Pokémon Scarlet and Violet (Switch) Early Impressions

Hello everyone- I just got Pokémon Scarlet and Violet earlier today, so here are my early impressions from the first couple hours of play.

I started with Fuecoco in Scarlet and Quaxly in Violet; naming the avatars I created Sergio and Valentin respectively. The gameplay builds on what’s been done in recent titles; with the exploration and world design paralleling “Pokémon Legends Arceus” in particular. Not a complete surprise; as both titles were likely in development around the same time. It does make a nice bridge between the franchise’s past legacy, and makes a good blueprint for the future. 

I am well aware of the challenge that comes with taking a video game into an open-world sandbox design for the first time; but I can honestly say that Game Freak took away the right lessons from contemporaries in that area (including both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and games from Rockstar’s catalog of open-world games). Even at this early stage (I will be detailing more as I continue playing); I can tell I’m going to enjoy getting into Paldea well into 2023. 

Despite some of the talk I’ve heard online; I have no issues with the visual presentation or technical performance, definitely not any that negatively impacted play. The graphics definitely pull more from spinoffs like New Pokémon Snap and Pokémon UNITE for both the monsters and their human partners; but it’s still recognizably a title in this franchise. As a retro gamer who doesn’t put as much stock in visual fidelity as others; I can just remark at how far things have come since the original entries on Game Boy.

I will bring you more updates about my experience as time goes on, and will likely do a full review in the near future. Before I go, don’t forget what happened to the man who got everything he ever wanted: He lived happily ever after.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet- "Celestial" Final Trailer Thoughts.

Sometimes, just because things don’t go as you’d expect; doesn’t mean you can’t find something to enjoy. Case in point- while we may not have official stage 1 and 2 starters; the final trailer for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet; set to “Celestial” by Ed Sheeran still has much to discuss. So, let’s open it up.

The spot shows off more footage of the Paldea region, the first fully open-world setting in the franchise. This is something that every main installment on the Switch has been building towards, and the influence from Rockstar’s titles to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is definitely felt. 

Though I’m not a huge fan of Ed Sheeran’s music, the song he contributes does have a similar effect as the one for the last game; “Brand New World.” The song definitely has a good chance of being remembered the same way as the soundtracks of the early movies are now. 

It has certainly been an interesting three years since the start of Generation VIII; and I look forward to seeing what this generation can bring. I look forward to picking these games up this Friday, and I will give you my first impressions after I start playing. See you all this Friday.

PS: Go see Black Panther Wakanda Forever, it really was that good.

Review- "We are the Pichu Bros." Trilogy (Pokémon Chronicles)

With Pokémon Scarlet and Violet nearly upon us to usher in the ninth main generation of the franchise; I give you my penultimate Pokémon Chronicles review, tackling all the Pichu brothers specials for the series in one review before I do the Christmas one I haven't before. Let's get this started and open them up. First up is "Big Meowth, Little Dreams."

This is the first of several that combined (to an extent) a couple 11-minute shorts into one 22-minute story. The first half starts with Meowth having a picnic in a city park; with him imagining a gold statue of himself. OK, I'll give them that one- the monster is based on the maneki neko after all.

However, a Kecleon absconds with Meowth's sandwich; though since I haven't seen the JP version; I can't verify if that was originally a rice ball. I can verify with the recent addition of Zorua and Zoroark in Pokémon Go; I can only imagine that Kecleon is only a matter of time.

Overhead, the Pichu brothers are gathering berries in a tree; and all things considered, the animation in this first half isn't too bad. After multiple off-model episodes; I will take the wins where I can.

Then, they drop from the tree and give chase; running afoul of an Azumarill preparing for the arrival of a visiting Azurill. The Kecleon trips on a rock, and the sandwich falls into the mouth of a Teddiursa. This is the first time I will be dealing with shenanigans in this review; and since I'm doing all three shorts here, it won't be the last.

