The Alpha and The Omega - Getting Bigger and Better

Writing blog entries is somewhat therapeutic. When the writer comes across a new myriad of extraneous variables, they are inspired in a sense to go out and articulate their opinions. Having somebody else come across them from time to time is an added bonus.

The eternal sunshine monologue aside – new information about the two new Pokemon games Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire has made its way onto the interweb and as such I have been itching to write about it. I did take my sweet time in pondering at length over the new additions but its worth the indulgence. Jumping right in.

The Hoenn starters receive their much-anticipated Mega Evolutions. Sceptile becomes part Dragon type and gains the ability Lightning Rod. Swampert gains Swift Swim while maintaining its type combination and Blaziken we’ve already gotten a taste of in the past year.

Sceptile now has the capacity to boast a unique type combination previously unheard of and should be a welcome addition to competitive battling considering it was slightly lack luster in the original series with both Mudkip and Torchic getting an extra typing upon evolution. Grass alone rarely cuts it and this is GameFreak’s way of remedying this. Well done.

The more suprising turn of events would have been if GameFreak decided to not go ahead with this move as granting Mega Formes to starters was not a pre requisite for the completion of the games to begin with. But hey, we’ll take what we get and we’ll definitely like it.

The most exciting element of this news is what it undoubtedly infers. Slowly but surely, GameFreak has set itself on a path where one day all Starters would be able to benefit from a Mega Evolution – and as satisfying Mega Sceptile surely is, one can’t help but wonder how amazing one day Mega Typhlosion, Mega Empoleon and Mega Serperior would be. A point of curiosity materializes when we consider how will they manage to keep these Formes version exclusives. I’m not a pro hacker but if these Formes were present in X and Y then we would have surely heard about them (like we did with the Lati twins).

Diancie got a Mega Evolution too. I could care less. No, really. Of all the base stat legendaries you gave Diancie a Mega Evolution? It’s fine. Not nitpicking. Again if it means anything and this is the direction that the franchise is headed then I am already excited about Celebi, Jirachi and the all powerful Mew to get theirs someday in the future. Mega Diancie – I could learn to live without it.

It is a highly individualistic state of affairs but everyone has their own favourite version mascots. Dialga, Palkia and Giratina, Ho-oh and Lugia. This time around, my all time favourites Groudon and Kyogre make a comeback. To add to the nergasm, they come packed with new Formes.

In a process called Ancient Devolution where the two behemoths “regress” to their more prehistoric inclinations we finally get to see what forces of nature are Primeval Groudon and Primeval Kyogre really are.

With the Legendaries benefitting from this Mega Evolution/Devolution mechanic, GameFreak is setting a bar per none to its predecessors with the hopes of instilling within all of us the chance to one day see all our favorite legendaries in their primordial state. If you think Primal Groudon looks hench, I can only imagine what Dialga or Lugia might do to our nerve wracked minds. And dare I say it, a PRIMAL RAYQUAZA! Those are some maddd expectations in this trainer’s mind.

Sableye gets a nice little giveaway in the form of its Mega Evolution. Again, the inference has a lot more weight to it than the actuality. The internet’s abuzz with Ludicolo and Shiftry getting their own Mega Evolutions as well.

I had been thinking about the collection element of the games with the new Formes, and how would GameFreak be able to achieve this – some Pokemon have TWO Mega Evolutions/Not one. Charizard and Mewtwo being the core examples. Does this mean that in due time ALL the Mega Stones have a duality to them? An X Stone and a Y Stone? PokeDex completion has nothing to do with it at the moment and this form change seems only relevant to battling. Will all Pokemon have the capacity to have a dual Mega Evolution. Seems like quite a bite to take from the developers part. It’s risky business considering they don’t want to make it too common an affair. Look what happened to Zubat’s in caves. No one cares.

