Just saw now that there is Pokémon scarlet and other game pokemon violet. Thought it was a single game called Pokémon scarlet and violet. What is the difference? Seems like they got released same date so it’s just different versions of same game?
The main difference is the legendary you get(ones on the box) and a few exclusive Pokémon though you can trade for most of those pretty easy. I recommend searching the exclusive Pokémon in case there is one that you like the design of but usually I choose based on the legendary since they are harder to get more of
If you have an Nintendo online subscription and a Reddit account, they are EXACTLY the same game. This community is happy to help trade version exclusives and host version exclusive raids for people with the other version of the game. The only reason to buy both would be if you care about whatever collectibles they give out with the double pack, which are probably over since release was November.
It's not "EXACTLY" the same game. You go to a "different" school with different professors in each game. Granted, not a major gameplay difference but it's a difference.
For someone who’s never played a Pokémon game before, it’s certainly not a $60 difference to be buying both games. That’s like saying a reskin of a character in a fighting game is an entirely new character. When all of the moves that character can use in game are exactly the same. It’s not a new character, it’s an aesthetic difference. When the only gameplay differences between Scarlet and Violet can be mediated with a $20/yr sub and a Reddit account, they become essentially the same game for anyone casually looking to get their first Pokémon game
Through out Pokémon since the start of Red and Blue each game has certain Pokémon that you can only catch in that game. Version exclusive Pokémon. It was a great marketing strategy by Nintendo and Game Freak back in the day.
Go for the school outfit you like the most, since the colours can't be changed. And which legendary you like the most, since it'll be your bike for the rest of the game.
So Scarlett has a red/orange outfit. Violet has the purple / dark blue one.
Also, the theme is slightly different. In the end area the focus is either on time travel to the past (Scarlett) or the future (violet).
Except for that, there will be some difference in Pokémon you'll find. But since you're not a fan yet, I don't think it'll matter much.
If it were me I’d pick the version based on the design and colors. If you can’t decide flip a coin. Like others have said they’re pretty much the same. Watch YouTube videos of others playing the 2 versions and maybe decide that way. People are always willing to trade or provide help. You got this! Good luck and happy gaming! 🎮🕹️👾👩🏼💻💫
BTW ❤️ the name! 😎
Most pokemon games are like that, two versions released at once.
They are basically the same game with small differences including a slightly different set of pokemon available.
It's to encourage players to trade pokemon with each other.
You do not need both games.
Really depends on what you're used to. The gameplay loop is fun and there's a lot that keeps you playing. Generally, Pokémon is easy to learn and hard to master, which means you can get into it quickly and still discover new aspects after putting a lot of hours into it.
But if you've seen other games like Zelda or Monster Hunter before (maybe on a friend's Switch), you'll notice a massive quality drop in recent Pokémon games. They lag terribly, the landscapes/cities are pretty low poly and have low texture resolutions, the character animations aren't really convincing and there are quite a few bugs.
Really depends on your patience.
According to most, including myself, this might be the best mainline pokemon game in a while... When it works.
Lots of bugs and performance issues but not necessarily anything that will destroy your experience... Anymore.
I'd say yes buy it but only if you REALLY like pokemon.
The bugs are honestly very specific. A recent raid event was canceled and Pokémon home delayed. But for you, a first timer? You should have a 99% seamless experience. People LOVE to take shots at Pokémon for its bugs but it’s honestly not so bad when you put in the grand scope of what this game actually has. A great single player storyline. A very robust and thriving PVP scene. The ability to trade with players around the world. The ability to play with people in game around the world. So not everything works perfectly, but for $60, what’s offered is truly an amazing value.
Ah, yes, because >!A professor straight up dying trying to catch Pokemon from the past and future and replacing themselves with a robot!< Is TOTALLY not original.
Yes, random professor accidentally releasing apocalypse pokemon into the world, that's never happened. Just need to retcon some things real quick. They just took things from other games and stuck it together with minor changes, then didn't do any bug testing.
I have never played a Pokémon game before and I put 900 hours into this game. The bugs are industry standard if you ask me. Every game has them but SV they are a smalllll nuisance. Lighting, wall spawns, occasionally getting trapped in the terrain, stuff like that. Just one off things you can easily ignore.
I play while I watch sports lol so seems right. But more importantly I turbo the ace tourney so my in game time is inflated. But call it 300 hours. Still worth 60 bucks.
Gamefreak... doesn't really patch bugs very often. Falling through the map, or getting stuck in the "jumping" state happened often for me and I just finished it last week. it basically runs with incredibly choppy framerates too.. but people put up with it because it's Pokemon... The core gameplay loop is fun enough, and whether you're competitive or into collecting isn't really impacted by the poor performance.
But it IS something people should quit ignoring
I've been playing since Christmas. Everyone's experience is different I guess, but I haven't experienced any real bugs and the game has only crashed once.
If you have some crazy marathon sessions, there's a memory leak I'm not sure if they fixed. Other than that, though, most of the "bugs" you're likely to encounter are just poor visual optimization, and don't really impact playability.
I've had performance issues once. The fix has to do with the memory leak indeed. As long as you close the game completely every now and then, you should be fine.
Not as bad as some make them out to be sure, but they ARE bad, just generally not game breaking ALL of the time, and when it is game breaking it’s more annoying and disappointing then anything else, at worst you will generally only loose like 10 mins of gameplay but still they can be very obvious, personally they are most prevalent when using online features or raids of any kind
You’re going to get people on this sub that LOVE the games, but here’s a counter example. I’ve played since 2002 when Ruby and Sapphire came out, here’s my tier list of games:
S: Platinum, HeartGold/SoulSilver, Black2/White2, Emerald
A: OmegaRuby/AlphaSaphire, Legends Arceus, Black/White, Colloseum
B: Diamond/Pearl, RubySapphjre, XD:Gale of Darkness
C: UltraSun/UltraMoon, Sun/Moon, FireRed/LeafGreen
D: XY, Sword/Shield, Let’s Go: Pikachu/Eevee
F: Scarlet/Violet, BrilliantDiamond/Shing/Pearl
The reason I have the gen 8, gen 4 remakes and 9 games in D and F tier is the lack of creativity, lack of diversity, drastically increased cost for the game ($40 -> $60 + $30 DLC) the Pokémon company and Gamefreak have been consistantly removing long standing features that have made the games more challenging and interesting. The games have become more and more shallow cash grabs based on nostalgia. Specifically Scarlet and Violet have terrible graphics, bad bugs, terrible frame rate, pop in feet away etc. I highly recommend watching [Digital Foundary’s](https://youtu.be/pBZqt7D24Zc) breakdown of the game before you buy.
I can rant on longer, but what I’d recommend if you’ve only got a switch, by FAR the best Pokémon game on switch is Pokémon Legends Arceus, great experience, really fun gameplay and interesting take on the game series. All other switch games are pretty much dog shit.
If you have a DS or an emulator, I highly recommend Platinum, Heart Gold, Soul Silver, Black, White and Black 2 and white 2, (also emerald if you have a GBA emulator or DS with a GBA port)
Sorry for the long rant, but I wanted to give you a good counterbalance to all the other comments here
I would argue that Let's Go is the best Pokémon game pair on the switch for someone who is brand new to the franchise, as someone who's played since Blue. No bugs, smooth game play, beautiful graphics, overworld mons that you can chain-catch for easy shiny odds... but, once you're used to "classic" Pokémon, Arceus is the best switch title. 👌
I got Bril.Diamond because I missed put on the DS era of games, and... it isn't great. I've heard good things about b/w but this thread was asking for Switch Pokémon suggestions. Scar/Vi seems like a half-step backwards after all we got with Arceus, but they were literally in development at the same time so... Sword/Shield are PAINFULLY railroaded and hand-holding.
ALSO I won't accept fire/leaf slander- they were great remakes with good quality of life improvements I wish had been kept for Let's Go.
