Uncovering Zygarde: Pokemon GO's Must-Know Routes

Highlights

The inclusion of Routes in Pokemon GO has been heavily criticized due to its shortcomings in navigation, lackluster rewards, and its unfavorable association with Zygarde.

Pokemon GO missed an opportunity to stay true to Zygarde's original concept of cell collection from the games Sun and Moon by complicating it with Routes. The addition of Zygarde to Pokemon GO, tied to the new Routes feature, has received mixed reviews. Niantic failed to capture the essence of the Legendary Pokemon's unique gimmick from previous games. Although Zygarde was introduced in Pokemon X and Y, it wasn't until Pokemon Sun and Moon that it gained an intriguing gimmick that intrigued players. Niantic had the chance to take advantage of the game's real-world exploration to incorporate Zygarde's cell-collecting element as it introduced Generation 7 Pokemon.

Yet instead of simply incorporating Sun and Moon's cell collection side quest into the Pokemon GO format, Niantic has opted to introduce a brand-new feature that serves as a means of acquiring Zygarde cells in its own unique way. Pokemon GO's Routes feature has faced criticism from players, not only due to its association with Zygarde, but also because of reported issues with in-game navigation and rewards. Many players are dissatisfied with how Routes are tied to Zygarde, resulting in frustration over the unpredictable design and increased difficulty of accessing certain Pokemon. This ultimately detracts from the original appeal of Zygarde's gimmick from Generation 7.

Pokemon GO's Routes had Good Intentions but Bad Execution

In spite of its flaws, Pokemon GO has always been focused on rewarding players by encouraging them to explore the real world. Prior to Pokemon GO, Niantic had released Ingress, a game with a similar concept of promoting physical activity and providing incentives for players. It comes as no surprise that the combination of Pokemon's popularity and Niantic's peculiar game design propelled Pokemon GO to become one of the most widely downloaded mobile games ever. Consequently, Pokemon GO's new Routes feature is just another manifestation of Niantic's commitment to their objective of engaging players.

However, Niantic's history of good intentions with poor execution is evident in the way Pokemon GO's Routes function within the game and the benefits they offer to players. For instance, amid the Covid-19 pandemic and global lockdowns, Pokemon GO made commendable adaptations by introducing Remote Raid passes and Team GO Rocket balloons. However, there was a significant backlash when the game attempted to remove these features as they were believed to enhance the accessibility and engagement of Pokemon GO. Similarly, while Routes aim to encourage players to explore the real world, they introduce new limitations to the Pokemon GO experience, such as the method for completing Routes and the individuals privileged with the ability to create new ones.

Pokemon GO Should Have Stayed True to Sun and Moon

Obtaining Zygarde cells in Pokemon GO is currently limited to completing specific routes, which not only exacerbates the existing issues with the feature, but also deviates from the original concept of the Sun and Moon gimmick. When Sun and Moon introduced Zygarde's new forms, players could gather cells by discovering them in hidden locations across the region, rather than receiving them as rewards for in-game tasks or challenges. Consequently, Pokemon GO has replaced the previous captivating quest of collecting Zygarde cells with a more intricate alternative that closely resembles the process of accumulating Pokemon candy by walking alongside a trainer's Buddy.

Players who are frustrated with Pokemon GO's new Routes may find it even more aggravating that connecting them to Zygarde seems unnecessary and overly complicated. There were already other options within the game's mechanics that could have been used for Zygarde's cell collection, such as adapting the functionality of the Rocket Radar to scan for nearby cells and guide players to them. Just as in Sun and Moon, Pokemon GO could have remained true to the original concept of collecting Zygarde cells, allowing players to find them naturally as they explore the world, while still being accessible to everyone.

Pokemon GO is currently available for both Android and iOS devices.