The two criminal teams come back. Team Magma and Team Aqua receive aesthetic overhauls to their wardrobe and despite the custom which led many people to believe they might incorporate the Emerald storylines into each game were proven wrong. Both the Teams remain version exclusives so I guess the big Sootopolis battle scene won’t star a certain green dragon type. But that’s okay. Could a possible Emerald version be in the mix? Only time will tell.

Brendan and May

Brendan and May return in 3DS capable glory, sporting their Emerald attire as does Steven Stone. 

I for one am wondering how he did not make an appearance sooner. You bring in Mega Stones and you say where’s the only character who cares about collecting stones so much?  The return of Steven and his penchant for stone hunting makes for a reasonable addition.

GameFreak at this moment is being horribly limited in their exposure to the game which I kinda get. Well guess what? It’s working. Really well…

Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire

The thing with being a fan about the Pokemon franchise is that you’ve learnt to thrive in this weird kind of masochistic relationship. One in which you experience a splurge in information and new gimmicks every 4-5 years and then Nintendo withholds its affections leaving you in wait. It’s like being in love with bipolar disorder itself. That being said, here we are. Not in a position to judge AT ALL.

So, Pokemon Inc. revealed the eagerly awaited expansion into their 6^th generation. The return of the Hoenn Saga. Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire.

Cover Art for the Hoenn Remakes. Notice how the letters Alpha and Omega are highlighted on their hands.

I started playing Pokemon back in the day. I’m one of those rare conformists who have stuck by the company since Generation 1. Decades later and with 6 generations to choose from, each with their unique traits and gimmicks – I can proudly say that Gen 3 was my favorite. Without a doubt. I never really could put a finger on what was the reason specifically but before then and even after Pokemon brains could not really attain the bar they had so beautifully set with the majesty that is the Hoenn region and all that it included.

As far as speculation is concerned, and simple observation of trends, every one thought for the longest time that the Hoenn region would be revisited somewhere in the 5^th Generation as a consistent ode the Pokemon Company was making year after year. The FireRed LeafGreen situation happened alongside the original Ruby Sapphire. The HeartGold and SoulSilver series complimented Diamond Pearl and Platinum. But with all those who wait, good things will come. The Unova region and the Pokemon travesty that was Black and White did not thankfully incorporate the mighty Hoenn region into its mix to help alleviate its pathology. And in due time, Kalos – the company’s tribute to beauty itself will be the proud co-runner of the mighty Hoenn archipelago. It seems that it was not an alternative generation thing but a handheld trend. GameBoy Advance – Nintendo DS – and now the Nintendo 3DS which offers up remakes (That make’s sense).

I’m sure a lot of forecast articles will be cropping up all over the InterWeb but this isn’t one of those. This is just a crazy fan’s own hopeful rants that may or may never come to fruition. But that’s okay. The aim of this exercise is to get this off my chest rather than sway developers minds (you never know, #shutup).

Here’s a list of things of what I think Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will bring into the fold.

1. The return of the Original Contest Battle

After Kanto and Johto, there was actually not much to do apart from the very linear story. But then with Hoenn came the off-chance that there was an entirely different way to raise your Pokemon. Contest battles would give all your Pokemon moves a separate scale of categorization. Tough, Cute, Smart, Beauty and Cool. The Pokemon would then appear in Contests in front of an audience and a judge where winning would be based on the look of their moves – alone and in combinations – not their intensity. Winning the Contest would garner the player with Ribbons (as a counterpart to Badges) with an effective hierarchy where getting the respective ribbon in whatever category would enable you to participate in higher modes of Contest Battles.

This is also an example of the Anime supplementing the players’ imaginations as they very successfully engaged a supporting character (May) with her own quest and not just walk around relentlessly making small talk and mirrored conversation.

Every single time Nintendo tried to replicate this in the future generations failed. The Super Contests in Sinnoh were just sad. The broadway theatrics employed in Unova, flopped. And the big film studio in Black 2 White 2 did not help with the embarrassment either. Sometimes it is sublimely important to know when you have struck a rich vein and stick with it through and through. Nintendo, Contest Battles from the original Hoenn trilogy were fantastic. It’s about time you did us all a favor and returned to this gem.