Anyway, Meowth sees a mysterious print in the grass; and sets about finding the real thief. This actually isn't the worst story; just not sure why it had to be part of this spinoff as opposed to just a short on its own. Everyone chases Kecleon, and it hides in an alley covered in graffiti that matches its zigzag pattern.

Turns out it's an art installation being worked on by a Smeargle; but Kecleon outs themselves when they steal an apple from Smeargle's fruit basket. The chase resumes, and this first half honestly isn't the worst. Smeargle then splashes paint everywhere, and Kecleon is caught.

Turns out Kecleon was just watching over the Azurill that was coming in for a visit. OK, that's actually kind of cute.

With that mystery solved and a banquet held to celebrate, we move onto the second half of this short. Azumarill is setting the table, and Azurill is frolicking in the park with the Pichu brothers. 

Elsewhere, Meowth is wandering the city searching for a new purpose; and while I am still contemplating a piece about that subject, he vows to find one himself.

He starts pining for a Skitty in a window sill, and since Azurill has been in hiding; the Pichu brothers round up a search party. They find Azurill bouncing around through traffic, and I'm again reminded of the Buttons and Mindy skits on Animaniacs.

Because the other monsters have a bit more self-awareness, they take the crosswalk to give chase after Azurill. Back with Meowth, he decides to give Skitty some roses- which he steals from a dress in a wedding boutique. 

Moving right along, Azurill bounces across a river and onto the back of a Feraligatr... whose lower jaw is mistakenly colored blue like the rest of its skin instead of its usual cream color. For the most part, the animation in this short isn't as bad as other Chronicles episodes I covered; but there's still the occasional error like that.

After that encounter, Meowth takes a ladder to climb to Skitty's window; flowers in hand and mouth. Azurill then bounces into the air and over all the clotheslines in the vicinity. It's amazing how many people in this part of the city don't have dryers.

Because of Azurill's shenanigans, Meowth's ill-gotten bouquet is replaced with the laundry. Meowth remarks that no one likes being romanced by a pile of boxer shorts as Skitty scratches him. Personally prefer the spring-loaded boxing glove like in Lupin III.

Meowth, undeterred, tries again with a piece of cake; but Azurill snatches that too; leaving Meowth with a smashed plate and a window closed on him.

Meowth then goes for the Hail Mary on his last attempt; serenading Skitty with a variation of the Meowth's Party song. Of course, Azurill has to get in on that too, and Meowth then mistakenly smashes his guitar on Skitty. To think people thought Liam Gallagher had issues with requests.

As Azurill skitters off, the Pichu brothers nearly save the bouncy ball from falling off the roof! Azurill lands safely, and Meowth is bounced back to the ground. After being flattened by a Snorlax, Meowth just decides to take a rest. I think I will do the same before I start the next part- this wasn't too terrible; but I need to pace myself.

We're back with the second part of this trilogy, "Trouble in Big Town." Yes- yes we certainly are going to be in big trouble.

The narrator is trying to sell the setting; but it's just not working for me. As someone who has an appreciation for the Pikachu shorts; it's a shame the Pichu brothers haven't had as good a track record. I didn't care for this short in the past, and I still don't.

I mean, not only is my good friend Mike Pollock trying to punch up their call to action; but it's inherently clear the budget and animation limits are quite obvious. On top of that, this short doesn't really make that good use of the letterbox format. Reminds me of how much my Sega CD had to compress and shrink the video clips to get them to work.

This is legitimately the highest quality copy I could find to take this screenshot.

It doesn't matter how many quips Mike tries to insert into the narration; it feels like a lesser version of "Pikachu and Pichu," which it is. I'm also describing an abridged version of events, there's still 15 minutes left in this part.

A Wooper follows Pichu into the park on a roller skate, and with that; shenanigans ensue as they roll by an Azumarill. Do you understand how little there is here? Though I liked previous Pikachu shorts, even they had some structure to fall back on and could convey the plot without having the narrator spell everything out.

