Pokemon X and Y

The Game Room
1

I don’t think I need to give a description of what kind of game Pokemon is, right? Right. Glad, we’re on the same page.

ADD version of what’s about to follow: If you’ve ever liked a Pokemon game, this is the best Pokemon game. Get it now.

Long Version:

I got Pokemon X on the 3DS digital store yesterday and I can say that, without a doubt, it is the best Pokemon game ever so far. I’m 6 hours in and have a single badge, even though you could probably get a badge in under an hour if you wanted. Because I keep getting distracted. There are so many little things in this game that you can do, especially if you’re on the internet.

There’s a new feature where you can pet your Pokemon and feed them cupcakes, and it’s the most adorable thing ever. You can also play minigames with them to get more cupcakes and make them like you more.

They also added a new feature that lets you EV train your Pokemon. If you don’t know what that is, it’s okay. Basically it lets you increase your Pokemon’s stats in a focused way. By playing minigames. This used to be incredibly complex, time consuming, and prone to error.

The final, and best, feature is online connectivity with other trainers. You can give people buffs, such as increased money from trainer battles, increased catch rate, and healing their Pokemon in the field. You can also trade from anywhere and battle from anywhere. There are also new things called Trainer Promotional Videos which are the best things ever, they’re basically short cutscenes you can make to make your trainer look awesome. Then other people can watch them. No, they have no practical benefit, who cares?

Of particular note in the “trading” department is Wonder Trade. If you wonder trade a Pokemon you trade with a random person for whatever Pokemon they put up for trade. This means that your level 9 vendor trash pokemon may net you a level 40 Gengar from some nice person. Or you’ll probably just keep getting Pikachus and Bidoofs. I got a Japanese squirtle for a second Pikachu I didn’t need.

Though by far the best changed feature is the new experience system. All Pokemon who participate in a battle get full experience points, not split evenly among them. Further, after the first gym you get EXP share which is a key item. When on, all Pokemon who didn’t participate in battle get half exp. You also get experience for catching Pokemon, not just fainting them. It basically took all the tedium out of levelling – though it is a bit easy to get overlevelled now. The tradeoff is that having multiple teams is a lot easier.

Though one thing to note is that, at least for the digital version, your save file is tethered to your 3DS system, no save juggling. To allow people who have both X and Y to have access to all their Pokemon, they’re introducing the Pokemon Bank. It’ll be released later this year sometime. For a $5/year fee you get to store up to 2000 Pokemon on the cloud, and it can be accessed from your Pokemon X and Y games on the same system. Unfortunately this is box storage and not a true trade, so no trading yourself Kadabras to get Alakazams without trading with real people anymore, but it’s still a good feature. Besides, $5/year is a lot cheaper than a second 3DS.

Oh also, they added skin and hair colors to the trainers. You can now play as a character with white/tan/dusky skin and blonde/brown/black hair (hair color is tied to skin color, though). You can also play dressup now by buying clothes. Though the clothes seem rather pricy at the early stage of the game I’m in.

Oh, and did I mention that they ditched the 2D sprites? Everything is in 3D now, though the actual 3DS 3D feature is only used during battles. The only issue is that there are some framerate drops every now and then, but it’s not like Pokemon games are big on reaction time, and I’ve never experienced a slowdown during a reaction time heavy minigame (which do have sprites rather than models). Overall the game is completely beautiful.

Finally, they gave Pikachu its anime voice instead of its cry. Only Pikachu, though.

I’m sure there’s other stuff I’m forgetting, but this game is really great.

2

I’m loving the game so far because of all the little things you’ve mentioned.

This is the first game in a long time where I played without having a full breakdown of all the Pokemon ahead of time. Kinda adds to the excitement.

3

Oh, I was given a Torchic because I bought the game yesterday.

4

Update: There’s a salon in the big city that lets you dye your hair. It’s pretty expensive early game, but after one run through the Battle Chateu I have about 50k, so it’ll be a drop in the bucket in later-game terms.

