I Miss Pokémon Sprites

Pokémon sprites were filled with so much personality and charm, it's a shame to see that most of the 3D models we have now feel lifeless.
➤ Subscribe:
m.kzbin.info...
➤ Last Video:
• Pokémon Violet But Sur...
➤ Follow Me:
Twitter - / noroguerenegade
Twitch - twitch.com/theroguerenegade
Instagram - / theroguerenegade
Tiktok - / theroguerenegade
Discord - / discord
#pokemon #pokemonscarletandviolet

[@1AlexMatrix0]

I loved when black and white sprites were animated

[@Darkrai_Dark]

It’s my favourite generation

[@Obsid_Ian43]

@@Darkrai_Dark mine too

[@robertlupa8273]

Some of them are pretty bad (like Shiftry that looks like it's stuck repeating an attack animation when it should only be doing it from time to time; seriously, it looks bad even if you're not very likely to see it), but overall it was a great addition.

[@RoninCatholic]

My ideal sprite based games would use the coloring and base posing attitudes of the first two gens, and the animation rigging techniques of gen 5 (as well as properly tagging which part of a Pokemon each attack should come out of - no flamethrower out of Charizard's belly instead of its mouth!)

[@nellewoodruff6337]

@@RoninCatholic Yo I'd love that. Imagine Blastoise's shots actually coming out of its back cannons

[@UltimateMustacheX]

Pokemon Crystal is probably my favorite set of sprites. They had an extra level of cartoony compared to later sprites, while still being fully detailed. It was just so clean looking.

[@thelegacyofgaming2928]

And every final evolution looked like a giant monster, haha. Gengar especially just looked pure evil, then pokemon like Muk looked horrifying

[@hlewis5217]

Jumpluff, Arcanine, Steelix, all starters, Pidgeot the fat chicken, look badass af

[@swagbear9965]

Yessir, always loved the sprites for Xatu, Feraligatr, gengar, and Typhlosion in Crystal

[@nickdominique6015]

This is like one of the first videos that took a RESPECTFUL look at both the sprites and the 3D models. The advancements the models make isn’t glossed over and it’s also not saying pokemon needs to go back to only 2D games. It would be cool to SEE a stylized 2D game again, but it also doesn’t have to be the new norm.

[@Moth_Please]

Absolutely agreed.

[@SMCwasTaken]

I really like the celshading on 3ds

[@Red_Ryan_Red]

You’re allowed to say the switch 3D models are a letdown.

[@jaydenc367]

@@Red_Ryan_Red True but at least be fair to them and don't be biased, you are also allowed to say the Switch to 3D models are a upgrade.

[@fe_three_rosses]

i'm really new to pokémon, so i never knew how much was missed about older generations. the sprite work is absolutely top notch!

[@fe_three_rosses]

something i really like about the games with models is that in the more recent ones like PLA and SV, they get these cute idle animations during picnics/whenever they're out of their pokéball. an example is with my favourite pokémon Gallade and his sibling Gardevoir, who both do this bowing gesture like princes and princesses would do. Iron Valiant also does this gesture during picnics whenever it's happy. Gallade also puts a hand on his hip casually in PLA. another favourite of mine, Luxray, makes a stance in battle that looks like it's about to pounce, and i really admire that trait too.

[@purpleclaws202]

@@fe_three_rosses go play Black and White and Black 2 and White 2 please

[@fl3m1n9o4]

​@@fe_three_rossesyeah this stuff is cool but it's incredibly niche compared to battle animations

[@mariotheundying]

@@fl3m1n9o4 well, at least there's quaxly's final evo, definitely one of the battle animations

[@Kneevirus]

The gba and ds pokemon games are still the best games imo

[@ImaGreenBoi]

2:53 I would Say Torchic is actually really cute in 3D, when you use a Physical attack like Scratch Torchic actually jumps forwards and then runs back to the original Position, is really cute

[@glitchyboi-nk1qv]

Yeah I wish we could get more animations like that rather than “VIBRATE VIOLENTLY!!!” Or “BACKHAND!”

