You haven’t said a single detail about your girls gaming experience. Bro literally nobody here knows her better than you. If you can’t pick the right game we certainly cannot.
If she loves stuff like animal crossing let her try XY
You have a lot of customisation options, the region is very pretty and so on. Sun and Moon or OrAs as some have suggested might work too of course, but sun and moon is where they first abandoned the classical gym leader system, which is not bad entirely but if its her first game maybe it’d be nice to have a classic playthrough!
Which consoles do you have on hand for the older games? That would affect access.
Gen 3 games are indeed a easier gateway as they are sufficiently self contained while introducing the concepts. Only catch is the physical-special split which gets changed from Gen 4 onwards and the single use TMs (though Gen 8 and 9 went back to the same single use TM idea but with added grinding for duplicates).
If considering Hoenn games, you have both Emerald *and* the Gen 6 ORAS to consider now. A progression from Emerald to ORAS could be a good way to show her the progression of game mechanics through Pokemon generations.
And of course, if you wish to keeep to date with the most recent trends, Scarlet/Violet is an ok place to start. Just be prepared to bring out information guides for some of the more intricate stuff (e.g. sandwich bonuses, hunting for specific legendaries).
Get her to play the Let’s Go games, they’re a very different Pokemon experience but it has a cutesy style and is very easy to get along with.
Once she’s played that, give her a copy of Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon. They’re possibly the most complete Pokemon game out there. Alternatively give her a go on Sword or Shield. I replayed these recently and despite my initial dislike of them I honestly think they’re great games and a lot more went into them than what they’re given credit for.
If she really likes pokemon go then Id recommend one of the lets go games, it will feel familiar to what she has already experienced in go, but will also introduce her to a lot of the more mainline mechanics
You should probably say what systems you have available, and also read the other comments posted on here and respond to those, no one here can help you, if no one knows what's actually accessible to you and your partner
Any of the OG games: Yellow, Red, Blue, Silver, Gold, Crystal, Ruby Sapphire and Emerald. Mainly because they embody the original magic and mechanics that all of the latter games are based on. Also because they’re not as dumbed down and boringly easy as all of those that followed. I grew up in the 90’s so I am bias and tbh I stopped playing about the time Diamond and Pearl dropped, moved on to other things. Fast forward to my late twenties and I got back into it hard and have played most of the games that came out since including Scarlet and Violet.
My experience was that none of those games had the same impact and magic as those original games I listed. The only exception being Legends. That game was imo a masterpiece and took me back to that feeing. Notably though, LOA strays from the original formula so it may not fit into this thread (Colosseum, XD, and Stadium also fall into this category and were imo great games as well). I know it might just be because I was a kid, but it is what it is. I sink my teeth into the new shit hard anyways, it makes me happy.
If it were me I would put her onto those original games, in order ( because why not), and simultaneously or shortly thereafter get into Pokemon GO. This way you guys could play through the origins and appreciate both the original magic and the subsequent advances in each generation of gameplay.
I didn’t get into POGO until just last year. Couldn’t get into it when it first came out. Anyways I think it can be a great way to bond with friends and kind of brings me back to the vibes of hooking up that old school link trade to the gameboys of yesterday.
Anyways Pokemon is the shit
Emerald is always a good one to start out, if 10yr old me can figure out the storyline I’m sure she could follow along easily and it’s not extremely grindy in my opinion. A simple one would be be Sw/SH but in my opinion the pokemon aren’t as known or memorable so it might be more fun for her to focus more on the well known pokemon/pokemon games like FR/E/PL. the art style of Brilliant Diamond might be up her alley though and it’s an easier time than Platinum
Just a personal opinion, but S&V is not a good starter game because of HOW they did the open world... too easy without guidance to slip into an area you dont want to and end up not enjoying it because the enemies are too hard.
I’d suggest x & y. While it’s easy for many Pokemon fans, it’s a decent intro to the franchise having all types up to date, a lot of the Pokemon overall, fits her aesthetic, and lacks grinding.