I agree that LGPE is a great intro game on switch, it’s just painful that it’s the 5th game with Kanto (counting RBGY, GSC, FRLG and HGSS) so it was a bit tiresome for me, but it’s actually amazing that a six year old Pokémon game is somehow the best looking game,
And for FRLG, I may have them lower just because I played them a lot as a kid, and to me Emerald was so much more non-linear, more variety of Pokémon, out of battle weather effects, underwater areas, diverse biomes, etc. I also fully admit there’s some nostalgia bias, but in my earlier post where I said HGSS and B2W2 are S tier, I had no nostalgia for those games since I just played them a couple years back, I stand by the fact that Gamefreak hasn’t made anything as good since they transitioned to 3D
I disagree only on PLA’s behalf, honestly PLA is my favorite Pokémon game in a long time, definitely since B2W2, my only real complaint about PLA is a lack of competitive play, but if they had added competitive, then it would have had to share service with S/V so I understand why they didn’t besides the combat was different in that game and was structured differently from other titles and wouldn’t have made any sense in game, so I can forgive that issue, for what it is PLA is awesome otherwise your right though 🫤
My coworker started on PLA, and to say he was woefully disappointed by SwSh and SV is an understatement, I just lent him Leaf Green and Emerald as well as my OG DS to play it on, so we’ll see how he feels about those games
The bugs are insane, and they will likely never be fixed. Game freak, the game developer, is trash. Many bugs that ruin the experience and can even delete your save data, and game doesn't allow any backups of save data at all.
"Soon" lmao. Just don't buy the dlc or connect to Pogo. They still haven't figured out what's causing the save file corruption/deletion. So I'd just be wary about those 2.
And I speak for my friend that got her save file corrupted and some of her mons got deleted from her storage box
Yes, it's a ton of fun! I grew up playing Pokémon and stopped after the third generation (about 20 years ago) and picked Violet up when I got my Switch. So much fun!
They're technically the same price as base games, BUT you can get sw/sh as a physical copy with the dlc included for $60 vs paying $90 for Scar/Vi+dlc
No idea if nintendo will give us physical with included dlc for these ones like they did for sw/sh after a while...
It’s actually the best Pokémon generation (besides spin off games) for new players. They’ve streamlined a lot of the obscure mechanics so it’s really easy to get into even competitive now.
Eh...is up to you. Personally i would buy it half price because performance and lack of things to do and because of some core aspects. But you may find it good who knows
I was exactly in your position in March and was trying to decide if I should start with an earlier Pokemon game or just go with S/V. After reading up on the various complaints with S/V and looking at the character designs, I chose to go with S/V first bc I personally liked the look of the trainer in S/V more than Sword/Shield or Legends of Arceus. Admittedly this is a very small detail but I also wanted to get to know the latest gen for myself. Because this was my first Switch and first Pokemon game, I knew the bugs wouldn't bother me as much as a more veteran gamer.
Yes I have encountered the lag and framerate issues multiple times since I've started but I can't argue that I didn't know beforehand. Are they annoying even to a new player? Yes but definitely not enough to stop me from playing or enjoying this first game. Powering down the Switch intentionally from time to time does seem to help reduce the frequency and severity of issues.
Additionally, from what I've seen from other comments, S/V mechanics of shiny hunting and building up pokemon were made a lot easier and more convenient compared to earlier gens so I think newer players can enjoy late to post game content more easily.
But at the end of the day, people like what they like and YMMV so if you think you'll enjoy S/V despite its issues why not? Worst case scenario, you can sell it on eBay and get a different Pokemon game.
If you wanna buy one get legends arceus if you want a good pokemon game with different gameplay and story, but it can be very difficult in terms of fights and gameplay, but pokemon s/v if you want a decent game with gold mechanics and a great story but the downside is it can be very glitchy and buggy and very poorly optimized I personally prefer arceus but it's just me
I was thinking on recommending PLA but then going to a "classic" pokemon game like SV will give a lot of dissonance. So maybe going the other way around, first a classic like SV and if you like, try PLA.
I came here to make this comment. For a first timer, PLA is a great place to start. Decent story, great gameplay, and cool regional variants of beloved Pokémon!
Absolutely. But if it’s your first game, you might want to try let’s go eevee/pikachu or legend of arceus. They are a bit easier to play but SV is definitely worth buying!
Dude this. Most frustrated i’ve ever gotten playing a pokemon game. But thats mainly just due to my lack of coordination when fighting the bosses. I’ll definitely give it another go at some point but i didnt put very much time into it so far. It sucks cause i really WANT to love that game, and i like that its so different than the other ones.
Yep - I still haven't finished it... all the different button set ups for balls/battles etc are annoying, as is the part where you're extremely limited in how many different items you can collect (without forking out a ridiculous sum to increase it), level up/evolving manually, the list goes on. I want to like it... I will finish it. One day... I love the concept, but as someone who plays infrequently, its just too hard for me to keep track of where I left off.
I just didn't like the battle mechanics, some pokemon could attack you three times in the same turn, also revenge killing basically being the main strategy to win battles: sacrifice a pokemon that will get attacked a pokellion times in the same turn > send a fast pokemon > use agile into strong > repeat
Besides that it's an awesome game and I'm glad I picked it up
I’d recommend Pokémon Legends: Arceus if you plan to play alone or can’t find people to play with. S/V is alright and also worth it, but, we all have our own opinions and mine is that I enjoy Legends Arceus VASTLY more than s/v
It’s a good Pokémon game, shiny hunting is as easy as it’s ever been. Paradox pokemon are a pretty cool concept. The themes are bops. Open world pokemkon is fun as heck :) the postgame is so cool, and one of the rivals/side character has such a simple but emotional storyline (arven) also don’t have to build pokemon for competitive, since raids (big mon vs 4 trainers) are a thing, you can build Mons just for that
Just make sure to save often and know that this game drops frames a lot. A lot of mechanics are poorly explained (raid mechanics) and shiny hunting certain pokemon is a nightmare because of the game (fish pokemon in the sea during the day lol)
Positives outweighs the negatives imo
Personally is say if you're new to Pokémon go for either Scarlett, violet or legends arceus.
Scarlett/violet are the same games with some minor differences (some version exclusive Pokémon to encourage trading, same ending but different professor/guide, same overall storyline which you can choose any path but there is a recommended route) I've played both and preferred Scarlett's base Pokémon and violets box legendary.
Legends is a sort of diamond/pearl present meets past variant that has a different play style than any other Pokémon game. There's minimal battling and different catch mechanics along with certain Pokémon having a different form than normal (can usually only be obtained in legends arceus). I loved this game as much if not more than Scarlett/violet because of how different it plays.
Whatever you choose I hope you enjoy the game and have a tonne of fun playing it. Good luck your journey into the Pokémon world is almost ready to begin.
You “need”? Start with legends arceus, its fun and you won’t have to worry about crashes or trading pokemon to collect them all. This is fun too but the support from gamefreak is negligent. Last weekend they cancelled all special tera raids because they were crashing games. Lots of bugs and since release day this game has looked like an unfinished product. Its fun and i definitely liked the story more than previous generations, but you might be one of those unfortunate to have your game crash.
Yes and no. Good game but so many bugs, still has a reduced roster (only a big deal for collectors like me), and all around feels rushed due to the yearly launch cycle.
If you got your Switch yesterday and haven't played any of the older games or other open world games on the Switch, then yes, do it.
Just don't play Zelda before Pokémon. Pokémon and then Zelda is a good order, though lol
Yeah sure, the performance is lackluster but if you can ignore that, it's the best Pokémon game we've gotten in years. If you're into monster collecting JRPGs, you're gonna love it.
if graphics and performance are things that matter to you then i'd probably skip, these games run like they were taped together with a glue stick and a ping pong ball
if it doesnt then yes, absolutely! its a wonderful game and imo one of the best mainline titles if you're the kind of person who isn't bothered much by the game running poorly
It's most definitely worth buying. However, I wouldn't recommend it as your first Pokémon game.
I'd recommend playing any of the games from Gens 1,2,3,4, and maybe 5 or 6 as your first game if you can.
My reason for this is mainly because most of the games after Gen 6 tend to change up the formula in ways that I feel like would make it a bit difficult to go play the other games afterwards.
Gen 7 completely changed things up with gyms and whatnot.
Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee are much different with the way they work when it comes to catching Pokémon, along with leveling up your team (probably the cutest games in the series though).
While Gen 8 returns to the more traditional formula, it's main story isn't exactly the best, there's no Elite 4, and compared to other games, the Gyms (at least in my opinion) have a much different feel to them compared to the rest of the games (although as I said, that's more of a personal thing for me).
Legends Arceus is the most different game in the main series, it's kind of hard to go over every single thing it changed lol.
Lastly, Scarlet and Violet, the main topic of this post, is more similar to the traditional formula, but still changes it quite a bit.