2. PokeNav

PokeNav

Almost irrelevant to add but hey, this is a rant. The PokeNav with its bulbous yellow design and utility should be revamped and included in the meta game once again. Think PokeGear meets drunk Snorlax. The PokeNav was handy, all inclusive and personal favorite from out of all the watches, tablets, touchscreens that happened after. Maybe there isn’t much substance to his addition but hey, the heart wants what it wants. Bring the PokeNav back. It was awesome.

3. Team Aqua and Team Magma Updates

Archie and Maxie

Once upon a time, two guys named Archie and Maxie went utter ape shit and took the land vs sea argument to a whole new level. We’re not complaining – their lack of therapy and imaginative criminal intent was one we so desperately needed from the monotony that was Team Rocket.

Sharpedo Mega Evolution Concept Art

Another home run from Nintendo in the matter was the character personalities and their complex storylines regardless of how simplistic the premise of land vs sea can be. Running around the entire Hoenn region from one end to the other, hell to the summits of Mt Chimney all the way down to the depths of the sea. This was a parallel story worthy of its conception and not at all cumbersome as the other crime syndicates can definitely be. Archie and Maxie with their diabolical motives deserve an overhaul in character design, they need MORE cronies (more notable ones atleast). Think Team Rocket Entourage in HeartGold and SoulSilver. Plus I'm sure everyone would love a backtstory. We don't really know much about Archie and Maxie at all or what fuels their ambitions. Some light on the matter would go a long way. Oh and of course, with signature characters they need their own signature sidekick. Although there maybe better suitable alternatives in mind. Go ahead – give the Sharpedos and Camerupts of the world a Mega Evolution why don’t you. OOH! MEGA Evolutions!

4. More Mega Evolutions

Needless to say, some of the best ideas that came with the whole Kalos package was the Mega Evolution. You now had the chance to choose from a solid range of Pokemon to Mega Evolve in battle turning them momentarily into beasts of their former selves. As a notable gamechanger we can’t hold it against them if they don’t deliver, but with optimism as a frequent go-to and the giveaway of a prized Torchic a few months ago would lead us to believe that we are in store for a whole new barrage of Mega Evolutions. I have loitered on YouTube for days viewing videos of fellow Pokemon fans that have put up top 5 lists and so on and so forth. You should check them out to give your imagination a boost in this regards. Not making this entirely about Mega Evolution itself but as far as the Hoenn PokeDex is concerned, I for one would love my favorites – Flygon, Milotic, Metagross and Salamence to name a few. Also what are the chances of having our beloved Weather Trio being given some alternate Formes. I love the Weather Trio but somewhere down the road you do feel the inclination that Groudon, Kyogre and Rayquaza have so much more potential to look even more hench.

The Weather Trio

5. Secret Bases

Secret Base Artwork

Nintendo has come a long way in making the world a smaller place with the incorporation of tools such as StreetPass and the new and improved GTS. Why not take this idea further by bringing back the Secret Base. Sinnoh tried to bring it back with the Villa and Unova had the Secret Base up in DreamLand but none of them had the familiarity and ease that came with setting up base up in tree or a rockface. With added options of customization and fully engaging the 3D engine – we could be looking at the some beautiful pieces of interior design just waiting to happen. Players could also have the option to storing a number of secret Bases on their game card to go and battle their friends on their system whenever they want. So go ahead GameFreak, give us a chance.

