It has been a strange week for fans of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and indeed fans of the franchise overall. A video by the Youtube creator Reversal recently saw the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet enthusiast catch a Shiny Pokemon using a Quick Ball. And, while many were quick to applaud him for the achievement, Reversal soon found himself baffled at the animosity that one commenter in particular levied at the use of the Quick Ball and all those who followed in agreement after he put the comment up on Twitter. Many cited hating the ball for a variety of reasons, more were quick to defend it as one of the best Pokeballs, and an equal number were confused or generally apathetic to the contention regarding what seemed to them a fairly minor aspect of the game.
Reversal has been making quick guides and videos of himself hunting for Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet since the game's release in November. Heading out into the world of Pokemon with the express purpose of looking for Shiny types is itself nothing new, players have been trading secrets with each other on how and where to find these rare and beautiful types since the days of Nintendo Power. Fans of the anime may even recall the episode of Pokemon BW Rival Destinies called Survival on the Island of Onix! Where Ash and crew help a local artist to locate a so-called Glass Onix shiny type. The visually distinct look of these Pokemon is not necessarily always shinier than their normal counterparts, but fans of the game that encourages them to "catch'em all" have always had a hard time resisting the appeal of having something to go out and collect.
Quick Balls' Use and Looks Are Controversial Among Fans
While those who showed themselves to be opposed to the use of a Quick Ball to catch a shiny Pokemon gave many different reasons as to why, there are a few explanations that came up often among these passionate players. Many claimed that they simply made the hunt for Shiny Types too easy despite long being a staple in the hunting strategies of Pokemon players.
Others cited aesthetic choices like wanting their hard-won shiny type to be in a ball that in some way matches the Pokemon in looks, or just not liking the look of the Quick Ball itself. Many a purist also came forward to say that they put a massive amount of energy into having ALL the Pokemon they caught be in the original red and white Pokeball.
While many had strong opinions on the tool used for the job, there were a number of players who aimed their criticism at the act of Shiny Hunting itself. While a big and exciting part of any Pokemon game for some, others expressed feeling like the act of spending hours at a time looking for a single specific Pokemon just because of a physical abnormality can suck some of the innocence out of the otherwise relatively carefree game. These fans argued that to them, the act of seeking out a Pokemon on the basis of its looks seemed superficial, with those dedicated to building the strongest team possible chiming in to say that there was no point in having Shiny types to begin with.
The Quick Ball Controversy Doesn't Make Sense
With a game series as old and as dear to the hearts of players as Pokemon, it is understandable for fans to feel passionate about the parts of it they hold dear. Pokemon players are arguably the most creative and dedicated fan bases in the sphere of video games given that many of them first started when they were kids and have been playing ever since.
Pokemon lovers are known for the elaborate ways they show their love of the franchise, but even with that in mind, many think the Quick Ball Controversy goes too far. In the thousands of tweets that had players decrying the Quick Ball for countless different reasons, there were just as many left scratching their heads at why this was something worth arguing over to begin with.
Reversal's tweet had many players arguing on his behalf in the storm that followed that there was nothing wrong with using a Quick Ball, and while many proved themselves passionate in the discussion over Pokeballs, Just as many saw no need for the debate. Many quote tweets were simply commenting on the seeming pointlessness of trying to argue with someone about how they are "supposed" to enjoy playing a game. Some even noted that many of the comments seemed played up for comedy, leading to a discussion about whether this supposed controversy was just a snowball effect of fake anger just to be part of the discussion.
Wherever players fall in the debate over using a specific Pokeball, Reversal himself has seemed to remain relatively unaffected by the controversy outside his initial commentary. For the most part, those who engaged in the argument online have largely gone back to playing the game in their own way with their thoughts on the matter relatively unchanged, and the Twitter thread on the topic is now full of those creating memes about those initially offended by Quick Balls and those claiming Quick Ball Supremacy. There will always be more to discuss when it comes to Pokemon, especially now with Ash's departure drawing near, and while the drama of the argument held the attention of some of the fans for a time, most have now found more enjoyment to be had by simply playing the game.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available for Nintendo Switch.
