How could Pokemon win you back (Assuming it lost you?)

[RandallJohn]

Okay, okay, folks. Geez. Clearly I did not word the original question well. I'm just trying to hear people's ideas on taking Pokemon in a different direction. I wasn't writing an essay here. I'm not trying to persuade anyone. And I said "you have to agree..." because by and large, this is the complaint I'm hearing from people, and it's one I shared. Seems like everybody is getting the wrong impression here.

I'm completely unconvinced. Give examples if you want to win me over. I've heard of players complaining that they don't like the new pokemon EVERY time a new generation was released. Well guess what? GEN 1 had some real duds in it as well. Whoever said Mr. Mime or Tangela or Tauros was their favourite? Some, no doubt, but the point remains: there are always going to be less popular pokemon and concepts that won't reappear in later games.

Learn to play the game you have and not compare it to some imaginary incredible game in your head; no game no matter how staggeringly well executed can compare to a flight of fancy.

I never said I didn't like the pokemon themselves. And I really don't see a problem with coming up with "flights of fancy." It's all in good fun.

No, actually, I don't have to agree that. Every generation adds new twists to the standard theme, because it works. If it breaks too much from the game it ceases to be the main Pokemon series.

Hint: The spinoff games are there for a reason. Maybe you should actually give them a try?

You know, I'm gonna edit that sentence out of the OP, because it seems people keep latching on to it, and miss the point I'm getting at. I don't mean to say they need to completely change the formula. I'm saying I want to see a change in storyline.

And yes, I have played the side games.

 

[Voodoomancer]

Less silly pokemans, return to 2D. The later games with 3D graphics just aren't working out.

Also, more maps in one game. Like, all of the older games regions.

 

[imaloony]

Innovation is the name of the game. All of the pokemon games have brought innovation to the table is some way, although D/P was the weakest of this, only really bringing online play, which doesn't work so well for people who get it to play with friends or by themselves.

G/S/C had the ability to go back to the last region, the Day/Night Cycle, The Week Cycle, and the Battle Tower

R/S/E had Secret Bases, Mixing Data, Double Battles, and Pokemon Contests

Mystery Dungeons brought an awesome Dungeon Crawler aspect to the game.

The Stadium games brought the series to 3D (which, admittedly, was a pretty weak draw)

Colosseum and XD brought the Shadow Pokemon thing, which I loved.

Pokemon Black and White will need a boatload of innovation to win back my love.

 

[Firoth]

Shift back to the way they were designing pokemon for red and blue. Ever since Pearl/Diamond they just look ridiculous.
Fully interactive battles. No more of the turn by turn stuff, you become the pokemon in battle and run around, using your attacks, jumping and dodging and all that. Though this would likely only be doable on the Wii or something.
Character customization and dialog options would be cool too. To actually be able to give your character some personality would be a nice touch.

 

[RandallJohn]

My only reservation with making a Pokemon MMO is that it would end up being too complicated, or too much like other MMOs. If it kept the lightheartedness of the main series, while also retaining its depth, I'd be sold. Either way, I think the franchise is kind of like an MMO as it is, with each new game being the new expansion.

 

[Mariakitten]

Go back to the original 150 pokemon and go back to ruby overworld sprites.

 

[emeraldrafael]

i dont have anything. There really mixing it up this time, and with the new mechanics, its ready to blwo a few people's minds. Just think of this:

there is going to be PURE FLYING TYPE pokemon. the move GRAVITY takes away the ability to be a flying type (basically, all flying types are dual typed flying/normal, or something, so when gravity comes into effect, it makes your pokemon whatever the dual type is). SO WHAT ARE THE FLYING POKEMON GOING TO TURN INTO WITHOUT A DUAL TYPE???

Its mind blowing, since you are basically left with making the flying types an ??? type, and the only ??? type move is curse, and the only ??? pokemon is arceus (and he's technically a normal type to start off with with the multitype ability). You add on changing seasons, the new triple battles, and a bunch of other stuff, and i'm happy.

Besides, most people who have problems with pokemon cant let go of the fact that pokemon after R/B/Y (and for some G/S/C) are oka. design isnt great on all of them, but the first and second generation pokemon have some floaters in their catalog too. os they just need to get over themselves.

also, you should all remember and think about this when you talk about the story: THIS IS A GAME FOR TEN YEAR OLDS! its great if you still want to play it, but the story's not meant for you. this is a game that fills a role as an introductory game for many people. So you cant have an advanced story for an E rated game. Thats why we have T and M rated games.