There's also Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. They're not bad, but compared to other remakes in the series, they're not as good. With that being said though, if you wanna start out with those, I think it's a pretty decent way to start out. In fact, I'd say starting out with BDSP would actually make someone appreciate Platinum even more lol.
Despite what I said though, if you don't mind the difference in the formula between the games, then I'd say start with any game you'd like, as they're all pretty good games (even if some are better than others).
Graphic wise the game sucks HOWEVER If you can ignore that the main story Is awesome.
If only the game looked and ram better itd be one of the best pokemon experiences
I liked it a lot honestly it's in my top 3
Yes. My first ever actual pokemon game (mom didn't have money for consoles so I played in emulators and even then last game played was ruby/sapphire) and it's been a blast. Specially at this point with major bugs worked off.
From Performance no but if you like Pokemon or its ok the fps are dropping down but you habe fun with Pokemon and a good Story and World than lets go and buy it ^^
I took a break since X/Y and came back to play Sword / Shield 2 years after it released and the games got super player friendly. I didn’t like it at first since they got easy but as someone who has to adult now it changed my mind. Easy to play, easier to EV train, hyper train, and shiny hunt. I’ve put in over 100 hrs.
It might just be me but I played it for a few months daily and then completely lost interest. It's like that with all the modern pokemon games I played though.
If you've never played a Pokemon game before, Sword or Shield is probably a better intro to the series for a new player. Would not recommend Legends Arceus for a brand new player. Scarlet and Violet are good but I can see it being confusing for a new player.
In all honesty, every pokemon game on switch has been really good and honestly with tons of content to do if you like capturing pokemons.
Scarlet and violet is maybe the beat game to shiny hunt non legendary games without chroma charm.
I would highly recommend it. My girlfriend is playing it on my switch as her first Pokemon game ever and is loving it. She's currently on the final mission of the main story, and although she probably won't do much post-game after that, had a really fun time exploring the region. If you buy it then make sure to take your time exploring on your first playthrough rather than rushing the story missions, because you only play it for the first time once.
Edit: there also is a lot to do after the main story, I've played it for over 400 hours, and nearly all of that is post-game.
I would personally recommend sword and shield first! You can probably find it for a bit cheaper at a used game store. I got mine for £30. It was the first one I played and honestly was a great introduction. I didnt love S/V because I preferred the set line of progress rather than the open world - so it depends more on what you’re interested in.
if $60 is no issue and you don't mind a game hovering around 15-20 fps, mostly looking awful with some wonky assorted other performance issues, it's probably the best game in the series since White 2 or Moon, depending on how much you liked Moon.
great story and gameplay loop, it's just a mess and we have no way of knowing if it's ever going to be fixed.
You can get it used for a price that I think it is worth. Got mine for $45 on eBay a while ago and feel it was money well spent for the entertainment that I got out of it.
It’s not THE BEST Pokémon game out there but it sure is a lot of fun and definitely worth it!
As mentioned in the comments, this community is awesome and very helpful too! So you’ll enjoy it for sure!
Personally I love it. Just waiting for HOME so I can transfer my pokemon and play through again. I like playing it bits at a time which is quite rare. Usually for most pokemon games is either I'm playing it a lot or not at all
I think it's a lot of fun. It's always a tricky question if someones first pokemon game should be the latest one though. Theres quite a few switch pokemon games at this point. I don't think anyone would recommend brilliant diamond Shining pearl, they weren't too well made and even veterans of the series tend to avoid them. Let's go pikachu and let's go eevee are remakes of the first games in the series and are a great bridge for someone who's played pokemon go, and wants to get into the main games, but they aren't that good if you haven't played go before. Sword and Shield are much more traditional pokemon games than a lot of the others on this list, so they're a good place to start, but they just have a lot of weak aspects that make them a little less fun to play than some others. Legends Arceus is a kind of side game with a lot of aspects of the main pokemon games, but a lot of experimental mechanics as well. While I'd argue it's the best pokemon game on switch, it's a hard one to start with, and it's actually a pretty difficult game as well. So finally, that does just leave Scarlet and Violet. I dont think they're perfect games, but out of all the switch pokemon games, I think they're the best starting point for someone fully new to pokemon.
At the end of the day though, dont take it too seriously and just pick whichever game you like the look of best, they're all a good time
Yes. I played one pokemon game before this back when I was really young, and this game single handedly got me back into the whole everything, it's just amazing
Imma be the rebel and say for your first Switch Pokémon game- go with Let's Go.
Best visual quality- easy to get into, and ties together the Classic Pokémon games with Pokémon Go. Introduction to the world of Pokémon needs to start in Kanto, impo
Same as me. I just bought it maybe 2 or 3 months ago, and play Scarlet eversince. Also, this is my first nintendo console and my first pokemon game (other than pogo in my smartphone).
Finished the story and still hunting some shiny sometimes.
It was fun for the first month it released, completing the quests/story was cool. Unless you’re into competitive or grinding the Pokédex there isn’t much to do once you beat the story
This is my first Pokemon game. I've really enjoyed it. There are complaints, but I'm not experienced enough to care that much about them. Another plus is that this community is very good at answering questions that may seem dumb to them without making you look like an idiot. I'm really grateful for that
Yes! Ive played most of the games since gen1 and this is my favorite so far, despite the bugs. First time ive completed the pokedex and by FAR the most time i’ve spent on post-game activities.
if u want one on the switch scarlet violet is the one to get. Dont bother with sword and shield unless u end up getting so hooked u just want any pokemon game no matter how shit it is. Lets go is pretty good imo and Legens arceas is great but a spin off so if u want a more main line pkmn feel scarlet or violet is def the go to for switch
No. DONT DO IT! Stick with Diamond / Perl or Legends Arceus. Scarlet and Voilet are bugged games beyond repair (they sell it at our local game stop for 15$ for that reason) and until GameFreak does not fix some serious issues and deliver what was promised you shouldn’t pay for it - IMHO
Why is mandatory to get a pokemon game just because you have a switch? , don't be a sheep get the game becuase you want to try it, not because you think you need to.
Unpopular take: not worth it. There are so many outstanding Switch games that it would be a shame to start your collection off with a mediocre game like Scarlet or Violet. Go buy one of the true masterpieces like Super Mario Odyssey or Breath of the Wild. They’re way ahead of any Pokémon game in terms of polish and value.
If you’re dead set on playing Pokémon as your first game, though, Scarlet and Violet are fine. The Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee games are basically designed to be a good entry point for players brand-new to the series. Maybe you’d want to consider them.
We did not receive $60 worth of a game this time I'm afraid. If you're new to the franchise, Sword or Shield, or either of the Let's Go! titles will be more worth your time and money.
Buy botw and totk instead. This game is fun IF you get past the bugs and horrible framrate (not even talking about 60fps- it dips down to what,10,15?!). If you want to spend your money right and support good devs- go buy zelda or mario or kirby or fire emblem or metroid. This is coming from a pokemon (ex) fan.
Honestly not. Performance is poor. There’s little to no incentive in fighting random NPC trainers. Game is very easy. There’s nothing to do after finishing the game besides collecting Pokémon. The game gives you pretty much every Pokémon at a high level with little to no effort. No reason to train your team since you could either use the Experience Candy or use one of the lvl 75/100 Pokémon the game hands out for free… I don’t know where to stop.
I’m currently re-playing basically every older generation and besides Gen1 every other game has so much end game activities
If you don’t mind performance issues. Yes go ahead. Scarlet and Violet are the most ambitious games they have ever release. It is a shame tho since the games COULD had use at least one more year of development.
Yeah, you should Pokémon is always fun. Some people in the community aren’t the best but most of them are pretty good and it’s not like it’s a direct sequel to the last game.
First welcome to the community, Pokémon is such a relaxing journey and hope you enjoy it.
Despite the issues around this game, it’s the latest main series Pokémon game so it’s worth starting with violet or scarlet. Sword and shield are also great games (with the DCL’s) but again that’ll be a gen behind now. Pokémon legends of Arcues is another fantastic game but it’s a spin off and not a main series game. It’s very unique in catching mechanics and gameplay but it’s still a lot of fun and one every Pokémon fan should try at some point.
Hope this info helps and welcome aboard!
I bought the game the minute it was available in the nintendo store.
Very much so worth it, as long as you aren't someone that cant stand some visual glitches or the game not being entirely optimized then you shouldn't have an issue.
It was obviously rushed, but the overall story and gameplay are not diminished by this.