6. Battle Frontier

Hoenn Battle Frontier

Pokemon Emerald, in its time, did us all a favor by rounding up the two Land and Sea storylines and all giving us the Battle Frontier. The Hoenn Battle Frontier was in a league of its own. The seven facilities with their different unique styles of battling and giveaways left a Trainer tapping away the buttons of their GameBoy Advance for hours after the Champion had been defeated. The collection of the Frontier symbols was more of a task than just collecting Battle Points to complete the TM list, and the sheer onslaught of attention it demanded was nothing short of a separate Pokemon game of its own. I would definitely want to see the return of the Battle Frontier in all the glory that the 3DS can allow. The Frontier Brains could do with an update in design and the entire island would be able to hold its own for months on end. I don’t know about you but anything to pass the time between generations. Not a whole lot to demand, considering Scott has had ample time to revamp the whole situation.

7. Johto and Sinnoh Pokemon

Sinnoh Starters

Johto Starters

With the sixth generation only adding seventy something new Pokemon into the mix, the local Pokedex was one which relied heavily on past entries to provide the bulk of the fauna. Returning to Hoenn could remedy this by giving us more a whole new region to collect Pokemon from. Along with key elements such as Sinnoh sound like in HG/SS this could be a made a lot of fun too. And hey, if somewhere down the road Professor Elm and Professor Rowan wanted to drop by and award our endeavors with a starter from their respective regions, then more power to them.

8. Gyms and Elite 4

Hoenn Gym Leaders: Clockwise - Wallace, Tate & Liza, Winona, Norman, Flannery, Wattson, Brawly, Roxanne.

There is a lot of discrepancy in my emotions here. The Gym roster for the Hoenn region was one that I adore. The Gyms were well spaced apart, fairly competitive and great characters. The Elite 4 not so much. It seems that after the Gym Leaders, GameFreak ran into a deadline and they came up with the Hoenn Elite 4 almost carelessly. I am looking forward to the new designs of the Gym Leaders, and possibly new mechanics into the mix. For example, Winona the Flying type enthusiast in Fortree only participating in Sky Battles. Elite 4, Phoebe and Glacia desperately need new rosters and the whole Pokemon League building needs a new majesty to reflect its eminence as being top of the game in the Hoenn Region. Whether Wallace still sits atop the hierarchy or Steven is making a comeback, both will need a new Mega Evolution to round off their teams keeping in check with Diantha and her Gardevoir from Kalos. So Metagross? Milotic? Let’s wait and see.

Hoenn Elite Four

9. Postgame Expansion

If the Battle Frontier is an eventuality then it more than covers up for this factor. However, I won’t be utterly disappointed if GameFreak decides to bring us some new locations with these remakes. The Sevii Islands in FR/LG and the Sinjoh ruins in HG/SS all serve as potent examples of what creativity can do if channeled right.

10. The PokeWalker?

Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver came with an attached peripheral. The PokeWalker. This was a PokeBall shaped pedometer where you could transfer one Pokemon of your choosing and watch it gain EXP Points with every step that you took. The small item was analogous to a hand held mini game with unlockable features with rewards like random items and rare Pokemon along the road. It was essentially the DayCare facility rolled into one and made compact. The Unova region during its sequels came up with PokeRadar which was an app that you could download off the Nintendo EShop and catch Pokemon using the camera feature in your 3DS. These gimmicky additions are not staples of the Pokemon franchise but their inclusion is not cumbersome on the fans. They actually add a third dimension to the gameplay and help set the respective series apart. It would be highly unlikely to predict whether or not GameFreak has thought to add a third party design like this in their remake but that being said it wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen. The novelty lies in the immersive capacity. Both the PokeWalker and PokeRadar had players severely engrossed in the game regardless of whether or not they were playing the actual game itself. Adding the physical activity was just a further plus point.

11. Pokemon sidekicks

Another feature of the Johto remakes was the possibility of walking around in the overworld with one of your Pokemon trailing behind you at all times. This was again, in no way, paramount to gameplay but just added an extra easter egg quality to the game itself. It would be hard to picture this mechanic on a 3D level with a 8 time movement grid as introduced in the 6^th Generation, but thankfully that’s Pokemon Inc’s headache, not mine. Plus if its too much of a haul, bring back Amity Square, the Pokemon Amie does add that little bit of personalization anyway.

