Summary
Pokemon GO’s addictive gameplay loop has brought the title a lot of success over the years, although more changes are needed as the game grows older. Some mechanics such as the Pokemon buddy system have begun to lose their sparkle due to a lack of variety, and the title should not be afraid to look towards mainline releases for inspiration if it makes some changes.
In particular,Pokemon GOshould look towards the Gen 6 mainline titles for the franchise,PokemonXandY, in how it should reboot the buddy system. These titles saw the introduction of the Pokemon-Amie system, which would be the perfect way to bolsterPokemon GO’s buddies if it was adopted by the mobile title.
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Pokemon GO’s Current Buddy System
Pokemon GOhas offered the buddy system for some time, allowing the player to choose one Pokemon from their collection be an officially designated companion. Buddy Pokemon will appear next to a player’s character profile, where the player can interact with these Pokemon in a variety of ways.
Buddy Pokemon can be played with in AR, fed berries to increase happiness, and posed for snapshot photos. If a buddy Pokemon has been recently fed, they will appear alongside the player on the game map, earning Candy the more they walk. Doing these actionswill earn hearts for the buddy Pokemon, with these hearts being a way to increase the friendship level between a Pokemon and its trainer.
These friendship levels offer incentives such asgifts a Pokemon buddy can give aPokemon GOplayer, or even boosting the Pokemon’s CP level. Some Pokemon need to spend time with the player as a buddy before being evolved, but otherwise it is simply up to a player’s preference of who they want their buddy to be. This system has entertained fans for a long time, but it has changed little since its initial introduction.
Pokemon GO’s Buddy System and Pokemon-Amie
Pokemon XandY’s Pokemon-Amieessentially acts as a much more detailed and impactful version of the buddy system inPokemon GO. Like the buddy system, Pokemon-Amie allows players to strengthen the bond with their Pokemon through things like playing together and feeding them.
UnlikePokemon GO’s simple heart system, Pokemon-Amie gives Pokemon an affection, fullness, and enjoyment meter that all need to be maintained. This does well to better categorize the types of interaction that the player can engage in with their Pokemon, which could easily be implemented to a bolsteredPokemon GObuddy system.
Crucially, Pokemon-Amie offers much more in terms of how players can interact with their chosen Pokemon. For example, Pokemon-Amie includes a variety of mini-games, which is something thatPokemon GO’s buddies sorely lack. The hub for Pokemon-Amie is also completely customizable, which is something thatPokemonGOcould introduce to personalize buddy activities.
The offered benefits of Pokemon interaction are also greater within the Pokemon-Amie system. As a player raises a Pokemon’s stats via Amie, the Pokemon in question starts to gain bonuses such as increased experience, greater critical hit chance, and an increased chance of dodging attacks.Pokemon GOcould use a lot more combat-related benefitsin its buddy system, incentivizing players to actually fight with their companions instead of just exploring with them. The Pokemon-Amie system was well received forXandY, and the stagnating nature ofPokemon GO’s buddy system calls for adding some Pokemon-Amie elements to the hit mobile game.
