With Pokémon Scarlet and Violet coming out soon, there is an opportunity for some older Pokémon mechanics to make a return to the series. Of course, it would be almost impossible for Scarlet and Violet to take every removed mechanic from Pokémon's history and reintroduce it, some really do deserve a second chance. In fact, some could even be a great boon for the games.
Pokémon as a series has always been innovative. Even the premise itself was much different from typical RPGs, and it has maintained that same core gameplay since its inception. However, it has also attempted several new ideas, such as introducing Contests and Double Battles in Generation 3. While some ideas, such as Double Battles, stuck around, Contests were among the many ideas that came and went over the course of the series. Scarlet and Violet's version-exclusive professors show that the new games are already experimenting, and it will need to be seen how successful these new ideas are.
Just because some features of the games were dropped previously, that doesn't mean that they were bad by any stretch. Indeed, some were actually brilliant ideas that were taken from the games too soon. Scarlet and Violet is being looked to for what new ideas it will bring to Pokémon, but it couldn't hurt for it to bring back something old as well.
Intro & Fainting Animations Added More Character To Pokémon
Pokémon Stadium was the first 3D Pokémon game, and it offered some advantages that the Game Boy did not. Specifically, the capabilities of the Nintendo 64 allowed the Pokémon to be fully animated. They would attack, react to being hit, and even faint once their HP was reduced to zero. While a new Pokémon Stadium game would be expected to bring these back, it's unclear if a main series title would do the same
Introduction and fainting animations were two things that added character to a Pokémon. While the introduction was usually the Pokémon using one of their attack animations like a taunt, the fainting animations were completely unique. Some were simply the Pokémon falling over, although others were much more creative. Some were chilling, like Jynx vanishing apart from its hair. Others were entertaining, like Nidoking completely overacting on his way down. These animations, although only visible when losing, did plenty to add flavor to each of the Pokémon. It was interesting to see how each Pokémon reacted to losing a fight.
The fainting animations have stopped appearing in recent years, and that's a shame. Pokémon stories need to avoid tiring trends, but fainting animations didn't need to go away. Although they make battles take a little longer, they brought something interesting to the game. One has to wonder what animations could have been created for newer Pokémon such as Passimian or Krookodile. Bringing fainting animations back wouldn't be a major move, but it would be a fun one.
Customizable Poké Balls Should Be A Pokémon Mainstay
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl introduced the ability for the player to customize their Pokémon's Poké Balls by using seals, which were essentially stickers attached to the Ball that would cause effects when the Pokémon was released. Being a Nintendo DS game, the graphics weren't especially impressive, and the effects were limited to things such as confetti and sparks. However, it was a pretty unique idea that sadly disappeared almost as soon as it came. There are many kinds of Poké Balls, and some Pokémon Poké Balls are useless, but it has been a while since players were able to customize their Poké Balls.
Customizing one's Pokémon is a pretty interesting idea that is rarely brought up. Of course, the idea of dressing up the Pokémon themselves may not be practical considering all of the models that the game would have to account for, so customizing their Poké Balls is the next best thing. In fact, with the more advanced graphics that the Switch is capable of, they could include some more impressive options that weren't possible before. Adding a little extra flair upon release could help build the character that the player has in mind for the Pokémon in question.
Pokémon fans want character customization, so one would think that bringing back customizable Poké Balls would also be well-received. More options to show off one's personal flair are always appreciated, and Diamond and Pearl's seals provided that. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl already brought back seals, and hopefully Scarlet and Violet will improve them and make them into a permanent addition.
HeartGold & SoulSilver's Pokéathalon Is A Great Side Attraction
For the most part, HeartGold and SoulSilver were updates to Gold and Silver that brought fourth-generation movesets and mechanics to the games. The remakes also included a few new additions of their own. Possibly the biggest and best of these changes was the addition of the Pokéathalon, a side game that remains as one of the series' most underappreciated features. There was some Gen 4 content meant for Pokémon Gold and Silver, and one has to wonder when the idea for the Pokéathalon was first proposed.
The Pokéathalon consists of a series of minigames divided into different courses that the player sends 3 of their own Pokémon to compete in. The Pokéathalon uses a different set of stats from the rest of the game, with each Pokémon ranked in Speed, Strength, Stamina, Jump, and Skill. This gives some Pokémon a chance to shine where they wouldn't normally. For example, Ledian has a reputation for being a horrible battler for a fully-evolved Pokémon, but it is a rather high-performing competitor in multiple Pokéathalon events. While not quite the worst or weakest Pokémon in the series, Ledian would not have seen use in HGSS without the Pokéathalon.
The fact that the Pokéathalon only appears in Heartgold and Soulsilver is very disappointing. A next-gen Pokéathalon could probably feature better events and improved mechanics for old ones, not to mention a lot more potential competitors. Out of all the features that Scarlet and Violet could potentially bring back, the Pokéathalon has to have the biggest upside.
There is still relatively little information circulating about Scarlet and Violet, so there's no telling what could be planned for the next generation of Pokémon. However, once the games come out, one can assume that players will be scrambling to see all that they have to offer. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the future of Pokémon, but bringing something back from the past could be a part of that future.