12. PokeAthlon

The PokeAthlon dome was part and parcel of HG/SS. A sporting facility situated next to the National Park, it would use the touchscreen for trainers to use their Pokemon in mini games for the sole purpose of collecting rare items usually Evolutionary Stones. There was no real training aspect to the PokeAthlon except for a slow paced breather in between the real deal. This could be brought back for an added effect. You never know when you’ll run out of rare items.

13. Safari Zone

The Hoenn region’s Safari Zone was seriously lackluster. Gamefreak need not do anything drastically different but the inclusion of more areas post National Dex, possibly including the item mechanic introduced in HG/SS would be a great improvement. Everyone loves the Safari Zone if it has rare Pokemon in it.

14. Mother’s savings

This is not even worthy of a mention but I was playing Pokemon X the other day and Kalos is mad expensive. I just thought to myself how awesome it would be if my Kalos Mom was as supportive and money management oriented like my Johto Mom. Just saying.

15. Beef up the rival

Wally

Not since Johto have we had a Rival worthy of his name. Don’t get me wrong, having the friends rather than frenemies later on has been quite a Family situation, but it lacks the ambition. The rival in the Hoenn remakes most notably May/Brendan and even Wally need a character adjustment. Throw in a 5 year time lapse and some real personality growth and you have a Rival with much stronger Pokemon and a bite to match.

16. Pokemon Trainer Red

Red

When I say Red, I mean the ultimate hidden Trainer. Red has been a staple in Pokemon games. The trek upto the ultimate trainer is in itself a difficult endeavor, which rightly foreshadows what a difficult battle this is going to be. Makes the victory that much sweeter after you win.

It does not have to be Red per say, if he ever comes down from his self exile in Mt. Silver anytime soon, but one of the past Champions would do just as well. Heavy and brooding, with an air of power, training in isolation in the remote corners of the map. It is intimidation incarnate. Steven, Cynthia, Alder, Iris, possibly even a grown up version of May/Brendan? Take your pick.

17. Rematches

I adore rematches. From the original Match Call Feature from the 3^rd generation to the Battle Chateau in the 6^th – it has been a pleasure to battle with past trainers for the novelty of it. No need for something ostentatious like the Pokemon World Tournament but definitely in need of revisiting old pals in-game for a friendly battle or two.

18. New Character Designs

Brendan and May have been iconic. As have all the Trainers that act as our virtual bodies in the game. A remake demands that the fan favorites be given their much needed makeovers. Again this isn’t something that will hinder the game at all. It’s only suggestive to make the gameplay, like anything else, more engaging.

I for one can’t wait for November 2014. The Hoenn remakes have been a long time coming, ever since FireRed and LeafGreen happened, there was a distant yet distinct possibility that this event would occur. A decade later and the Hoenn starters a distant memory, it is time to wake up in the moving van again, go set the clock and save Prof Birch from that angry Poochyena/Zigzagoon. The Hoenn region beckons. Thank you GameFreak, Thank you Nintendo and THANK YOU POKEMON INC!

Empoleon Dynamite

This post is pretty self-explanatory. I had to at some point write an entry on the namesake of the title of my blog. To the Pokemon whose fictional height is an ode to its inspiration, Napoleon Bonaparte. Here we have to our personal joy; Empoleon.

Empoleon is the final evolution of the Sinnoh Water starter Piplup. With the dual typing combination of Water and Steel, it is by far in my opinion, the most practical Starter that the Pokemon franchise has come up with.

Empoleon is a healthy all rounder. Add to that the killer design of an emperor penguin detailed with steel armour and golden crown, and what you have is a Starter of sorts that will aid you in your quest far longer than expected from many of the standards.