Anyway, once the younger brother realizes his sibling is missing; the search is on. Honestly don't know how two minutes can feel like two hours; but this short finds a way.

One admitted highlight is a Wooper that's part of the Pichu brothers' posse this time around. I'd even go so far to say this short should have been about Wooper; and we'll come back to that in a bit.

After finding the skates from earlier in the park, an Azumarill (no word whether it's the same one from before) points the search party in the direction of Pichu the elder. This may be a pretty mid short; but I might as well get it over with quick- like ripping off a bandage.

Teddiursa also runs afoul of a Murkrow after poaching its stash of acorns, because it would be a while before they came up with Greedent or even Pachirisu. I mean, shiny objects are fair game; but even anime crows don't really eat that many acorns to my knowledge.

Halfway through this short and this review, Pichu comes down from some balloons it grabbed in an earlier scene; and on its way down, it knocks over some paint cans on the Houndour from the third movie's short; and it honestly wouldn't surprise me if this was stock footage from said short.

The Feraligatr from last time looks on from a pipe; and I am at least glad that its lower jaw is the correct color this time. The errant Murkrow from before pops the balloons Pichu was holding, though Wooper is able to save him and scare Murkrow off. I reiterate this special should have been about Wooper.

Returning to their hideout, the Pichu brothers reunite and have it out as the narrator lets off a few more bad puns. Magby runs off to fetch Azumarill to referee, to no avail. At least Azumarill raging makes for one of the few amusing moments in this short not related to Wooper.

A fight ensues, and further underscores why this short didn't need to be made; let alone be included in this spinoff. Somehow, their fight results in an ice sculpture and the short ending on a song that sounds like the infamous Mac Tonight (I'm more into the Mooninites anyway). Just as well- I can definitely say I have had my break today, right now.

Now, after all that business; we reach the third and final short (thank Arceus), "Of Meowth and Pokémon." This is easily the weakest of the three, so let's get to it.

This last short also combines two vastly different sketches into one; so let's get to the first half. Meowth starts riffing on the Pichu brothers and their posse; which does nothing to help the situation in the slightest.

Seriously, there's a whole lot badgering about Meowth's stay in Millennium Town; and Meowth has an automatic Rube Goldberg coffeepot. I still prefer Pee-Wee's breakfast machine, to be honest.

Of course, Meowth still has a plan of wanting to make a giant gold statue of himself; and orders his split personality to make him lunch. ... Neglecting how it's not really proper to play DiD for laughs anymore, this part just makes me want to shut this off and rewatch Moon Knight instead.

As Meowth fantasizes about his monument in the city center, Teddiursa bumps into him. He also ends up swapping baskets with Smoochum; and I will do my best to grin and bear it over the next 15 minutes. He gets a basket full of party favors, while Smoochum got his order.

Meowth then busts into the Pichu brothers' hideout, and a game of pickle with his picnic ensues. I've been trying to hold off on this for a while; but it's enough to have Michael Palin go "Alright, stop that: this has just gotten silly!"

Meowth does reclaim his basket; but he ends up ticking off the Houndour from before. The basket again falls into Teddiursa's claws in the scuffle; and I would once again suggest this would be better on its own instead of being inserted into this spinoff.

The next day, Meowth begins a search for employment until more gainful opportunities arise. For now, he'll have to make do with being a pizza delivery driver.

Some of the group members Meowth enlists to help get jumped by the Squirtle Squad, though it's nowhere near as entertaining as before. 

Elsewhere, the Pichu brothers continue exploring the city, and this second half may not be terrible; but it's beyond dull. I may have built a lot of analyzing this franchise; but there are times when I'm not given much to work with. This is one of those times.

After once again bumping into Houndour (seriously, maybe their trainer should consider breeding it at a kennel); the Pichu brothers run out into the streets. Also not sure how Magby did enough damage to cause an explosion, as Houndour technically has 1/2 resistance against its own type. Needless to say, Meowth's tenure only ended up slightly messier than Papa John Schnatter.

