The Pokémon core series has remained popular after 30 years without much change—it’s simple, fun, it works, and there’s no shortage of new Pokémon to catch. But as players have pointed out many times, there’s always room to improve, especially when it comes to the lack of compelling endgame content, which is always a hot topic.
Game Freak has been working on endgame features, including adding more things for players to do after finishing Scarlet and Violet. For example, they can rematch gym leaders, participate in the repeatable Ace Academy tournament, and more.
But while that was a step in the right direction, Pokémon players are still longing for another feature that has become increasingly common in modern video games: the addition of a New Game Plus mode.
This feature would “heighten the replayability of the game,” according to one Pokémon player who seemingly spoke for many in an April 9 thread on the topic. On top of that, they added, it would be a perfect extra feature for challenge runs.
As for how it would work, another player suggested that all Pokémon caught in the first playthrough must carry over, otherwise it’d be too tedious and time-consuming.
Game Freak did trial something akin to a New Game Plus mode in Pokémon Black 2 in 2012. In that release, after completing a playthrough, players could start again via Challenge Mode, which increased levels of Pokémon across the board—both their own and any enemies they faced—and allowed Gym Leaders and Elite Four members to have extra Pokémon in their parties.
The problem with Black 2’s feature, however, was it was only limited to one specific title and didn’t become a staple feature for the series.
So, rather than waiting for a New Game Plus feature that may never come, players looking to make the series more challenging often undertake the Nuzlocke challenge, a playthrough bound by a set of self-imposed rules designed to increase the difficulty.
It’s not an official solution, but it’s the only one players have right now.
