Monthly Archives: June 2018
Top 5 Changes in Pokemon from Gen 1 to 2
Today, we will be diving into changes and additions made between the first 2 generations of Pokemon. This list is of my opinions and Id love to hear what you guys think are the best additions.
HM New Pokeballs. The Gen 2 Pokeballs have been the focal point of a past blog post. They are coming in as an Honorable Mention because, at the end of the day, they sadly were not that great. I watched a video discussing how half of these Pokeballs did not alter the catch rate like they claimed. Despite not living up to their hype, it was still Gamefreak flexing some creative muscles and trying to add some depth to a simple concept like the Pokeball. I still to this day have fond memories of this addition from the days of the anime.
#5 Making Legendary Pokemons apart of the story- Do not get me wrong, Mewtwo is awesome and is still the Macdaddy of legendary Pokemons. However, he is barely mentioned at all through the main story. In Gen 2, Suicune, Ho-oh, Lugia, and even Celebi come up in dialogue quite often. Ecruteak City is one of the more memorable towns in all of the Pokemon regions due to it being a big central location of the story. While I think legendaries did not hit their stride unto Hoenn, Gen 2 set a precedent for making the legendary Pokemon more of point to the story.
#4 Rematches- The deeper I get into this, the more I realize a “Features Generation 3 expanded on” is going to be an easy blog. Rematches were sorely missing from Generation 1. The reason this is a big deal is because it limited experience and money the player could earn. Beating other trainers dishes out the most experience and cash flow. Generation 2 introduced rematches. Thanks to the Pokegear, the player could receive random phone calls from trainers they have beaten in the past.
#3 Held Items- Pokemons holding items seems like a concept as old as the game itself. However, this feature was an addition added in Johto. They showcased this by having your starter hold a berry. Which was a nice touch in the early stages of the game. But this is not even the best example nor does it illustrate the role items have had. From using the experience share to help aid you in leveling up, to the choice items (scarf, band, sash). Later generations have even added Mega Stones, Z moves, and evolites. Needless to say, held items have become such a crucial part of the game.
#2 Genders- This extends to pokemons and trainers. In the Kanto days there was just one trainer Red. Also pokemons were genderless. In Generation 2 the world was introduced to a female trainer. While I am a Male Pokemon trainer, it would be foolish to not recognize the growing number of female trainers playing this awesome game. It’s only natural Pokemon would evolve to the point where we had female trainers represented in the game. Still, good on you Gamefreak for making this simple but much needed addition. As for pokemon’s gender, well we will get to that in the next point.
#1 Breeding- Breeding is and was the definition of a game changer! It introduced baby forms (Pichu, Magby, Elekid to name a few). Which was really it’s claim to fame in Gen 2. When later games added natures, evs, and ivs, breeding became paramount. It was at the forefront of any serious competitive team. Generation 2 also saw egg moves become a part of the game thanks to breeding. Some Pokemons could only learn a move by having that move passed down from the parent Pokemon. With different egg groups, exclusive egg moves, competitive breeding for perfect ivs and nature, and the introduction of baby Pokemons, I would have to give Breeding the number 1 spot on Top changes and additions from Gen 1 to 2!
Thanks for reading everybody!
Have a great day!
Video Game Review: A Hat in Time
A little less than a year ago, Gears for Breakfast released this little gem for the world to enjoy. And enjoy it I have. If you’ve never heard or seen A Hat in Time before, it is a 3-D action platformer made in the same vain as other classics such as Super Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie. The game is full of colorful level, giant worlds to explore, an overabundance of collectibles and some of the most engaging characters I have seen in a platformer.
My style of review is like having a casual conversation, so lets discuss what the game does right and wrong.
The Right
Exploration– This is one of the most important factors to me when determining the fun factor of a game. The game features 4 massive worlds plus a fifth level that is linear instead of a sandbox. Yes most games feature 10+ worlds, but the worlds you’ll find in A Hat in Time are vibrant, unique, and full of charm. Mafia Town is still a world I’ll load up and run around in to this day. The freedom of movement only aids this category as well. Featuring double jumps, aerial dashes, and wall climbing, the open worlds are super fun to traverse. It never gets old dashing around the levels.
Characters- I don’t always expect much from the supporting cast from platformers, however almost every character in this game is memorable and just adds to the personality that is A Hat is Time. The Snatcher is probably my favorite character, but the conductor and DJ Grooves rivalry, the alien-fearing Mafia, and the interesting antihero Mustache Girl, form a rainbow of charm that help carry the game.
Collectibles- Collectibles. You either love them or hate them. I think Gears for Breakfast absolutely nailed the collectibles that are hidden throughout the game. The collectibles are the Time Pieces (think stars from Super Mario), Pons (think coins from Super Mario) and Rift Tokens (I don’t really have a comparison, but its a second currency). Not collectibles per se, but there are several hats she can equip to give her powers. For example, she has a sprint cap that lets her move faster while say, the brewers cap gives her the ability to launch projectiles. There’s also dyes that change her costume color and style. I find this to be the perfect blend. There’s enough collectibles to help cover the level and motivate you to explore without making it feel like a chore. This really goes a long way in a game styled like this.
The Wrong
It is short… for now. 5 worlds and a nice hub world means the game is of fair length. However, as a gamer, you never want a game to end. However, the next wave of DLC/update says it roll out 2 new worlds. Of course I am looking forward to this. This small blemish may soon be erased.
Untapped Potential– When I was reading about the game, I remember reading about using the Time pieces to turn back time and such. It comes up from time to time, but it seems like its mostly in the background. This seems to be a story element and not a gameplay mechanic. I could be misremembering something, but it will feels like there were some time alerting mechanics they could have expanded upon.
Really, these are my only real complaints. The game is just a perfect blend of elements I love in video games. Anything else I say from here would just be reiterating earlier thoughts. If you played early platformers from the N64/Gamecube, PS1/PS2 era, you owe it to yourself to get this game. A Hat in Time is available on the steam store for just $29.99 and the PS4 and Xbox One for $29.99 as well. I’m not going to assign a score but just know this game is close to perfect. I keep fluctuating somewhere between 9 out of 10 to 10 out of 10. Yeah, it really is a great game.
Be on the look out for my youtube review on channel in the near future.
Thank you
Da_Hubbz 