Undeterred, he takes another job as a street cleaner; and everyone else lends a hand. Hijinks ensue, and everyone is somehow caught in a whirlpool via a destroyed fountain; leading to this memetic shot of Wooper smiling as everyone else nearly drowns.

Shockingly, Meowth's employers don't look kindly on flooding workspaces; especially in such a bizarre way, and he's fired. The Pichu brothers and their posse at least offer condolences and gifts to Meowth. Least they could do, and glad I'm finally done with this.

You know, looking at these specials in this post and in relation to the Pikachu shorts did at least make me realize how much I like the Pichu brothers... in supporting roles. While it may not be possible to officially watch it anymore; the one that opened the third movie did do a decent job of introducing them without making them overbearing. Though I can claim Pokémon Channel as my least favorite game in the series; the short they had there was easily the best part of the game. Here, these aren't characters that would justify having a whole special focus on them; let alone three. 

All I have left to say is that I'm glad I only have that last Christmas special to cover in December; then I can officially be done with it. I will be picking up Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on launch day, and you should see my first impressions not long after I start playing. That will be all for now.

Re: Jump Cut Online- Yo-Kai Watch Wasn't a "Pokémon Clone," but it also Wasn't Better.

With just a couple weeks left to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet; as well as the continued radio silence on an official localization of Yo-Kai Watch 4 (increasingly possible that it was quietly cancelled after the closure of Level-5 Abby); I thought I would offer a rebuttal to another article from Jump Cut Online. Written by someone who I'm only referring to as Jude, it claimed that "Yo-Kai Watch was More than a Pokémon Clone, it was better." It is because of that statement that I am once again writing a response instead of having this conversation in their comments section. Relevant quotes will be included as per usual, so let me open with this: Hey Jude, don't you get mad, I'll take your bad take and make it better; remember to hold the phone: Yo-Kai Watch wasn't a "Pokémon Clone," but it also wasn't better.

Quote: "While the world of Pokémon still grips my Zoomer heart well into adulthood — (it did for my generation what Harry Potter did for my Millennial predecessors) — it becomes harder to ignore that the core series’ release cycle is governed by a cynical ethos. Abundance takes precedence over evolution. While the number of catchable creatures listed in the Pokédex creeps towards quadruple digits, the games themselves strain to keep pace with their taxonomy. As I worked through my copy of Sword two holiday seasons ago, I felt as though I paid for a library of new CG models and locations with an obligatory smattering of gameplay and plot thrown in for good measure."

Glossing over his statement against capitalism (since it's nothing I haven't heard from listening to Jim Sterling); I fully admit to claiming seniority over Jude. I also disagree with multiple statements made in this paragraph alone: as someone who has logged well over 260 hours each into both Sword and Shield; I can verify that it's not like buying model and location assets from Turbo Squid (at least he didn't use the long-debunked "asset reuse" argument). Nor is it a mere smattering so much as it is a complete overhaul of the mechanics even as the core system remains intact. The only cynicism I see is in this "zoomer's" statement is claiming there isn't "evolution;" something I've gotten increasingly good at disputing over the years. I also take greater offense to being called a "Millennial" than a "'90s kid," I also am starting to own my status as a potential "30-year-old Boomer."

Quote: "Don’t get me wrong; drafting a team of six species and experimenting with different combinations never gets old for me, and that’s usually worth the price of admission alone. But it might be our attachment to Game Freak’s tried-and-true formula, with its gym badges, villainous doomsday cults, and starter trios — magic as it all may be — that limits our expectations of what a creature-collecting game can be. While Pokémon has struggled to incorporate its massive roster of monsters into an open-world, online-friendly context, now seems like the perfect opportunity for a newer, leaner title to revamp a genre that is now a quarter-century into its lifespan."

