Over the past week, the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake has teleported me back to my childhood in the 90s.
Nostalgia is a powerful thing.
The Zelda remake is a phenomenal achievement. It's a lovingly crafted game that delivers a modernized version of a classic game, without taking away from anything that made the original so great.
And, by leaving so much of the core game in place, the remake proves just how well designed the original game was. The combat, puzzles, and pacing are as great today as they were in 1998 when the game originally released.
And Nintendo's game developers have proven, once again, that they are the best in the business.
A screenshot I took while playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. The game is stunning…
Which brings me to Pokémon...
As another iconic 90s video game franchise, the contrast between the modern releases can't be ignored.
Where the Zelda franchise has released masterfully re-imagined games (Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom), and remakes that teleport you back to the 90s...
Modern Pokémon games look and run terribly and feel dated from the moment they're released.
For comparison: A screenshot of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet released before the launch of the game…
Both franchises benefit from their foundation of excellent game design. Dated as modern Pokémon games feel, they are still fun to play because the Pokémon formula works.
But the Zelda remake has reminded me of how powerful an exceptional video game can be for sparking excitement in a franchise. It pains me that Pokémon has been unable to deliver an experience that does the same since jumping from Game Boy platforms to the Switch.
The upcoming Pokémon Winds & Waves release will be a major test for The Pokémon Company: Can they finally deliver an improved Pokémon video game when it is purpose-built for the Switch 2? Although Scarlet & Violet demonstrated ambition, The Pokémon Company failed to deliver it with the limitations of the Switch hardware. The Switch 2 provides way more power that can cover up the severe optimization issues Pokémon games seem to always struggle with.
Although I'm optimistic, I'm also a realist: Game Freak, the developer of the mainline Pokémon games, has failed to deliver a strong Pokémon game in years. It's hard to believe that will change with this next release.
But… just imagine if Game Freak suddenly released a Pokémon game that feels modern, optimized, and reimagined for the era of the Switch 2…
The excitement of an exceptional Pokémon game release would invigorate the Pokémon fan base, and introduce the franchise to all kinds of new fans. A game like that would truly unlock the potential of the Pokémon franchise.
A guy can dream… 😩
As usual,
Thank you so much for reading the TCG Buyers Club newsletter. My name's Grey, I buy cardboard, and I'm on a mission to make collecting and investing in Pokémon simple.
Cheers 🍻
P.S. Let me know if you’ve been playing the Zelda remake as well! And, what are your hopes for the upcoming Pokémon Winds & Waves games? I read all my replies 😃
