Part 2 to the Best Features introduced in Pokemon games. Part 2, while it does still stick with ease of life/ergonomic features to the main series games, I've taken a look at some of the side games as well.

Have fun!!!

1. The Purify Chamber

The Purify Chamber was a Ground breaking addition to Pokemon XD Gale Of Darkness.
Although this Is a function in one of the spin off games, this function IS the primary reason I will play XD over its predecessor: Pokemon Colosseum. In this duo of games, we have Shadow Pokemon: These Pokemon CANNOT evolve or grow in level until theyre 'purified'. These Pokemon must join the player in battle, growing relationships, and depleting its 'Heart Gauge' before it can be 'purified' & become a better Pokemon. In Colosseum, the only way to deplete their Shadow Meter/Heart Gauge was to actively partake in battles and it was a TIME CONSUMING process as some Pokemon could be purified in as little as five battles while some took 100 Battles. OUCH!!! Come Colosseum's Sequel: Gale Of Darkness, the game introduced the Purify Chamber of which allows Shadow Pokemon deposited into the Chamber to gradually deplete their Shadow Meter with time/distance walked. This completely changed the game and made purifying Shadow Pokemon MILES easier than it had been before.

2. PC Access from Anywhere

Pokemon Sword & Shield/Generation 8 changed the game when they introduced the ability to access your PC anywhere at anytime. Prior to Generation 8, if you wanted to alter your team line up or access any Pokemon NOT currently on your team, you had to treck all the way to a Pokemon Center and configure a machine with a million options. Come Generation 8, the PC's options were much more streamlined AND now players could access their PC on the fly in the middle of nowhere if they deemed fit. This was a time saver, Shiny Hunters/Egg Hatchers didn't have to run to a Pokemon center every two seconds & gave us Pokedex completionists an easier time figuring out which Pokemon we had already.

3. The Capture Meter

In Pokemon Ranger, the player must spin circles around Pokemon with their Capture Stylus a set amount of times uninterrupted in order to capture Pokemon. This made the first Ranger game infuriating to play as some Pokemon attacked relentlessly, some Pokemon needed an ungodly amount of circles/damage in order to capture and so on. Come Ranger's sequel: Shadows of Almia, it completely changed the game. Shadows Of Almia took away the requirement where you needed to spin circles around a Pokemon a set number of times uninterrupted. Instead, yes, you still needed to spin around a Pokemon a set number of times, but the capture could be interrupted!!! Instead, Pokemon had a larger health meter and you had to deplete it over time instead of in one sitting. For this reason alone, I CANT replay the OG Pokemon Ranger as it's too difficult and infuriating compared to its sequels.

4. Gym Leader Order

In MOST of the Pokemon games, you must challenge the Pokemon Gyms in a particular order. The first game to change this requirement was Pokemon Diamond & Pearl/Generation 4 as MOST of the Gyms you could challenge in any order you see fit. Sadly, the games went back to their usual formula and required the player to face the Gyms in specific orders in every game since Generation 4 UNTIL Generation 9/Scarlet & Violet. Scarlet & Violet reintroduced the ability to challenge the Gyms in any order as there was an emphasis on Playing the Game at the Player's Pace/Choose your own adventure. While sadly the Gyms didn't scale in difficulty depending on what order the player challenged them, but I love the idea of FINALLY being able to Challenge the Gyms in any order instead of the lack of freedom/linear gameplay most of the Pokemon games pose.

5. Pokemon Amie

Pokemon Amie, introduced in Generation 6 aka Pokemon X & Y, set the groundwork for future Pokemon Games when it came to bonding with your Pokemon. Pokemon Amie was the player's first taste to being able to bond with your Pokemon one on one as in Amie, you could feed, pet, play games & Bathe your Pokemon. By Bonding with your Pokemon, your Pokemon would then perform better in battle by landing more frequent Critical Hits or overcoming status effects faster than normal. Pokemon Amie would later pave the way for multiple variations of the same function such as the Poke Pelago in Sun & Moon, Campsites in Sword & Shield & Picnicing in Scarlet & Violet. Us as players LOVED this addition to the games as the inability to bond with our Pokemon, much like everyone could in the anime, left a sour taste in most of the fanbases mouths. Bonding with our Pokemon Gave us battle benefits too! I hope they never remove this feature from the games.

6. Raids

I know, this is a bit of a hot topic in the fanbase, but I personally love the addition of Raid Dens in the games. Raid Dens, introduced in Generation 8 aka Sword & Shield, Allows the player to team up with three other players OR Go in Alone against massively overpowered wild Pokemon. If you (and your teammates if you choose) successfully defeat the Pokemon guarding the den, then you can capture it and be rewarded with a slew of rewards. This feature then carried over into Generation 9/Scarlet & Violet. Now, the reason why Raids are a sensitive topic is because Pokemon tailored this feature to be HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you challenge it with other Live players aka Teamwork rather than challenging it alone. Therefore, you're practically being punished if you don't play with other people. Some of the pros to these Raids include that you get an overpowered and most likely rare/event Pokémon and the slew of rewards for completing them such as rare items, money, exp candies, Tera Shards, Herba Mystica, Max Shrooms, TMs and more!!! To me, these Raids are the key to getting rich quick, training up your Pokemon quickly, and gives a sense of multi-player in an otherwise single player game.