OK, Jude, I'm going to overlook the fact that you started one of your sentences with "but" here (one of my grammatical pet peeves as someone who graduated as an English major). This whole idea that the design "limits expectations" is simply not accurate; since it merely gives us a place to set them. Though the idea of a newer title into that space might sound enticing in theory; in practice it hasn't really panned out. Temtem was potentially viewed as such a game (I personally thought it looked like a mobile game, but I opted to address it as little as possible); but its console launch got splatted in sales by Splatoon 3.

As for the whole "open-world, online-friendly context," the bookend of both Legends Arceus and Generation IX has that covered. So, the franchise is more than capable of revamping on its own. Haven't even gotten to the real meat of this response and I'm already seeing this argument fall apart.

Quote: "Unfortunately, developer Level-5’s attempt to solve that very problem may have come too early. In 2013, three months before Pokémon X&Y hit the shelves, Yo-Kai Watch nudged its way in front of Goliath. After dabbling in familiar-collecting with 2010’s Ni No Kuni, Level-5 repurposed its own concept of raising supernatural creatures into a cuddly, smaller-scale context prophesied to be the Next Big Thing."

That's the funny thing about prophecies: this one misread, could have been. There were even concerns at the same time that Nintendo would stop making consoles altogether and focus on games like Sega. That thankfully didn't happen, and while cloud gaming has been hyped as the next stage of games; it has been much more niche than anticipated, the shutdown of Stadia not helping matters. I don't care about what others might claim, I am cutting this canard short right now. Level-5 did wasn't attempting to solve a presumed problem; the people in charge were marketing it as a solution in search of one. This is going to get worse as we go; especially as I consider Ni No Kuni to be a better Level-5 game.

Quote: "For a brief period of time, it looked like that prophecy might come true. Level-5 had clearly studied the successes of Pokémon’s initial launch, unveiling Yo-Kai Watch with an omnipresent multimedia assault on Japan. They had it all: a phantom feline mascot primed to be turned into marketable plushies, collectible toy medals that could be scanned via QR code to earn in-game rewards, and an anime with a viral theme song. Initially, that was enough to make Yo-Kai Watch an overnight hit. In 2014, its IP beat out Anpanman’s cast of bread-themed characters as the most-liked by Japanese children. The next year, dedicated Yo-Kai stores would open up across the country, just before the first game reached western audiences."

Again, that's the funny thing about predictions: sometimes even understandable and sound ones don't end up coming to pass. People thought Pokémon itself was just a fad back in the day and its appeal wouldn't last. They were wrong of course, and the article even admits it's become the biggest multimedia franchise ever; but I must continue.

Quote: "Flying in the face of globe-trotting JRPGs, the majority of the game takes place in a single town, Springdale — New Sakura Town before localization. There’s an anti-escapist streak running through the series, limiting the scope of its settings to universally familiar experiences. There are no tundras or deserts to explore, but you will get to explore the nuances of Springdale’s urban planning. There are corner stores to swing by in the protagonist’s suburban neighborhood, burger joints and arcades downtown, and unaffordable McMansions out in the hills. And if you’re planning to reach those locations on foot, be prepared to stop at the crosswalks to look both ways. In a Kojima-esque move, you’re punished or rewarded based on your willingness to wait at the traffic light."

OK, I seriously think we need to retire the "anti-escapist" selling point; especially as pandemic lockdowns have dramatically increased the desire for that kind of entertainment. Also, I don't consider traffic stops to be "Kojima-esque," especially as someone who has no problem understanding how a game he made with Norman Reedus making cross-country cargo delivery became a highly-acclaimed bestseller (whatever he has planned for Microsoft, I'm eager to see what it entails). Let's keep this thread going.

Quote: "What I loved about Yo-Kai Watch was that it wasn’t a world to dream about visiting. It was a new perspective on our own reality in which everyday incidents were triggered by karma or the whims of Yo-Kai — ghostly beings only visible to wearers of the titular watch. If you ignore an overarching plot regarding the spirit realm’s government, your average in-game conflict involves accidentally leaving an assignment at home due to a Yo-Kai’s curse or figuring out what’s making the museum’s suit of armor move on its own. The fantasy takes place within reality — not outside of it."