[@glowcloudwheatproducts495]

Torchic and zigzagoon are the examples i always use when I argue that pokemon 3d animations could be good

[@McCaroni_Sup]

The way you describe it reminds me of Hook's animation in Honkai Star Rail. It's honestly kinda pathetic how the biggest entertainment IP in the world is somehow unable to make animations better than Hoyoverse, a Chinese company which only struck gold recently and were already making good animations with Honkai Impact 3rd as their first 3D game long before Genshin was even on the drawing board. Hell, even Nihon Falcom, a company which had some of the stiffest animations I've ever seen in their 3D JRPG debut, is now better than Pokemon when it comes to animations. Multiple animations for dozens of characters mind you. And I'm not even mentioning Atlus who does the same thing for even more mons in Shin Megami Tensei. Pokemon fans are too accepting of Game Freak and TPC. Anyone who has an understanding of the sheer popularity of the franchise and the capabilities of other devs understands that they CAN afford to animate every Pokemon expressively. They just choose not to because they know people will buy their sad excuse of a JRPG the same way NBA 2K players buy the same fucking game every year.

[@SMCwasTaken]

And the way it bobs 🥺

[@genarftheunfuni5227]

I also belong on the "Sprites are better" gang, but I am completely fine with 3D models in Pokemon. Especially after Scarlet and Violet fixing a couple issues like Typhlosion not having flames in battle or Eelektross finally standing up. Even though they look nice, a lot of us can't deny that sprites are a lot more charming than 3D models.

[@lemony4478]

One number. 1:30 But they were still better

[@JacrepidYT]

I think some pokemon have benefited from 3D like Spinda also in sv they brought back Eelektross standing up which was great

[@TheRogueRenegade]

That’s true I really like Spindas animation, so happy to hear Eelektross is back though

[@fl3m1n9o4]

yeah but the majority of pokémon looked so much better as sprites

[@SourSalmon]

@@fl3m1n9o4 Arguable. Pokemon in 3d allows you to see details that normally would have been unnoticeable.

[@spectralquill1810]

@@SourSalmon Yes. Mons in 3d only became bad bcz of the execution. The feel of mon looks was downgraded. Recently they have improved on models tho (notably Charizard) so I do hope they'll continue this on.

[@glitchyboi-nk1qv]

@@TheRogueRenegadeyeah Spinda’s probably the BEST 3D model, idle animation wise, the others honestly just feel bland, what would especially be cool is if smack down/gravity not only grounded flying types, but flying types were standing rather than flying as a result of these moves being used.

[@grantdaily9662]

I just wish they'd look at the Colosseum/Revolution models and just give them that bit of pop in the main games

[@Isabelle-mp8rk]

my favourite part of them is still honchcrow tipping their hat, it's fucking hilarious

[@Drstrange3000]

They are still my favorite looking Pokémon games still. I think what made them work was the high animation quality and sense of scale. The arenas were full of life, and you had the announcer in Revolution which brought even more life. You could also feel the impact of hits more as you watch the hit animation with the Pokémon getting back up. Paired with the cinematic and jazzy music, and you had a great presentation.

[@OneGrayFans]

100% agree. The Black and White games had amazing sprites, and the idle animations each one had made the Pokémon feel so alive. It really sucks that the 3D models look the way they do half the time. I miss the pixels and uniqueness of sprites that 3D could never truly replicate.

[@LuznoLindo]

It ironically goes with how homogenized the games have become since they all play and feel the same now.

[@killme9534]

⁠@@LuznoLindo This is a huge reason I stopped buying any mainline games after Sun and Moon. The graphics felt updated from X and Y for sure, but everything still felt so lifeless compared to constant idle animations that Black and White introduced. It doesn’t help that the games feel less difficult and more gimmick heavy as a whole. Even when everyone praised Sun and Moon for changing the formula. The only difference between gym leaders and the island leaders were there were some more puzzles involved and there was only four of them.

[@kyethememer9836]

While I think legend arceus and scarlet/violet pretty significantly improved the pokemon models I still really miss the sprites, gen 5 especially perfected them by giving them movement and made the pokemon looks so alive and expressive. I absolutely love Square Enix's HD2D style so my dream would be a main series pokemon game developed by them in that style.

[@nicholaspeterson61]

I'd say one of the few exceptions to the rule here is Ludicolo. His 3D animation made him pop personality wise and he became one of my favorite Pokemon because of his idle stance. Also, his battlecry cracks me up every time.