7. The Ability to Choose WHEN to Evolve

Although Pokemon has reverted back to its old ways, come Generation 8 in Legends Arceus, Pokemon gave the player the ultimate choice on when they can evolve their Pokemon. In 99% of the Pokemon games, Pokemon evolve on their own as soon as the evolution requirements are met. In Legends Arceus, even if Evolution requirements are met, the Pokemon WONT evolve unless the player prompts them to. This choice made it so the player didn't have to evolve their Pokemon unless they wanted to, rather than going through the trouble to obtain Everstones. Also, in Legends Arceus, the Pokedex was different from the rest of the series as the player had to complete research requests for EVERY SINGLE Pokemon. Therefore, the player could complete their Pokedex entry before prompting their Pokemon to Evolve which was HELPFUL!!! I really wish us as players still had the choice in when their Pokemon evolve as it would save some issues I've had in the past, especially when it comes to the Eeveelutions with oddly specific and unpredictable evolution methods.

8. Travel Companions

Travel Companions, one of the most requested features across ALL Pokemon games has Technically Been around since 1996 with Pokemon Yellow. A feature that's been VERY sporadic/hit and miss across the series, Pokemon sometimes will allow the player to travel the environment in their games in question with one of their Pokemon traveling beside them. First introduced in Generation 1 in Pokemon Yellow when the player's Pikachu would ALWAYS Travel with them. Later brought back TWICE in Generation 4 as Diamond & Pearl introduced Pal Park, an area where specific Pokemon could enjoy the park outside of their Pokeball with the player then in Heartgold & Soulsilver where the 1st Pokemon in your Party traveled with the Player at all times. Unfortunately, the companion feature went missing from the series for over 10 years as it didn't come back till Generation 8 as Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee reintroduced Travel Companions. Furthermore, the Sword & Shield DLC allows players to travel with a Pokemon in the Crown Tundra & Isle of Armor. Sadly, this feature was removed once again in Generation 9 aka Scarlet & Violet unless the Auto Battle feature counts, in which I don't. I WISH this feature would just be a permanent part of the games as who DOESNT enjoy traveling with their Pokemon? But we can't all win.

9. Interchangeable Main Character

In the Pokepark series, the games feature Pikachu traveling across the land of Pokepark trying to befriend everyone he sees all the while saving the world from ruin. The first game was difficult at times as Pikachu was the ONLY character you could play as and imagine how difficult it was to fight ALL Pokemon with only thunderbolt & Iron Tail at your disposal. Thankfully come the sequel, the game introduced the ability to change out which character you play as. Throughout the game, Pikachu befriends 3 new main characters: Oshawott, Snivy & Tepig, all superior in their own battle styles can travel the environment in ways everyone else can't. This made battles so much more easier as you had more Pokemon moves & typings at your disposal and plus, it's gets tiring being a Pikachu all the time doesn't it?

10. Roller Skates

Something that has only been in the series ONCE but is widely missed... In Generation 6 in Pokemon X & Y, the series introduced a new way of travel: Roller Skates. This made traversing the environment faster, easier & FUN!!! Even going as far as to add a completely optional area of the game where players can be taught Roller skating tricks just for the heck of it. Let's be real here, NOBODY was using bikes in X & Y due to just how awesome Roller skates were. Unfortunately, Roller Skates NEVER made a comeback to the series and realistically, it doesn't make any sense as to why. Instead, EVERY game going forward went back to bikes and rideable Pokemon. Roller Skating was one of my highlights replaying the X & Y games and I think we can all agree, Roller Skates were superior.

11. Ball Throwing Styles

Introduced in Generation 7 in Pokemon Sun & Moon, the game gave the player the choice as to how to toss their Pokeballs in battle. Yes, you heard me right, this under the radar feature that was EASY to miss allowed you to customize ball throwing styles and it NEVER made a comeback to the series!!! WHY!?!!? I thought this tiny feature was so creative and fun as the game rewarded you with new throwing styles for every achievement you achieved in the games such as completing the Pokedex or the Island Trials. Part of the reason I'm particularly upset this feature never came back, and why it realistically doesn't make sense as to remove it in the first place, was how Sword & Shield as well as Scarlet & Violet put an emphasis on ball throwing styles. Hop, as well as many kids in Galar, would Marvel at how perfect Champion Leon could throw his Pokeballs and they practiced to be like him. Then in Scarlet & Violet, Nemona openly admits how disappointing her ball throwing is and then most of the Gym Leaders have extravagant & memorable ball throwing styles. Like WHY can't we customize our ball throws anymore!?!?! I'm so upset...

Any features on this your favorite? Did any make your gameplay experience better? Any I left off?