Well thank God ten year olds don't play T and M rated games. Just kidding man but honestly i know a lot of people who still play the games and remember playing the original ones, its a winning formula yes but i do feel it has gotten stale. Maybe they do need a T rated game in its roster(M rated would be weird).

you;re still missing the point. I'll put it as simply as i can. Pokemon is one of the almost essential gate way games for kids. This isnt about our generation, this is about generations to be born, generations to hve thier first taste of video games. Pokemon is the gate way drug of the nintendo catalog (as bad as that sounds). we have to look at this as a game that will always be for ten year olds and cant leave the realm of T games. To have even an E+10 game would mean a complete redefintion of the pokemon series itself. this thread may as well be what new pokemon game would you like to see.

 

[Jkudo]

i dont have anything. There really mixing it up this time, and with the new mechanics, its ready to blwo a few people's minds. Just think of this:

there is going to be PURE FLYING TYPE pokemon. the move GRAVITY takes away the ability to be a flying type (basically, all flying types are dual typed flying/normal, or something, so when gravity comes into effect, it makes your pokemon whatever the dual type is). SO WHAT ARE THE FLYING POKEMON GOING TO TURN INTO WITHOUT A DUAL TYPE???

Its mind blowing, since you are basically left with making the flying types an ??? type, and the only ??? type move is curse, and the only ??? pokemon is arceus (and he's technically a normal type to start off with with the multitype ability). You add on changing seasons, the new triple battles, and a bunch of other stuff, and i'm happy.

Besides, most people who have problems with pokemon cant let go of the fact that pokemon after R/B/Y (and for some G/S/C) are oka. design isnt great on all of them, but the first and second generation pokemon have some floaters in their catalog too. os they just need to get over themselves.

also, you should all remember and think about this when you talk about the story: THIS IS A GAME FOR TEN YEAR OLDS! its great if you still want to play it, but the story's not meant for you. this is a game that fills a role as an introductory game for many people. So you cant have an advanced story for an E rated game. Thats why we have T and M rated games.

Well thank God ten year olds don't play T and M rated games. Just kidding man but honestly i know a lot of people who still play the games and remember playing the original ones, its a winning formula yes but i do feel it has gotten stale. Maybe they do need a T rated game in its roster(M rated would be weird).

you;re still missing the point. I'll put it as simply as i can. Pokemon is one of the almost essential gate way games for kids. This isnt about our generation, this is about generations to be born, generations to hve thier first taste of video games. Pokemon is the gate way drug of the nintendo catalog (as bad as that sounds). we have to look at this as a game that will always be for ten year olds and cant leave the realm of T games. To have even an E+10 game would mean a complete redefintion of the pokemon series itself. this thread may as well be what new pokemon game would you like to see.

Honestly i can still see your point and why nintendo continues to make there games like this but i still do not think a game with a little more depth would hurt the franchise. It doesn't have to be overly "mature".

 

[emeraldrafael]

snip

Like what, for instance? cause so far, ever idea has either been to take it back to the original 150, which, lets not forget gave us the contrevorsy of a big lipped dark skin colored female pokemon with a plus sized curvy body that just HAPPENS to look like a certain race of humans (nothing against the african american community, just throwing out an example) and also gave us crap like a walking flower.

personally, i think design has gotten better with the intiative to do something new. the nazda line one looks awesome, and i'm glad to see the water starter got a bitchin' evolution.

Or, the idea has been to make it more adult, whihc, as stated, you just cant do without alienating the target audience and crippling nintendo sales. 30 YEAR OLDS ARE NOT GOING TO BUY AN ADULT POKEMON GAME LIKE TEN YEAR OLDS BUY THE CURRENT FORMAT

 

[RandallJohn]

Yesterday, IGN posted the first ten minutes of B/W gameplay. Thought it'd be pertinent to the conversation. Apologies if this is a repost... let me know if it is, and I'll take it down.

Spoiler

 

[Jkudo]

snip

Like what, for instance? cause so far, ever idea has either been to take it back to the original 150, which, lets not forget gave us the contrevorsy of a big lipped dark skin colored female pokemon with a plus sized curvy body that just HAPPENS to look like a certain race of humans (nothing against the african american community, just throwing out an example) and also gave us crap like a walking flower.

personally, i think design has gotten better with the intiative to do something new. the nazda line one looks awesome, and i'm glad to see the water starter got a bitchin' evolution.