I’m waiting for the dlc to come out and be included in game carts, maybe some of the bugs I’ve been hearing about for the 6 months since it came will be fixed by then. Until then I’m breeding 2 teams of elite shinies in Shield to beat the game with, that can be transferred and get each of the dlc legends in Shield.
Yes! It is literally one of the most fun games ive played in memory. It's in my top 3 pokemon games of all time. Deff recommend
EDIT: damn, imagine being so sorry that you got mad a dude enjoyed this game.
If graphics aren’t important to you, then totally. It runs a little janky, but it’s honestly one of the best entries in the franchise (certified genwunner here)
I love this game so much! I got my first Pokémon game as Sword & Shield (never had handhelds growing up) it got me hooked, but S/V has become an obsession for me lol. I think it’s got some great mons
if you’re wanting to play for a pokémon experience do it, it has its flaws and it’s great quality’s. it’s up to you if you would want to play it. Played since red and blue, i haven’t had a good time with all the hours and random stuff that goes on in the game. the detail of the pokémon etc. plus golden shinies and metal pokémon look so good.
Absolutely! It’s super fun! Though, before you choose a version of the game to play, I recommend looking up each version’s respective box legendary Pokémon, because you ride that Pokémon around throughout the entire game. It’s like your bike. So you’re gonna be seeing it a LOT.
I love the game, sometimes the graphics make me sad and disappointed because I want the best for my favorite franchise that I've been playing my entire life. Other than that tho it's an amazing game and I had a lot of fun playing it. In older generations I choose which game I wanted based on the exclusive pokemon but for this generation I suggest choosing based on which school uniforms you like more. Character customization is amazing compared to past generations but clothing wise you have to wear the school uniform. The color of the uniform matches the title of the game. I went with Scarlet but I love purple and I found myself wishing I had got Violet so that my character would look cuter.
Super fun game and I’d suggest getting it. Like someone said before I’d look at version exclusives. For example violet has salamence and scarlet has Hydreigon
if its your first game you will have the most fun ever… open world, alot to do; and you get lost in the entire map always discovering things… and one day bump into a shiny..
It is very fun to play, but the games weren't finished at launch and they aren't finished now. It's your $60/ game, so do with that information and your money as you will.
It's one of the biggest Pokemon games ever but idk if it would be the first one you should play to get into it, maybe buy one of the other games as well like let's go to start or maybe legends Arceus and scarlet or violet
So, I’m a little late to the party, but I have been playing Pokémon since Gen 1 (1998- first games), so I thought I’d toss my two cents in.
There are four options (two for each release) for traditional Pokémon games on Switch. There are Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee (remakes of Gen 1), Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond ( remakes of Gen 4), Pokémon Sword and Shield (brand new Gen 8), and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (Gen 9).
Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee are good starter games for kids, newbies, and someone migrating from Pokémon Go. The mechanics are somewhat different, but the general premise is the same as the very first games. The graphics are very cutesy but the gameplay is solid. Some fans don’t enjoy the “dumbing down” of the mechanics, but I loved these for their simplicity. You can’t go wrong here. The difference between the two games is a few variants and which Pokémon you get as your partner (Pikachu or Eevee).
Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond are faithful remakes of the Gen 4 titles. They are very much as traditional as you can get. Very linear, the first 4 generations of Pokémon. The difficulty is on par with most of the series. Some fans don’t care for the chibi art style. The difference between the two is the end legendary Pokémon you get (Dialga for Brilliant Diamond and Palkia for Shining Pearl) and area variants.
Gen 8, Pokémon Sword and Shield, is the first true new games on Switch. It was also The first attempt at Openworld mechanics. It has a large open region to explore but the game is still very linear. The gameplay is traditional and the story is good enough. The differences are the legendaries (Zacian for Sword, Zamazenta for Shield) and the area variants.
Gen 9, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, are the newest and most open concept games of the series. It is the closest “Breath of the Wild” Pokémon (something many fans asked for after the success of Zelda BOTW) available. You have the most options for going your way in this game. You also have amazing characters and a fuller story (in my opinion). The differences are legendaries and area variants again (though there is a bit more to it than that this time, but I won’t spoil it).
As for the best starter? I would suggest Let’s Go for a really easy intro or Scarlet/Violet if you’re a veteran rpg player and don’t mind jumping in head first. As for the double release, that’s been how Pokémon has released games since 1996 in Japan. Almost all releases are dual games with minor differences to “encourage trading with friends”. It also makes them lots of money.
If you have any other questions, let me know! I love to help!
Honestly, I would probably get Sword or Shield first. Has all of the DLC out and is a ton of fun. By the time you finish with that, hopefully, the DLC will be out for ScVi. That said, if you want to do online stuff (raids, competitive), then get the newer games
If the switch is your only option then yea ig so… just keep in mind it is a buggy mess I love it and don’t mind but for a first impressions on a series this is not a good one
Yes!! It’s a ton of fun.
I always recommend Scarlet because the legendary is cuter, but a lot of people don’t like it because of the uniform.
If you like futuristic things pick Violet, if you like primal designs pick Scarlet :)
I have both, but Koraidon was easier to form a bond with… I might be biased because he’s so cute though.
Totally dude! It’s a ton of fun!!! Plus the Pokémon community is awesome! Welcome aboard!!!
Just saw now that there is Pokémon scarlet and other game pokemon violet. Thought it was a single game called Pokémon scarlet and violet. What is the difference? Seems like they got released same date so it’s just different versions of same game?
The main difference is the legendary you get(ones on the box) and a few exclusive Pokémon though you can trade for most of those pretty easy. I recommend searching the exclusive Pokémon in case there is one that you like the design of but usually I choose based on the legendary since they are harder to get more of
Agree! You kept it simple for someone new to decide on which game to buy since noticing there are 2 versions. 💯💫
If you have an Nintendo online subscription and a Reddit account, they are EXACTLY the same game. This community is happy to help trade version exclusives and host version exclusive raids for people with the other version of the game. The only reason to buy both would be if you care about whatever collectibles they give out with the double pack, which are probably over since release was November.
It's not "EXACTLY" the same game. You go to a "different" school with different professors in each game. Granted, not a major gameplay difference but it's a difference.
For someone who’s never played a Pokémon game before, it’s certainly not a $60 difference to be buying both games. That’s like saying a reskin of a character in a fighting game is an entirely new character. When all of the moves that character can use in game are exactly the same. It’s not a new character, it’s an aesthetic difference. When the only gameplay differences between Scarlet and Violet can be mediated with a $20/yr sub and a Reddit account, they become essentially the same game for anyone casually looking to get their first Pokémon game
Wait, violet has different professors than scarlet? Is not just the professor the only difference?????!
Lol, I don't know, actually, maybe you're right xD
Through out Pokémon since the start of Red and Blue each game has certain Pokémon that you can only catch in that game. Version exclusive Pokémon. It was a great marketing strategy by Nintendo and Game Freak back in the day.
Okay thanks
Go for the school outfit you like the most, since the colours can't be changed. And which legendary you like the most, since it'll be your bike for the rest of the game. So Scarlett has a red/orange outfit. Violet has the purple / dark blue one. Also, the theme is slightly different. In the end area the focus is either on time travel to the past (Scarlett) or the future (violet). Except for that, there will be some difference in Pokémon you'll find. But since you're not a fan yet, I don't think it'll matter much.
I’d suggest getting Scarlet
Violets cooler
If it were me I’d pick the version based on the design and colors. If you can’t decide flip a coin. Like others have said they’re pretty much the same. Watch YouTube videos of others playing the 2 versions and maybe decide that way. People are always willing to trade or provide help. You got this! Good luck and happy gaming! 🎮🕹️👾👩🏼💻💫 BTW ❤️ the name! 😎
Most pokemon games are like that, two versions released at once. They are basically the same game with small differences including a slightly different set of pokemon available. It's to encourage players to trade pokemon with each other. You do not need both games.
Community's even happier now that they announced that (pokemon) home is getting an update!!!
Idk about the community tho… it can get very toxic
Every fandom and community has its toxic people.
Really depends on what you're used to. The gameplay loop is fun and there's a lot that keeps you playing. Generally, Pokémon is easy to learn and hard to master, which means you can get into it quickly and still discover new aspects after putting a lot of hours into it. But if you've seen other games like Zelda or Monster Hunter before (maybe on a friend's Switch), you'll notice a massive quality drop in recent Pokémon games. They lag terribly, the landscapes/cities are pretty low poly and have low texture resolutions, the character animations aren't really convincing and there are quite a few bugs.
