Pokémon fans are (mostly) in support of a return to the 2D art style for future games, including a Gold/Silver remake, but some also think that the developers are close to perfecting the 3D style in the newer games.
I think if you asked every Pokémon fan in existence what their favourite generation in the franchise is, the answers would overwhelmingly be in favour of the 2D games.
In a sense it is a bit of a numbers game considering that the 2D games outnumber the 3D ones, and you also definitely have to take the nostalgia factor into account but… even knowing all that, I think I’d still personally say that Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 are my picks.
But why is that, exactly? What is it about the modern 3D Nintendo titles that just isn’t resonating with people in the same way?
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Perhaps it’s because Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield got off to a bit of a rocky start, or maybe it’s because Pokémon Scarlet/Violet looked very rough for the period in which they were released.
Either way, it’s got some fans wishing for a return to the 2D art style in the earlier games– at least based on the comments on this thread over on the r/pokemon subreddit, featuring a conceptual mock-up for a Gold/Silver remake.
“I would definitely love to play a 2D-HD Pokémon game, in the same way I enjoyed Octopath Traveler and Live a Live”, commented user JuanGGZ.
“In a sense, I guess it wouldn't be too different from the 3D approach Pokémon games had on the DS at some point, but with 2D sprites for the characters.”
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“I'd definitely vibe with it, it looks really nice”, replied user ConnorOfAstora.
That being said, the sentiment isn’t unanimous. Many in the thread think that a return to the 2D style would be a waste of all the progress that the 3D generations of games have made.
I don’t really see why we can’t have both, though. Perhaps in the same way that Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Pokémon Legends: Arceus are treated as spin offs, we could have another series that returns to the 2D style… but I suppose that would require a developer other than Game Freak to take on the Pokémon licence.