[@darkonyx6995]

I think Archeops is an exception too, i love the way it flaps it's wings as if it's struggling to fly, while the original sprite didn't had the same energy. It just conveys the fact that it is a really primitive bird still perfecting powered flight, just like what it's pokedex and real life inspiration tells.

[@raphaelkhoury218]

​@@darkonyx6995Yeah!

[@xempororhxppyx]

I miss them, too. I thought the pixelated art style was cute.

[@Jelly_shy_guy_man]

Hi Ms first

[@xempororhxppyx]

@@Jelly_shy_guy_manoh wow, you’re right

[@illusha3861]

I think it'd be cool if the 3d models had sorta poses they did after a few seconds. It'd take even more work to put in every game for every mon but it would go a long way.

[@cherrycreamsoda4253]

One of the things that made me love Gengar was its GSC sprite - that smile is so menacing

[@thelegacyofgaming2928]

I like how evil he looks. He became my favorite pokemon back when I was a kid. Purely because it looked like a monster

[@cake-brawlstars2427]

Eelektorss in black and white was the pinnacle of pokemon sprites

[@Italianblobfishvr345]

Agreed

[@GetSwissRolled]

As a pixelartist, I wish more games implimented pixelart, its so charming

[@vidux6289]

I agree, having a new sprite every gen helped reinvent the pokemon. Gen 4 Arcanine and a not flying honchcrow were better. But at the same time, 3D Toxicroak and Spinda are more dynamic and interesting. I think we could be happy with 3D animated, but with better poses and idle animation to break the monotony. Luxray for example got an improvement in Legends. But that's a lot of work.

[@gfdx3214]

My main gripe with the 3D-pokemon is that in battle they just... stand there. Like politoed, who just stands there, no dance, no fighting stance. Most Pokemon are like that, just standing there, slightly bobbing

[@BoBennings]

I hope we go back to sprites in Pokémon someday

[@pixelpiekser]

Pokedex 3D Pro actually had so Good Idles and the Worst Part is that Gamefreak didnt import them into newer Games. I think it would help the Game if Pokemon actually had more Special Interactions such as Flying Pokemon first standing on the Ground but then flying up once a Ground Type Move is being used. Have Pokemon who miss their Attacks actually miss their Attacks instead of showing a Text Box. Use their sleeping Animations when asleep in Battle rather than closing Eyes. The Pokemon should get knockbacked by Attacks like how they used to in PLA. Use the Pokemons Dizzy Animations when confused and actually show the Flames and Ice when a Pokemon is frozen or burned instead of just slowing down the Idle or stopping it completely. The Pokemons Attacking Animations should get faster or slower depending on how the Speed is boosted. Why does a Pokemon not rush towards other Pokemon with its Running Animation like Twinkle Tackle or Flare Blitz?! Why does a Pokemon not use its Friendship Animation when attracted?! Why do Flying Pokemon who have a Standing Animation not fall down when they get hit by Moves that apparently do that? Why do Special Attacking Pokemon run towards Pokemon in Lets Go Mode when they can snipe them?

[@raphaelkhoury218]

This is almost excactly what i wanted to say, and said before, and you added many more great points! But i want to point at one possible thing: i think Pokemon don't use their sleeping animations in battle because of Pokemon moves like Sleep Talk and Snore... The Pokemkn Move Sleep Talk may pull our Pokemon moves that can require a Pokemon to be in a standing position... That, and makong a Pokemon stand up and excecute the move sound like a good idea, and it is, but it will slow down battle gameplay, and may make the game feel sluggish like how Pokemon X And Pokemon Y felt in my opinion... I know thatt in thos games, they wanted us to look at each particular animation... Also, they needed to ensure Pokemon Tripple Battles and Pokemon Rotation Battles ran atleast smoothly on the 3DS, even with only running smoothly when using not very high polygon Pokemon 3D models! But still, i also agree that Pokemon Scarlet and Poemon Violet, and especially Pokemon Legends: Arceus, with it's Strong Style and Agile Style Move Styles, were great at using the Pokemon 3D Models!

