Alright...so don't judge me here, but lately I got into a Pokemon kick. It all started with this group on Facebook of change your profile picture to a Pokemon for the month of December. Well I did that til the end of finals, and now I'm at home for break and was bored so I broke out the old games. Well here's where the problems start coming up. There are certain things about this game that just drive me insane. Therefore this post is dedicated to those frustrations.
[1] The Remaining Starter
So we all have to pick between either Bulbasaur, Squirtle, or Charmander. Nothing wrong with that...and then of course the rival picks the one that is your weakness...also OK. What is not OK though is the fact that the one starter that doesn't get picked just hangs out for the rest of the game. There is no way to get that one. I mean come on seriously? We just let it sit there all lonely like? If I have to pay to get that remaining one I will, but it's just stupid. Especially when if I really want all the starters I'll just trade at the beginning of the game with a friend to get them all.
[2] Status Effecting Moves
OK I really hate these! Especially ones that mess with me, like Sand-Attack. I mean this one drives me absolutely insane. It's the worst when a move like that is used repeatedly and then gets to the point where it says "[blank]'s accuracy won't lower any more." but the other Pokemon continues to use it and therefore I can't have an attack that hits. Lame.
[3] Magikarp
So I've always hated Magikarp, but as I restarted this game I though you know what I'll give the little guy a chance. I decided to buy one of the little jerks at Mt. Moon from the shady guy in the PokeCenter. (Cost me 500 bucks) Anyways so the stupid thing only comes with Splash...stupid move; does nothing. So in order to train it you have to do one of those "first out switch-a-roo things." Well finally get him to level up to around level 17 and he still sucks. I know it only takes three more levels to he turns into a total badass, but come one! If I didn't know he turned into a badass I never would have stayed and worked like this to get that. No wonder I never did anything with him in the original game.
[4] Trainers with Evolved Pokemon before the level they should be
This is another small thing, but something that drives me nuts. I absolutely hate when a trainer you battle on the road has a Pokemon that is evolved before the level you are able to evolve yours. Perfect example a Raticate at Lv. 16...well if I want a Raticate I have to wait until my Rattata gets to Lv. 20. Bullshit? I think so.
[5] Killing a Pokemon You're Trying to Catch
Have you ever been searching in the grass or a cave for hours on end for that one Pokemon that only appears like 1 out of every 100 encounters and then you try to lower it's HP as low as you can without killing it and then all of a sudden "Critical Hit!" and BAM it faints? Well that's my number 5 frustration. Enough said.
[6] Rare Candy Deception
Alright so the highest a Pokemon can get is Lv. 100 right? So do I really want to waste my time training it to that level? NO! So I decide I want to use my rare candy collection to get it there. Well see there's this thing they don't tell you about rare candies. Sure it makes your Pokemon level up but it doesn't make them stronger. I remember taking a rare candied Pokemon to the Elite 4 once...one hit and dead. But my level 60 trained Pokemon won the battle. So much for instant gratification.
[7] Game Pokedex vs. TV Show Pokedex
Anyone who watched the show knows how the Pokedex that Ash has works. He sees a Pokemon and it gives him the info. Simple right? Well not in the game...no in the game you have to actually catch the little shits before you get anything. Another bullshit moment of the game I think.
[8] HMs and Their Use
The use of HMs to advance through the game really annoy me. We all know that in a battle that none of the HMs except maybe Surf and Fly are any good at all. Yet to get through the storyline portion of the game you have to use these stupid things like Flash (screw that one) and strength. This inevitably resulted in the creation of an HM whore. You know...the Pokemon that has all of its moves as HMs. Yeah that poor Pokemon...once the game's storyline is finished...no one wants that one.
[9] Leveling Up for Gyms/Other Important Battles
This is one of the most monotonous parts of the game. It's easy to level up when there are trainers to fight as their Pokemon yield more experience, but when they are all exhausted you're left with the stupid wild ones. Well if you're trying to level up your Pokemon at the beginning of the game, that's not too big of a deal, but as they get higher in level it gets harder to just train them like that. I remember spending hours trying to get to a point where I could take on a certain Gym leader. Time in my life I will never get back. :(
[10] Getting a Nicknamed Pokemon in a Trade
There are a few benefits to trading Pokemon. One of those benefits is faster growth...another is expanding your Pokedex. You know what one of those benefits is not? Getting a Pokemon with what the original owner thought was a clever nickname. Today I trade a Nidoran female for a Nidoran male and the stupid little girl who had him before made his name Mr. Nido. So you think oh OK I'll just takehim to the Name Rater in Lavender Town. NOPE! He won't let you change the name. Now the guy won't be taken seriously in a battle with my friends when it says Mr. Nido used Poison Sting. Fail!
There are more frustrations to be had I'm sure, but these are the ones that come to my mind as I read through this. If you have any other frustrations please feel free to share. I would love to remember the things that drove me insane as a child.
