People missing Mega Evos is the turn I didn’t expect to see but then again Dyna/Gigantamax are just reductive versions of it anyways. I dislike both for their own reasons (Some Megas should’ve been actual evolutions and Dynamax forms are just a retread of Mega Evoultion). The remake of the Sinnoh games having Dynamax gimmick makes sense since ORAS introduced Mega Evos to the Hoenn storyline. Koffing still has “Levitate” in Gen 8 (or else it would’ve been replaced like with what happened to Gengar’s ability in Gen 7). You just need to catch/breed one to get the opposite main ability or use the ability capsule.
I'm not a huge fan of either mechanic, but I over time I've come to realize Dynamax is a better version of Mega Evolution. Dynamax being available to all and being more transient than a Mega, along with GMax formes being available to Pokemon that aren't fully evolved makes more sense to me as a temporary super form. A handful of 1 or 2 stage Pokemon getting a temporary, essentially useless in-battle-only evolution (which 9/10 would have better served as a proper evolution) is even stupider in retrospect. I hope the only time we ever have to look back to Mega Evolution is to retcon a bunch as separate Pokemon. Pokemon becoming kaiju also at least has a whimsical element to it, and harks back to an early influence on the franchise.
I finished up my Platinum playthrough the other day. Was planning on raising my team to level 55 to face the Elite Four but who honestly has the time and I just went in at lv. 50 instead and I did fine, Gyarados is honestly a monster. Then I hopped onto White 2 to see where I had left off and I've been having a good time with it. The battle UI is still ugly and the music isn't that good but the world looks very vibrant and non-linear (for a Pokémon game). The random trainers are also presenting a good challenge - I have 6 badges and some have lv. 47 Pokémon, which is nice.
Wait, Grookey looks good here? They essentially changed the head-mask-eyes-mouth proportions, and they even gave it a more structured body. Make it canon in the main games please! Edit: Also the more vibrant/saturated colors and more developed arms are excellent improvements on Sobble: Other highlights: Spoiler
The Café Mix art style/character designs are really lovely, I definitely wouldn't mind them using that style for future games as well.
Scorbunny is still my favourite starter design ever. A shame they kind of wasted the potential for its evolution
If this was the regular form of cinderace though? (But also with arms shaped like in its previous two forms.) I would have never stanned a starter so hard before.
I like him but his tube legs bother me, it seems very out of place / not on style. Fennekin is probably my all time favourite starter design, but again, the final evolution squandered all potential.
AY! My little drummer Grookey always looked great! CrazyeyeNadine.gif I don’t particularly care for Cafe’s art style but they do all look cute. Though I chuckled when someone on Twitter said the only Pokémon that doesn’t look good in the artstyle is Pikachu!
Honestly the gen 8 starters as a trio are probably my least favorite. I dont dislike them, i do enjoy them as pokemon but they just dont seem to me as strong designs as all previous starter groups. The base trio is great, middle stage is ok-ish but the final stages arent all that. Still im sure they'll grow on me even more over the years
I do think the gen 8 starters are all great, but unfortunately their evolutions range from kinda decent to abysmally bad.
I think Popplio is my favourite starter. Probably no surprise in my case considering its typing! This vegan-friendly queen would be right behind.
