Easy, normal and hard modes for pokemon handheld games. Think it could work?

[Austin Allen]

I've argued with my friends alot on the merit of being able to adjust your difficulty level before beginning a new file in a pokemon game. I think it would add a better challenge with a couple of increased difficulty levels. Maybe the gym leaders gain higher level pokemon or rebalance their teams to include all kinds. Things like that. I have just never found challenge in the storylines of pokemon games. As a child I would have been stoked to be able to set it so Brock's pokemon were in there 30s from the start. Just a thought

 

[Azure-Supernova]

Yeah it'd be slightly more challenging, but it'd be nice to see an AI overhaul rather than simply changing the levels. When I'm fighting an opponent that has me down to my last sliver of health more likely than not they'll attack. You have the odd moment though where the AI trips over itself and uses something like growl or leer, giving me a chance to turn the battle around.

In general trainer's AI needs imrpoving massively. Hell when it comes to Gyms instead of simply raising levels they could beef up the Pokémon with better IVs and even stack up some EVs to make them a bit harder to take down. However the problem is that Pokémon is repetative, once you've beat them once you already know the optimal strategy.

 

[Flare Phoenix]

I think one of the best things Black and White did was make the first gym leader change depending on which starter you picked. It meant you couldn't just pick the type that had an advantage to it, and actually had to deal with the disadvantage. Of course, it was completely thrown out the window since a girl just gives you a pokemon with an advantage to the gym leader's pokemon but still it was a nice idea.

 

[tlozoot]

It's not as if Gamefreak can't program better opponents. The Battle Subway is a good challenge, though most of those guys still can't deal with my shell smash Cloyster.

 

[Rabish Bini]

But if they merely increased the levels, all the player would have to do is train there Pokemon more, which would lead to a massive, boring grindfest, especially if wild Pokemon in the area remained at the same level.

 

[William Fleming]

It could work, at least it would fix some things like Vance's Dragonites being lower than the required level to evolve (I'm sure in one of the games he should have Dragonaires judging by the levels).

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheComputerIsACheatingBastard
Scroll down to Pokemon's section, Vance actually cheats on multiple occasions.

 

[No_Remainders]

Wouldn't it just mean a much worse grind-fest?

I'm pretty sure it'd just mean that...

 

[Austin Allen]

Man that guy is a dirty cheater. I am always slightly annoyed when the cpu has me on the ropes and then uses growl or something. I don't want to win a game that I didn't do my best in. An AI overhaul would be alot better than a level buff for sure.

 

[bjj hero]

Just something new would be good. I've not played one since saffire. It was the second (and last) pokemon title I'd bought and was exactly the same as the previous title. Pokemon will not receive my money again.

 

[coolkirb]

well most challengeing pokemon games are the console stadium style ones but that comes from the fact the AI bassically cheats and has impossibly powerfull pokemon, after all if you played battle revoloution you know how hard some of those leaders can get at lv 10, and I guess the same can be said for the battle subway/frontier/whatever. Anyway I allways found the most challenging and fun part of the game to be the competitive battleing side, which is alot better since to online.

Also I found pokemon white to be a bit challenging as the elite 4 was brutel espicially since I chose to use pokemon I liked instead of trying to make a good team, and they were and average of like 4lv's higher then me.

 

[Leviathan_]

I would totally be behind a difficulty setting if increased difficulty means that the AI gets smarter. I mean, just think back to that one battle just outside Slateport city in R/S/E where the two trainers use a Plusle and a Minun to show the player how double battles actually work but end up completely fucking it up by just spamming Helping hand on each other. This could have been avoided with better AI coding.

 

[Austin Allen]

I had a buddy suggest that they take the hideout concept and apply it to a gym. After becoming champion you can build your own gym and take on npc challengers. The points you win from that go towards customizing your gym and badge. You could also challenge your friends so they could try to win your badge. I thought it was an interesting concept.

 

[Terminate421]

Yeah It'd work, I wouldn't want hard mode to be fighting Tyranitars right after the first gym though.

This concept may apply to one of the HUGE pokemon games people keep freaking out about. (Where all regions are available and you start in any region with one of the starter pokemon)

 

[Terminate421]

I think one of the best things Black and White did was make the first gym leader change depending on which starter you picked. It meant you couldn't just pick the type that had an advantage to it, and actually had to deal with the disadvantage. Of course, it was completely thrown out the window since a girl just gives you a pokemon with an advantage to the gym leader's pokemon but still it was a nice idea.

I never found that girl and didn't want to either. I leveled up my Oshawott to level 15 and won it like a man, the only other thing I caught was a Patrat and that was for a meat shield while I healed Oshawott.

Also, I don't like Monkeys, at all.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

I dunno about changing the main game, but a post-Elite 4 area filled with trainers whose teams are based on real life tournament winners would be great. Identical stats, down to the IV and EVs. Throw in a few boss teams made by the devs for good measure, as well.