What are some game mechanics exclusive to Generation 1 that you miss?

[WaterTypeStarter]

Given how much Generation 2 overhauled the mechanics, what are some major mechanics from Generation 1 you miss?

 

[Locormus]

Here's one: Speed-based critical hit calculations.

Pokémon like Persian, Scyther (Slash), Primeape (KarateChop) and Jolteon (just about everything, but multihit moves especially) were practically built on getting off crits and not much else. Without this mechanic, they quickly became unusable and still are to this day.

What I don't miss: Focus Energy dropping the crit-chance to 0% and crits ignoring your own stat buffs.

 

[Leonhart]

Honestly, none. There wasn't anything that Gen I did better than Gen II from my viewpoint, unless you want to consider exploitable glitches, but those probably shouldn't count since they're not part of the normal gameplay.

 

[Bolt the Cat]

Honestly, none. There wasn't anything that Gen I did better than Gen II from my viewpoint, unless you want to consider exploitable glitches, but those probably shouldn't count since they're not part of the normal gameplay.

This. What "mechanics" were even exclusive to 1st gen? I can't think of any.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

This. What "mechanics" were even exclusive to 1st gen? I can't think of any.

Closest I can think of aren’t actually game mechanics but rather things changed in GSC namely Type Weakness and Resistances for some Pokémon and the very rare chance that any move other than sure hit moves like Swift would randomly fail meaning a simple status move like Swords Dance could not work at all for a turn.

 

[WaterTypeStarter]

There's the critical hit thing the first reply mentions. Also, there are things like if your Pokémon is faster, trapping moves (Bind, Wrap, Fire Spin, and Clamp) will make the opponent unable to attack. If lucky, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, and Blizzard will freeze an opponent and since freezing does not go away in gen 1 by itself, the opponent in effect has lost unless you use Fire type move (and no one would do that on purpose). There are more if you research.

 

[Locormus]

There's the critical hit thing the first reply mentions. Also, there are things like if your Pokémon is faster, trapping moves (Bind, Wrap, Fire Spin, and Clamp) will make the opponent unable to attack. If lucky, Ice Punch, Ice Beam, and Blizzard will freeze an opponent and since freezing does not go away in gen 1 by itself, the opponent in effect has lost unless you use Fire type move (and no one would do that on purpose). There are more if you research.

Here's another: Hyperbeam not reading a recharge after it KO's an opponent. This (along with the mechanic you mentioned) made Twave+Wrap+Hyperbeam a deadly combination on Dragonite as a closer. I've used this tactic with stuff like Tangela, Victreebel and Lickitung in GenI playthroughs - as Dragonite is above my challenge cap.

 

[Luthor]

The one that springs to mind is Conversion's mechanic from gen 1. If Porygon got the move reflect-type (which has Conversion's original mechanic) I wouldn't mind but it doesn't yet.

 

[Bolt the Cat]

The quirks on certain moves are more glitches than mechanics, not sure we should really be counting them TBH. In terms of actual, intended mechanics, there's... basically nothing exclusive to 1st Gen.

 

[Locormus]

The quirks on certain moves are more glitches than mechanics, not sure we should really be counting them TBH. In terms of actual, intended mechanics, there's... basically nothing exclusive to 1st Gen.

Is the Speed/Crit-ratio a glitch? It honestly seems intended in the case of Persian+Slash, but that could just be me. The stuff with Focus Energy is definitely a glitch though.

 

[Sαpphire]

Is the Speed/Crit-ratio a glitch? It honestly seems intended in the case of Persian+Slash, but that could just be me. The stuff with Focus Energy is definitely a glitch though.

From some research, it looks like the critical hit rate being based on a Pokémon’s base speed stat is intended behavior. Focus Energy and Dire Hit are both bugged, but otherwise critical hit chances compute as intended. It’s probably fair to say that critical hits are a mechanic that intentionally changed between generations. I suppose that Game Freak felt that the Pokémon at the upper end of the critical hit ratio weren’t functioning as they originally envisioned or were creating imbalance, hence introducing a standard formula that doesn’t account for speed.

 

[Locormus]

From some research, it looks like the critical hit rate being based on a Pokémon’s base speed stat is intended behavior. Focus Energy and Dire Hit are both bugged, but otherwise critical hit chances compute as intended. It’s probably fair to say that critical hits are a mechanic that intentionally changed between generations. I suppose that Game Freak felt that the Pokémon at the upper end of the critical hit ratio weren’t functioning as they originally envisioned or were creating imbalance, hence introducing a standard formula that doesn’t account for speed.

Probably meant for some pokemon to have a higher crit chance to balance lower stats/damage output (like Persian, Dugtrio, Electrode and Scyther (which is strong, but lacks STAB)), but the likes of Mewtwo, Alakazam, Starmie, Jolteon and Aerodactyl spamming crits probably wasn't the intended play.

 

[Palamon]

I suppose Special being one stat was pretty interesting, but that's the only one. A lot of Gen I was broken and didn't work as intended for me, so I personally didn't care for the exclusive to Gen I mechanics.

 

[PCN24454]

The limited backpack. I liked how what you carried in your backpack actually mattered. You couldn't just hoard everything.

 

[beanDude]

I can't remember the specific example, but recently replaying Gen 1, I found a way to counter either sleep or confusion with another type of move. I know this vague but it was awesome and I want to remember what it was.

 

[Tsukisha]

Not a mechanic, but I do like how fast the animation of the Pokémon attacks is.
Now, to answer the question, I'd say the absence of abilities/natures is something I definitely miss, same for EVs and - in particular - egg moves. Breeding for egg moves is just lame, in my opinion.

 

[PCN24454]

Not a mechanic, but I do like how fast the animation of the Pokémon attacks is.
Now, to answer the question, I'd say the absence of abilities/natures is something I definitely miss, same for EVs and - in particular - egg moves. Breeding for egg moves is just lame, in my opinion.

The animations were fast because they tended to be basic in general.

If you took out egg moves, would you be prepared for the Pokémon not to be able to learn the move at all?

 

[Det. Viper]

egg moves. Breeding for egg moves is just lame, in my opinion.

If you took out egg moves, would you be prepared for the Pokémon not to be able to learn the move at all?

Back in the first generation games most Pokémon could only learn decent moves through TMs. The legendary birds only knew two moves at level 50. I’m not prepared to regress to that. Egg moves allow for a wider range of sets a Pokémon is capable of running. It makes everything less redundant. I would actually like to see some egg moves return—for example, Water Gun for Phanpy—even if they are totally worthless moves for the Pokémon.

 

[TwilightBlade]

There aren't that many things from the old games that I miss except for the Hyper Beam recharge thing and Psychic types being OP. :]

 

[Shiny Venusaur]

I wouldn't say that I miss this specific mechanic, but one of the few mechanics that are genuinely unique to Generation 1 is that Body Slam cannot paralyze a Normal Type. When this mechanic was discovered years past RBY, it drastically shifted the RBY meta, which was incorrect on simulators for years since no one had caught this very specific hidden move effect.

Bulbapedia - Body Slam (move)