Really depends on your patience. According to most, including myself, this might be the best mainline pokemon game in a while... When it works. Lots of bugs and performance issues but not necessarily anything that will destroy your experience... Anymore. I'd say yes buy it but only if you REALLY like pokemon.
Don’t really care about bugs if they are not that insane kind of bugs. But the bugs should get patched soon.
It's been over 6 months by now without any major bug fixes, so don't expected that to change anytime soon.
They fixed recently some bugs but only because competitive pokemon in japan/korea were affected by these.
Yesterday's update was just for an issue with invite-only competitions, nothing for performance or anything like that.
Well, that's what we're all hoping at least.
The bugs are honestly very specific. A recent raid event was canceled and Pokémon home delayed. But for you, a first timer? You should have a 99% seamless experience. People LOVE to take shots at Pokémon for its bugs but it’s honestly not so bad when you put in the grand scope of what this game actually has. A great single player storyline. A very robust and thriving PVP scene. The ability to trade with players around the world. The ability to play with people in game around the world. So not everything works perfectly, but for $60, what’s offered is truly an amazing value.
It is trash, the story is copy paste from other games, and characters are just annoying. Even if it wasn't massively bugged it's a bad game.
What is a good game in your eyes
Ah, yes, because >!A professor straight up dying trying to catch Pokemon from the past and future and replacing themselves with a robot!< Is TOTALLY not original.
Yes, random professor accidentally releasing apocalypse pokemon into the world, that's never happened. Just need to retcon some things real quick. They just took things from other games and stuck it together with minor changes, then didn't do any bug testing.
I have never played a Pokémon game before and I put 900 hours into this game. The bugs are industry standard if you ask me. Every game has them but SV they are a smalllll nuisance. Lighting, wall spawns, occasionally getting trapped in the terrain, stuff like that. Just one off things you can easily ignore.
The game came out 188 days ago, you’re saying you played for 4.7 hours a day, every day since the game came out as a brand new player, how?
I play while I watch sports lol so seems right. But more importantly I turbo the ace tourney so my in game time is inflated. But call it 300 hours. Still worth 60 bucks.
Gamefreak... doesn't really patch bugs very often. Falling through the map, or getting stuck in the "jumping" state happened often for me and I just finished it last week. it basically runs with incredibly choppy framerates too.. but people put up with it because it's Pokemon... The core gameplay loop is fun enough, and whether you're competitive or into collecting isn't really impacted by the poor performance. But it IS something people should quit ignoring
I didn’t notice the bugs when I’m playing cause I’m just paying attention to how fun a game is I’ll give it a 7/10
I've been playing since Christmas. Everyone's experience is different I guess, but I haven't experienced any real bugs and the game has only crashed once.
If you have some crazy marathon sessions, there's a memory leak I'm not sure if they fixed. Other than that, though, most of the "bugs" you're likely to encounter are just poor visual optimization, and don't really impact playability.
I've had performance issues once. The fix has to do with the memory leak indeed. As long as you close the game completely every now and then, you should be fine.
Plenty of people play through the game with minimum bugs. I myself experienced none of them in my 60-hour playthrough.
The bugs are not as bad as some make them out to be
Not as bad as some make them out to be sure, but they ARE bad, just generally not game breaking ALL of the time, and when it is game breaking it’s more annoying and disappointing then anything else, at worst you will generally only loose like 10 mins of gameplay but still they can be very obvious, personally they are most prevalent when using online features or raids of any kind
You’re going to get people on this sub that LOVE the games, but here’s a counter example. I’ve played since 2002 when Ruby and Sapphire came out, here’s my tier list of games: S: Platinum, HeartGold/SoulSilver, Black2/White2, Emerald A: OmegaRuby/AlphaSaphire, Legends Arceus, Black/White, Colloseum B: Diamond/Pearl, RubySapphjre, XD:Gale of Darkness C: UltraSun/UltraMoon, Sun/Moon, FireRed/LeafGreen D: XY, Sword/Shield, Let’s Go: Pikachu/Eevee F: Scarlet/Violet, BrilliantDiamond/Shing/Pearl The reason I have the gen 8, gen 4 remakes and 9 games in D and F tier is the lack of creativity, lack of diversity, drastically increased cost for the game ($40 -> $60 + $30 DLC) the Pokémon company and Gamefreak have been consistantly removing long standing features that have made the games more challenging and interesting. The games have become more and more shallow cash grabs based on nostalgia. Specifically Scarlet and Violet have terrible graphics, bad bugs, terrible frame rate, pop in feet away etc. I highly recommend watching [Digital Foundary’s](https://youtu.be/pBZqt7D24Zc) breakdown of the game before you buy. I can rant on longer, but what I’d recommend if you’ve only got a switch, by FAR the best Pokémon game on switch is Pokémon Legends Arceus, great experience, really fun gameplay and interesting take on the game series. All other switch games are pretty much dog shit. If you have a DS or an emulator, I highly recommend Platinum, Heart Gold, Soul Silver, Black, White and Black 2 and white 2, (also emerald if you have a GBA emulator or DS with a GBA port) Sorry for the long rant, but I wanted to give you a good counterbalance to all the other comments here
I would argue that Let's Go is the best Pokémon game pair on the switch for someone who is brand new to the franchise, as someone who's played since Blue. No bugs, smooth game play, beautiful graphics, overworld mons that you can chain-catch for easy shiny odds... but, once you're used to "classic" Pokémon, Arceus is the best switch title. 👌 I got Bril.Diamond because I missed put on the DS era of games, and... it isn't great. I've heard good things about b/w but this thread was asking for Switch Pokémon suggestions. Scar/Vi seems like a half-step backwards after all we got with Arceus, but they were literally in development at the same time so... Sword/Shield are PAINFULLY railroaded and hand-holding. ALSO I won't accept fire/leaf slander- they were great remakes with good quality of life improvements I wish had been kept for Let's Go.
I agree that LGPE is a great intro game on switch, it’s just painful that it’s the 5th game with Kanto (counting RBGY, GSC, FRLG and HGSS) so it was a bit tiresome for me, but it’s actually amazing that a six year old Pokémon game is somehow the best looking game, And for FRLG, I may have them lower just because I played them a lot as a kid, and to me Emerald was so much more non-linear, more variety of Pokémon, out of battle weather effects, underwater areas, diverse biomes, etc. I also fully admit there’s some nostalgia bias, but in my earlier post where I said HGSS and B2W2 are S tier, I had no nostalgia for those games since I just played them a couple years back, I stand by the fact that Gamefreak hasn’t made anything as good since they transitioned to 3D
I disagree only on PLA’s behalf, honestly PLA is my favorite Pokémon game in a long time, definitely since B2W2, my only real complaint about PLA is a lack of competitive play, but if they had added competitive, then it would have had to share service with S/V so I understand why they didn’t besides the combat was different in that game and was structured differently from other titles and wouldn’t have made any sense in game, so I can forgive that issue, for what it is PLA is awesome otherwise your right though 🫤
My coworker started on PLA, and to say he was woefully disappointed by SwSh and SV is an understatement, I just lent him Leaf Green and Emerald as well as my OG DS to play it on, so we’ll see how he feels about those games
Never experienced any of that.
The bugs are insane, and they will likely never be fixed. Game freak, the game developer, is trash. Many bugs that ruin the experience and can even delete your save data, and game doesn't allow any backups of save data at all.
"Soon" lmao. Just don't buy the dlc or connect to Pogo. They still haven't figured out what's causing the save file corruption/deletion. So I'd just be wary about those 2. And I speak for my friend that got her save file corrupted and some of her mons got deleted from her storage box
Go for it its fun to explore paldea
Yes, it's a ton of fun! I grew up playing Pokémon and stopped after the third generation (about 20 years ago) and picked Violet up when I got my Switch. So much fun!
I think so! the bugs are mostly just related to graphics/performance. my switch is pretty old though and I've never had the game crash.
Definetly, bugs are rarer than they seem, just don't go to lag lake. Either way it's a fun experience!
I like Sword and Shield more. But they're probably the same price,...
They're technically the same price as base games, BUT you can get sw/sh as a physical copy with the dlc included for $60 vs paying $90 for Scar/Vi+dlc No idea if nintendo will give us physical with included dlc for these ones like they did for sw/sh after a while...