Or, the idea has been to make it more adult, whihc, as stated, you just cant do without alienating the target audience and crippling nintendo sales. 30 YEAR OLDS ARE NOT GOING TO BUY AN ADULT POKEMON GAME LIKE TEN YEAR OLDS BUY THE CURRENT FORMAT

I would never suggest going back to the original 150 and there have been other suggestions as well. I mean some of the original 150 were awful as you pointed out and i like a lot of the once from the next generation. I'm just hoping to see a game that although it does not assume you have played the game before(because of your point) doesnt have the same start as all the others.
The turn based combat works, thats for sure, but it doesn't have to be turn based. Why not a console version that is in 3d? Nintendo wouldn't make money from the young crowd owning a wii or another console? In fact they would be able to sell to newcomers and old fans of the series simply by giving it a graphics update. They have gotten better over time, mostly polishing the formula but i think they should try something new. Writing doesn't have to be overly complex because they do have to cater to a younger crowd but it can make a few steps forward. Black and white does look good and i don't want the 2d games to end either.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Nothing really. I think I've gotten all I ever will out of the series. All it is now is exploring the hardware capabilities of the DS and coming up with increasingly desperate designs for Pokemon. There's nothing wrong with that, but I've had my fill.

 

[Voltrox747]

I'm almost exclusively a lurker here, but I have to speak up because this has been bugging me for years. The last Pokemon game I played was Ruby, and the only other one I've played was Blue. I absolutely love the IDEA of Pokemon, but it's never been enjoyable series for me due to a lot of problems that (as far as I've seen) it hasn't overcome yet. Here's what I would change to make it the best monster collecting RPG it could be (for me).

-1v1 fights with only four moves per Pokemon are boring. I know there's a lot of people who take these games seriously and that there's a big tournament scene and all, but this just isn't enough for me. I went through nearly all of Ruby using almost nothing but a few sand attacks followed by whatever my strongest move/Pokemon was at the time. The three vs three fights were actually kind of interesting, and if the whole game was like that I might have enjoyed it despite everything else. Better yet, let me use all six. If the whole game was like this, it would also open up possibilities for specialization, like dedicated healers, tanks (maybe Harden wouldn't be worthless?), or low health/high damage Pokemon that hit multiple targets. Adding more Pokemon on the field really opens the game up strategically.

-Make elements matter less. They don't need to be removed entirely, but 1/2 damage/2x damage is way too much. A bad elemental pick (at equal levels) should be a disadvantage, not an automatic loss.

-Make levels matter less. Again, levels still need to do something, but I don't like that a level 40 Pokemon can get killed in a couple hits by a level 50. Find some other things to add when leveling, like more PP for certain moves or extra abilities. Add things that the player would want to have, but that a lower level Pokemon can still fight against.

-Make it easier to level something to 100 after completing the game. Everyone who fights seriously online is going to have their Pokemon maxed, so it'd be nice to be able to start training "vs" Pokemon quickly and easily. Letting them share exp is a good start, but it needs more.

-Do more with the passive abilities. I like that Pokemon in Ruby often had a passive ability in addition to their four moves. Add to that. Give me more slots for those, and let the Pokemon learn more than one. This brings me to...

-Let the Pokemon keep all their moves/abilities. This one pissed me off the most when I tried to play Ruby. I ended up having to run to an FAQ every time I got a Pokemon I wanted to use to check which moves it got and decide what to keep beforehand. If I didn't, I'd run the risk of screwing a Pokemon over permanently. There's no excuse for this. Add a customization menu so I can pick which moves I want to use among all that the Pokemon has learned. Do the same with passive abilities.

-Similar to the above, don't give Pokemon moves past the point they evolve at. Again, I don't want to have to use FAQs to figure out whether to allow a Pokemon to evolve yet or not. There's nothing fun about it; it's just an annoyance for those who don't already know these things.

-The new games had some kinda extra stat system that I don't really understand involving EV points. Cut that **** right the **** out. If I'm going to have any interest in playing this competitively, the absolute last thing I want to deal with is an extra aspect of training that forces me to use an FAQ and waste a ton of extra hours to "perfect" a Pokemon. Same goes for the shiny Pokemon. The chance of getting one is so low that it might as well be arbitrary, so either get rid of them or add some way to get them consistently*. You can't feel proud of yourself for having one when it's just a matter of luck anyway, and it'd really piss me off to fight someone online who has something I have no realistic way of getting myself.

