>>58866169Also the Mario games can be very different even when they're platformers. Platforming is dynamic, the layout changing or the scenery style can completely refresh the levels. Pokémon doesnt have physics, so it lacks that tool to use when keeping games from feeling samey. By and large a gym crawl is a gym crawl. Maybe a gimmick here or there, but still a gym crawl.
How different really was Red to Platinum, in a structural level? How much did 3d walking later actually give us by letting us go to the same places but not using a grid? It's a change yes but did they really do all that much with it?
Compare that with the platforming changes between OG super mario, to super mario sunshine with the water physics as a middle-mario game, to that one where Bowzer got dunked in the Exxon Valdez and mario turned into a giant cat to go beat his ass. All still platforming in many ways, but texturally and mechanics wise very different.
Mario is old but keeps innovating, because they KNOW hes old and they have to try and keep him relevant.
Pokemon, and by that I mostly mean the suits that run it, is utterly afraid of really shaking their historically successful formula.
