A hyena and a raccoon were definitely good choices for first-route Pokemon. And a case that early dark types don't break the game if you design with the chance of the player having one in mind.
>>37238141Poochy/Mighty being functional at last was something I appreciated. You can catch one with a fang move for easy coverage no sweat, none of its abilities are bad, and you get Sucker Punch when its speed becomes an issue. It isn't good, but it can do what you want it to.