Pokemon: 10 Features That Were Cut From The Games

08/05/2024

Like the fascinating creatures that inhabit its world, the Pokemon franchise is constantly evolving. Every new generation of games not only introduces a new region and a collection of new Pokemon, but it also presents brand-new features that are meant to improve the player’s experience.

Pokemon: 15 Best Type Combinations, Ranked

Pokemon features a lot of interesting type combinations. Here’s a look at some of the absolute best, ranked.

But, with time, Game Freak began cutting several of these important features for a variety of reasons, whether it’s because of the technical limitations of a console or because they prefer each generation to have their own individual identity, so players can go back to those games instead of replacing them with the most recent installment. This has sadly led to most Pokemon fans missing the most innovative features of past games, and these are some of the most popular examples.

Game Corners

The Real World Affected The Pokemon World

Pokemon FireRed

Platform(s)Game Boy AdvanceReleasedSeptember 7, 2004Developer(s)Game FreakGenre(s)RPG

There are some places that usually appear in every single Pokemon region, and the Game Corner was one of them. In Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh the player can find these casino-like buildings that have several minigames in them, in which they can win all sorts of rare items.

Game Corners were a fun little distraction that provided alternate methods of getting good stuff, but they were cut after Generation Four because of controversies surrounding its many gambling elements, as most people nowadays believe these don’t belong in a game for children. This was reflected in the Game Corner’s appearance in Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Let’s Go, Eevee!, where none of its machines are playable.

Trainer Rematches

They Added A Lot Of Replay Value

Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire

Platform(s)Game Boy AdvanceReleasedMarch 19, 2003Developer(s)Game FreakGenre(s)RPG

The PokeNav and the Vs. Seeker are two different items introduced in Generation Three that gave players the ability to battle against any trainer that was previously fought as many times as they wanted. This was a clever feature that added a lot of replayability to these games and was even carried on to the next generation.

However, neither of those items were brought back again (With the sole exception being the Vs. Seeker reappearing in the Generation Four remakes) and most regular trainers in modern Pokemon games can’t be battled again after their initial encounter. Most fans definitely want this fun feature to be brought back.

Contests

A Cute Diversion From The Usual Battles

Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire

Platform(s)Nintendo 3DSReleasedNovember 21, 2014Developer(s)Game Freak

The introduction of contests in Ruby & Sapphire was a turning point for the franchise, as this was the first time that these games featured a different type of competition that relied on aesthetics and beauty instead of normal fighting. They were a key component of Generations Three and Four, alongside their respective remakes.

Contests were completely cut from subsequent installments, and it left players who preferred less action-centric experiences wanting something else to do. Generation Five tried to replace them with Pokemon Musicals, but they were nowhere near as fun or complex as contests (And they were eventually cut as well).

Seasons

A Real-Life Phenomenon That Shouldve Stuck Around

Pokemon Black and White

Platform(s)Nintendo DSReleasedMarch 6, 2011Developer(s)Game FreakGenre(s)JRPG

One of the many interesting new ideas introduced in Black & White was the addition of seasons to the Pokemon world. The Unova region would constantly switch into Summer, Autumn, Spring, or Winter, depending on the month. This was a clever mechanic that not only affected the environment but also changed the aspect of some Pokemon, like Deerling or Sawsbuck.

Pokemon: 6 Evolutions That Were Cut Out Of The Games

Not all Pokemon evolutions made the final cut. Here’s which ones ended up being scrapped before their introduction.

Despite the fact that this seemed to be a natural addition that should’ve remained in future installments, seasons were never featured in a Pokemon game after Black & White and its sequel. Deerling and Sawsbuck still change forms every month, but this is not reflected in their environment.

Difficulty Settings

One Of The Most Requested Features Actually Existed

Pokemon Black and White 2

Platform(s)Nintendo DSReleasedJune 23, 2012Developer(s)Game FreakGenre(s)RPG

Nowadays, most Pokemon fans believe that modern games are way too easy and that it would be convenient to have different difficulty settings, so each player can have either a more relaxed or more challenging experience, according to their preference. But what it’s curious is that this actually existed, back in Generation Five.

