{"id":136317,"date":"2026-03-04T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/#article-197622"},"modified":"2026-03-04T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T17:00:00","slug":"talking-point-after-30-years-is-it-time-to-reset-the-pokedex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2026\/03\/04\/talking-point-after-30-years-is-it-time-to-reset-the-pokedex\/","title":{"rendered":"Talking Point: After 30 Years, Is It Time To Reset The Pok\u00e9dex?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/div>\n
\"Pok\u00e9mon<\/a>
<\/span> Image: Nintendo Life \/ The Pok\u00e9mon Company<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ever since Pok\u00e9mon Legends: Z-A<\/a> came out last year, a thought has been brewing that I haven’t been able to shake. It was amplified as I watched the EUIC battles in February, and then cropped up again as I sat, mouth agape, at the Winds and Waves<\/a> trailer. After 30 years, is it time to reset the Pok\u00e9dex?<\/p>\n

Now, put those pitchforks away. I’m not trying to present either side of the argument as ‘correct’<\/em> here \u2014 I remember the fallout after the announcement that you wouldn’t be able to catch Pikachu in Black and White<\/a> \u2014 but catching ’em all has never been as magical as it was in early generations, and one way to rectify that might be by sending ol’ Charizard off to the farm.<\/p>\n

But let’s go back to where this thought all began. Naturally, I wasn’t expecting to catch any new<\/em> Pok\u00e9mon in Legends: Z-A with its lineup of returning faces, but as I gradually unlocked more of Lumiose’s Wild Zones and encountered more creatures, I noticed a pattern emerging: I was assembling almost the exact same team that I’ve been using for the past 10 years.<\/p>\n

It’s an age-old formula that I’m sure will be familiar to everyone who’s a Pok\u00e9mon fan but still isn’t brave enough to use passive moves. We have the fully evolved starter, likely levels<\/em> above everyone else on the team; the early-game bird, equally over-levelled (let’s admit it, it’s usually Pidgeot); and whatever Legendary can be picked up in the late game.<\/p>\n

The remaining three spots are pulled from a pool of probably ~10 Pok\u00e9mon, depending on which type I’m lacking after the starter and Legendary picks \u2014 Jolteon, Gyarados, Dragonite, Gardevoir, Lucario, Gengar…you get the picture.<\/p>\n

\"Pok\u00e9mon<\/a>
<\/span> Image: Nintendo Life \/ The Pok\u00e9mon Company<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is the same team structure that I’ve used since around Gen VI, and it works. But it does mean that I have started to play Pok\u00e9mon games differently. In Legends: Z-A, wild encounters became a tick sheet, drafting a team based on what I knew<\/em> would work rather than any of the adventure and experimentation I felt back in the day.<\/p>\n

It was a similar process with Scarlet and Violet<\/a>, where my team draft would pass over the 107 newbies for the 393 returning ‘mon instead. And after all of those familiar faces<\/a> we saw in the Winds and Waves reveal trailer, I fear it’s going to happen again in Gen X.<\/p>\n

\n

I noticed a pattern emerging: I was assembling almost the exact same team that I’ve been using for the past 10 years.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The competitive scene is a different kettle of Magikarp, obviously, one completely defined by the current meta and what the rest of the competition is falling back on, but team picks have grown stale over there, too. I’ve seen so many Incineroars, Flutter Manes, Urshifus, Raging Bolts, and Rillabooms by this point that it’d feel useless trying to compete with anything but<\/em> the old favourites.<\/p>\n

It’s too late for WinWav (as I’m sure nobody will be calling it), of course, but is it time we got a Pok\u00e9mon game that wiped the slate clean, and gave us only new creatures to catch?<\/p>\n

The pros feel immediately obvious to me. With no pre-existing knowledge of a generation’s highlights, every encounter would feel like something new, hopefully recapturing some of that sweet sense of adventure we all experienced with our first Pok\u00e9mon games. It would also encourage experimentation, giving all critters a chance to shine as we worked out their strengths and weaknesses. Heck, throw a new type or two in there for good measure; that’ll really shake things up.<\/p>\n

\"Pok\u00e9mon<\/a>
So long, partners \u2014 <\/span> Image: Nintendo Life \/ The Pok\u00e9mon Company<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s not a plan without its pitfalls, mind you. Familiarity is one of Pok\u00e9mon’s defining traits, and that extends to the Pok\u00e9dex, too. People want<\/em> to know what’s around the corner, they want<\/em> to be able to catch a Pikachu, and there’s something nice about seeing a familiar face and going, “I know you! You’re really powerful!” Dropping the pre-existing 1,025-strong National Dex means that wouldn’t be possible. And without its mascots, is Pok\u00e9mon really Pok\u00e9mon?<\/p>\n

Perhaps Black & White’s approach is the ultimate middle ground, then. The idea of giving us only the Unova Pok\u00e9dex for the main game and saving the National expansion for a post-game treat felt wild 15 years ago (15 years ago today in Europe, in fact \u2014 happy birthday, Gen V!), but is this exactly the kind of encouragement we need to take the games’ new ‘mon seriously? There’s no way I would have given my now-beloved Axew evolution line the time of day if I had been able to pick up a Dratini before it.<\/p>\n

But what do you think? Is it time the Pok\u00e9mon moved on from its National Pok\u00e9dex and gave us something brand new, or do you think the old favourites should stay? You can let us know in the following poll.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Is it time to reset the National Pok\u00e9dex? (1,811 votes)<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Yep! Scrap ’em all and let’s start fresh<\/strong>20<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Hmm, let’s just save the returning ‘mon until the end, \u00e0 la Gen V<\/strong>50<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  3. No way! The classics have GOT to stay<\/strong>20<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  4. We don’t need any new Pok\u00e9mon, 1,025 is more than enough!<\/strong>10<\/span>%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    Which option got your vote? Is it time for Pikachu to retire? Let us know in the comments.<\/em><\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n