need of a new home. It’s getting less and less feasible to play these earlier games. It takes the effort of finding a system that’s in good working order and paying the often skyrocketing cost of a physical copy, which makes playing the likes ofPokemon X/Y,Sun/Moon, andOmega Ruby/Alpha Sapphireless enticing.
The Nintendo Switch is a potential lifeboat for olderPokemongames. It’s small, portable, popular, and decently powerful. The simple inclusion of a backlight on the Nintendo Switch could make theoriginal Game Boy titlesPokemonRedandBlueplayable, making sure the core gameplay and art style remains intact while highlighting the game’s best features. Before the release of the Switch, there were surely those who wanted all the pre-existing mainlinePokemongames on the system, but now that previous consoles have officially been discontinued, it should the responsibility of the Switch to bring them back into the mainstream, and it makes all the financial sense in the world for Nintendo to make it happen.
Pokemon ScarletandVioletlaunches November 18 on Nintendo Switch.
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