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[DiddyKongRacing69]

Pokemon’s Change in Rival Style Was Necessary

The earliest Pokemon games featured rivals that could be bullies at times, and it is a good thing that Game Freak has moved away from that.

gamerant.com

Yeah no. There is a reason why Blue and Silver are basically the only rivals that people know about or like. That is cause it is fun to beat them. And Gamerant does realize like a huge chunk of Pokemon's fanbase is in their early 30s right?

 

[-Zelda-]

I agree with them. Even beating the older ones were annoying because I just wanted them to go away. I like Nemona. One thing I do wish that since most of us are in our late 20's to mid 30's now is to give us older protagonists more and more often. Not all the time, but still more than they do. It's not like there is not in universe precedent for it in the random people you battle that are all clearly older mixed in with the yonger.

White/white 2/Arceus all feature slightly older protagonists in the 14-17 range. I'd like more of that, and even older still.

 

[Comandr]

The old mean rivals were the best. It feels good to stand up to your bullies and beat them. Hop for instance is such a pathetic rival you just … get tired of raking him over the coals. The characters that intentionally pick a Pokémon weak to you is not interesting. It implies that the developers think I’m not skilled or clever enough to counter them. Handing me easy wins doesn’t feel like an accomplishment.

One thing I do wish that since most of us are in our late 20's to mid 30's now is to give us older protagonists more and more often.

Scarlet and Violent showed us at the school the students were a VERY mixed age group. I can pick body type 1 or body type 2, but I’m stuck as a 10 year old? Why?

 

[Sleepwalker]

The rivals in pokemon have sucked for a long time, the first ones were an outlier.

 

[LRKD]

The rivals in pokemon have sucked for a long time, the first ones were an outlier.

That is pretty much the entire series for you

 

[Raonak]

A rivalry requires animosity.

Pokemon 'rivals' since gen 3 onwards have just been friends.

Silver was the best rival because he had a legitimate character development.