Summary
Pokemongames stopped including the National Pokedex after Generation 6, much to the ire of the completionists in the community. After all, fans have asked how anyone can “catch ‘em all,“as thePokemonfranchise’s English slogan goes, if the Pokemon aren’t all available.
The National Pokedex consists of every Pokemon in existence. The first games in the series,Red and Blue,had a total of 150 catchable Pokemon. Each generation that followed added around 100 creatures. Generation 6 (Pokemon X and Y) had the least new Pokemon at 72, while Generation 5 (Pokemon Black and White) added the most at 156. Unfortunately, fans may not be able to catch all these Pokemon in one game anytime soon. as the National Pokedex is only getting harder to justify.
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There Are Too Many Pokemon
The result ofadding new Pokemon every few yearshas caused the National Pokedex to swell tremendously. There are now over 1000 Pokemon, which is a staggering number. This on its own is one major reason the National Pokedex is unlikely to return; there are simply too many creatures.
It just doesn’t make sense to make over 1000 monsters available in each new game. For new players, this is an absurd number. Having to catch, collect, and trade for over 1000 creatures just isn’t for everyone.Around 400 catchable Pokemon like inScarlet and Violetis a much more comfortable number, enough to have a wide variety but not overwhelmingly so. The games are designed for a broad audience, from children who are getting their first taste of aPokemongame to the more seasoned fans of the series.
New Pokemon Worlds and Technology
It’s not only new Pokemon that are being introduced with each new generation. Alongside new gameplay elements, there are also dozens of characters to meet. Gym leaders, rivals, professors, antagonists, and friends to help along the way are also added. Each new region would feel empty without the human characters and increasingly complex cities. Most gamers want more immersive experiences, which has in part necessitated the move to an open world design.
Over its history, thePokemonRPG series hasn’t just added new creatures with every new generation. The games themselves have had to evolve along with technology that has improved in leaps and bounds over the last few decades. The series is sometimes decried for being formulaic and bound by tradition, but developer Game Freak has seemingly been doing its level best to keep up with the tastes of modern players while preserving the core gameplay.
Scarlet and Violetare the first true open-worldPokemonRPGs. Granted, the 9th Generation titles do have some technical issues, but they are well-realized andmodern takes on thePokemonformula. Trying to bring every single Pokemon into each new game would likely get in the way of potential innovation.
The National Pokedex Lives On In Pokemon Home
While it might not be seen in thePokemonRPG series again, the National Pokedex does exist withinPokemon Home. At least for the moment it could be possible tocomplete thePokemon HomePokedexby playing a variety of titles. For the moment those playing the 3DSPokemongames can still transfer many of the creatures not included in more recent titles to the service viaPokemon Bank, but with the closure of the 3DS eShopPokemon Bankis no longer available for download.
ThePokemonfranchise isn’t likely to end withScarlet and Violet. There will eventually be another game, and Game Freak will probably attempt to include some creatures that have become unavailable over time. There will be opportunities to reintroduce seemingly neglected or forgotten Pokemon, sometimes as an interesting regional variant. They might not work in every game, but they can be transferred or kept withPokemon Home.
Unfortunately,Pokemon Homerequires a premium membership to hold more than 30 creatures. Some might feel that this is effectively paywalling the National Pokedex, but it is better than not having it at all. On the bright side, creatures that have been caught in other titles likePokemonGocan also betransferred intoPokemon Hometo help complete it.
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