Also, for doing things online – even including just “meeting” people (no interaction required, just meaning your DS and theirs auto-ping each other), you get Pokemon Miles. By the time I got to the Pokemon Center that processed them I could afford over 20 ultra balls with them. That’s 20 ultra balls before the second gym, guys.

5

I have Pokemon Y after not playing any of them since… Emerald? It’s been a while.

I haven’t played much yet, but the charm is definitely there. Have they made the game too easy? It seems as if they have, based on the things said in this thread.

Most Pokemon players now are adults, it seems strange to make the game easier in this generation.

6

I wouldn’t say easier, just less tedious.

7

Pokemon has always been easy, you could beat pretty much any game with any team short of 6 magikarps. Other than the need for HMs people can and have done one Pokemon runs.

They just took out everything that made grinding tedious which makes everything seem easy since everyone ends up overleveled.

8

Well, I was ready to abandon Pokemon for all time after the XP changes in Black and White, but it sounds like the new XP changes might counterbalance them… I may have to check it out. Dammit.

9

Protip: get your affection up to 5 in Pokemon-amie. I just saw my Eevee cure itself of poison “so I wouldn’t worry”. They’ll also land crits more often and get increased exp (as if they were traded Pokemon). I’ve also had one basically manifest the sturdy ability spontaneously (aka Focus Sash). It’ll hold on to 1 HP when it would have died.

10

It’s my first Pokemon game and I’m liking it pretty well so far. Though I don’t really understand everything yet.

I have X, and picked Fennekin for my starter. Since then I’ve collected a handful of other guys, but it’s hard to level them all up evenly. The mini games only seem to benefit my starting Fennekin and not the guys who could really use some XP.

Also, there’s this one Pokemon - it looks like an unhappy little sarcophagus - and it apparently has NO offensive moves. Is it useless?

11

The only sarcophagus pokemon I know of is Cofagrigus and he’s considered a good defensive Pokemon (especially due to his ability: mummy).

No Pokemon is useless*, except maybe Magikarp and even Magikarp is good once it evolves. Though you may have trouble depending on your composition.

You can switch your Pokemon in the minigames. In Pokemon-amie, tap your Pokemon and hit “switch.” In the training dojo thing, tap a different pokemon on the bottom of the screen.

As for exp, you are changing your main pokemon, right? Tap the Pokeball in the lower left corner of the screen, and drag the one your want to train up into the upper left slot. That will make it come out first in battle, so even if you switch away from it it will get full experience.

  • Applies to Single Player only, competitive battling has tons of useless Pokemon.
12

First pokemon game for me since red/blue. I like it so far, and I’m really happy with how easy it is to level up pokemon. I was afraid of the tedium but I’m relieved it is so much better.

13

Wasn’t there a thread for swapping 3DS friend codes? Would that enhance gameplay or trading at all?

14

Actually, yes! There’s a new feature I haven’t gotten to (seriously, I’m 20 hours in and have 2 badges. I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time standing in one place) called the Friend Safari, which generates Pokemon based on your friends’ friend codes. These Pokemon apparently tend to have higher rates of being shiny or having their hidden abilities (normally unattainable in the wild).

15

My code is 4914-3852-9899.

16

Mine is 3024 - 5567 - 9467.

Y Version.

17

You may be thinking of Kakuna, which is a cocoon phase of an earlier pokemon. Increase its level enough and it will evolve into something much more useful. You can earn it exp by putting it in your lead spot and switching pokemon on the first turn of each fight, or by using the exp share item.

18

This is my first pokemon since red/blue too, and my first portable console since my good old gameboy pocket :3 .

FC: 1349-5755-3206

19

So I decided to restart a game. I was screwing around on wonder trade and was given a ditto even before I got to the first gym!

20

Nice, I’ve given away a few bulbasaurs on wonder trade, I got a box full of them.