The Pokémon franchise turns 28 this month (and 25 in North America, specifically)! The Punished Podcast crew celebrates Pikachu and co. with this 90-minute episode.
The Punished Podcast Episode 6
For episode 6 of The Punished Podcast, we chat about all things Pokémon. We discuss the strengths of the classic video game formula, reflect on our favorite ‘mon, debate innovations over the years, and share fond memories. And, of course, we had to talk about Palworld, a game that’s made news for being “Pokémon with guns.”
Whether you’re a longtime fan of the series or a casual player, a parent or a child, you’ll find something that resonates with you in this super-Lightning-Bolt-charged episode of the podcast.
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Some excerpts from our conversation:
- Kei: “Nintendo tends to struggle [with a balance between casual and hardcore players] because they make deep games which invites intense effort… Pokémon is probably the deepest turn-based competitive gaming experience out there right now. There’s so many variables. They’ve intentionally—or unintentionally—created a very, very layered and complex game. Maybe they wish they didn’t.”
- Amanda: “These are games that are ultimately–I think–designed for children, or meant to be easier. Pokémon is a game that’s can be accessible for young people as an entry point into gaming. Into battling, into more serious games. Can you level up? Can you gather and manage an inventory? Can you plan out and advance a [battle] strategy?”
- Sam: “The thing I really don’t like [in the series’ changes] is that, after Gen 2, they put a lot more effort into classic RPG storytelling. You’re not just a guy getting badges and trying to catch ’em all, but there’s also some meta plot happening. It’s not just Team Rocket. It’s some bigger deal happening. And to me, it’s never interesting. It’s never written well enough… It goes back to what we were talking about, that it’s hard to make a game that satisfies everyone.”
- David: “I accidentally released my starter into the wild, so I decided to main a Graveler and raise that to Level 100 throughout the game.”
- Jason: “I’ve been enjoying playing it with my group of fans. Palworld would be fantastic if it wasn’t for its attempts at being ‘evil.’ Palworld takes a lot of mechanics from other games…but it comes together in such a unique way that it’s pretty obvious as to why it’s so successful.”
Timestamps
- 0:00 — Intro
- 4:30 — What was your first Pokémon game?
- 8:30 — Innovations (and stagnation) in the formula
- 15:30 — Who is Pokémon “for”?
- 23:00 — Innovations in the core series
- 34:45 — Favorite Pokémon memories?
- 40:00 — Conspiracies and glitches
- 45:45 — Best Pokémon spin-offs
- 52:37 — Ideal Pokémon fan-service game?
- 58:30 — Discussing Palworld
- 1:12:30 — Rapid-fire questions
- 1:31:20 — Outro: Whatcha playing?
Song Credits
- “Pallet Town Title Theme” by Junichi Masuda from Pokémon Red/Blue/Yellow
- “Victory! (Wild Pokemon)” by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose from Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal
- “Evolution A + B Jingle” by Junichi Masuda and Morikazu Aoki from Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire
- “Level Up Sound” by Tsukasa Tawada from Pokémon Colosseum
- “Battle! (Trainer)” by Junichi Masuda Pokémon Red/Blue
- “Pikachu Voice” from Pokémon Yellow (Editor’s note: Here’s a long but interesting video about Pikachu’s sound effects in the game)
- “Lavender Town” by Junichi Masuda from Pokémon Red/Blue
- “Pokémon Healed!” by Junichi Masuda and Morikazu Aoki from Pokémon Diamond/Pearl
- “Pokémon Center” by Junichi Masuda and Go Ichinose from Pokémon Scarlet/Violet
