While mainly known for its creature-capturing and battling gameplay, Pokemon has, at times, deviated from that by trying its hand at other genres. Its latest venture, Pokemon Pokopia, seems to have caught the attention of fans, as it's certainly something completely different than what fans are used to.
It is a life simulation game, similar to Animal Crossing, where players can build and decorate environments however they please. The big difference is that it seems to have a massive world full of areas to change, as well as powers obtained from befriended Pokemon to aid in the process, allowing for a truly unique experience.
The game certainly has an interesting concept and has done an excellent job of exciting fans about a new way to enjoy the franchise. However, even though it intends to deviate from the Pokemon norm, I believe it would have still benefited from having battles.
While it may seem that doing so wouldn't fit in a game focused on befriending creatures rather than fighting them, it could actually have a place if properly incorporated. This is due to the gameplay premise, where players control a Ditto that takes on the form of a human and attempts to recreate a town while also making many beautiful habitats with the help of other Pokemon.
In a game where there is a variety of creatures with different typings, qualities, and personalities, it stands to reason that not everyone would be on board with the idea. There will likely be Pokemon that are opposed to the town's recreation or any change in general, which could lead to interesting gameplay.
Some may simply voice their dislike of the player's goal, but others might try to stop it by more violent means, such as destroying parts of the town or doing anything that makes life more difficult for the friendly inhabitants. Something like that would have made for an excellent reason to incorporate battling into the game, as it can be a method of stopping the delinquent Pokemon from continuing their actions and perhaps even befriending them to aid in the recreation process.
Additionally, given that Pokopia's controllable character is a Ditto, there could have been an interesting mechanic that allowed players to transform into any Pokemon they had already recruited into the town and use their moves. This would have allowed for a unique battle system, one that would make sense in a world with no trainers, which fans likely could have gotten behind and enjoyed.
It is certainly understandable why Nintendo chose not to implement battling of any kind in Pokemon Pokopia, given that it's meant to be more of a peaceful experience. However, there would also have been no harm in implementing it, as it could have been made a toggleable option for those who prefer not to experience it, allowing for an experience that caters to both casual and more hardcore players.
The inclusion of battles could have made Pokopia more enjoyable, and it's a shame it didn't, given the opportunities it would have provided. Perhaps one day it could if the game were ever to get a sequel, but for now, we'll just have to enjoy what it currently has to offer, even though it could have been so much more.
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