[@SatireGod]

For as much as I generally like the gen 6 games, I will forever hold the believe that they should have had a better transition into 3D after black and white, like a main series Pokémon game in between gen 5 and 6 with arguably lower quality 3D sprites that integrate into 2D better in order to seamlessly ease into the 3D era of Pokémon would have been a better route to go for, giving game freak more time to work on and perfect 3D sprites

[@masterboi6992]

I always preferred the sprites mainly because of gumbino and dorkly

[@aaronjames3228]

I've heard of dorkly but not that other one

[@thelegacyofgaming2928]

Are those Pokemon? I haven't played since gen 6 or 7

[@homebaked1731]

The stadium games had really good idle animations. Despite the graphical limitations, the 3d models into those games are actually really good

[@mushymcmushington7176]

Typhlosion's (and the rest of the Cyndaquil line's) flames only appear when they attack. It's supposed to take a bit of effort to fart them out, and so it would be kinda dumb for them to have them out while not currently attacking.

[@maganhassan2627]

That's what I'm wondering lol

[@thelegacyofgaming2928]

0:55 That lickitung evolution looks SICK!

[@TheUltima_Werewolf]

I miss the pixel art sprites in the boxes. I don't get why they switched to regular 2d ones

[@enixfire]

My favorite sprites are the ones in Crystal. Not only the intro animations, but also the color pallette making use of whites and blacks and dynamic shading.

[@user-jl7cz2pe6d]

Apparently the main reason as to why so many flying Pokémon awkwardly glid-oh, sorry I meant flew instead of standing were because of Gen 6's Sky Battles. A feature that literally only appeared in X & Y. I do wish they fixed them sooner though. Xatu is literally one of my favorite Pokémon due to how cool it is. And I just can't take it seriously with how stilted it looks now. I remember seeing this one gif where somebody took Skarmory's flying animation and attached puppet strings to it. I literally cannot unsee it now

[@Paniekzaaiertje]

They need to make a 4k sprite-based Pokémon game

[@mimzsublimz7440]

Cofagrigus got done absolutely DIRTY in its 3D sprites. Duller colors, shrunken face and weirdly-shaped mouth, no closing animation, and an odd body shape overall. When they made it in 3D they didn't even BOTHER to make its walking animation accurate. It just floats around with its arms out in front of it instead of walking with its four arms on the ground. I was really really disappointed when he didn't move accurately in the Pokémon camp considering it's my favorite Pokémon :(

[@darko-man8549]

Animation had that whole time in the 2010s where it seems studios just put huge budgets into making things "more realistic" but they forget that peak Pixar was Incredibles, not this hyper detailed faces. Luckily Into the SPider-Verse has seemingly created a rennaisance of animation where studios have remembered that it's not hyper-realism that we need

[@goli8699]

I think a lot of issues for many of the flying/levitating pokemon came from Gen 6's Sky battles combined with there not really being any reason to make new models afterwards. With Scarlet and Violet however, there is now a need for some of the flying pokemon to get a different stance because for some of them just wouldn't work in the overworld. Tropius, for example, got a grounded model that I think works pretty well for it

[@Depressed_Dandelion]

no?? Just about every sky battle mon from gen 1-6 had a standing model in xy. It's just only used in pokemon amie

[@PalmtreePokemon]

bro your videos are so fun to watch i loved the gen 1 sprite reaction with golbat

[@itsturniptime3699]

Lot of Pokémon didn’t benefit from going 3D, but the new designs we got from 3D are really really good for my taste anyway. I love Farigiraf *so much*

[@Joseph_Drew_III]

The best part of 2D sprites (at least for me) is the community invested in creating cool sprite edits, like SuperSonicGX and 205twoohfive.

[@JacrepidYT]

Your point on the graphics I agree i would take a 720p game if we had more interesting idle animations for each pokemon in fact I'd like 2 or 3 idle animations per pokemon so its different each battle that'd be really cool imo

[@greenberrygk]

I think the best middle ground is HD anime styled sprites maybe with subtle cell shading. Everything except the games are in one style, except for the games which are 3D for no good reason and soulless. Idk why not a lot of games use hand drawn 2d graphics cause nowadays it’s either 3D or pixel art. I think Pokémon using hd animated drawn sprites could push it more into the mainstream as well.

