Pokemon dev explains why the series hasn't gone 3D yet

Why hasn't developer Game Freak pursued making a proper Pokemon adventure in 3D?

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Many lifelong Pokemon fans have been frustrated to see their beloved monster-collecting franchise never make the jump into a proper console adventure. With the impending launch of Pokemon Black & White Version 2 for Nintendo DS, one has to wonder: why hasn't developer Game Freak pursued making a 3D adventure?

Producer Junichi Masuda said that moving to 3D would make the franchise lose its distinct flavor. "The feeling and the control of the character is also very important to us. There is definitely a certain feeling you have when you control these 2D characters. It may be different if we switched over to 3D," he said.

Speaking to Game Informer, he said that the Pokemon that appear on the package look really cool. "One of the reasons we use sprites, at least currently, is because we like to have more of a comical, kind of look like an animation, this kind of visual style is what we want to do for the Pokemon games... If we were able to take that style we have now and have it translate into 3D with no problems; that is definitely something we would be into."

Perhaps Game Freak will have to consider making the jump to 3D once the series make its inevitable move to the 3DS. For now, Pokemon fans will have to live with the colorful animated sprites featured in the DS games.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    September 17, 2012 12:30 PM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, Pokemon dev explains why the series hasn't gone 3D yet.

    Why hasn't developer Game Freak pursued making a proper Pokemon adventure in 3D?

    • reply
      September 17, 2012 12:38 PM

      I'd rather know why they have yet to make a proper Pokemon console game.

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        September 17, 2012 3:23 PM

        Because the series sells millions and millions of DSs.

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          September 17, 2012 4:50 PM

          Shouldn't a console title then sell millions of Wiis or whatever generation it could've happened?

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            September 17, 2012 4:55 PM

            They'd run the risk of splitting the main pokemon DS base. It could turn out fine, but it's probably not worth the risk.

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      September 17, 2012 12:39 PM

      He sounds skeered.

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      September 17, 2012 12:42 PM

      Pokemon snap wasn't 3d?

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      September 17, 2012 12:42 PM

      There's no reason to take Pokemon in a 3D direction. Sometimes the old way is the best way.

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      September 17, 2012 1:19 PM

      Yes it has - Pokemon XD or whatever on the gamecube. It was essentially a 3D pokemon game, the only difference was you couldn't choose your starters and it was much shorter than usual.

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        September 17, 2012 1:25 PM

        Genius Sonority developed Pokemon Colosseum and XD for GameCube, but Game Freak (devs of the main series) have yet to make a 3D Pokemon.

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      September 17, 2012 1:25 PM

      Translation: We are fucking terrified that we will break the money machine. Nobody knows exactly how we built this thing, we just feed it virgins twice a month and it just spits out money and everybody is scared that if we FUCK with it... it's going to break and we will be fresh out a damn fine money machine!

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        September 17, 2012 1:30 PM

        I'm not a Pokeman fan, but that was a pretty stupid, ignorant comment.

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          September 17, 2012 1:39 PM

          How? ...

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          September 17, 2012 3:08 PM

          Relax. I don't have any problems with Pokeman or this developer. It was just the way this guy came across, it really sounds like they are simply afraid of ruining a good thing which happens to make their company a lot of money. I just decided to say it in my usual bizarre and mildly offensive way.

        • Ebu legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
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          September 17, 2012 4:08 PM

          You're a stupid, ignorant comment.

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            September 17, 2012 4:44 PM

            he's an ignorant comment slut.

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        September 17, 2012 7:10 PM

        Nintendo, as a dev and/or publisher, prob has the greatest track record of any dev and/or publisher w/r/t taking 2D classics and making them work in 3D.

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      September 17, 2012 2:10 PM

      i love good sprite work, and if there is one thing the japanese are good at its good sprite work.

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        September 17, 2012 4:24 PM

        Just HD 2D animation would make pokemon fans heads explode.

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      September 17, 2012 2:31 PM

      I hope this isn't the case but is their argument really that Pokemon doesn't need new hardware or innovation to be a great game and so we'll continue making the same game? I get that Pokemon has a specific and great formula but if you don't innovate and try improve chances are some other franchise will come along and replace you.

      Pokmon on handheld has been really fun and so was Pokemon Stadium on the N64,!I can't see why you can't have a 3D HD true Pokemon game on a console and if there was I'd be sold.

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      September 17, 2012 4:22 PM

      I'd settle for a Pokemon Stadium 3!

      Granted, Colosseum was good (Never played the Wii Stadium one), though I'd prefer to see Pokemon Stadium 3!!!

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      September 24, 2012 10:10 AM

      In other words: "It's Cheaper...".

      Cell-Shaded 3D would fit the series fine. They're just to busy milking it atm to make the swap.

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