# Pokémon video games

23 Hacker News commenters recommended Pokémon video games and 12 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 10 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Turn-based monster-collecting games that people enjoy with family, friends and competitive play. Critics say recent entries are too easy and hand-held.

## Why people recommend it

- Fun to play with family and friends (3 comments): "My kids enjoy it, just as my wife and I enjoyed it before them. We have fun playing the games together." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47221423)) "the solo games are slightly worse overall, but the multiplayer VCG is in the best state it ever was" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47226079)) "I have so much fun playing competitive pokemon with my friends" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50256465))
- Enjoyable to play (3 comments): "I'm having a blast playing the Pokemon games" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49195494)) "Pokémon is a pretty good game though." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48174995)) "Pokémon ran well enough OFC." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45995787))
- Nostalgia for older generations (3 comments): "the do love fiddling around with the old Pokemon GBA games" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49844498)) "i also do love the grinding especially in the older games" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47222265)) "I loved gen 1 pokemon as a kid in the 90s" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47222606))

## What people warn about

- Too easy and hand-held (3 comments): "the newer pokemon games have so many guard rails" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47222517)) "The game has become more and more hand-held." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48506928)) "The grinding is less of an issue than being too easy." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47223933))
- Violence and gambling concerns for kids (2 comments): "generally I do see Pokemon as violent and I wouldn't let my 5 year old watch it quite yet" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49640003)) "hate the whole unregulated illegal gambling part of it and how they pray on kids" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47222478))
- Tired games and forced creations (2 comments): "I feel the Pokemon creations themselves feel quite forced." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47226464)) "too busy looking for new versions of the same tired games" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50114874))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Halo](https://hackerapproved.com/p/halo.md): 24 recommend
- [The Legend of Zelda](https://hackerapproved.com/p/legend-of-zelda.md): 18 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Pokémon video games", https://hackerapproved.com/p/pokemon/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).