That's exactly the reason why I have a counterpoint that invokes reality is unrealistic- the last two years alone have had events far crazier than any Japanese spirit or enchanted wristwatch; so that perspective has been increasingly been undermined. Even at the time of its initial release in 2015; I was unimpressed by its approach. It felt less like Earthbound and more like Sesame Street Countdown, and I am well aware of this degree of comparison (I do love the Count, for the record). I also took issue with the unintended message that suggested it's better to blame problems on an external force rather than confront and fix them. Most people tend to not be that passive in regards to issues; hence why I chose the "conflict" playthrough rather than the negotiation route (basically playing it like regular RPGs) just to get through it.

Quote: "Even the design of the Yo-Kai themselves reflect Level-5’s hyper focused approach to worldbuilding.  While Pokémon’s strength comes from its diversity of influences, Yo-Kai watch pares its inspiration down to a few key elements. Japanese folklore, urban legends, and mundane annoyances. They’re not quite as cute as their Game Freak counterparts, but they make up for it in their uniformly creepy charm. There’s Noway, an anthropomorphic wall likely based on the Whomp-like Nurikabe, and Manjimutt, inspired by reports of man-faced dogs wandering the streets of Tokyo."

Again, "charm" is a relative term. Some people might see themselves as charming, when they're more likely to have a white van in their garage. I also found the setting decisively lacking compared to Level-5's previous works (I haven't played their whole catalog and don't plan to; but I understand the appeal at least). Of course I don't mind when Pokémon is willing to experiment in terms of creature design- Scarlet and Violet are going to have you traversing on a dragon cycle like a Kamen Rider. 

Quote: "While this cultural cohesiveness earns Yo-Kai Watch points for artistry in my book, it’s unfortunately the prime culprit for the series’ lack of success overseas, despite aggressive advertising and its inclusion in the Disney XD lineup. If you’re not well-versed in Japanese cultural traditions, much of the franchise’s humor gets lost in translation. While many of Level-5’s Yo-Kai shared the same name as their mythological yōkai counterparts (the in-game Nurikabe is a Murikabe, for example), localization efforts relied on awkward puns and overly-literal descriptors to help westerners identify their phantasmal companions. Creative as the Yo-Kai may have been, it’s tough to compete with the iconic, universal design of an Eevee or Jigglypuff. Even Jibanyan, Yo-Kai Watch’s own answer to Pikachu, wasn’t enough to foster anything more than a cult following. The series’ original 3DS release moved less than 500,000 North American copies in its first year of sales — about a third of the copies sold domestically in that same time frame."

This is actually a fairly solid admission of failure; with some annotations I'd like to add: even people who were well-versed in the folklore and yokai were turned off by the changes made in the localization of the anime and games. Changing the whole setting from Japan to Idaho (which has already aged as well as 7-year-old Russets) made the infamous "jelly donut rice balls" seem restrained by comparison. 

Quote: "Yo-Kai Watch has spawned three proper sequels in its eight-year lifespan, but the series’ popularity continues to diminish in all markets. Yo-Kai Watch 4 only managed to sell 291,000 copies in 2019, and its prospects for a future localization look grim."

This is also a solid admission of failure, with more annotations to add: in the year since this was posted, we have no word on a fifth main game (the troubled production of the next Inazuma Eleven and apparent flop of Y School Heroes not helping matters), the 2021 anime is just kind of there (I didn't see any point in reviewing it; since it's not giving me much material and nobody's really subbed it) and I haven't found much data on the toys. 

