The Best Main Series Pokémon Game?

[SmellTheBurningEmber]

What's your favorite main series Pokémon game? Personally mine's Emerald. I know I'll get bashed for it, but Hoenn was amazing (and Emerald made it more amazing).

Now, I know you're wondering "Why are Gold and Silver separate?" or "What's the difference between Pocket Monsters Red Version (Japan Only) and Pokémon Red Version?". While the differences may be subtle, graphics and Version exclusives could determine which game is the best. So there is no confusion, I'll add a list of some of these differences in a spoiler tag.

Spoiler

***Pocket Monsters Red VS Pokémon Red:
1.) Graphical Differences.
2.) Cerulean Cave (Unknown Dungeon) Layout.

***Pocket Monsters Blue VS Pokémon Blue:
1.) Version Exclusive Pokémon.
2.) Wild Pokémon Locations.
3.) Different Pokémon Required/Obtained In Trades From NPCs.

***Pocket Monsters Crystal VS Pokémon Crystal:
1.) The Pokémon Communication Center.
2.) The Pokémon Mobile System GB.

Also, with Black and White Versions coming out soon, I will add them to the poll. Please make a post asking to change your vote in the case Black or White takes the place of your current favorite main series game.

Well, what do you think the best main series game is? ~STBE

[Riolu Aura Sphere Now]

Even if Pokemon B/W aren't out yet, I chose Pokemon Black because there are new features, new pokemon and new characters this time around.

For example, the Prof. is a women instead of a men, both Nurse Joy and Officier Jenny were replaced, Ash's Pikachu is unable to use its Electric Moves due to Zekrom, the Triple Battles, the Rotation feature, ect.

[wraith89]

Pokemon Yellow. Best AI (to me it was), an interactive Pikachu, colors, old school music, the memories, battle mechanics (sucked), but everything else about it was a joyride and enough to make a 10 year old boy's dream come true to become a Pokemon master (yeah, I was 10 then). Plus it was my first Pokemon game. Next to that would be HGSS... which was also really good in my opinion.

[Tbird]

Well Yellow for Previously stated reasons ^ ^ ^

Aside from that though, I was absolutely captivated by Silver -> Crystal. Great new (at the time) graphics. MOAR GAME TO PLAY. New awesome pokemon. Gah, what wasn't to love about GCS, apart from, of course Gyara getting nerfed :/. Though with that, Chansey and ultimately blissey became a whole lot less broken .

I gotta say Crystal really for that. Yellow gets the nostalgia factor, but at the time, there was no nostalgia, because it was the present xD.
Ultimately HGSS is by all accounts a better game... But I don't know, GSC was the first, if HGSS had been the first time we saw Johto then it would have taken first spot probably.

Now the choice between Silver and Crystal .

Plus, had GSC never been made, I'd never have had Noctowl/ Lanturn/ Aipom -> Ambipom and the other likes.

[SmellTheBurningEmber]

Pokemon Yellow. Best AI (to me it was), an interactive Pikachu, colors, old school music, the memories, battle mechanics (sucked), but everything else about it was a joyride and enough to make a 10 year old boy's dream come true to become a Pokemon master (yeah, I was 10 then). Plus it was my first Pokemon game. Next to that would be HGSS... which was also really good in my opinion.

Honestly, Yellow comes in a close second place for me. lol Emerald may be amazing, but the nostalgia from Yellow is unmatched.

Also, it seems you didn't vote? Yellow is still at 0%. ~STBE

[wraith89]

Sorry. Just noticed. I voted... now.

I'm not a HUGE fan of Hoenn, but Tbird and I had a discussion about it, that the fresh new start move they were making was quite a risky one, but nonetheless paid off when they expanded that idea in the form of Gen IV, at least for the competitive player. Pokemon's no longer a game for kids I'm afraid, but a game for nerds. RSE was the last of the "kid's saga"... that much I can say, so it's fine that you voted Emerald. I loved the exoticness of Hoenn and its terrain, although there were a few things wrong, but aside from that, Emerald's a logical choice. But nothing beats RBY and GSC for me.

[SmellTheBurningEmber]

Well, unlike a lot of Pokémon nerds, I'm a story junkie and like character development. While I like competitive battling (I'm even an Elite Four member in my school's Pokémon League), I enjoyed Hoenn's story and characters.

Brendan (in his Emerald uniform) is my favorite playable character. Who else has an awesome hat that looks like white hair? I mean, compare him to Lucas. Lucas had a beret and a scarf. I totally didn't feel gay playing as him. /sarcasm And May. Her timidness and her slowly becoming more comfortable around Brendan is excellent character development (especially for a "kid's" game). The same applies to Wally.

