Is there really any need to worry about the popularity of the series… if anything there’s been an increase in popularity since D/P.

But I do agree with you in some areas. I’m really bored with all these random teams that crop up in the Pokemon world. Why can’t they have a plot that involves some threat without Team Useless chucking Wurples at you?

And yes the Legendary/event Pokemon issue is getting out of hand. It’s not so much catching them that bothers me but the sheer number. They just don’t feel unique anymore.

As for the number of Pokemon. I see what you’re saying and agree to some extent. I’d prefer a game of new Pokemon (with a few from other regions), but we don’t need all of them. They can’t keep stacking up new Pokemon on top of each other, there has to be a point where they say “ok sorry but we just can’t include all the pokemon”. But I do like new evolutions of old Pokemon (how can you not?!), especially if it makes them useable. Babies I don’t understand however...

The first Pokemon was released in Japan 1 year before anime and it had sold millions by then. Anime was actually based on the game.

Yeah, I know a lot of people wont read it becuase it's long as sin. But otherwise, thanks for the tip (about cherrypicking).

Now, on Mario mania, a lot of the stuff I'm going to say parrots Malstrom as he has a good handle on this. Mario was popular thoughout the 80s thanks to Super Mario Bros, a bundeled game. However, SMB2 and 3 both did very well and were well recived. However, while Super Mario World siold systems, it was a disapointment. This is why Sonic could come in and challange the SNES. Nintnedo would win out thanks to a new 2D platformer in Donkey Kong Country. After Yoshi's Island, 2D Marios were not made.

SMB 3 was the best selling stand alone game for a long time. This changed with the Wii, but also with New Super Mario Bros. The game is no where near as good as the old games, but it did better then SMB3. If the fad was over, using your idea, then NSMB shouldn't have sold that much. If NSMB Wii sells even better then that, then my theory would be correct. I don't think fads just wain; I think something happens that ends it.

With Pokemon (and BTW, this is a in general response to the fad idea as your not the only one who said it) that fad was waining with G/S, but is starting to fall apart with R/S and D/P. The big problem may be the castration if catching pokemon. G/S required you to have Red and Blue to get them all. This wasn't so bad as most people had the two games already. It became a big problem is R/S with the number of games required to catch them all. That, and at this point, there were too many pokemon to catch. There was no more fun in collecting. The otyher problem is the recycling nature of the games that is starting to really wain on players. It really was prevelent in R/S.

1)  I love being able to catch older pokemon so no.

2)  I just beat Pokemon Platinum yesterday and I thought all the gyms were fun and interesting.

3)  I enjoyed Team Galactic a lot actually.  Cyrus and Cynthia are my two favorite "new" characters.

4)  I like new evolutions older pokemon.  Scyther evolving to Scizor is one of the best non-original evolutions for example.

5)  I wouldn't mind legends if they were not stupidly powerful and made all the other pokemon worthless to use.

6)  Sure, I'm up for a few new places to go. 

7)  Fix the worthless pokemon

Starly, after 2 evolutions, has a base stat of 475.  Shinx, after 2 evolutions, has a base stat of 523.  Weedle, after 2 evolutions, has a base stat of 385.  I like Beedrill.  I think it looks cool and it has some neat moves but having base stats over 100 points below other fully evolved pokemon means it will never appear on any of my teams.  Pokemon like Electabuzz and Magmar got an extra evolution to make them competitive but Beedrill is already at the 3rd level which means it's pretty much done unless they go to 4 evolutions. 

Beedrill isn't the only one like this though.  There are a lot of fully evolved pokemon especially from Gen1 that just plain suck. 

8)  More main character sprites

I didn't really like the Dawn or Lucas sprites in Platinum.  A little more freedom in this would be nice.

I completely agree with the TC. However being such a large series they can't possibly change things too much now. Otherwise the fanbase they are building for might reject the games.

The answer in my opinion is to create another series. Or do a Pokemon game with an unusual subtitle that is a reboot for the series. Only way to make both camps happy at this point.

HG/SS will have every Pokemon that you can't capture in D/P alone. Basically, you can capture any Pokemon in Gen 4 without needing a Gen 3 game.

^^
But you need ANOTHER game to do it. :P That's probably the point. :/ I'm still getting it though, since I never played anything between Red/Blue and D/P/Plat

why does it seem like they are tageting 10 year olds? the biggest fans are like 18 now...

Hmmm, I'll be taking a look at these points:

For your 1st point. I kinda disagree. I'll rather have something like 100 old pokemon & 100 new pokemon in the next game instead of just 200 new pokemon so that even if some of the new pokemon suck, at least you can use some of the older pokemon that appear in the game. However, I do agree with Zubat & Geodudes being overused.

For your 2nd point, I kinda agree. it'll be nice to have another dragon gym & maybe a dark gym too. I don't have anything to say for your 2nd part of your 2nd point though.

I'm a bit neutral towards your 3rd point. Moving on.

I kinda agree with you on the evolutions, but I'll rather see less than none at all. I'm neutral towards the pre-evolutions. Moving on.

I'm also neutral towards your 5th point. Moving on

I disagree towards your 6th point, I find some of the areas in Pokemon R/S/E & Pokemon D/P/P to be my favorite especially the underwater areas in Pokemon R/S/E. Also, what do you mean by "never getting to explore the desert"? Did you just rush through the desert or something like that?

And Pokemon being the same old, same old? I strongly disagree. I don't see how 2-on-2 battles, natures, abilities, contests, swarms, the pokeradar, an expanded IV system, pokeblocks, the poketch, & the new Physical/Special split still result in the pokemon games being more of the same.

Because Pokemon has and STILL is appealing to little kids. Why do you think the series is still a big seller? If they've stopped appealing to little kids then good bye good sales.