10 Things Nintendo’s Best Video Games Can Teach Pokémon Sun & Moon

6. Don't Be Afraid To Take Chances On Features - Earthbound

While it's initial American release may not have hit home as hard as its developers would have liked, the unique originality of Earthbound has seen it become a cult hit in the twenty years since. The Pokémon franchise is in the privileged position of already having a huge, adoring fanbase, and so massive sales for their new game are all but a given.

To that end, a few extra chances could be taken to spice things up a bit with Sun & Moon. While the new features and innovations have been plentiful since generation one, the formula of the games are still essentially the very same as they always have been.

Earthbound may have suffered for some of its choices around difficulty and player penalties, but its unique ambience and tone were well-praised. Many standard RPG tropes were ignored or subverted in favour of alternative views, and its dialogue was crafted on a spectrum covering deep emotion and absurd humour.

Shaking things up, even with things as simple as slapstick stupidity from antagonists or a couple of emotional pulls with gym leader stories, is a gamble worth taking at this point in the franchise's development.