Pokémon has always been a franchise that has hinged its success on what came in the past. In 2004, they started the remake formula that has brought them so much success over the world, and which established the franchise as truly timeless. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, the remakes of Generation I’s Kanto region with updated graphics, was such a success that The Pokémon Company decided to continue this massive train, releasing a remake for Generation II’s Johto in the form of Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. These two games were an absolute phenomenon, quickly becoming one of the best selling games in the franchise and in the process taking the title as the quintessential Poké-xperience for many fans. However, The Pokémon Company and Game Freak weren’t done yet, as they released Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for the 3DS. These releases completely changed how the original games were played (for the better) and added a brand new post game experience in the form of a Delta Episode.
So now, in 2018, I’m wondering where the heck we’re going to get a Generation IV remake, because let’s be honest, if any game deserves a remake, it has to be Generation IV’s set of Sinnoh adventures.
Generation IV was one of the biggest overhauls the franchise had ever seen up until that point, largely due to the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl on the Nintendo DS, which enabled the use of a unique 2D-3D plane that was much more satisfying than the 2D plane used in the previous games. The day and night system was brought back, to the delight of many fans, and above all, there were 107 new critters in a brand new region to track down. The designs for Pokémon in Generation IV remain some of the best that Game Freak has ever put out, and with the introduction of Nintendo Wi-Fi connection to aid in trading and battling over the Internet, playing with friends had never been easier.
From a gaming standpoint, Sinnoh introduced some of the most interesting lore the series has seen till date, with beings that control the very fabric of time and space revealing themselves, along with what is essentially the devil of the Pokémon world in the form of Giratina (along with his own weird and twisted pocket dimension), and the (literal) god of the universe, Arceus. Team Galactic might have looked laughable in their weird space outfits but their leader, Cyrus, was nothing to joke about, being one of the most serious and upfront villains that the series has ever seen, as well as actually being one of the only ones to come close to achieving his goal, which, incidentally, remains the most dangerous plan out of all the games.
Sinnoh remains one of the most beloved regions of the Pokémon universe and it would be a shame not to see a remake of it. One thing that Nintendo has done brilliantly with its remakes is make everything look cinematic, almost like a movie. A great example of this is the reveal of Primal Groudon/Kyorge in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Now, imagine facing off against Giratina in the Distortion World in glorious 3D. Imagine the battle with Cyrus for the fate of the universe. Best of all, imagine a fully decked fight with the champion, Cynthia, and her monstrous Garchomp. I have to say, I get very excited when I imagine the possibilities that a remake of Diamond, Pearl and Platinum in the style of Generation VII could bring to the franchise.
Whether a remake is necessary is another question entirely, as one could argue that Nintendo remakes are simply cash grabs and they serve no real purpose other than buying time until an original game in a franchise releases, but I disagree. Remaking a game, much like remaking a film, has the potential to bring a great game to a whole new audience and allow them to appreciate it in their own way. Can you honestly tell me that remaking games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker weren’t good ideas? They brought two of the most amazing games that Nintendo has ever put out to a brand new audience.
With the announcement of Pokémon: Let’s Go, and the reality of finally having a mainstream series game on a home console, I can’t help but wonder what it means for the future of The Pokémon Company’s style of remaking older games on newer consoles. In the game that is set to be released for the Nintendo Switch, Trainers are thrust back into Kanto, the region that introduced players around the world to the original 151 creatures that forever changed gaming. However, we’ve seen Kanto represented twice before this, in the styles of Generation III and Generation IV. Does this mean that Nintendo is scrapping the remake idea entirely, or will we see a remake for Generation IV in the future? I for one, hope that we do see it, one day.