[@Drstrange3000]

Could you imagine a Vanillaware level 2D hand drawn style? Unicorn Overlord has some jaw dropping presentation in battles.

[@Jreaddy]

It may take years, but I think EVENTUALLY they’ll be able to make the 3d mind more alive, or have more emotion. I mean, they gotta at least do the most famous mons.

[@dDoodle788]

Well, some 3d models do have personality, think for example lithwick,greninja, the edislash line or most recently the hisuian zoroark

[@cyanidenightshade]

I'm not sure how stadium had better animations for low poly models than modern games, but it's a shame that we can't get that nowadays

[@sirmoony5633]

I really love the sprites too! They look so so gorgeous! Especially in HGSS and BW 1 & 2. :D

[@felipesilva3732]

Early 2010s pokemon fandom gaslit us into thinking that gen 1 sprites were bad. Gotta be the most expressive they ever looked.

[@trap_master1626]

You’ve become one of my favorite poketuber! I love yo it comedy and I always love watching your videos on my break at work :)

[@unripetheberrby6283]

I've been watching your Shorts so seeing that I'm watching a full length video now feels weird! Lol new subber

[@skittslol1407]

I loved when sprites were animated. Not just pokemon but trainers as well. One of my favorite pokemon games Pokemon Conquest has superb almost full art piece type sprites and a little bit of animation for the mini sprites. Its not a mainstream game but it was all done really well.

[@TrvisXXIII]

This is the video and type of Pokémon content I’ve been waiting on

[@goGothitaLOL]

Whiling Salamence still doesn’t touch the ground in battle (aside from wild ones), it has a better stance and actually flaps its wings now. Tropius also actually stands now in battle tho. And in S/V they changed a number of idle stances of existing pokémon in battle like Lucario, Heracross, Ursaring, Gardevoir, and the Eeveelutions (unless it’s “battle-ready enough” like Scizor, Hariyama, Gallade, Haxorus, and the other pseudo-legendaries)

[@jasonreed7522]

I big part of the problem with flight capable pokemon models is that X&Y introduced Sky Battles (or whatever they were called) and only pokemon that could fly or float could participate, so all the pokemon able to participate had to look like they were flying. Fortunately they are changing the models to resemble how the original sprites were designed, many of them were on the ground like Charizard, Skarmory, Tropius, ect. They also could have used a vertical hovering animation instead of the forward gliding animation used for ALL of them. (The glide was probably the least work to get looking right and they are notoriously time crunched)

[@pearofclubs6280]

There really was something nice about those old sprites I remember being aghast when Hitmontop's 3d model was standing upright instead of balanced on its head

[@theicingcreeper]

I agree with the sprites having more personality to them! Lots of 3D models do not have much personality but SV has improved on it a bit more. Another point is some shiny pokemon have been ruined by the 3D models such as Drapion. Great Vidoe Rogue!👍

[@Simplifried]

As much as I love sprites, and I do prefer a lot of them over the 3D models, I’ve gotta say that S&V, imo, did AMAZING with the models. All the tiny details just come together to really bring out what personality could be plucked out of the models and I’m really excited about what Game Freak will do with these graphics in the future in Gen 10.

[@stonefacecollin]

I would argue that some of the new 3d models have gotten better, like Persian looking more cat like, Magnmite look nice and clean, sucks that they had to come in a glitchy game I will, however, point out that they do put more love into the models, which is kinda like dam all that and my game is still a buggy mess I do suggest playing with the Pokemon before writing it off, like how Rotom-Mow became my favorite Rotom form because they deadass added lawnmower sound like im picturing some gamefraak employee going outside and asking the guy cutting their grass if they can record them lol

[@jasonreed7522]

One of the little things they added was a texture layer that makes the models look like they have fur. (And presumably feathers and scales but i can't remember if those were also included) Its a subtle thing but it really helps to sell the illusion that these aren't just monochromatic shapes. (The texturing/shading is what sold the sprites, the first round of 3D models didn't have it and it contributed to the uncanny valley feeling)

[@TreeckoBro]

At the very least, I do appreciate Game Freak are trying to return to posing the Pokemon instead of having Lucario just t-posing.

