Is Pokémon better on Hand-held or Home consoles?

[Jacob]

I'm curious to know which format everyone feels is the best for a game like Pokemon! Hand-held, like DS, 3DS, Switch Hand-held version, mobile, or home console like Gamecube, wii, etc.

Personally, I think Pokemon is the PERFECT mobile, hand-held console game.

 

[Alolan_Apples]

Even when the Switch can be played as a console, Pokémon is still better as a handheld game. Now whether it’s good for the car or for home, that, I don’t know. But I did play Pokémon in a restaurant a couple times.

 

[Hyoon]

pokemon has always been on handheld but tbh i would be open to a pc pokemon because pc games are capable of a lot more than switch games. i don't personally play palsworld but it has shown that many would enjoy a pc pokemon game!

 

[Halloqueen]

I'm someone who prefers playing on a bigger screen, whether that be on a home console or on PC, and only play games on handhelds when it's the only option. Unfortunately, at least as it pertains to my interests, Pokémon has primarily been a handheld series. I basically just stick to the mainline series releases, though I've been somewhat interested in trying Pokémon Conquest for years now and might want to pick up a copy eventually.

As it relates to home console games, I played Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Stadium 2 back in the day, but never bothered with Pokémon Colosseum or Pokémom XD: Gale of Darkness. I've been tempted to try Pokken Tournament but never bothered with that either.

I will say that, while the Switch's Pokémon games have been of mixed quality due to a multitude of reasons, they have my preferred style of play. I strictly play my Switch docked to the television, using a Pro Controller, and this would be my ideal method of interacting with the franchise moving forward. If they keep up the handheld/console hybrid style with the Switch's upcoming successor and beyond, that would be great for me.

 

[Belle T]

It depends largely on which angle you focus this question on. From the perspective of design, I would say that the two exclusively home console adventure games we've received (Coliseum and XD: Gale of Darkness on the GameCube) have been fine games in their own right, but are noticeably a step down from their handheld contemporaries. At least, in terms of openness and breadth of features. So based only on past history, Pokémon games developed specifically for home consoles have historically been the weaker experience, even if they also do some things that I would like to see from the main series (i.e. a greater emphasis on the single player campaign, Pokémon selected based on narrative utility rather than cramming as many as humanly possible).

But the majority of my time in Gen III was spent using my GameCube's Game Boy Player. And for a long time, if I ever felt the need to restart a game from Gen I or Gen II, it would be on that. So I don't feel like my enjoyment of Pokémon necessarily comes from playing it on portable consoles. Having the option to do so is definitely a bonus, however.

 

[Sheando]

Overall, I prefer the charming portability of Pokemon on handheld consoles. But I’ll always have a soft spot for my very first Pokemon game, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness on the GameCube.

 

[Snek]

Pokémon, otherwise known as Pocket Monsters, should be hand-held only. That was the appeal of Pokémon. You could play it at anytime, anywhere. Carrying your Gameboy in your pocket. Playing with friends on the schoolyard. I'll always play it hand-held. Feels right.

 

[Peach_Jam]

To me, pokemon has always been a cozy handheld, portable experience. So handheld would be my preference :]

 

[Holla]

It’s fine on both but I’ve always personally preferred handheld for more casual games. Tv for more intense real time type games. Pokemon also started as handheld so it feels more at home there to me.

 

[LuchaSloth]

I have never actually played Pokemon in docked mode. The only Pokemon games that I've played not on handheld were the GCN ones like Colosseum. - There is just something fundamentally "right" about Pokemon being in the handheld format.

 

[Aquilla]

I'm coming from a place of pure nostalgia so this is a very subjective opinion: handheld is a must. I've played every single one of my Pokémon games on handheld devices and am used to it this way. There is something so charming about tapping on the bottom screen with a stylus to interact with some of the older games, like polishing your badges or opening your poké watch. I've played on an emulator on PC as well recently but it just hits different (I also HATE HATE using keyboard and mouse controls for games UGH)

 

[milkyi]

Handheld for sure. I may be biased in saying that it suit the two screens of the DS/3DS perfectly (because that's what I grew up with,) but being able to hold the games in your hand, storing the console in your pocket really drove home the idea of "pocket" monsters. Pokemon just seems like a game made for the playing on the go, wherever and whenever.

 

[Emolga59]

Handheld absolutely!

I’ve always wondered what would happen if they made us play pokemon with smth like the wii wheel

 

[eeveelovee]

I'm old so I have played Pokemon in my hands since 1998. That won't ever change. Handheld forever.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I like playing the games both ways. I am used to playing the games in my hands but for the Switch games I have been playing on my tv more than before since I moved and got a new tv.

 

[Zane]

Handheld Pokémon will always be peak. I miss when console Pokémon was more of a “special” thing- idk I just have fond memories of how cool it was to only be able to see my teams from my handheld games in 3D in Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Colosseum. ;>;

 

[Yoshi155]

Definitely handheld. I don’t really have any experience with home console Pokémon games since they’re all spin offs, and I think that the PMD games are better, which are on handhelds (besides one that’s on Switch). Even if the Switch is counted as a home console, handheld wins here.

 

[McRibbie]

It's such a handheld series that even playing it in docked mode on the Switch feels wrong to me.

(ps. TPCI put the GB/GBA on NSO challenge, even if it ends up being like the rollout on 3DS where we ended up getting Gen 2 on VC after the Switch's launch, it's still very appreciated imo)

 

[SkyKnight03]

I think this is a series that could be done better or be downright incredible on console, but we aren't going to be getting that anytime soon. Hopefully I bite my words, but I don't have faith considering the state of the most recent games. (if they count as console games)? The handhelds have been of higher quality so far. As someone said, Colosseum/XD proved these games can be fine on console.

 

[LambdaDelta]

I honestly just prefer handheld in general

super glad technology's progressed to the point where now the only truly worse for handheld things are certain pc games that nasically necessitate a keyboard and mouse setup (well, and a side mention to fps games. absolutely perfectly playable with controller-style inputs, but night and day far superior with a keyboard and mouse)