I know the focus is the dress, the heels, and your overall awesome progress, but CUTE GLASSES.

Things like Natures REALLY making or breaking a Pokemon's viability in the main story this time around, and a majority of the early-game Hoenn Pokemon having learnsets that prioritize special moves, made grinding feel like a SLOG. I felt railroaded into having a certain team setup that didn't vibe with how I wanted to play the game, which legitimately has NEVER been a problem with me in any other Pokemon game I've played. I will say, the game looks gorgeous. The jump from GBC to GBA did wonders for this series. And this generation did have one of my all-time favorite additions to the series in Secret Bases. Yes yes yes, more customizable hideouts and less EV training, PLEASE. I think what really sours me on this gen is the fact that GameFreak decided that this just is and always will be Pokemon. Always 8 gyms, always an evil Team, always a Legendary, always grass/water/fire Starters, always a rival, always an Elite 4/Champion. Gen 2 being direct sequels on the same hardware made this sameness easier to swallow at the time, but Gen 3 had the opportunity to really expand what the mainline Pokemon world could be. The fact that it doubled down on the same formula kind of killed that adventurous sense of wonder the series originally made me feel. ON THE OTHER HAND, it introduced the world to Flygon, one of the best damn Pokemon ever, so...give and take.

3. Pokemon: Emerald Version
☆☆

Frustrating.

This is the gen that said, "These are battle sims now, the adventure is just set dressing." The technical side of battles is my least favorite part of this series and it's EGRIGIOUS here.

But that's why SO MANY adore this game so it just wasn't for me.

I think Mario is too much like Mickey Mouse. For a movie about him and his world to work, he almost needs to be the magical imp who helps others through THEIR character arcs.

A Luigi's Mansion movie would work for this reason. Hell, it's why the Paper Mario games work story-wise.

Detroit's been going through a pretty cool restructuring for the past decade. Thanks for shouting it out.

It's like 2014 Tumblr never existed.

NOBODY did it like Norm.

His Tetris video especially is one of the most defining examples of video game history being shared with as much weight and gravitas any other historical event. Not even the MOVIE could tell that story without an unserious wink at the audience.

We owe this guy a lot.

I think that's exactly what they learned. We're introducing Yoshi, Bowser Jr, Wart and Birdo, Rosalina and EVERYTHING that comes with her, multiple new planets, and now we're throwing in Fox and Pikmin?

It's going to be "We need to visit DOBKEY KONG COUNTRY to get MARIO KARTS" all over again ha.

You actually need to buy a completely separate book from them to read anything past chapter 10, it's wild.

Oh dang I almost forgot the "Rare is overrated" crowd!

Man, the early 2000s truly were the beginning of the end of Gen X pretending not to care about stuff, huh?

Sorry to get radical but I don’t think it’s my job or yours to embrace, accept, understand - and certainly not to use - the thing being sold to us as AI. I don’t like any part of it, so I won’t. I’m missing out? Good, that’s what I want. You’re worried about me missing out? That’s fuckin weird, man.

"What do you MEAN it's not a pixel-by-pixel re-release of Super???"

Reminds me a lot of how everyone immediately decided to hate Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown because the debut trailer was cringe and it wasn't a direct follow-up to the Sands of Time trilogy.

MILLIONS of stubborn metroidvania lovers missed out on one of the best in the genre of that generation.

I feel this. I'm over here just overjoyed that one of my top 3 favorite video game franchises of all time is officially back, but the general echo chamber seems to be either "why doesn't it look like SotN?" or "why doesn't it play like Rondo?"

It's been 18 years, what WILL please these people?

I forgot how reactionary and antagonistic redditors are about everything.

Lessons learned.

Sonia Belmont looking SUSPICIOUSLY hesitant to fight a hulking werewolf who is wearing a tunic SUSPICIOUSLY similar in color and design to Trevor's from the Netflix series...

By the way, making my claim now:

This is Trevor.

This is Trevor Belmont's CURSE.

That's why he can use the Cross. And I bet that gold rope around his left arm is the Morning Star.

This is why someone as strong and faithful as Trevor allows his child to go fight demons in his stead.

Sonia Belmont looking SUSPICIOUSLY hesitant to fight a hulking werewolf who is wearing a tunic SUSPICIOUSLY similar in color and design to Trevor's from the Netflix series...

By the way, making my claim now:

This is Trevor.

This is Trevor Belmont's CURSE.

That's why he can use the Cross. And I bet that gold rope around his left arm is the Morning Star.

This is why someone as strong and faithful as Trevor allows his child to go fight demons in his stead.

Death. I really dig how his scythe looks like it's a part of him, not a separate weapon. Made up of bones and dark energy. Because...yeah, it's the weapon belonging to the literal embodiment of Death. It's not like a blacksmith forged it.

The Fishman! He looks just as delightfully dopey as one would hope!

The Medusa Head. In motion, I swear it doesn't look like dreadlocks as much as it does in this screenshot.

And Death just being this mountain of bones under a cloak? Incredible. Keep cooking.

Hell, I even dig the Medusa Heads and Fishmen in this style. They're still instantly recognizable despite fitting into this new bombastic tone.

I'm so excited to see more familiar faces.

Screenshot from Castlevania: Belmont's Curse where a giant, naga-esque Medusa and her tentacle-like snake hair shoots a giant petrifying beam at Sonya Belmont. It looks so sick.

The art style was pretty jarring at first, but it grew on me quickly. Some of these redesigns are absolute bangers. I'm like losing my mind over this interpretation of Medusa.

Counter-argument: As a talented artist, it's almost your civic duty to be the change you want to see in the world.

You can fix this, for the people. You have the power.

I HAD A LAPSE OF FAITH AND I FEEL FOOLISH, BUT PRAISE BE! 🧛‍♂️🦇🍖🎸

It looks so clean. I love the speed and fluidity, giving me big Lost Crown vibes. And that art style?? Man...

Just reveal the protag's name to be Sonia and Castlevania has its own Dread-style comeback.

I will die on the hill that Jason is at his scariest in Part 2.

I've played all of them, but THIS one specifically is the definitive. As a tiny kid, I really took the gorgeous sprite work for granted. It's one of the most gorgeous games of the entire generation as far as I'm concerned.

You forgot to mention the part where Quint labeled the different parts of the shark's anatomy on his little doodle for emphasis, only for Brody to walk up to it, grab a piece of chalk, and draw a $ after the word "jaw".

Simon Belmont, Samus Aran, and the Hero rocking their NES colors in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

My three favorite video game franchises of all time are celebrating their 40th(!!!) anniversaries this year.

SE has already teased a big celebratory extravaganza for Dragon Quest. Nintendo MIGHT tease us with something Metroid-related, but probably nothing big.

And then there's Castlevania.

Simon Belmont, Samus Aran, and the Hero rocking their NES colors in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

My three favorite video game franchises of all time are celebrating their 40th(!!!) anniversaries this year.

SE has already teased a big celebratory extravaganza for Dragon Quest. Nintendo MIGHT tease us with something Metroid-related, but probably nothing big.

And then there's Castlevania.

Illumination is trying their absolute damnedest to make a Rosalina fan outta me, aren't they?

My brain is incapable of even imagining Yangus without the Cockney accent...

This year marks the 40th anniversary of some of my favorite franchises, including Ganbare Goemon...

...and Konami refuses to give us the only celebration that IP will even get.

Damn shame. Would've LOVED to see Seikushi Dynamites Arawaru localized.

Rocket: Robot on Wheels