>>26730612Animation is still animation. Even Emerald's is animation. The difference is in the style used; 4 frames of fin-flapping v.s. My Squishy Dewgong by Devon Toys' Co. Even if Crystal's style is minimalist in movement, the animation has a sense of choreography that suits the sprite pose of the Pokemon featured. The issue with Emerald's animation is not so much the lack of frames but more of how heavily sprite dimension distortion was abused. It fits some (Eg. Azurill) but more often than not it ends up more like poor Dewgong's case for the majority of the Pokemon in Emerald.
Basically, like what
>>26730629 said regarding Emerald.
>>26730617I don't think I fully understand your question between the box legendary and QoL features. One is central to the game to the point where it interweaves with the plot, while the other is an immersive aspect solely for the player, but if they're going to do it, they should at least keep the same level of standard for it.
The issue isn't whether they brought it back or not, it's that they went through the effort of bringing it back only to make a sub-par effort out of it. I didn't expect moving Pokemon sprites to return in Emerald after Sapphire, but seeing it brought back in this manner does make me feel like it compares unfavorably to Crystal's efforts, relatively speaking for the capabilities each game had at its disposal. If they had never done it for Emerald in the first place people would be quibbling about Crystal's immersion features against Emerald's extras to the series by way of Berry variety, Contests, the Battle Frontier, etc. instead of a feature that both games share, moving Pokemon sprites.
>>26730629Majority of them are just extra eye-blinking or stuff, but it does add to the occasion, like Girafarig's tail-head bobbing by itself after the other head looks away. Wild/opponent Pokemon cut out that last part in their appearance animation.
