The Pokémon games have gained a reputation for being entry-level JRPGs that most fans will be able to pick up and play. While this is great for gamers who pick up a Switch for the first time, some veteran fans want more of a challenge. Granted, there are multiplayer battles for that, but that doesn’t mean the single-player has to be lacking in challenge.
Many fans have accepted that Game Freak isn’t going to make this series a difficult one; many do wish they would at least add a Hard Mode. It feels like this should be an option for fans who want more of a challenge, and The Pokémon Company knows older gamers play these games.
Fans have been asking for additional difficulties in Pokémon games, as they feel that the NPC trainers are fairly easy to beat. Since the game has always relied on a rock-paper-scissors system using the elements, it’s made battles against the AI a bit too easy. Granted, they can get more difficult as the game progresses, but that’s nothing some grinding can’t fix.
It’s a shame seeing some of these battles be easy for hardcore fans, as they’ve likely mastered the elements and memorized who has the best stats. Younger players and newer fans will probably find an adequate challenge with these games, but those who’ve been leveling up for tournaments want a bit more.
Although a Hard Mode would be appreciated in the Pokémon games, that might not be much of an issue now that Pokémon Champions is coming out. This is a game made with competitive play in mind, so that might be where hardcore players will be spending most of their time. Because of this, we may not need a Hard Mode for single-player after all.
We also think it's worth noting that the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC offered plenty of difficult battles for single-player fans. Many players felt these battles were comparable to competitive play against actual humans, complete with all those IV leveling the hardcore crowd likes to do. It wasn’t the most hardcore, obviously, but they did provide a good challenge.
click to enlargeIn the end, most gamers don’t buy Pokémon games for difficult battles. Most players just want to have a fun adventure with their adorable partner Pokémon, and that’s the demographic Nintendo and Game Freak cater to. There’s a reason why Scarlet and Violet have sold so well on the Switch, despite their performance issues.
Hard Mode would be a nice addition to Pokémon games, especially since Legends: Z-A has a really cool battle system. We may never get mature titles from this series, but fans will take harder battles as a consolation prize.