Pokémon The 5 Best Things About Kanto & 5 That Needed Improvement

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Pokémon The 5 Best Things About Kanto & 5 That Needed Improvement

Though it holds a special place in our hearts, looking back, there are definitely some flaws in Kanto, visible right alongside its better features. The original region setting for a game, Kanto, holds a fond place in many people's minds, serving as the first time many would be introduced to the Pokémon world and all the magic contained within it. Kanto has been seen in several games since its original inception and has evolved over the years. However, like all Pokémon regions, it could use some improvements. Looking back, there are definitely some flaws in Kanto, visible right alongside its better features. Here are some of the best things about Kanto, and a few areas that could use some improvement. THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY

Needed Improvement Legendary Lore

In many games, the Legendary Pokémon of the corresponding generation play an important role in the game's story and the in-game world. Take, for example, Sinnoh, where are worshipped by people and are said to have created the universe and everything in it. Kanto doesn't really have Legendary Pokémon that play an important role. Mewtwo's story is cool, but the player and Team Rocket are really the only ones paying attention. The Legendary Birds also just...exist. They're cool, but not used well by the writers.

Pretty Great Gym Competition

Gyms play an incredibly-important role in the games and a player's story, but they don't often serve an important purpose outside of that in their respective regions. It's cool when gym leaders play an important role in the local culture, like the Unova leaders fighting Team Plasma or the large sporting culture that exists around Galar's leaders. In Kanto, this isn't as prevalent, but it's cool to see that there is some competition for gym status. Sabrina is said to have after defeating the Fighting Dojo. Another gym evolution takes place when Janine takes over for her father, Koga, in the Fuchsia City gym. It'd be great to see stuff like this more often.

Needed Improvement Too Many Caves

Early gaming technology didn't allow for crazy intricate world designs like we see nowadays. A place like Galar is filled to the brim with highly-different locales and Alola is known for its wide variety of towns and cities, each with their own distinct vibe and appearance. However, in the early days, a lot of this wasn't possible, so Kanto is kind of boring. Many of the "areas" outside of towns are just caves, from Mt. Moon to Rock Tunnel to Diglett's Cave, the Seafoam Islands, , and Victory Road.

Pretty Great Other Non-Town Areas

The few other types of places that Kanto has outside of its many caves are done extremely well. Viridian Forest really feels like the start of a new adventure, roaming through a place brimming with life. The Power Plant is a great addition to the region, and placesare all full of personality. While the repetitive caves can be boring, the other areas outside of the towns are pretty cool.

Needed Improvement Town Diversity

However, the same can't be said for. Probably due to early gaming limitations, the towns of Kanto are all kind of bland and similar. Each town kind of resembles another, with slight changes in the coloration being the only discernable difference. Even with modern-day presentations of Kanto, like the Let's Go games, Kanto still lacks the town variety of places like Kalos or Alola.

Pretty Great Rival

Over the years, fans have grown to hate the rivals more and more. Many praise the original rivals like Blue and Silver for being ruthless, competitive, and committed. These days, and, frankly, kind of annoying. Many people have their favorite rival, but Blue is widely considered one of the best. He really acts as an antagonist in the games, and the final Champion match against him was just the perfect climax of a long, competitive adventure.

Needed Improvement Safari Zone

Safari Zones have popped up in a few generations, with varying rules and functions as the years have passed. But, the first one was found in Fuchsia City in the original Generation I games. Every Safari Zone has its strengths and weaknesses, but the Kanto one is a bit lackluster and irritating. It's hard to catch Pokémon, and some are exclusive to the Safari Zone, so they must be caught here to finish the Pokédex. Also, needing to find the Warden's teeth is...strange.

Pretty Great Non-Linearity

Every time a new main series game comes out, people are extremely hopeful that it won't be incredibly-linear. It's nice to have some direction, but many Pokémon games are what people call "hand-holding," meaning that some character or prompts direct you in a straight line without detour. However, the Kanto games have always had a bit of flexibility for the player. After defeating Lt. Surge (or just ), you can head to a few different places. It's nice to be able to choose.

Needed Improvement Run by Crime

Pokémon games have always been a bit vague on power structures and political entities. It never really seems like anyone is in control politically, but the people also don't seem to be in a state of anarchist rebellion. Some theorize the gym leaders and rest of the League have some political power, but it's unclear. Kanto, however, takes this to a whole other level. Organized crime, without anyone trying to keep it in check. Team Rocket is allowed to run rampant, and their leader, Giovanni, even runs a gym. Violent gangs seem to run the show, dating back to Giovanni's mother as the former head of Team Rocket. The mother passed the organization down to her son without anyone disbanding it in all that time.

Pretty Great Originality

Kanto has its flaws, and over the years, many of them have been fixed or improved upon by later generations' regions. As a result, it's easy to poke at Kanto and criticize it, but at the end of the day, it's still the original region and it launched a franchise that would become close to the hearts of millions. Kanto isn't perfect, but it's a great place that holds a ton of nostalgia. Sure, it could be improved, but it's still fantastic and an enjoyable place to battle and train. Despite its flaws, it's still the original home of Pokémon.