The inclusive Pokedex text reveals an interesting state of affairs. You as the player are imagining a steel imbued water ride that can go as fast as a jet ski, natural perfection for navigating harsh sea conditions. Ample fodder for the day dreamer in us all.

Let us talk specs for a change of pace. Three weaknesses, one immunity and a whopping ten type resistances is unheard of bordering on the insane! Add to that a movepool that can take down the most powerful of rosters and you have a Pokemon worthy of a slot in your party of six.

Empoleon, to me, will always stand apart from all the Starters thus far revealed and the hope that one day in the future GameFreak will give us a Mega Stone to increase its value is chill inducing (preferably with a speed stat boost). It is already a top tier threat and continues to remain so.

Kawabanga Motherf***ers!

The anime portion of the franchise has definitely not done justice to the mighty Empoleon. Pairing it up with one of the most annoying side characters ever to grace the program, (no offence Barry, your personality was friking annoying) it was the lousiest Empoleon (cringe) to have ever existed.

Take it from someone who knows his way around the field, Empoleon is anything if not legendary in itself. All hail Poseidon!

Mega Evolution, Yay or Nay?

If anyone is as avid as a fan of the Pokemon Universe, they can wholeheartedly admit that the level of excitement an upcoming main series game brings with it.

Mega Lucario

Pokemon X/Y brought with itself a new mechanic into the mix; the ability to transform a select few of the fan favourites (debatable) into a further evolved form. The Mega Evolved Form.

This was a step apart from the Forme dynamic that we were getting used to which was more often than not only limited to the legendaries.

The introduction into the franchise was handled extremely well. The nature of the new designs coupled with the type and stat changes fared well with all players; both novice and veteran.

This was a smart move from the developers point of view because they no longer had to resort to justify stand alone Pokemon like Mawile with an ardent secondary evolution. 

One theory for this might be that they sought to extend gameplay by including a treasure hunt aspect to all the stones. Another less creative theory would suggest that they were running out of cool names for evolutions and attaching Mega seemed appropriate (read easy). Another suggestions might also have been that each Pokemon is a species in itself – a genealogy lesson contained within a single animation. For example the eating habits of Pikachu and the aggressive possession of a mountainside by a Tyranitar. Increasing their stats and giving them a cool new design was a far more interesting tactic to retain the series’ target demographic.

For returning players it is sometimes cumbersome to go through the entire ‘How to catch a Pokemon’ tutorial and the like. The Mega Evolution introduction does well in this regard. The inclusion of a Korrina the Gym Leader as well as getting a Lucario with a Mega Stone attached right off the bat makes it a sweet deal. Takes you back to the novelty of the Red Gyarados in Johto.

Isolating the Mega Evolution to just one Pokemon per battle makes for anticipation inducing gameplay while at the same time not granting any one party a distint advantage from the get go.

A few ways that this particular gamer might want to see this new mechanic evolve would be obviously the release of new Mega Stones for other Pokemon. Given enough momentum there could be even be a new style of battle which involves ONLY Mega Evolutions.

Some queries still left unanswered is probably why some of these select Pokemon were given two Mega Evolutions instead of just one. I understand that Charizard stands on a special pedestal for most Pokemon Trainers but granting it two very well done Evolutions makes it a clear favorite from the start. Not even that, why didn’t Gallade get a Mega Evolution to be paired up with its more gown endowed counterpart?

Point stands that Mega Evolution was an inspired move by the developers in the evolution of the game itself as it opens fans to all sorts of speculations as to which way they might expand this. We can be looking at a plethora of new Forms to deal with in the future series and as captivating as they are in our 3DS’s at the moment; they fare well even further by reeling in old players who were moving away (growing out of) from the franchise.

GameFreak’s conception of Mega Evolution? A definite bulls-eye. 

Swampert and Sceptile Mega Evolution Concept Art

In the meantime, creative fans can help fuel our imagination with brilliant concept art dealing with what we might expect in the future versions of the game.