>>52886031There are only 242 Pokémon, BUT you can catch them all on one trainer ID. No version split. No timed event mons. Scarlet and Violet come close to this with the ability to catch all but one of the mons on a single ID via multiplayer, but PLA is still the only one to do it via single player.
Also, it makes shiny hunting at scale viable, so you can get the vast majority of the dex shiny as an additional challenge.
The shiny charm requires actual effort that can realistically only be done once for the average player since you have to put a ton of effort into an individual save file (compared to just dropping in your living dex from Home).
Tons of side quests and stories to complete.
Hunting mechanics like hiding in the tall grass, stealth items, ranged catches, stunning, and the use of multiple types of bait.
Damage to the player with actual consequences.
A world without the Pokémon league means you get to fight harder battles like 1 versus 3 or a team of 6 versus 8. Things can be even more lopsided if you trigger a battle with multiple wild Pokémon.
PLA is hands down the best single player Pokémon game.