*Note, I'd really rather not have them at all. If you had some way to get them that wasn't luck-based, it'd still just be an extra step you'd have to go through to be competitive, since all the top players would have them.

-Add something to the basic combat. As it is, four moves with nothing else is just lazy and boring. I don't even care what it is. Nearly every RPG out there gives its characters more than this. Separate physical and magic moves with an MP bar. Add a bar that charges with each hit and unleashes a special move. Add equipment. Just do something to make this look like it's evolved past the NES days. Do it right, and a 1v1 fight might not suck so bad.

-This probably won't ever happen as it would change the game too much, but what I REALLY want is a Pokemon grid-based RPG. Like Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea. In fact, I have played through FFT with Ramza as a mediator (class that lets him invite monsters to join the party) with items as his second skill, and using only him and monsters for the whole game. This was much more fun and strategically interesting than Pokemon has ever been. I want this with Pokemon's variety of monsters. So far I've been unable to find one of these, but if anyone knows about one that already exists please tell me.

-Alternatively, I'd also like a full-action Pokemon game. The closest game I've seen to this is Gotcha Force on the Gamecube. Here's a decent video showing it off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYsXZRNZMns

Gotcha Force has a lot of problems as well, so I wouldn't mind seeing Pokemon give this type of gameplay a try.

A 2D fighter similar to Smash Bros would be fine too. Use the same formula as the trainer in Brawl but give him six Pokemon to pick from and make it possible to choose what comes out next.

EDIT: I'd like to add that I really don't care much about the story or art style. If the game itself is fun and interesting, and doesn't overdo the grind, I'll play it.

 

[RandallJohn]

You know what would be interesting? A Pokemon game that operates entirely under standard rules (http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?t=290790)... but forcing that'd take the fun out of the series, I think.

I don't think it's a great idea to put out another game that only features the first 151... I mean, we've already got R/B/Y/Fr/Lg. I dunno how well it'd sell.

Also, I'd like to see more of an action RPG formula applied to the main series (Yes, I am aware of Rumble and Mystery dungeon,) but I think it's best as an RPG.

It occurs to me that Pokemon is one of the few franchises to consistently use portables for their main series, and put only spinoffs on consoles.

 

[Ciran]

Oh lord, I could create a list 3 miles long for this, but I'll stick to some small things I could actually see happening that would enhance the games for me.
Firstly would be a customizable character. Now I'm not talking about Elder Scrolls level or anything, but something like 3-4 different models for each gender and then you could pick a primary and secondary color. Enough customization that I could create something that feels fairly unique without getting crazy or taxing the other areas of the game too much.

Secondly would be some starters of a different element triangle. I really don't have that much of a problem with the set-up they have now, but it would still be nice to see some variety, and it could be interesting to see what they come up with.

Thirdly, I would like to see the secret bases come back, or at least some incarnation of such that was not the incredibly awful version they put in the D&P games. Is it necessary? No. Did it really enhance the gameplay? No. Was it a fun little diversion thing that you could spend your extra cash on? Yeah, and that's enough for me. I don't want everything to be about the core mechanics of the game, and this was a fun little side thing that I could go to if I wanted to take a break from the main storyline/goals.

Lastly, I would like to see Nintendo take a little bit more time creating the games. So far it looks like they've put out about one a year with recent games and I think it's showing. Luckily B&W seems to be a step in the right direction, but for a while there it seemed more like getting the games out fast was more important than the quality going into the games. I think if they took a bit more time, not only would the quality of the new pokemon go up (which it has, but it's still not up to the original standards) but we may see some new and well thought out variations or mechanics, while the current ones have felt a bit half-assed to me.

EDIT: Pokemon Snap 2 would be AWESOME.

 

[Nostalgia]

Give wild Pokemon that drop some reasonable XP. When I'm waiting for Wednesday to roll around so I can get the phone number for a gym leader or call one up for a rematch, I don't want to roam around the highest-level area for wilds and have them give absolutely paltry amounts of experience. =__= Grinding in that game took forever... Ugh.

This is why I absolutely love DPPt. The Vs. Seeker is amazing for this sort of thing and reels in the cash. SoulSilver, like Silver, relies on the terrible phone call mechanic that is on a certain schedule to limit the amount of trainers that will call you per day. Also, more than half the time, they call you about complete bullshit. As if that wasn't bad enough, the levels are far too low due to the Ecruteak fork. I can't believe they didn't fix those issues in the remakes. Since I'm not 11 anymore, it's all the more apparent how shitty is was designed.

STOP ADDING NEW POKEMON.

