Summary
“Third” games inPokemongenerations were considered a major part of the series' formula, but it seems like they will remain consigned to the past. While thePokemongames have still continued their usual dual release pattern, the way that it approaches its generations has changed to a degree. Third games were something that fans came to expect after they appeared for a few generations in a row. However, thePokemonseries has taken on new habits in recent years, and it seems likely that future generations ofPokemonwill not be bringing back the tradition of third games.
The trend ofdual releases forPokemongameshas existed sincePokemon Red and Blue. The games have always provided slightly different experiences in the same region. At first, the main difference was some Pokemon being available in one game and not the other, or what the player’s default name was. Later generations would get more elaborate with their differences, withSword and Shieldchanging gym leaders andScarlet and Violetchanging professors and academy names based on the version being played. Considering that this has happened for nine generations straight, Generation 10 ofPokemonis almost certain to keep this tradition going.
Pokemon No Longer Needs Three Mainline Games In a Region Per Generation
Pokemon Used To Release an Extra Game Every Generation
Pokemon Yellownot only starredPokemon’s iconic mascot Pikachu, it started a trend for the series. Starting withYellow, the first several generations featured a third game releasing after the original two, including:
These third games featured their own catch lists, as well as a few marked differences in story. For example,Crystalfeatured a side plot with Eusine’s search for Suicune, andPlatinumintroduced Looker in the first of his many investigations. These differences made the third games stand out from the original dual-release, and seemed like they would be aPokemonmainstay.
DLC Has Largely Taken the Place Of Pokemon’s Third Games
Pokemonhasn’t featured a third game since Generation 4, and withPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Indigo Disk DLC’s completion, Generation 9 is unlikely to bring it back. In fact, the DLC itself provides a strong incentive not to go back to the format of including third games. By using DLC, the developers can add extra content that could have been added to a third game directly to the first two. While players still have to pay extra, they don’t have to pick up a new game entirely to enjoy it. Overall, third games seem to have lost their spot to DLC in newer generations.
Pokemon Tradition Has Already Moved Past Third Games in a Generation
It’s also worth mentioning that third games have not been a part ofPokemonfor a while. Much like more ofPokemon’s generation-specific gameplay mechanics, the series has spent more time without third entries than with them. While Generation 5’sPokemon Black 2 and White 2are similar, they were direct sequels set in the same region than a retelling of the original Generation 5 story. They feel like a big part of the series since they were around from the beginning. However, just like many other features,Pokemonseems to have moved past third games in a generation in favor of other ideas.
Games likePokemon YellowandPokemon Crystalwere once a staple for the series, but those days have passed. While there are severalchanges that could helpPokemonGeneration 10, a return to the three-release format is unlikely to be among them. Between the rise of DLC as well as the changing traditions ofPokemon, releasing an entire extra game in a generation seems like a relic of days past. Third games probably won’t be coming back toPokemon, even if some other mechanics end up making a comeback.
Pokemon
Pokemon is a franchise that needs no introduction. One of the most successful media empires in history, Pokemon spans games, television, films, manga, merchandise, music, and more.
