Pokémon X and Y

Best: Mega Evolutions

The Pokémon series has had several battle gimmicks over the years, and Mega Evolutions are easily one of the best. These new forms allowed specific Pokémon to undergo a transformation that would increase their stats and sometimes change their base typing. Terastalyzing and Gigantamaxing are cool in their own ways, but nothing quite matches that feeling of seeing these grounded reimaginings of so many fan favorites.

Worst: The jump to 3D

Pokémon has been a 3D series for a long time, and looking back on old games, it’s pretty clear a lot of Pokémon designs have lost a lot of their character in the transition from sprites to 3D models. From saturated colors to the sanding down of designs, the visual identity of Pokémon has felt a little murkier since it made the jump to 3D. Whether it was pressure from the rest of the industry or something the team genuinely wanted, Game Freak’s games just don’t look as good in 3D as they did when they were mostly made of pixels.