Seriously, give them new powers, new battle mechanics, but you don't need 500 different pokemon. The original pokemon line up was interesting and imaginative, and each one afterward is a little less inspired and a little more goofy.

Your opinion. Also, the Dream World mechanic gives new abilities to pre-existing Pokemon and new ones as well, further expanding the possibilities.
The more Pokemon, the greater the variety. It makes you have to keep track to what they are, what they specialize in and what they are weak against.

Innovation is the name of the game. All of the pokemon games have brought innovation to the table is some way, although D/P was the weakest of this, only really bringing online play, which doesn't work so well for people who get it to play with friends or by themselves.

True, but I'd say it brought a fairly significant one that you didn't mention. The Physical/Special split, which is a much bigger deal than one might think.

 

[DarkRawen]

Get rid of Flash. Seriously, it sucks. However, I would want the series to give you more options, instead of giving you a route to go and a couple of things you have to do. Maybe some choices beyond what pokemon to use. Yeah, something like that.

 

[Nostalgia]

Anything I had left out is because I find it understandable and have no need to nit-pick.

The three vs three fights were actually kind of interesting, and if the whole game was like that I might have enjoyed it despite everything else. Better yet, let me use all six. If the whole game was like this, it would also open up possibilities for specialization, like dedicated healers, tanks (maybe Harden wouldn't be worthless?), or low health/high damage Pokemon that hit multiple targets. Adding more Pokemon on the field really opens the game up strategically.

Um, this already exists. Pokemon already have specializations due to their base stats, abilities, and movepools. The problem is that this hardly matters through a playthrough of the normal game. Also, it wasn't three on three, it was two on two. Three on three hadn't existed yet.

-Make elements matter less. They don't need to be removed entirely, but 1/2 damage/2x damage is way too much. A bad elemental pick (at equal levels) should be a disadvantage, not an automatic loss.

Then you counter this by having a better movepool to combat Pokemon that have that advantage. For example, most, if not all, Water-types can learn Ice Beam for any Grass-types that oppose them. The game has always been focused on type-effectiveness.
Having a well-balanced team is another.

-Make levels matter less. Again, levels still need to do something, but I don't like that a level 40 Pokemon can get killed in a couple hits by a level 50. Find some other things to add when leveling, like more PP for certain moves or extra abilities. Add things that the player would want to have, but that a lower level Pokemon can still fight against.

Ten levels is still pretty steep, so I don't see how this is an issue. I have beaten Pokemon that were ten levels above me before, but I should be at a disadvantage regardless.

-Let the Pokemon keep all their moves/abilities. This one pissed me off the most when I tried to play Ruby. I ended up having to run to an FAQ every time I got a Pokemon I wanted to use to check which moves it got and decide what to keep beforehand. If I didn't, I'd run the risk of screwing a Pokemon over permanently. There's no excuse for this. Add a customization menu so I can pick which moves I want to use among all that the Pokemon has learned. Do the same with passive abilities.

I have no problem with this personally, as long as it stays to a set of 4. Even though it's not as accessible, there are now move relearners in the game that will teach your Pokemon any move it had previously known that you made it forget.

-The new games had some kinda extra stat system that I don't really understand involving EV points. Cut that **** right the **** out. If I'm going to have any interest in playing this competitively, the absolute last thing I want to deal with is an extra aspect of training that forces me to use an FAQ and waste a ton of extra hours to "perfect" a Pokemon. Same goes for the shiny Pokemon. The chance of getting one is so low that it might as well be arbitrary, so either get rid of them or add some way to get them consistently*. You can't feel proud of yourself for having one when it's just a matter of luck anyway, and it'd really piss me off to fight someone online who has something I have no realistic way of getting myself.

Then you're simply not competitive enough. If you're going to be playing competitively, you should want to "perfect" your team. It's the spirit of the game and adds much more complexity that older fans, imo, should be appreciative of. You could probably even do without this if you're facing an average player or friends, but it's beneficial. Honestly, predictability and awareness of what you're up against is more important, as with your ability to execute it.
Also, DPPt made it so that you can hunt for shinies without relying totally on luck. Chaining Pokemon with the radar boosts your possibility of encountering one IF YOU PUT THE WORK INTO IT. Shinies are for vanity, nothing more. Arguably, chaning is a whole 'nother metagame and gives that much more to do.