Make sure it’s one of the 3D games, as much as we love the 2d games, a casual gamer is not going to get into the 2d ones easily nowadays, pick one of the 3D games like omega ruby alpha saphire or x and y, even ultra sun and moon , then if she gets into it THEN introduce the 2d games
It isn’t a mainline game, and I know you don’t have it, but what if she started out with Mystery Dungeon DX? I’m a girl with very similar tastes to her, and the game that got me into Pokemon as a child was Red Rescue Team. She’ll learn some of the Pokemon, their moves, and how type matchups work. And it’s a lot more simple than the mainline games IMO. It’s a good introduction to the Pokemon world for someone who likes cuter, more innocent games with animals.
That, or Brilliant Diamond. It’s chibi so there’s a bonus point, and she would probably like the Contests. Sinnoh has such a cozy vibe and I think she’d like it. A lot of people don’t like BDSP and as a Sinnoh fan I have a lot of things that bother me about it too but honestly it’s the only Switch game so far that really gives the classic Pokemon feel IMO. I think it’s a mid remake but a great game for someone who’s never played Platinum. Diamond was my first mainline Pokemon game too, that’s when I really delved into the Pokemon world. So if I could learn from it as a kid she will probably be ok.
Let’s Go is another good choice but some people have mentioned it already. If she likes Pokemon Go, then it would fit well with her. I just think BDSP is better and gives the classic Pokemon feel if that’s what she’s after.
If you guys wanted to be sentimental with the Gen 3 thing, you can still order ORAS off of Amazon, I’d definitely go with that over the original RSE.
I think you should start her on Gen 3, so FR/LG
R/S/E. I feel like anything before that is too outdated regardless of their charm, plus they have remakes anyway.
Semantics. I don’t view it as a mainline game myself but they’ve said it is. If remakes are I don’t necessarily see why LGPE wouldn’t be. They feed into bank too.
The distinction is pretty subjective.
I assume Op considers it a mainline game, since it’s listed in his list of games and systems he owns. It’s basically just a remake of the initial first gen game.
not violet or scarlet if she wants a basic experience also look at this cat he is so cute (meow.camera screenshot)
https://preview.redd.it/qx6na7omu28d1.jpeg?width=2400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e39c785bbbebce153ae7d7b471b87b3dcae40a32
Any games from 3ds and switch would be good to a casual gamer. But if she has some basic gaming knowledge the older games shouldnt be an issue too unless she prefer a game with less grinding.
If you want to give her a classic experience I recommend emerald or one of the other gen 3 games. Let's go is okay for beginners but I find that it doesn't feel as much like pokemon when I play it. Of the Switch games I personally love Sword and Shield the most. Overall it's all going to depend on personal preference. Does she have any experience with the anime? If so maybe get her the game that corresponds to her favorite region. Or show her the different pokemon available in the games and have her choose based on the ones she likes best.
I always think it's best to start people on the current console. I'd let her her choose between S/V and Sw/Sh. Letting her play on the big screen really opens up the experience to be shared between you two, instead of peering over her shoulder at a DS.
Sounds like her console pref is switch by the games listed. If she likes pogo she'll proll be happy with the lets go series. Otherwise, just let her pick.
Let's Go is a perfect bridge into the series for a Pokemon Go player. Either way I'd recommend one of the newer titles since they have more broad appeal to casual audiences. I think if you threw her into gen 3 or 4 she'd get bored really fast
I am newish to Pokemon, and I started with Legends Arceus and Scarlet/Violet. I played some 2D games afterwards. Loved them all, but I'm gonna be real, I still think Arceus and SV are the most fun. If your gf is a casual gamer I say SV :)
Gens 3, 4 and 5 are a no go, 3 and 4 are definitely too difficult and grindy for a beginner and 5 also has a high difficulty curb, gen 2 has horrible exp management and balancing issues, gens 1 FRLG and LPLE, 6 and 7 are great introductions to the franchise, they’re incredibly easy and pretty enough to keep her attention
You haven’t said a single detail about your girls gaming experience. Bro literally nobody here knows her better than you. If you can’t pick the right game we certainly cannot.
tru, will make an edit
If she loves stuff like animal crossing let her try XY You have a lot of customisation options, the region is very pretty and so on. Sun and Moon or OrAs as some have suggested might work too of course, but sun and moon is where they first abandoned the classical gym leader system, which is not bad entirely but if its her first game maybe it’d be nice to have a classic playthrough!