[@yesthisiskenny7677]

The skarmory black and white models idle animation was so sick and would love to see it in 3D

[@imn_fauler6098]

Even though gen 9 is literally broken, i like how they changed dratistclly theyr position

[@MissingGamer]

Gen 5 idle animations affect the music too Whenever I hear the wild battle theme, I just wanna vibe for some reason

[@Iaminpain-le3wo]

5:41 “Look, I know Pokémon isn’t a fighting game” Pokken Tournament DX:

[@yukiyamasaki3855]

2069:I miss 3d models

[@charsage1036]

Honestly another missed opportunity with 3rd was not having something like having animation for attack missing or getting dodged like imagine a enemy pokémon using hyper beam then your pokémon actually barley Dodging it instead of the animation not playing then having text tell you it missed.

[@Handington]

This was a great video! Nice work! I agree!

[@theosophical5197]

I genuinely want to see pokemon do what Octopath traveler did

[@randomedgygamer2191]

And not only that, in Scarlet/Violet the atacks dont even make contact!!!!! And they did in PLA!!!!

[@AsherCrasher_]

as im watching this, im just thinking of what i could improve on the models in my mind.

[@ViktorErikFade]

A perfect analogy for why Pokemon sprites look a little soulless Well the reason being all of them are basically stand t posing with non vibrant colors.... But it's like when a mom n pop store gets bought out and mass produced their products,....sure it's technically the same shop it'll just never be like it used to Where people even admired the funky looking products/sprites because it had personality . I think Pokemon is in another transitional phase (hopefully) Where the sprites look a bit motionless (looking at the non wing flapping birds ) But hopefully they fix them as time goes on

[@Gamingatthemaximum]

I just want a pokemkn white and black 2 remake 😢

[@Gamingatthemaximum]

Misspelled it lmao

[@lipika2841]

I deliberately hold out from looking up all the sprites just so if I come across them anywhere I'll see something new for the 1st time. In particular, I still havent seen every single sprite from G2, as they're more than double the no. of Pokémon due to GS having different sprites between the 2 versions. I love how saturated the colours r in the original series & I want just that.

[@kyogreio4226]

omg the 3d project is so good.

[@macdongr]

I do like Scarlet and Violet but I also think some improvements could be made. I think a lot of this could be fixed if they gave the idle stances more thought. Lucario could bob up and down with its arms up like a boxer ready for battle. Ursaring could bring one of its claws forward and one behind it in a more threatening downward stance. Heck, Pikechu could be on all fours with its tail up and bob up and down a bit more than usual to show that it's ready to attack. Just animate them doing something interesting. And for god sake, bring spinning Hitmontop back instead of the stupid side step dance he's doing in gen 6-8! What the hell is that??

[@Sinful0men]

5:43 Pokémon is a fighting game. Or atleast it was supposed to be. But to the sweats its 4D chess

[@pichugirl6]

The closest pokemon I could barely think of being a neat little change is Purrloin going from Black and White into X and Y. Back when the game came out Purloin was always seen as 4 legs in the sprite work. But when the western was finally seeing the anime to feature Unova and slowly X and Y was coming out, the anime showed Purrloin walking on 2 legs and would use the anime to insert that into the 3D modeling in X and Y. Until I get back to playing every gen I own and reach X and Y, Sun and Ultra Moon then I could give a better answer is some pokemon that came out in 3D if they work well as 3D or if they should be seen in 2D sprites. I can agree that in all honesty I miss seeing Sprite in later pokemon gens when you have pokemons from Gen 1 all the way to Gen 5 each sprite in many versions range from "what am I even looking at" to "aww thats adorable, tough or awesome." Least favorite 2D sprite that always comes to my head is Gen 5 with Azurill. Why on earth did they make him so sad??? He was a happy little baby boi who like to hop on his own tail bouncing with a cute smile.

[@cdotter772]

It would be interesting if pokemon games had a feature similar to Dragonquest where you had a 2d gameplay option. I wouldn’t expect that for the entire game cause that would be a nuts amount of doubled content, and I honestly like the direction of the current 3D systems and the gameplay implications of it. But it would be sooo cool if you had the option to turn on 2D battle sprites as an option. That would mean having to make sprites for all new mons on top of their 3D models, but hey it would be cool 😅

[@HHHHEEEEYYYYYY]

politoed & vaporeon sprites in gen V were my favorite… now they just stand there

[@_StarlightRose_]

I like the 3D models more personally, but I can admit that the sprites had more personality

[@googaboogaloo]

I couldn’t play after x and y, and I had no idea why. This makes sense. I also miss the watercolor sugimori art of the first 2 gens.