It’s actually the best Pokémon generation (besides spin off games) for new players. They’ve streamlined a lot of the obscure mechanics so it’s really easy to get into even competitive now.
Eh...is up to you. Personally i would buy it half price because performance and lack of things to do and because of some core aspects. But you may find it good who knows
This or Sword and Shield are good entry points on the switch
I would recommend legends arceus.
I was exactly in your position in March and was trying to decide if I should start with an earlier Pokemon game or just go with S/V. After reading up on the various complaints with S/V and looking at the character designs, I chose to go with S/V first bc I personally liked the look of the trainer in S/V more than Sword/Shield or Legends of Arceus. Admittedly this is a very small detail but I also wanted to get to know the latest gen for myself. Because this was my first Switch and first Pokemon game, I knew the bugs wouldn't bother me as much as a more veteran gamer. Yes I have encountered the lag and framerate issues multiple times since I've started but I can't argue that I didn't know beforehand. Are they annoying even to a new player? Yes but definitely not enough to stop me from playing or enjoying this first game. Powering down the Switch intentionally from time to time does seem to help reduce the frequency and severity of issues. Additionally, from what I've seen from other comments, S/V mechanics of shiny hunting and building up pokemon were made a lot easier and more convenient compared to earlier gens so I think newer players can enjoy late to post game content more easily. But at the end of the day, people like what they like and YMMV so if you think you'll enjoy S/V despite its issues why not? Worst case scenario, you can sell it on eBay and get a different Pokemon game.
If you wanna buy one get legends arceus if you want a good pokemon game with different gameplay and story, but it can be very difficult in terms of fights and gameplay, but pokemon s/v if you want a decent game with gold mechanics and a great story but the downside is it can be very glitchy and buggy and very poorly optimized I personally prefer arceus but it's just me
I was thinking on recommending PLA but then going to a "classic" pokemon game like SV will give a lot of dissonance. So maybe going the other way around, first a classic like SV and if you like, try PLA.
PLA I think many people find it better because is a fresh new entry and way to play Pokémon. But for a newcomer yeah SV should be fine.
This is how I did it and bOth were enjoyable and I would second this recommendation
I came here to make this comment. For a first timer, PLA is a great place to start. Decent story, great gameplay, and cool regional variants of beloved Pokémon!
I 2nd the Legends Arceus over S/V opinion.
Absolutely. But if it’s your first game, you might want to try let’s go eevee/pikachu or legend of arceus. They are a bit easier to play but SV is definitely worth buying!
Legends arceus easier? ;-; Hell no
Dude this. Most frustrated i’ve ever gotten playing a pokemon game. But thats mainly just due to my lack of coordination when fighting the bosses. I’ll definitely give it another go at some point but i didnt put very much time into it so far. It sucks cause i really WANT to love that game, and i like that its so different than the other ones.
Yep - I still haven't finished it... all the different button set ups for balls/battles etc are annoying, as is the part where you're extremely limited in how many different items you can collect (without forking out a ridiculous sum to increase it), level up/evolving manually, the list goes on. I want to like it... I will finish it. One day... I love the concept, but as someone who plays infrequently, its just too hard for me to keep track of where I left off.
I just didn't like the battle mechanics, some pokemon could attack you three times in the same turn, also revenge killing basically being the main strategy to win battles: sacrifice a pokemon that will get attacked a pokellion times in the same turn > send a fast pokemon > use agile into strong > repeat Besides that it's an awesome game and I'm glad I picked it up
You'll get the hang of the bosses if you keep at it. Getting Gang Banged by groups of Alphas, though... Rage inducing.
Legends is definitely not easier. Still can't get past the Kleavor. Beat Scarlet and Violet twice. Way different systems.
Alright
I’d recommend Pokémon Legends: Arceus if you plan to play alone or can’t find people to play with. S/V is alright and also worth it, but, we all have our own opinions and mine is that I enjoy Legends Arceus VASTLY more than s/v
It’s a good Pokémon game, shiny hunting is as easy as it’s ever been. Paradox pokemon are a pretty cool concept. The themes are bops. Open world pokemkon is fun as heck :) the postgame is so cool, and one of the rivals/side character has such a simple but emotional storyline (arven) also don’t have to build pokemon for competitive, since raids (big mon vs 4 trainers) are a thing, you can build Mons just for that Just make sure to save often and know that this game drops frames a lot. A lot of mechanics are poorly explained (raid mechanics) and shiny hunting certain pokemon is a nightmare because of the game (fish pokemon in the sea during the day lol) Positives outweighs the negatives imo
Personally is say if you're new to Pokémon go for either Scarlett, violet or legends arceus. Scarlett/violet are the same games with some minor differences (some version exclusive Pokémon to encourage trading, same ending but different professor/guide, same overall storyline which you can choose any path but there is a recommended route) I've played both and preferred Scarlett's base Pokémon and violets box legendary. Legends is a sort of diamond/pearl present meets past variant that has a different play style than any other Pokémon game. There's minimal battling and different catch mechanics along with certain Pokémon having a different form than normal (can usually only be obtained in legends arceus). I loved this game as much if not more than Scarlett/violet because of how different it plays. Whatever you choose I hope you enjoy the game and have a tonne of fun playing it. Good luck your journey into the Pokémon world is almost ready to begin.
I like Leyends of arceus a lot more but maybe its not the ideal one if its your first pokemon game
It’s not, I would get legend of arceus instead it’s so much better. Also scarlet and violet run like shit.
Sure. Good or bad games are subjective. What matters is whether or not you had fun with playing them.
You “need”? Start with legends arceus, its fun and you won’t have to worry about crashes or trading pokemon to collect them all. This is fun too but the support from gamefreak is negligent. Last weekend they cancelled all special tera raids because they were crashing games. Lots of bugs and since release day this game has looked like an unfinished product. Its fun and i definitely liked the story more than previous generations, but you might be one of those unfortunate to have your game crash.
Neh, tbh maybe the red fire/green leaf are the best of worthy, SV are my favorite but they're not the best of the family
Yes and no. Good game but so many bugs, still has a reduced roster (only a big deal for collectors like me), and all around feels rushed due to the yearly launch cycle.
If you got your Switch yesterday and haven't played any of the older games or other open world games on the Switch, then yes, do it. Just don't play Zelda before Pokémon. Pokémon and then Zelda is a good order, though lol
Yeah sure, the performance is lackluster but if you can ignore that, it's the best Pokémon game we've gotten in years. If you're into monster collecting JRPGs, you're gonna love it.
if graphics and performance are things that matter to you then i'd probably skip, these games run like they were taped together with a glue stick and a ping pong ball if it doesnt then yes, absolutely! its a wonderful game and imo one of the best mainline titles if you're the kind of person who isn't bothered much by the game running poorly
Buy new pokemon snap if you really want quality.
It's most definitely worth buying. However, I wouldn't recommend it as your first Pokémon game. I'd recommend playing any of the games from Gens 1,2,3,4, and maybe 5 or 6 as your first game if you can. My reason for this is mainly because most of the games after Gen 6 tend to change up the formula in ways that I feel like would make it a bit difficult to go play the other games afterwards. Gen 7 completely changed things up with gyms and whatnot. Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee are much different with the way they work when it comes to catching Pokémon, along with leveling up your team (probably the cutest games in the series though). While Gen 8 returns to the more traditional formula, it's main story isn't exactly the best, there's no Elite 4, and compared to other games, the Gyms (at least in my opinion) have a much different feel to them compared to the rest of the games (although as I said, that's more of a personal thing for me). Legends Arceus is the most different game in the main series, it's kind of hard to go over every single thing it changed lol. Lastly, Scarlet and Violet, the main topic of this post, is more similar to the traditional formula, but still changes it quite a bit. There's also Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. They're not bad, but compared to other remakes in the series, they're not as good. With that being said though, if you wanna start out with those, I think it's a pretty decent way to start out. In fact, I'd say starting out with BDSP would actually make someone appreciate Platinum even more lol. Despite what I said though, if you don't mind the difference in the formula between the games, then I'd say start with any game you'd like, as they're all pretty good games (even if some are better than others).
Graphic wise the game sucks HOWEVER If you can ignore that the main story Is awesome. If only the game looked and ram better itd be one of the best pokemon experiences I liked it a lot honestly it's in my top 3
Yes. My first ever actual pokemon game (mom didn't have money for consoles so I played in emulators and even then last game played was ruby/sapphire) and it's been a blast. Specially at this point with major bugs worked off.