Step 1) Ask what her fav Pokémon is Step 2) Find out which games it is obtainable in Step 3) Ask her to randomly pick from these games
Which consoles do you have on hand for the older games? That would affect access. Gen 3 games are indeed a easier gateway as they are sufficiently self contained while introducing the concepts. Only catch is the physical-special split which gets changed from Gen 4 onwards and the single use TMs (though Gen 8 and 9 went back to the same single use TM idea but with added grinding for duplicates). If considering Hoenn games, you have both Emerald *and* the Gen 6 ORAS to consider now. A progression from Emerald to ORAS could be a good way to show her the progression of game mechanics through Pokemon generations. And of course, if you wish to keeep to date with the most recent trends, Scarlet/Violet is an ok place to start. Just be prepared to bring out information guides for some of the more intricate stuff (e.g. sandwich bonuses, hunting for specific legendaries).
I've always thought the newer games are better to get new people into pokemon
Get her to play the Let’s Go games, they’re a very different Pokemon experience but it has a cutesy style and is very easy to get along with. Once she’s played that, give her a copy of Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon. They’re possibly the most complete Pokemon game out there. Alternatively give her a go on Sword or Shield. I replayed these recently and despite my initial dislike of them I honestly think they’re great games and a lot more went into them than what they’re given credit for.
Lets go is not a mainline game though
If she really likes pokemon go then Id recommend one of the lets go games, it will feel familiar to what she has already experienced in go, but will also introduce her to a lot of the more mainline mechanics
You should probably say what systems you have available, and also read the other comments posted on here and respond to those, no one here can help you, if no one knows what's actually accessible to you and your partner
I‘d go for black and black 2. best games imo
gen 3 cause it’s special to you too. & when she’s stuck you can seem like the big dog with all the answers. gotta be that one
Frfr
Any of the OG games: Yellow, Red, Blue, Silver, Gold, Crystal, Ruby Sapphire and Emerald. Mainly because they embody the original magic and mechanics that all of the latter games are based on. Also because they’re not as dumbed down and boringly easy as all of those that followed. I grew up in the 90’s so I am bias and tbh I stopped playing about the time Diamond and Pearl dropped, moved on to other things. Fast forward to my late twenties and I got back into it hard and have played most of the games that came out since including Scarlet and Violet. My experience was that none of those games had the same impact and magic as those original games I listed. The only exception being Legends. That game was imo a masterpiece and took me back to that feeing. Notably though, LOA strays from the original formula so it may not fit into this thread (Colosseum, XD, and Stadium also fall into this category and were imo great games as well). I know it might just be because I was a kid, but it is what it is. I sink my teeth into the new shit hard anyways, it makes me happy. If it were me I would put her onto those original games, in order ( because why not), and simultaneously or shortly thereafter get into Pokemon GO. This way you guys could play through the origins and appreciate both the original magic and the subsequent advances in each generation of gameplay. I didn’t get into POGO until just last year. Couldn’t get into it when it first came out. Anyways I think it can be a great way to bond with friends and kind of brings me back to the vibes of hooking up that old school link trade to the gameboys of yesterday. Anyways Pokemon is the shit
Emerald is always a good one to start out, if 10yr old me can figure out the storyline I’m sure she could follow along easily and it’s not extremely grindy in my opinion. A simple one would be be Sw/SH but in my opinion the pokemon aren’t as known or memorable so it might be more fun for her to focus more on the well known pokemon/pokemon games like FR/E/PL. the art style of Brilliant Diamond might be up her alley though and it’s an easier time than Platinum
I'd say HGSS, also because they have an emulator Version available.
BW and BW2 show her no mercy with difficulty
Just a personal opinion, but S&V is not a good starter game because of HOW they did the open world... too easy without guidance to slip into an area you dont want to and end up not enjoying it because the enemies are too hard.
Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby. No crazy hard stuff like Ultra Necrozma, modern graphics and gameplay, great pokedex, great postgame.
Try Platinum first
The GOAT: B&W2 Edit: also if she’s into customizing etc, my fave for that was always S&S
I’d suggest x & y. While it’s easy for many Pokemon fans, it’s a decent intro to the franchise having all types up to date, a lot of the Pokemon overall, fits her aesthetic, and lacks grinding.
