Category: Pokémon Reviews – Generation 2
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Pokémon Review: Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, and Politoed

Another branch evolution family to look at, we get probably the other most iconic representation of metamorphosis in nature to put under the lens for easily communicating Pokemon evolution to new players. This one however subverts expectations a little before offering a more traditional route after the fact, which poses interesting questions about design philosophy.…
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Pokémon Review: Oddish, Gloom, Vileplume, and Bellossom

Today’s review looks at another of Kanto’s Grass/Poison lines and one of the first branching evolution families the series introduced outside of the Eevee family, with a pretty staggering contrast between the original end result and the later introduced one. While Bulbasaur had a little legwork to do to make itself into a proper starter…
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Pokémon Review: Zubat, Golbat, and Crobat

It’s baffling to me that 26 years on, Poison/Flying is still a unique type combination. Zubat is so ubiquitous and common in this series that it’s very easy to forget that fact since it’s not like it “feels” unique when the type combination can be acquired in almost every game. Nevertheless, it remains unique to…
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Pokémon Review: Igglybuff, Jigglypuff, and Wigglytuff

Onto another family of Pokemon that had a Baby Pokemon crudely sellotaped onto it, Jigglypuff’s family is very much a mirror of Clefairy’s in many way, right down to being a much bigger deal in early Pokemon than it is nowadays and both evolving via Moon Stone. Unfortunately, one of the ways in which it’s…
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Pokémon Review: Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable

We now come to the neglected planned mascot for the series and our first proper Fairy type family with Clefairy’s little moonlit dance troupe. Honestly the concept of Clefairy being an intended mascot for the franchise is still a pretty wild concept and it feels very ill-fitting for the job compared to Pikachu, so I…
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Pokémon Review: Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu

Welp, it’s time for the big cheese. The mascot of all Pokémon and most likely one of the most recognisable fictional characters on the entire planet. However, before that we’ve got to make a little stop at the Day Care to pick up Pikachu’s child: Pichu. The first of a small handful of Baby Pokemon…