10 Changes All Future Pokémon Games Need To Make

Since Gold & Silver, there has not been any rival that was genuinely opposed to the player, as in, they are actively rooting against them.

Blue and Silver both weren't that fond of the player character, but grew friendlier and matured as the games went on. Since then, the rivals have merely been weak friends of the protagonist, and hardly qualifying as a challenge.

It might be an effort to market to children, but the rivals used to be enjoyably antagonistic, where the player is compelled to beat them. As of X & Y or Sun & Moon, it feels more like beating up the smallest kid in class and taking their lunch money.

Some of the rivals, like Barry or Hugh, actually provide some tough battles, but the majority are the equivalent of watered down afterschool specials to teach kids about friendship.

Black & White introduced Bianca, a rival whose starter Pokémon was at a type disadvantage to the player, but had Cheren, a rival with a type advantage. That at least made sense, even when they replicated the idea with Shauna and Serena in X & Y, but Hau from Sun & Moon is laughably inept compared to Blue or Silver.

Game Freak would do better to give players a character they actually wanted to beat because they were invested in winning.