Best Pokemon game for 10-year old who's new to the franchise?
December 7, 2022 4:41 AM Subscribe
What's the best Pokemon game for a 10-year old who's new to the franchise?
My 10 year old daughter played Miitopia recently and loved the turn-based fighting, and now wants a Pokemon game, which I'm led to believe also features turn-based fighting. She's new to the series, and I (clearly) know nothing about it. I'd like to get her a PHYSICAL COPY of a Pokemon game for the Switch, but even within those parameters there's enough options that I'm completely at sea. If you were in my position, which game would you get? Thanks!
My 10 year old daughter played Miitopia recently and loved the turn-based fighting, and now wants a Pokemon game, which I'm led to believe also features turn-based fighting. She's new to the series, and I (clearly) know nothing about it. I'd like to get her a PHYSICAL COPY of a Pokemon game for the Switch, but even within those parameters there's enough options that I'm completely at sea. If you were in my position, which game would you get? Thanks!
Best answer: I've been enjoying Violet, but even as someone who's played a lot of open world games I've experienced a lot of confusion about where to go and what to do - not sure I'd recommend to someone completely new to the series. I second the Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee recommendation. They're extremely cute reboots of the original games with some of the most frustrating mechanics removed.
posted by theweasel at 5:06 AM on December 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by theweasel at 5:06 AM on December 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Let's Go is a good intro to the series, my kid started with that at age 7 or 8 I think. It also has a feature I don't think the mainline Pokemon games have - every battle can be done 2-player (each player controlling one Pokemon), which means the battles that would normally be 1v1 are now 2v1 and thus a lot easier. This was good when my kid was finding it hard as I could join in and help.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:52 AM on December 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:52 AM on December 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Scarlet and Violet apparently have some performance issues so maybe stick with Let's Go or Sword/Shield. I've got them both and I feel of the two Sword/Shield has more replayability.
That being said if her friends are playing Scarlet/Violet or may get it in the future then get that because then they can play with eachother as well.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:05 AM on December 7, 2022
That being said if her friends are playing Scarlet/Violet or may get it in the future then get that because then they can play with eachother as well.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:05 AM on December 7, 2022
Best answer: I'd definitely recommend Let's Go to start, as others have. From there, Sword/Shield is a little more open, and finally Arceus and Violet/Scarlet are very much open world so could be tougher for younger kiddos.
In case you weren't already aware, Pokemon games are always released in pairs, with each game having a small subset of Pokemon that are only available in that that game. The intention is that people will trade to get the ones that the other has, though TBH I'm not a completist so I never bother.
posted by anotheraccount at 6:54 AM on December 7, 2022
In case you weren't already aware, Pokemon games are always released in pairs, with each game having a small subset of Pokemon that are only available in that that game. The intention is that people will trade to get the ones that the other has, though TBH I'm not a completist so I never bother.
posted by anotheraccount at 6:54 AM on December 7, 2022
Best answer: My son (10 now) got Sword/Shield for Christmas a couple of years ago and it's definitely a game that he comes back to again and again even tho he's played through both at least once.
posted by machine at 6:56 AM on December 7, 2022
posted by machine at 6:56 AM on December 7, 2022
Best answer: Listen: I am an old, now. But Pokemon is sometimes a social thing as much as a video game: in fourth grade for this thirty something, when I asked my parents for pokemon, I didn't want to play pokemon so much as talk about playing pokemon with other kids. Not sure if that's the case for your daughter, or how fragmented the youth culture is these days or whatever, but there could be an important advantage to playing the newest ones, Scarlet and Violet. They're not getting incredible reviews, but that's like every pokemon game for a long time, to a degree.
Really I think the right move is just ask your daughter. Choosing the version you're getting is part of the fun -- Sword of shield, scarlet or violet.
posted by Rinku at 6:58 AM on December 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
Really I think the right move is just ask your daughter. Choosing the version you're getting is part of the fun -- Sword of shield, scarlet or violet.
posted by Rinku at 6:58 AM on December 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: These were all such great and thoughtful answers, thanks folks. Rinku you raise a good point but my understanding is her focus is just about "having a fun video game to play," not so much social, so I think we're gonna go for a Let's Go. Thanks again!!!
posted by saladin at 8:05 AM on December 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by saladin at 8:05 AM on December 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The Let's Go games also tie into Pokemon Go so you could also play that with your daughter (Pokemon Go is a good excuse to go for a walk).
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 11:06 AM on December 7, 2022
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 11:06 AM on December 7, 2022
Best answer: My 10 year old daughter says that Scarlet and Violet (two different games) are very glitchy so that's an option if she doesn't mind glitchiness and bad performance. But it has a very good story and good pokemon design.
She could consider Let's Go Pikachu or Let's Go Eevee or Sword and Shield. Let's go is about catching pokemon and beating pokemon gyms (which means beating up pokemon 😅).
Sword is about catching and fighting pokemon and giant pokemon. Shield is the same thing. The difference is version exclusives and different legendary Pokemon.
Let's Go and Pokemon Go take place in the same region but you can't transfer Pokemon between games. You need Pokemon Home for that.
This is probably more complicated than you need since it sounds like you've already decided on Let's Go but I wanted to see what my daughter would say 🤗
posted by foxjacket at 4:58 PM on December 8, 2022
She could consider Let's Go Pikachu or Let's Go Eevee or Sword and Shield. Let's go is about catching pokemon and beating pokemon gyms (which means beating up pokemon 😅).
Sword is about catching and fighting pokemon and giant pokemon. Shield is the same thing. The difference is version exclusives and different legendary Pokemon.
Let's Go and Pokemon Go take place in the same region but you can't transfer Pokemon between games. You need Pokemon Home for that.
This is probably more complicated than you need since it sounds like you've already decided on Let's Go but I wanted to see what my daughter would say 🤗
posted by foxjacket at 4:58 PM on December 8, 2022
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I'd suggest the Let's Go titles, or either Scarlet/Violet or Sword/Shield for a first-time player. Scarlet/Violet are more open world, while in Sword/Shield the plot/direction is more on rails. All the modern games are a lot more accessible for younger players too, and the learning/levelling curve isn't as punishing as in some of the earlier generations. Given that she won't have nostalgia for the earlier-gen games, I see less value in trying Shining Pearl/Brilliant Diamond. The Let's Go games are also intended for younger players and folks who are newer to the series and might be the best starting place (though I haven't personally played them).
Given that your kid is interested in turn-based battling, all of the above options are the best on the Switch imo. Pokémon Legends Arceus is a different style of game, as are the other options like Mystery Dungeon, Pokkén Tournament, Pokémon Quest or Pokémon Unite - if she's looking for a turn-based battler, I wouldn't recommend any of those options.
posted by terretu at 5:02 AM on December 7, 2022 [1 favorite]