Quote: "Though Yo-Kai’s commercial impact may not have amounted to much more than a mid-10s trend, the IP deserves recognition for attempting to innovate a monster-collecting genre that hasn’t seen much diversity since its late-90s infancy. One can argue that the combat system was a bit too complex for its own good, but its ambition was admirable, augmenting the usual rock-paper-scissors dynamic with stylus gestures and strategic bonuses like team chemistry. Because the Yo-Kai’s actions were autonomous, battling made me feel more like a “trainer” than Pokémon ever did. I picked my roster, set my strategy, and left the fisticuffs to the phantoms."

I'm going to have to stop you right there, because you make quite a few mistakes in this paragraph alone. You do link to Digimon and Monster Rancher correctly as fellow entrants in that space (Survive finally came out after its troubled production, and Ultra Kaiju; a collab with the Ultra Series of toku is actually coming out stateside sooner than I expected); but this also glosses over other prominent examples. Shin Megami Tensei for example, predates most ones by several years and laid down a lot of the foundations for the subgenre; including its own most notable spinoff in Persona. The "rock-paper-scissors" balance is another oversimplification that's been increasingly mocked (even to the point of being outright featured in Pocket Mortys).  

Most of all, I can honestly say that the autonomy was a major issue I had with the combat system (I think Generation IX having the "Let's Go" for sentries could work, but I will have to try it to know for sure); and that it didn't feel like being a trainer to me at all. The partner dynamic has been one of the most vital aspects of the franchise since day one, and it's still major advantage it has over others. I wouldn't argue that Yo-Kai Watch has combat that's "too complex," if anything; it was far too simple for someone who's been playing RPGs almost as long as they've been playing video games as a whole. The "team chemistry" actually felt like a nerfing of type balances (fairy types coming to Generation VI gave me new appreciation for poison and steel from then on; two types I didn't previously play with that much), and the touch screen gestures felt like a mid-battle Wario Ware minigame.

Quote: "Pokémon has about as much reason to radically alter its own formula as Coca-Cola does. If audiences continue to shell out cash for the product, why fix it? But that doesn’t mean there still isn’t room for a Pepsi in the marketplace. As Game Freak’s franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary, perhaps it’s worth also giving the games it inspired a second look. While it’s not worth holding your breath for Yo-Kai Watch 4’s worldwide release like I am, why not bust out the old 3DS and give the first 3 games a try? You might just find another bestiary of best friends to fall in love with."

Not only did you start another sentence with "but," YKW is not even close to the Pepsi of this subgenre of RPGs. Given the times other "Yokites" have been in my mentions; I'd say it's more like the Faygo. Another hot take I have in this post is that I dislike the taste of Faygo, its association with the ICP and Homestuck fandoms not helping either. 

I did however, buy the third game; played through it; and even though I may never love this series the way I do Pokémon, even I agree it's the best of the trilogy. It also, in a bit of tragic irony; was the game that was meant to appeal the most to Western players and became the worst-selling entry in the franchise domestically. Not only did people move onto the Switch much sooner than expected; it launched right after both Kingdom Hearts III and the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2. So, while "love" may be a strong word; it's become something of a worthy opponent in this space seven years on (at least in terms of the games- there's a reason I retired from addressing the anime after the Shadowside movie; since I'm not getting much to work with after the original).

Bottom line: even if you perceive a product as "better," it's not always the one that wins. Here's a classic example: while Betamax may have had better picture and sound quality, VHS had longer runtimes; more recording space and more people willing to manufacture them and back them. There's a reason why I remember checking out a lot of anime for the first time on VHS and only found out about Beta videotapes because they're vital to the story of Faye in Cowboy Bebop. Likewise, I never once considered Yo-Kai Watch a "Pokémon clone" (even as a YKW non-fan, I considered it a massive oversimplification); but I also don't consider it better.

Anyway, with two weeks left to Scarlet and Violet; it's going to be quite the exciting time as Generation VIII is giving way to Generation IX. As this marks the first fully open-world iteration of the franchise; I once again have this to say about potential competitors: Bring. It. On. That will be all for now, and I will see you soon.