10 Reasons Pokemon Is The Greatest Franchise In Video Game History

10. The Innovation Is Constant, But Subtle

2016 saw the release of Pokemon Sun and Moon, and whilst Nintendo are clearly running out of contrasting dualities to name things after (calling it now, Pokemon Peanut Butter and Pokemon Jelly on NX in 2020), they're in no danger of running out of ideas.

Not because the franchise is a constant source of radical innovation, but rather because it's the opposite. Over 20 years the core Pokemon game has remained almost identical, to the point where you can still pick up one of the original Red and Blue titles and, graphics aside, enjoy largely the same experience.

In any other game this would be a negative. Everything from shooters to sports sims to RPGs are almost unrecognisable today from the late 90s; incorporating smarter physics, modern features, and all new storytelling techniques. But Pokemon has done little more than add additional battle modes and sort of made a move from 2D navigation to 3D navigation.

Why? Because that's all it's ever needed to do.

Unlike with cinema, people actually want to see their favourite games remade and updated. The only problem is that developers - to borrow a line from Jurassic Park - get so preoccupied with what they can do on new hardware that they never stop to think if they should. GameFreak just make sure that the original core of Pokemon games are given a sleek updated aesthetic and a presented with a story that'll make you care again. Simple, and effective.