>>57367051The 151 Pokédex is a reference, but everything else is just series staples and not "REMEMBEEEER?"
Eevee getting two evolutions is a Johto reference, and Leafeon/Glaceon are grouped with the evolutions of Johto Pokémon in the Pokédex
The news report is about a red Gyarados, which references the events of Gen II and refers to shininess which debuted in Gen II
The first Gym Leader being Rock-type also happened in Gen III, and that's because Rock makes a really good first type to challenge based on its relation to the starter types. Roark's team is a reference to Brock's, but it's meant to show how much harder it is, because it's Brock's team but also a Cranidos in addition to Onix.
Eevee was always a special Pokémon or gift in RGBY, GSC, FRLG, XD, DPPt, and HGSS. The only other way of getting it (beyond breeding) in GS was as a Game Corner prize. Your first two Pokémon in Colosseum are Espeon and Umbreon. DP was actually the first it allowed you to CATCH Eevee, at the Trophy Garden post-game. But at this point, RSE was simply the outlier.
The protagonist is not from Kanto because they're childhood friends with Barry in Twinleaf Town, but the opposite gender protagonist went with Rowan to Kanto before the start of the game.
Happiny turns into Chansey turns into Blissey, Gen II Pokémon. Because by amount of attention, it goes IV > II > I > III during Gen IV, and even then there's Probopass, Gallade, Dusknoir, Froslass, Budew, Roserade, and Chingling. Not to mention Contests and its mechanics, Abilities, Natures, EVs/IVs, Secret Bases (a similar but different take on Hoenn Secret Bases, the idea of which at least was born from Gen II room customization), two bicycle modes, Union Rooms, wireless communication (this partially stems from the Gen II Mobile Adapter GB), overworld weather, Abilities with overworld effects, every item including key items, bag sprites, berries function the same, etc.
