With the Pokémon franchise being around for over two decades, the series has continually re-invented itself (while also staying very true to its roots) and added and changed features in order to not stagnate. Some of these features have gone on to be considered some of the best in the series, while some (hi there contests) are considered to be not quite as important than others. Today, we'll be looking at each Generation's best new feature or improvement from the previous generation that helped set it apart from its bretheren. Let's jump into it.
7 Generation One: Existing
Generation One took a massive leap from Generation Zero, in the fact that it created the entire Pokémon franchise. That's a pretty big feature, huh? Kidding aside, there obviously aren't any real improvements to be had in the Generation of Kanto and glitches, as this is where it all started. Sure, they weren't perfect titles, the psychic types exist... but still! This is where the entire franchise started. Without Generation One, we wouldn't have Shield and Sword for people to yell about how trees look. Just look how far we've come.
6 Generation Two: A Second Region
Pokémon titles and their postgames are often a pretty mixed bag. Some are great, and some are the Battle Maison over and over relentlessly. However, one of the best postgames that we've ever received comes from Gold and Silver (and their Generation Four remakes), an entire second region to explore. Thanks to the late Satoru Iwata, developers at Game Freak managed to fit the entire Kanto and Johto regions onto that tiny little Game Boy cartridge, which is nothing short of amazing. This means that there are an enormous sixteen badges to collect throughout the entire game. This all culminates into an epic final battle with no one other than Red himself atop Mt. Silver. How mind-boggling do you think it was for kids of the time to scale that mountain and find none other than their last protagonist waiting up there for them? Incredible.
5 Generation Three: Battle System Overhaul
Surprisingly, the battle system from current Pokémon titles that we now know and love wasn't really present until Generation Three rolled around. Many new additions were added in this Generation, and previous featured were overhauled. To start, the addition of double battles allowed for the creation of VGC as we know it, and we also got weather effects. Generation Three walked so Generation Five could Naruto run as fast as possible. IVs were overhauled, personality values were added, natures and abilities came to be, Generation Three really overhauled the entire system. While the games themselves are great, the impact that they would have on battles for years to come is even greater.
4 Generation Four: Focus On Story And Lore
Generation Four continued to refine the entirety of Pokémon titles, but they did something a bit different than the rest of the games, they put a heavy emphasis on story and lore of the universe. New titles in the series past Generation Four would continue this trend, but it all started here. Two big examples of this are the inclusion of Giratina's Distortion World, along with the many entries at the Canalave Library. Both of these locations are some of the most lore-heavy areas in Generation Four, and really helped to flesh out the Pokémon Universe.
3 Generation Five: Stylistic Choices
Generation Five's biggest addition is Maractus, but it did a few other things though. However, one thing that you'll notice when you start these games is just how beautiful they really are. From the full-motion cutscenes to the incredibly detailed and moving Pokémon sprites, these games really have it all. The overworld is absolutely stunning, and the addition of seasons really help to showcase this beauty while keeping things looking interesting no matter how many times you visit the same locations. While all of this is fantastic, the entire region is set to the best Pokémon soundtrack of them all. Unova is polarizing for many reasons, but the beauty of the region is something that cannot be denied.
2 Generation Six: 3D
For better or for worse, X and Y shot the Pokémon series into 3D. Sure, six years later and NPCs are still: walk... turn... walk... turn, but hey, this was the first time we'd done full 3D. The characters had heads the size of Bratz dolls, but seeing a Pokémon game in full 3D (cities, characters, Pokémon themselves) was incredible, it was something we had never seen, and it looked fantastic. Customization was also first introduced to the series in this Generation as well, which helped to further emphasize the 3D look of the characters. Generation Six was a flawed Generation, sure. But it also did a lot of good for the series. It pushed the developers to a new art style that would be further refined by the time Generation Seven rolled around.
1 Generation Seven: Breaking The Mold
Just about every single move that was made in Generation Seven was a surprising one that really kept fans on their toes. Sun and Moon were fantastic titles, and that is partially due to the games really not sticking to past traditions that had previously been set in stone. Gyms were switched out for trials, the region was split into four islands, legendary Pokémon evolved, it was pure madness! Following Sun and Moon, we didn't get a third version, but instead an enhanced pair of titles, something we hadn't seen at this point in the series. Only following those titles did we get a new remake of Kanto that jumped onto an entirely new console. We don't even have time to get into Let's Go! and the changes and repercussions those titles had. Generation Seven reminded us that Game Freak wasn't afraid to take risks and mix things up. They ditched the formula that Pokémon had stuck to for some time. For a series that is over two decades old, the importance of a decision like that cannot be understated.