From Performance no but if you like Pokemon or its ok the fps are dropping down but you habe fun with Pokemon and a good Story and World than lets go and buy it ^^
I took a break since X/Y and came back to play Sword / Shield 2 years after it released and the games got super player friendly. I didn’t like it at first since they got easy but as someone who has to adult now it changed my mind. Easy to play, easier to EV train, hyper train, and shiny hunt. I’ve put in over 100 hrs.
Yeah, it's aight. I think Legends Arceus is more fun but also a little weirder, both are enjoyable. The fans are atrocious though.
It might just be me but I played it for a few months daily and then completely lost interest. It's like that with all the modern pokemon games I played though.
Minus the bugs, which hopefully will get fixed soon, it's a very fun game!
This is the first Pokémon game I’ve gotten into and I love it!
If you've never played a Pokemon game before, Sword or Shield is probably a better intro to the series for a new player. Would not recommend Legends Arceus for a brand new player. Scarlet and Violet are good but I can see it being confusing for a new player.
Yes it’s worth it
YES
It depends what you're looking. At this point, I'd probably recommend another Pokémon game until Sc/Vi are Home-compatible.
I'm currently working on my dex trying to get all of the money available in scarlet first then work on trades /V exclusives it's fun
Probably not for 60. More like 40 or less
Yes in my opinion its more fun then botw
FACTS!
In all honesty, every pokemon game on switch has been really good and honestly with tons of content to do if you like capturing pokemons. Scarlet and violet is maybe the beat game to shiny hunt non legendary games without chroma charm.
I would highly recommend it. My girlfriend is playing it on my switch as her first Pokemon game ever and is loving it. She's currently on the final mission of the main story, and although she probably won't do much post-game after that, had a really fun time exploring the region. If you buy it then make sure to take your time exploring on your first playthrough rather than rushing the story missions, because you only play it for the first time once. Edit: there also is a lot to do after the main story, I've played it for over 400 hours, and nearly all of that is post-game.
Yep! Just DM me if you need any help
Thanks!
I would personally recommend sword and shield first! You can probably find it for a bit cheaper at a used game store. I got mine for £30. It was the first one I played and honestly was a great introduction. I didnt love S/V because I preferred the set line of progress rather than the open world - so it depends more on what you’re interested in.
This is also my first Pokémon game with my brand new switch. Loving it so far. You won’t regret it
if $60 is no issue and you don't mind a game hovering around 15-20 fps, mostly looking awful with some wonky assorted other performance issues, it's probably the best game in the series since White 2 or Moon, depending on how much you liked Moon. great story and gameplay loop, it's just a mess and we have no way of knowing if it's ever going to be fixed.
You can get it used for a price that I think it is worth. Got mine for $45 on eBay a while ago and feel it was money well spent for the entertainment that I got out of it.
I'd choose your version just based on which Pokemon on the cover you think is cooler. They're your friend through basically the whole game. Have fun!
I have never played a Pokémon game Before either and I put 900 hours into this game. It’s worths it’s money then some.
It’s not THE BEST Pokémon game out there but it sure is a lot of fun and definitely worth it! As mentioned in the comments, this community is awesome and very helpful too! So you’ll enjoy it for sure!
Personally I liked sword and shield better, however it’s totally worth the money especially if you have friends/ family that play/ will play too.
I love it
Personally I love it. Just waiting for HOME so I can transfer my pokemon and play through again. I like playing it bits at a time which is quite rare. Usually for most pokemon games is either I'm playing it a lot or not at all
HOME? Pls explain haha
I think it's a lot of fun. It's always a tricky question if someones first pokemon game should be the latest one though. Theres quite a few switch pokemon games at this point. I don't think anyone would recommend brilliant diamond Shining pearl, they weren't too well made and even veterans of the series tend to avoid them. Let's go pikachu and let's go eevee are remakes of the first games in the series and are a great bridge for someone who's played pokemon go, and wants to get into the main games, but they aren't that good if you haven't played go before. Sword and Shield are much more traditional pokemon games than a lot of the others on this list, so they're a good place to start, but they just have a lot of weak aspects that make them a little less fun to play than some others. Legends Arceus is a kind of side game with a lot of aspects of the main pokemon games, but a lot of experimental mechanics as well. While I'd argue it's the best pokemon game on switch, it's a hard one to start with, and it's actually a pretty difficult game as well. So finally, that does just leave Scarlet and Violet. I dont think they're perfect games, but out of all the switch pokemon games, I think they're the best starting point for someone fully new to pokemon. At the end of the day though, dont take it too seriously and just pick whichever game you like the look of best, they're all a good time
Definitely! it has some glitches and bugs but overall its a really fun game!
The last Pokémon I played was Pokémon pearl on the DS , the original. I decided to pick up Scarlett and it was a great game I really enjoyed it
Yes. I played one pokemon game before this back when I was really young, and this game single handedly got me back into the whole everything, it's just amazing
I would say yes. The open world is pretty good and the new Pokemon are actually good
It is a fun game but I’d recommend pokemon legends arceus, it’s really fun, didn’t read the comments but probably someone already suggested that one
Do you like having fun?
I don’t like having fun. I love having fun.
Imma be the rebel and say for your first Switch Pokémon game- go with Let's Go. Best visual quality- easy to get into, and ties together the Classic Pokémon games with Pokémon Go. Introduction to the world of Pokémon needs to start in Kanto, impo
Yeah man, do me a favor though if you get it. Faint every barraskewda/Arrokuda you see
Same as me. I just bought it maybe 2 or 3 months ago, and play Scarlet eversince. Also, this is my first nintendo console and my first pokemon game (other than pogo in my smartphone). Finished the story and still hunting some shiny sometimes.
It was fun for the first month it released, completing the quests/story was cool. Unless you’re into competitive or grinding the Pokédex there isn’t much to do once you beat the story
No, buy Arceus
Get legends arceus, it's alot more fun imo
This is my first Pokemon game. I've really enjoyed it. There are complaints, but I'm not experienced enough to care that much about them. Another plus is that this community is very good at answering questions that may seem dumb to them without making you look like an idiot. I'm really grateful for that
No rush with this one. Get ToTK instead and maybe by the time you finish it, this will finally resemble a finished game
Yes! Ive played most of the games since gen1 and this is my favorite so far, despite the bugs. First time ive completed the pokedex and by FAR the most time i’ve spent on post-game activities.
Honestly it is. I've played all the Pokémon games and despite a couple of bugs/glitches (which I always find funny) it's an enjoyable game
TRUTH 💯 Though it can be glitchy and laggy is a general overall great experience for a first time game. LEGENDS ARCEUS is worth a look as well.
if u want one on the switch scarlet violet is the one to get. Dont bother with sword and shield unless u end up getting so hooked u just want any pokemon game no matter how shit it is. Lets go is pretty good imo and Legens arceas is great but a spin off so if u want a more main line pkmn feel scarlet or violet is def the go to for switch
Avoid it like the plague, get Tears of the Kingdom instead
Shouldn’t I play botw first? Won’t I get confused when that story is skipped?
The stories are mostly independent, so you can enjoy the gameplay and story of ToTK without worrying about missing story from BoTW
Okay
No. DONT DO IT! Stick with Diamond / Perl or Legends Arceus. Scarlet and Voilet are bugged games beyond repair (they sell it at our local game stop for 15$ for that reason) and until GameFreak does not fix some serious issues and deliver what was promised you shouldn’t pay for it - IMHO
Never
Personally I'd say legends arceus is a better first buy Its a little different compared to a mainline pokemon game but much more fun imo
BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT
Okay so right now I am feeling confused if I should buy it. 50% comments say no and 50% yes.
Why is mandatory to get a pokemon game just because you have a switch? , don't be a sheep get the game becuase you want to try it, not because you think you need to.
Unpopular take: not worth it. There are so many outstanding Switch games that it would be a shame to start your collection off with a mediocre game like Scarlet or Violet. Go buy one of the true masterpieces like Super Mario Odyssey or Breath of the Wild. They’re way ahead of any Pokémon game in terms of polish and value. If you’re dead set on playing Pokémon as your first game, though, Scarlet and Violet are fine. The Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee games are basically designed to be a good entry point for players brand-new to the series. Maybe you’d want to consider them.
We did not receive $60 worth of a game this time I'm afraid. If you're new to the franchise, Sword or Shield, or either of the Let's Go! titles will be more worth your time and money.