Need I mention you have to stop TWO villainous teams? Oh, and guess what! SPOILER ALERT: You don't stop them in time. While you do stop them eventually, you watch the world dry out and/or flood (depends on the game).

And your character actually has a Dad this time. A Dad! Finally, a father that DOESN'T abandon his wife and kid/children (again, depends on game).

Don't even get me started on the landscape and Secret Bases! And need I mention the introduction of Mudkip? Flygon? Salamence? Etc.?

And Emerald expanded on all of this! The Sinnoh/Johto Battle Frontier is a JOKE compared to Hoenn's. The ability to get the entire Weather Trio was nice. Same with getting BOTH fossils (and a new tower and cave to obtain them in)! Although the Trainer Tower was a rather pointless addition, I warmly welcome any bonus content. And they replaced the "tall" font with the one from FireRed and LeafGreen (which is nice since the "tall" font was awkward).

If you look at the series with the fun perspective instead of a competitive one, you will find that the Hoenn games (more specifically, Emerald Version) are magnificent! ~STBE

[wraith89]

Funny. I was never enamored with the story when RSE and the newer Pokemon games came out. I loved RBY's silent protagonist who journeys to become a Pokemon master and catch them all! The innocence is gone now... as DP put too much emphasis on the competitiveness of the game that I had no time to get to know the characters. I don't know, it felt really bland and dissatisfying. Not to mention, before the introduction of Platinum's Pokedex expansion, there were around 17 Pokemon in the Sinnoh dex made entirely for the competitive battlers and not for in game purposes. Wild baby Pokemon and Steelix and even Gengar (via dongle method) also seem to add to the case. I don't know... DP made me think Pokemon has lost its touch; no longer a kid's game.

What a game needs is more character development. DP felt too much like Fire Emblem 8 in terms of storyline... a bit rushed, and bland. Even though they TRIED to get more interactive gym leaders, something about it wasn't right. I still don't know what it is and it's really bugging me. The rival in the game, much like the other characters, he was rushed too... and his personality is literally "rush" to everything. Gary/Silver were better rivals I'd say. Brendan/May development was cool, and how you get to help a little kid Wally get his first Pokemon (tranny Ralts!). That was the cool part, but not too sure about the leaders and all. Aside from a few (like Wallace and Norman of course), not much else were interesting.

A dad. Yes, that's exactly what we need. We need more Pokemon games with a mom and a dad. What's a family without both? Now imagine if Giovanni was Red's dad... kidding! Two villainous teams in Emerald was pretty cool too, except the leaders' teams looked almost exactly the same as the other one, only difference being Sharpedo and Camerupt. Even so, Hoenn could stand on its own as a region, even if it was not as good as Gen I and Gen II.

[SmellTheBurningEmber]

Honestly, I didn't like Johto. Er... As a region anyways. I thought the idea of a direct sequel and a "surprise" final boss was cool (and same goes for being able to travel back to Kanto), but Johto was just too "old world" and... What's a good way to put it? Cramped? I swear I was turning claustrophobic. The maps were rather small and dull. There were optional paths in Johto... Too bad you needed a HM you didn't have yet, though. And by the time you have the HM you needed, you already have Fly, so... Eh. Sorta beats the purpose. True be told, the only reason I even play GSC or HG/SS anymore is just to go back to Kanto.

Johto can suck it, I'm going back to Kanto. ~STBE

[wraith89]

Honestly, I didn't like Johto. Er... As a region anyways. I thought the idea of a direct sequel and a "surprise" final boss was cool (and same goes for being able to travel back to Kanto), but Johto was just too "old world" and... What's a good way to put it? Cramped? I swear I was turning claustrophobic. The maps were rather small and dull. There were optional paths in Johto... Too bad you needed a HM you didn't have yet, though. And by the time you have the HM you needed, you already have Fly, so... Eh. Sorta beats the purpose. True be told, the only reason I even play GSC or HG/SS anymore is just to go back to Kanto.

Johto can suck it, I'm going back to Kanto. ~STBE

LOL. Yeah, kinda agree, but I love the direct sequel + boss being your former player approach. I know what you mean by cramped... even Kanto suffered the same problem in GSC

[SmellTheBurningEmber]

Come on! 110 views and only 6 voters?! Quit being shy, people! :P ~STBE

[Tbird]

Well it would appear Johto is the best by a clear 16%

[Hikari10]

Black 'cos its storyline and characters are cool. Although SoulSilver is where I've had the biggest Pokemon collection so far...

[Aracil]

Emerald, because it was an upgraded version of Sapphire, my first Nintendo game. I spent waaayyyyyy too much time in the Battle Tower.

[ScientificPikachu]

I did forget my vote but what I'm really sure is that HOENN SHALL RISE AGAIN! although I do like Unova (BLACK)