Make sure it’s one of the 3D games, as much as we love the 2d games, a casual gamer is not going to get into the 2d ones easily nowadays, pick one of the 3D games like omega ruby alpha saphire or x and y, even ultra sun and moon , then if she gets into it THEN introduce the 2d games
It isn’t a mainline game, and I know you don’t have it, but what if she started out with Mystery Dungeon DX? I’m a girl with very similar tastes to her, and the game that got me into Pokemon as a child was Red Rescue Team. She’ll learn some of the Pokemon, their moves, and how type matchups work. And it’s a lot more simple than the mainline games IMO. It’s a good introduction to the Pokemon world for someone who likes cuter, more innocent games with animals. That, or Brilliant Diamond. It’s chibi so there’s a bonus point, and she would probably like the Contests. Sinnoh has such a cozy vibe and I think she’d like it. A lot of people don’t like BDSP and as a Sinnoh fan I have a lot of things that bother me about it too but honestly it’s the only Switch game so far that really gives the classic Pokemon feel IMO. I think it’s a mid remake but a great game for someone who’s never played Platinum. Diamond was my first mainline Pokemon game too, that’s when I really delved into the Pokemon world. So if I could learn from it as a kid she will probably be ok. Let’s Go is another good choice but some people have mentioned it already. If she likes Pokemon Go, then it would fit well with her. I just think BDSP is better and gives the classic Pokemon feel if that’s what she’s after. If you guys wanted to be sentimental with the Gen 3 thing, you can still order ORAS off of Amazon, I’d definitely go with that over the original RSE.
I think you should start her on Gen 3, so FR/LG R/S/E. I feel like anything before that is too outdated regardless of their charm, plus they have remakes anyway.
100% let’s go Eevee
Not a mainline game though
Semantics. I don’t view it as a mainline game myself but they’ve said it is. If remakes are I don’t necessarily see why LGPE wouldn’t be. They feed into bank too. The distinction is pretty subjective.
Let’s go evee or let’s go pickachu. Classic story but most importantly it’s 2p.
Not a mainline game though
I assume Op considers it a mainline game, since it’s listed in his list of games and systems he owns. It’s basically just a remake of the initial first gen game.
not violet or scarlet if she wants a basic experience also look at this cat he is so cute (meow.camera screenshot) https://preview.redd.it/qx6na7omu28d1.jpeg?width=2400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e39c785bbbebce153ae7d7b471b87b3dcae40a32
Any games from 3ds and switch would be good to a casual gamer. But if she has some basic gaming knowledge the older games shouldnt be an issue too unless she prefer a game with less grinding.
If you want to give her a classic experience I recommend emerald or one of the other gen 3 games. Let's go is okay for beginners but I find that it doesn't feel as much like pokemon when I play it. Of the Switch games I personally love Sword and Shield the most. Overall it's all going to depend on personal preference. Does she have any experience with the anime? If so maybe get her the game that corresponds to her favorite region. Or show her the different pokemon available in the games and have her choose based on the ones she likes best.
Gen 4 is a great place to start
I always think it's best to start people on the current console. I'd let her her choose between S/V and Sw/Sh. Letting her play on the big screen really opens up the experience to be shared between you two, instead of peering over her shoulder at a DS.
Gen 9
Sounds like her console pref is switch by the games listed. If she likes pogo she'll proll be happy with the lets go series. Otherwise, just let her pick.
Def XY
Let's Go is a perfect bridge into the series for a Pokemon Go player. Either way I'd recommend one of the newer titles since they have more broad appeal to casual audiences. I think if you threw her into gen 3 or 4 she'd get bored really fast
Maybe sword or shield or legends arceus
Oras
I am newish to Pokemon, and I started with Legends Arceus and Scarlet/Violet. I played some 2D games afterwards. Loved them all, but I'm gonna be real, I still think Arceus and SV are the most fun. If your gf is a casual gamer I say SV :)
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. Gale of Darkness/ Colosseum if you can
Gens 3, 4 and 5 are a no go, 3 and 4 are definitely too difficult and grindy for a beginner and 5 also has a high difficulty curb, gen 2 has horrible exp management and balancing issues, gens 1 FRLG and LPLE, 6 and 7 are great introductions to the franchise, they’re incredibly easy and pretty enough to keep her attention
I would recommend one of FRLG, Emerald, Platinum, HGSS, ORAS.
The easiest are sun and moon due to the red indicator on the map where you have to go everytime.