In addition to the technical problems of the current Pokémon games, the difficulty is a major point of criticism. For many, the RPG series is simply too easy. Up until Crimson and Purple, however, there was an option to make the game harder, but hardly anyone used it.
The Pokémon games are far too easy. This is something that adult fans of the series in particular don’t like, and they have been wanting a hard mode for a long time. At least the option would sweeten the experience for many players.
Interestingly, there has been an option since the beginning of the series that made the game significantly more difficult, but hardly anyone used it. In the settings you can change your fighting style. You can choose between switching and following. With following the game becomes significantly more difficult.
Many players make the games more difficult for themselves with their own rules. In the latest part, however, one starter was too strong: Pokémon Crimson & Purple: “It took over 5 arenas on its own” – Starter is considered overpowered in special mode
The latest Pokémon installment no longer offers this option:
New trailer for Pokémon Crimson & Purple divides fans: “Ambitious” and “rough”
More videos
Autoplay
Option that is rarely used
What are the consequences of this setting? Switching is automatically activated and ensures that when you defeat an opponent’s Pokémon, a message appears telling you which Pokémon will be called next. You can then switch in a new Pokémon without sacrificing a turn.
In contrast to the NPC, this always gives you the advantage of being able to react without disadvantage, for example to compensate for type weaknesses.
With Follow, things are completely different. The opponent’s next Pokémon is called without warning. If you want or need to switch now, the new Pokémon must withstand an attack from the opponent. Pokémon Legends Arceus only had this option.
The result is used by very few players, as it is usually hidden in the settings. If you want to change it, you have to do it consciously. Players often set it in so-called Nuzlocke challenges, precisely because of the difficulty.
The latest installment in the series, Pokémon Crimson and Purple, no longer had this option. It is unclear whether the setting will return in the future.
One Pokémon game tried even harder. Pokémon Black 2 had the hurdle mode. As Pokéwiki explains, the games then had the following difficulties:
Unfortunately, you could only unlock the mode after the Hall of Fame, so you couldn’t select it from the start. After the story, you unlock the hurdle key, which makes everything more difficult for you in the post-game. If you want to start right away, a friend has to send you the key.
Pokémon White 2, on the other hand, had the help key, which makes everything even easier. To make the games more difficult, the community creates its own game modes. This creates crazy challenges that only a few trainers can complete. An example would be the Kaizo Ironmon Challenge: Twitch: Streamer takes on one of the most difficult challenges in Pokémon, succeeds after 1,786 attempts