Summary
While not part of the main series,Pokemon Gois undoubtedly a powerful entry into the franchise, and potentially the most accessible game for those collecting Pokemon in general. Due to its rampant success over the years, the title’s concepts and mechanics could easily find themselves transferring over to the mainline entries in some form or another.
Some things found only or originally inPokemon Go,notably, microtransactions, should absolutely stay as far away from the main series as possible; however, elements of its gameplay could be tweaked to fit the usual format of thePokemongames, or even improve it. Ranging from exclusive Pokemonto unique gameplay ideas that have only been revisited inLet’s Go Pikachu and Eevee,the next console game could take some lessons fromPokemon Go.
5Pokemon Costumes
Not Just For Pikachu
Perhaps most appealing to shiny hunters andPokedex completionists, the fun of having costumed Pokemon of all varieties adds a level of personality last seen in theLet’s Gogames. While these Pokemon don’t add any competitive edge, their bonus rarity and uniqueness would make them notable additions that players could enjoy catching, sort of similar to Shiny Pokemon.
Previously, the only reliably available costumed Pokemon was, unsurprisingly, the mascot Pikachu, so adding more options for a very simple concept is always a plus. Given the use of special and specific Pokemon shared through gift distribution, the range of costume variants could be vast.
4Incense Spawns
A Cheap Way To Increase Pokemon
WithPokemon Scarlet and Violetincluding a way to increase the odds of specific Pokemon types withsandwiches and food, andLet’s Go Pikachu and Eeveefeaturing lures to generally increase spawn rates, the inclusion of incense fromPokemonGocould serve as another way to do the same. With the daily incense especially, there could be a cheaper and slightly less effective way to increase Pokemon spawns alongside the main spawn-altering gimmick.
Since the ingredients for sandwiches inScarlet and Violetcan be hard to come by and some spawn-boosting foods are expensive, offering a cheaper alternative that still boosts spawns would be welcome. It could be a great way for players early-on orshiny hunters pursuing the elusive off-colorswithout full access to the shiny charm.
3Lucky Egg XP Boosts
A Cheap Way To Get More Experience
The Lucky Egg may have been around long before the mobile game, but the way this experience-boosting consumable works inPokemon Gois far more intriguing than the usual item a Pokemon can hold. Both versions of the egg may greatly boost the amount of experience either a Pokemon or the trainer account obtains, but the combination of the two may be even more useful for future games.
Since experience already spreads to every Pokemon in the player’s party, the addition of a slightly boosted experience to every team member for half an hour in real-time fits in well.The sandwiches available inScarlet and Violetalso fit into this idea, as experience-boosting sandwiches are possible, so breathing new life into a simple egg could be a great addition to the next game without such customizable sandwiches.
2Using Berries In Battle
Easing The Way To Capture
Seen translated first intoLet’s Go, using berries to alter how Pokemon are captured could easily play a role in future open-world games, especially if future titles in the style of Legends are an option. While therazz, pinap, and nanab berriesare effective inPokemon Go, giving similar and general functions to berries would add more uses to the weirder variant and for players who have little use for the often competitively-focused produce.
The razz berry simply improving the capture rate of Pokemon could easily translate into the main series, as seen most recently inLegends: Arceus. Meanwhile, the candy-boosting nature of the pinap berry could be changed to increase Pokemon material drops or experience gained for the party. For the slightly odd nanab berry, the normal effect of slowing down a Pokemon’s erratic behavior could be changed to offering the same capture rate bonus as a Pokemon afflicted with a status condition.
1Shadow Pokemon
On-Par With Alpha Pokemon
Shadow Pokemon may originated inPokemon Colosseum, but they have found a whole new life withinPokemon Go. Not tremendous in their original game,Shadow Pokemon in Pokemon Goare among the strongest possible catches available, along with having a cool design with smoky shadows and burning red eyes. With how popular the gigantic Alpha Pokemon were inLegends: Arceus, the concept of adding a similarly hostile and specially designed group would work just as well, especially in a Johto setting.
While Shadow Pokemon wouldn’t share the notable large size the Alphas had, the aggressive, glowing red eyes would remain, along with the added penchant for violence. The added offensive buff and defensive nerf inherent to Shadow Pokemon could remain, giving a potential glass cannon class for all available creatures. Even ignoring the gameplay element these variants could have, the shiny hunting application of these inherently rarer and arguably cooler variants would easily equal that of shiny alphas if not more.