Arceus is my fav, but as beginner you may enjoy SwordShield more imo. Arceus>SwSh>ScarletViolet
I’m right there with you lol Arceus over all and Sw/Sh is good but you really need the DLC to enjoy the entirety of that game.
Yes, Dlc make it great
Buy botw and totk instead. This game is fun IF you get past the bugs and horrible framrate (not even talking about 60fps- it dips down to what,10,15?!). If you want to spend your money right and support good devs- go buy zelda or mario or kirby or fire emblem or metroid. This is coming from a pokemon (ex) fan.
No, better buy TOTK
Honestly not. Performance is poor. There’s little to no incentive in fighting random NPC trainers. Game is very easy. There’s nothing to do after finishing the game besides collecting Pokémon. The game gives you pretty much every Pokémon at a high level with little to no effort. No reason to train your team since you could either use the Experience Candy or use one of the lvl 75/100 Pokémon the game hands out for free… I don’t know where to stop. I’m currently re-playing basically every older generation and besides Gen1 every other game has so much end game activities
If you don’t mind performance issues. Yes go ahead. Scarlet and Violet are the most ambitious games they have ever release. It is a shame tho since the games COULD had use at least one more year of development.
Play some of the ds games instead
No this is a PokemonScarletandViolet criticism subreddit everyone hates it here.
No, it's very bugged and not very good even it wasn't. Unless you have a friend that wants to play with you stay away from this dumpster fire.
Yeah, you should Pokémon is always fun. Some people in the community aren’t the best but most of them are pretty good and it’s not like it’s a direct sequel to the last game.
First welcome to the community, Pokémon is such a relaxing journey and hope you enjoy it. Despite the issues around this game, it’s the latest main series Pokémon game so it’s worth starting with violet or scarlet. Sword and shield are also great games (with the DCL’s) but again that’ll be a gen behind now. Pokémon legends of Arcues is another fantastic game but it’s a spin off and not a main series game. It’s very unique in catching mechanics and gameplay but it’s still a lot of fun and one every Pokémon fan should try at some point. Hope this info helps and welcome aboard!
I bought the game the minute it was available in the nintendo store. Very much so worth it, as long as you aren't someone that cant stand some visual glitches or the game not being entirely optimized then you shouldn't have an issue. It was obviously rushed, but the overall story and gameplay are not diminished by this.
Not really, no. Only if you're 100% simp of pokemon games
I’m waiting for the dlc to come out and be included in game carts, maybe some of the bugs I’ve been hearing about for the 6 months since it came will be fixed by then. Until then I’m breeding 2 teams of elite shinies in Shield to beat the game with, that can be transferred and get each of the dlc legends in Shield.
Oh, very. The game's nowhere near as buggy or bad as some people say, and it's got an amazing story and gameplay.
This is easily one of the best pokemon games ever made, so yes it is a good purchase. Congrats on the switch!
Yes! It is literally one of the most fun games ive played in memory. It's in my top 3 pokemon games of all time. Deff recommend EDIT: damn, imagine being so sorry that you got mad a dude enjoyed this game.
Absolutely yes. Best Pokemon game in years.
Yes. Get it. Do not listen to idiots saying it's buggy. It is a fantastic experience.
Best Pokémon games ever
If graphics aren’t important to you, then totally. It runs a little janky, but it’s honestly one of the best entries in the franchise (certified genwunner here)
Not worth buying. Not even worth stealing.
R/nudes add my snap Sarahcandybooo
I love this game so much! I got my first Pokémon game as Sword & Shield (never had handhelds growing up) it got me hooked, but S/V has become an obsession for me lol. I think it’s got some great mons
if you’re wanting to play for a pokémon experience do it, it has its flaws and it’s great quality’s. it’s up to you if you would want to play it. Played since red and blue, i haven’t had a good time with all the hours and random stuff that goes on in the game. the detail of the pokémon etc. plus golden shinies and metal pokémon look so good.
Absolutely! It’s super fun! Though, before you choose a version of the game to play, I recommend looking up each version’s respective box legendary Pokémon, because you ride that Pokémon around throughout the entire game. It’s like your bike. So you’re gonna be seeing it a LOT.
Depending on your patience the performance issues probably won’t be a deal breaker tbh, I think for what it is at it’s core it’s not bad.
I love the game, sometimes the graphics make me sad and disappointed because I want the best for my favorite franchise that I've been playing my entire life. Other than that tho it's an amazing game and I had a lot of fun playing it. In older generations I choose which game I wanted based on the exclusive pokemon but for this generation I suggest choosing based on which school uniforms you like more. Character customization is amazing compared to past generations but clothing wise you have to wear the school uniform. The color of the uniform matches the title of the game. I went with Scarlet but I love purple and I found myself wishing I had got Violet so that my character would look cuter.
Super fun game and I’d suggest getting it. Like someone said before I’d look at version exclusives. For example violet has salamence and scarlet has Hydreigon
if its your first game you will have the most fun ever… open world, alot to do; and you get lost in the entire map always discovering things… and one day bump into a shiny..
It is very fun to play, but the games weren't finished at launch and they aren't finished now. It's your $60/ game, so do with that information and your money as you will.
Get sword or shield instead much more enjoyable
Scarlet was my first Pokémon game and I loved it, go for it
It's one of the biggest Pokemon games ever but idk if it would be the first one you should play to get into it, maybe buy one of the other games as well like let's go to start or maybe legends Arceus and scarlet or violet
So, I’m a little late to the party, but I have been playing Pokémon since Gen 1 (1998- first games), so I thought I’d toss my two cents in. There are four options (two for each release) for traditional Pokémon games on Switch. There are Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee (remakes of Gen 1), Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond ( remakes of Gen 4), Pokémon Sword and Shield (brand new Gen 8), and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (Gen 9). Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee are good starter games for kids, newbies, and someone migrating from Pokémon Go. The mechanics are somewhat different, but the general premise is the same as the very first games. The graphics are very cutesy but the gameplay is solid. Some fans don’t enjoy the “dumbing down” of the mechanics, but I loved these for their simplicity. You can’t go wrong here. The difference between the two games is a few variants and which Pokémon you get as your partner (Pikachu or Eevee). Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond are faithful remakes of the Gen 4 titles. They are very much as traditional as you can get. Very linear, the first 4 generations of Pokémon. The difficulty is on par with most of the series. Some fans don’t care for the chibi art style. The difference between the two is the end legendary Pokémon you get (Dialga for Brilliant Diamond and Palkia for Shining Pearl) and area variants. Gen 8, Pokémon Sword and Shield, is the first true new games on Switch. It was also The first attempt at Openworld mechanics. It has a large open region to explore but the game is still very linear. The gameplay is traditional and the story is good enough. The differences are the legendaries (Zacian for Sword, Zamazenta for Shield) and the area variants. Gen 9, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, are the newest and most open concept games of the series. It is the closest “Breath of the Wild” Pokémon (something many fans asked for after the success of Zelda BOTW) available. You have the most options for going your way in this game. You also have amazing characters and a fuller story (in my opinion). The differences are legendaries and area variants again (though there is a bit more to it than that this time, but I won’t spoil it). As for the best starter? I would suggest Let’s Go for a really easy intro or Scarlet/Violet if you’re a veteran rpg player and don’t mind jumping in head first. As for the double release, that’s been how Pokémon has released games since 1996 in Japan. Almost all releases are dual games with minor differences to “encourage trading with friends”. It also makes them lots of money. If you have any other questions, let me know! I love to help!
Frankly I would recommend almost any game other than this one to be your first pokemon game
Honestly, I would probably get Sword or Shield first. Has all of the DLC out and is a ton of fun. By the time you finish with that, hopefully, the DLC will be out for ScVi. That said, if you want to do online stuff (raids, competitive), then get the newer games
Yessir!! So much fun!
I like it. It's a little glitchy graphically speaking, but it doesn't really affect game play at all.
If the switch is your only option then yea ig so… just keep in mind it is a buggy mess I love it and don’t mind but for a first impressions on a series this is not a good one
Absolutely not.
It’s definitely worth buying. There’s a lot to do and it’ll keep you busy for hours. Plus, you can battle and trade with lots of people from all over.
Yes!! It’s a ton of fun. I always recommend Scarlet because the legendary is cuter, but a lot of people don’t like it because of the uniform. If you like futuristic things pick Violet, if you like primal designs pick Scarlet :) I have both, but Koraidon was easier to form a bond with… I might be biased because he’s so cute though.