[@meisvictor6035]

Excadrill is the biggest example, from one of the coolest looking pokemon ever made in 2D to a dull thing in 3D

[@someguyontheinternet2399]

I miss these games actually being finished

[@Belzabond]

My favorite Pokémon Swellow looked so menacing and cool in its pixel art forms, but it got ruined in its 3D model because you can't ever really see it well enough. It's always flying, so you never ever get to see it standing up. That's one reason why I really hope it gets added to SV somehow (I don't need it to be catchable in the overworld, I just need it to be transferrable from Home). Because SV really fixed most flying types' animations. Charizard can stand instead of always being in the air, and I really want that for Swellow lol.

[@thebraviarykid7849]

I think there is one pokemon had an animation upgrade in gen 6 That being murkrow, in the model, it just bobs around:)

[@904funny]

I would love to see the Pokédex 3D Pro models actually used again

[@OmegaSean]

The reason for the desaturated colors is to make them more accurate to the official art. Metagross is a prime example of this

[@robertlupa8273]

I like both the 2D, blue Metagross and the 3D, grayish-blue Metagross roughly the same.

[@courtjester8055]

That's not true actually. The original sugimori watercolors for Pokemon were actually very saturated, the problem is that many common reprints for promotions used bad scans that washed out the bright colors or changed them entirely. Metagross does look accurate to its original art, but by this logic much of gen 1 and 2 are incredibly unsaturated compared to their official renders. It's more likely that the mass desaturation is a stylistic choice rather than for accuracy.

[@thelegacyofgaming2928]

@@courtjester8055 This. It's okay to like the desaturation, but don't lie about the reasoning for it.

[@OmegaSean]

@@courtjester8055 nuh uh I’m right

[@OmegaSean]

@@thelegacyofgaming2928 I never said that I liked the desaturation, I’ll lie because I want to

[@OtterLords]

I just realized we had almost 5 generations of 3D models in mainline games: it’s almost a split of half sprite half 3D model that’s insane

[@kirbyofthestarsfan]

Loved your point about idle animations, they really should have different ones after X/Y instead of keeping them all the same static idle, there's barely any posing (some exceptions are Megas like Mega Mawile or Sceptile which turn their head at their foe)

[@roddzeestevens2256]

Sun&Moon don't have sprites like the past pokemon generation games 😅 ,but it's the closest you get to feeling like you are playing Pokémon stadium and a pokemon game on a video game handheld . ❤

[@fowof]

I really liked Gengars FR sprite. How it looks at you like,”yea,whatchu gonna do now?” Now he just stares at you like less than a goof

[@Undoublethinkful]

the pixelart sprite format is absolutely expressive in a way the 3D models haven't been, which I think is because of one of the classic features of art in general, which is that imposed limitations are fuel for creativity (and therefore individuality and personality). But is it inevitable that 3D models can't have the same life? I'm not sure, but I think they can be improved. Rather than them being dolls that can be manipulated in any direction, designers should confine themselves to particular poses and animated routines and focus on making those more expressive. That's kind of analogous to the striking poses that are in the high quality sprites. Then there's refining the textures, luminosity, translucence, etc.: I think with enough love these can be, like the best techniques of pixel art shading and coloring, greater than the sum of their parts. But that raises another big question: is that sort of attention to detail going to be funded? It takes a lot of time and energy, and this is a corporate product like any other: the higher ups will obsessively cut corners if they don't think it will impact sales. Clearly at one point the exceptional pixel art flourished in spite of that pressure, but that was then-- who knows about 3D down the line?

[@luck2626]

honestly the only issue I have with the 3d models are the idle animations during battles are just...too idle if that makes sense.

