One thing about I like about earlier Pokemon gens is how a lot of mons felt more like monsters and less like superpowered animals. I see people guessing what Nidoran or Nidoking is based on, saying that they're rabbits or lizards or whatever. They have no clear idea on what they're based on because they're a whole mix of them. Same goes for stuff like Eevee and Psyduck and Primape and Abra and others. And even stuff like Arcanine for example who obviously is based on a dog, has stripes and colors inspired by tigers and a face that looks similar to those Chinese lion statues.
I'm not even a genwunner (i actually like the newer gens better) and the designs are more creative than what people give them credit for.