On a serious note, I'm totally going to get it. 2nd Gen was my favorite generation, which makes me an outcast. I just love the starters on there. I wonder what they will change. Maybe they'll even include the whole Suicune thing from Crystal.
Well, IMO Emerald is clearly better than GSC, something that's not the case nearly as much, if at all, for Ruby and Sapphire. Gamefreak had done their homework then for Emerald, and I truly hope they do so again for HGSS.
I loved G/S/C if not for my favorite pokemon being a starter, but for the fact I used my friend's gameshark to get a super potion in the pokeball slot.
And given the changes made by 4th gen, I see no reason for anyone that chooses a starter without personal preference swaying them to choose anyone other than Totodile. Meganium still sucks and Typhlosion still has a pathetically disappointing level up movelist, apart from being a one-trick pony now IMO. Feraligatr on the other hand has a lot of new toys and a level up movepool that doesn't have to dip into your TM pouch to avoid classic noob syndrome (Three STAB moves plus shitty underpowered attack or HM.)
Granted that was a bigger deal when you had to go out of your way to have multiples of good moves like Earthquake. Still, I don't like using offense TMs that aren't Boltbeamthrower and thus can't be easily bought, since I found early in 4th gen that people were pretty unwilling to part with Grass Knot, Gyro Ball and Trick Room, at least without you giving up something equally as valuable =P
Well, as I told you before, Totodile runs into the problem of being part of the most stacked type in the game by far. It's easily the best of the three, but Toronto Blue Jays syndrome is more than enough to make me think twice. Plus, we don't know which TMs will be obtainable in bulk and which ones won't... hoping that boltbeamthrower will be, and before the E4 at that.
Elemental punches? Sold in Goldenrod's department store. (Expect a lot of elepunch abuse in the Crystal LP BTW.) Maybe they'll be replaced by their 95-power counterparts? Who knows? Maybe not, since the game designers LOVE to have you buy them via the Game Corner, but the 120-power moves are already there, so... here's to hoping!
BREAKING NEWS! Your starter follows you around like in Yellow! Did NOT see that coming.
I've just seen the pictures on serebii/smogon, and they've done an amazing job of recreating new bark town. Also, <3 that the male character actually looks cool (none of this beret nonsense).
I'm interested to know how they'll incorporate the apricorn pokeballs, considering most (if not all) of the pokeballs from G/S/C don't exist anymore, like the Fast and Moon balls.
I'm already excited, and Platinum hasn't even come out here yet.
For the apricorns, I'm thinking you'll just give them to Kurt in exchange for one of the 4th gen special pokeballs instead of the 2nd gen ones. Probably the one's that are similar in name, even though not in effect (Fast=Quick, Moon=Dusk, Friend=Luxury).