[@double2254]

My biggest problem with the modern sprites and animations is there is much better models with improved idle, battle, and hit poses along with more alive move animations for 3D… it’s called the stadium games, battle revolution, and with coliseum and XD GoD. Pokémon in those games are so much more alive and vibrant due to actual idle animations unique to each Pokémon that shows off their personality way better, attack animations that make them feel like they are actually doing something, and hit animations that sell the power of the attack. Even if gamefreak didn’t want to use these animations for whatever legal reason then at bare minimum use it as inspiration and learn off them, politoad jumping back after it gets knocked back and when it attacks would along with even simple small movement while it idles instantly cures the whole silent hill treatment it has

[@jasonreed7522]

The XD & Coloseum _models_ are too low poly and res for modern usage. But their _animations_ still hold up as perfectly reasonable. Every mon had 1: Idle animation Physical attack animation Special attack animation Takeing damage animation Fainting animation With the middle 3 having the associated move's attacker/reciever animation played ontop of it. I know that the pokemon totals have increased from around 350 in XD's era to litterally over 1000 in SV so that is a ton more work to implement, but they could break it up over the games as they release them & the DLCs. If each game only had 300 pokemon without upgraded animations then it wouldn't be nearly as much effort. (They already stopped including most of the dex in every new game so it wouldn't be completely out of character to do this sort of phased upgrading)

[@hilariousskullnamedcatzo647]

*James has seen some things in that frame* 💀

[@drcake8001]

I think gen 5 moving ones were the best

[@thelegacyofgaming2928]

Yea those were awesome

[@maglock1857]

“What, is the next game going to be a slide show?” Game-freak: ……. WRITE THAT DOWN

[@BleddynsStudio]

Great review of the old pokemon sprites! My favorite’s are definitely from HGSS, especially Charizard, Rhydon, and Lugia. The more saturated colors is also why I prefer shiny hunting in those games!

[@liamtherobot9656]

There are actually some pretty good 3-D models now

[@BlazingZero17Reborn]

This just pop into my mind right now what if they release a pixel Pokemon game just like how Red, Blue, Gold, and Silver looked like back then

[@badghostspy6134]

i miss the pixels tbh

[@TheRogueRenegade]

The pixels were nice

[@YoucefMeziane-ei1qb]

Yeah

[@thelegacyofgaming2928]

Pokemon is one of those franchises that should always be 2D (unless genius sonority does it). Same thing with a franchise like Disgaea. Both franchises had perfect 5th entries, but then went 3D and it's like the life is sucked out of the animations

[@_wheat856]

in defense of land swim eelektross, it is levitating, as its ability heavily implies that it does

[@Nolendo]

I do think some PLA and SV models, color and animations were steps back in the right direction, but I will never not miss sprites.

[@crobatgaming5661]

2:25 During one of the holidays in japan idk which one but these type of things are hanged lik an flag

[@PolitoedFan9002]

6:12 remember sky battles? Me neither.

[@mattguy1773]

As a pixel art guy I really like the gen 3-4 sprites but the gen 5 ones look off to me

[@TheRogueRenegade]

Some of them looked a little weird but the little animation made up for it

[@mattguy1773]

@@TheRogueRenegade the animations did make the pixel art look funky tho

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

​@@TheRogueRenegadeNah the animation is lazy, they just stretch and tear the sprite, making it look wiered

[@thelegacyofgaming2928]

@@jesusramirezromo2037 Well this is false. Especially when Pokemon like Starmie literally spin around

[@jesusramirezromo2037]

@@thelegacyofgaming2928 Spinning is literally the bareminimum in animation... you just rotate the sprite...

[@dextra_24703]

Just look at pokemon am and the such have great idle animations, they could even use the darn sleep animations from there.

[@justinmadrid8712]

The 3D models in Pokémon Stadium 64 had tons of personality.

[@2l84me8]

I’d much prefer the wonderfully and artistically hand crafted sprites over soulless character models today. They were so full of personality with sprite art.

[@killme9534]

I’d greatly prefer a more animated approach to pokemon battles even if it meant cutting down the amount of moves, abilities and pokemon present in the game. It doesn’t help that the game’s formula have remained pretty static. If they keep continuing the same basic plot and adventure, at least make these games look more expressive than reusing the same models since the introduction to 3D.

[@Riceballs2004]

I wish they added idle animations earlier my first game was black and it’s the most dynamic of the 2d sprite games and then when I played through diamond or heart gold the Pokemon had arthritis and don’t move and then x and y came and we never got anymore idle animation :(