-Add something to the basic combat. As it is, four moves with nothing else is just lazy and boring. I don't even care what it is. Nearly every RPG out there gives its characters more than this. Separate physical and magic moves with an MP bar. Add a bar that charges with each hit and unleashes a special move. Add equipment. Just do something to make this look like it's evolved past the NES days. Do it right, and a 1v1 fight might not suck so bad.

Reasonable enough, but Pokemon has already ingrained its rock-paper-scissors philosophy. I don't see how an MP bar would make anything better. PP can almost be considered mana in retrospect, but the special ability idea is interesting enough. It would make defensive Pokemon more menacing if you cannot counter it quickly enough so it can charge up that special ability. Equipment already exists in held items. We don't need to throw suits of metal and shit on our Pokemon for arbitrary stat increases similar to other RPGs.
And really, that's what sets Pokemon apart these days. Its complexity is optional and its simplicity gives it ease of access. You can enjoy and playthrough a game fine without worrying about EVs, IVs, breeding moves, natures, or anything like that. The option is there, however, if you ever want to pursue it. It can add that level of depth to your game if you can appreciate it.

-This probably won't ever happen as it would change the game too much, but what I REALLY want is a Pokemon grid-based RPG.

Yeah, I'd love that. I am still holding out for another Pokemon TCG game. :>

 

[imaloony]

Innovation is the name of the game. All of the pokemon games have brought innovation to the table is some way, although D/P was the weakest of this, only really bringing online play, which doesn't work so well for people who get it to play with friends or by themselves.

True, but I'd say it brought a fairly significant one that you didn't mention. The Physical/Special split, which is a much bigger deal than one might think.

True, but you need to account that that change was sickeningly awful. You have to wonder what is running through their heads:

"Well, we've had this combat mechanic in place for a decade, so how about we up and change it? I'm sure that'll work out well!"

It's good IN THEORY, but not when you throw the games into it with little exposure to it or anything. If you ask me, they should have done it with Soul Sliver and Heart Gold first to test it, leaving Diamond and Pearl to the normal mechanic. From there, they could tweek it and thus gradually allow the pokemon community to adapt to it by putting a more polished version into Black and White. As it is, this was a culture shock, and personally I hated it.

Besides, it doesn't make any sense. A pokemon bites down on my leg, sending a blast of electricity through my body, and I'm concerned with how hard the pokemon is biting down?

 

[Nostalgia]

Innovation is the name of the game. All of the pokemon games have brought innovation to the table is some way, although D/P was the weakest of this, only really bringing online play, which doesn't work so well for people who get it to play with friends or by themselves.

True, but I'd say it brought a fairly significant one that you didn't mention. The Physical/Special split, which is a much bigger deal than one might think.

True, but you need to account that that change was sickeningly awful. You have to wonder what is running through their heads:

"Well, we've had this combat mechanic in place for a decade, so how about we up and change it? I'm sure that'll work out well!"

It's good IN THEORY, but not when you throw the games into it with little exposure to it or anything. If you ask me, they should have done it with Soul Sliver and Heart Gold first to test it, leaving Diamond and Pearl to the normal mechanic. From there, they could tweek it and thus gradually allow the pokemon community to adapt to it by putting a more polished version into Black and White. As it is, this was a culture shock, and personally I hated it.

Besides, it doesn't make any sense. A pokemon bites down on my leg, sending a blast of electricity through my body, and I'm concerned with how hard the pokemon is biting down?

It doesn't need to make that much sense. The actual premise of Pokemon doesn't make sense. However, even with that example, that's enough of something to back it up.
Another one for example - Hitmonchan uses Thunderpunch. He makes direct physical contact. It's based off the Pokemon's attack stat, because throwing a punch is purely physical in nature. Shooting lightning from my body via thunderbolt straight at the enemy isn't. Some are more clear cut than others, that's a given, but it can make sense.

Also, the fact that you used Thunder Fang as an example made me chuckle. The elemental fang moves are largely based on Bite, something that has been considered special before the change. Is biting someone not physical? Actually, Dark Pokemon got an extremely short end of the stick with their own type. Most Dark type Pokemon all have higher attack stats that made their Dark STAB absolutely worthless. Sneasel was outclassed and largely useless when it was iterated because both of its STAB moves were considered special. Dark types aren't alone though.

Personally, I like it better this way. It fills more of my desire to keep track of specific things, something that I probably shouldn't realistically like so much and gave certain Pokemon their strengths. The only Pokemon that only really saw any bad from this were mixed sweepers, but having no particular niche and the ability to do damage to either a physical or special wall at any time is a strength within itself.