Black 2 & White 2 were the only Pokemon games that had difficulty settings: Easy Mode and Challenge Mode. These modes alter the AI, levels, and move sets of every single trainer’s teams, including Gym Leaders and the Elite Four. Even if they were locked behind the convoluted Key System, this was a brilliant feature, and it’s a shame that it never returned.

Medals

The Closest Thing To Achievements The Pokemon Games Got

A lot of modern gamers have a fondness for achievements and trophies, digital parameters that reward them for completing a specific task. They can be a fun thing to complete, but sadly, Pokemon games don’t really have achievements, even though this is more of a problem with Nintendo’s consoles.

Black 2 & White 2 are once again responsible for having an innovative mechanic that was never brought back for future installments. When talking to Mr. Medal in any Pokemon Center, players can be rewarded with different types of medals depending on the specific actions they performed throughout their adventure. That’s right; these were the Pokemon franchise’s equivalent to achievements or trophies.

Triple & Rotation Battles

Removed Because Of Technical Limitations

Introduced back in Generation Five, Triple Battles and Rotation Battles were a breath of fresh air that not only increased the number of Pokemon in battle, but also completely changed the way that trainers had to think and react. While they were never as popular as Single or Double Battles, they had their fair share of fans.

These battles were sadly cut after Generation Six. While a real reason was never given, most fans believe it was because of the technical struggle of having 8 models (6 Pokemon and 2 Trainers) on-screen at the same time, which was especially difficult to pull off on the Nintendo 3DS. However, the spirit of Triple and Rotation Battles lives on in the Raid Battles featured in both Sword & Shield and Scarlet & Violet.

Player Search System (PSS)

The Most Efficient Way Of Using The Internet

Pokemon X and Y

Platform(s)3DSReleasedOctober 12, 2023Developer(s)Game FreakGenre(s)JRPG

While online Pokemon interactions have existed since Generation Four, they were completely changed in Generation Six with the inclusion of the Player Search System, also known as the PSS. With it, players could go to 3DS’s second screen and immediately access many different online features, like battles, trading, and much more. The PSS was especially beloved by fans because of how simple and accessible it was.

23 Pokemon With Hidden Abilities Competitive Players Must Have

Hidden abilities can be a powerful advantage in Pokemon’s competitive gameplay. These Pokemon in particular have worthwhile hidden abilities.

But sadly, the Player Search System was removed after Generation Six, and it was replaced with new similar features like the Festival Plaza or the Y-Comm. And while these served the same purpose of connecting players over the internet, none of them were as efficient and easy to use as the PSS.

Super Training

It Made EV/IV Training More Accessible

Pokemon X & Y also introduced a brand-new minigame known as Super Training, which not only was really fun, but it also had an added benefit for the rest of the experience: Super Training could be used to increase each Pokemon’s individual stats. So, trainers could train their Pokemon while having some fun at the same time.

Longtime Pokemon fans may be aware of the infamous training method known as EV/IV Training, which can be quite complex, confusing and tedious. Super Training made this process a lot less daunting by incorporating it into a fun minigame. But sadly, this feature was completely removed and nowadays, EV/IV Training is relegated to the use of bottle caps.

Mega Evolution/Z-Moves/Dynamax

Great Gimmicks That Are Stuck In Their Original Generation

Pokemon Sword and Shield

Platform(s)SwitchReleasedNovember 15, 2019Developer(s)Game FreakGenre(s)RPG

Recently, the Pokemon franchise became infamous for introducing brand-new & exciting battle mechanics that completely altered the gameplay. These were: Mega Evolutions in Generation Six, Z-Moves in Generation Seven and Dynamax in Generation Eight.

Despite the fact that they were mostly received positively by fans – especially because they gave new forms to beloved Pokemon – they were removed almost immediately, which made them feel more like generational gimmicks added to sell copies rather than new mechanics that would evolve the franchise. Nowadays, Scarlet & Violet even feature Terastallization, which is most likely going to be cut in the next generation. Luckily, it seems that Mega Evolution will be brought back in Legends Z-A, so maybe the other gimmicks will also return someday.