We talk a lot in this forum about how the main series Pokémon games have a long, long list of many things, including items, Abilities, locations, and of course, how many individual Pokémon there are at this point. Something I feel deserves to be added to that list would have to be how many specific locations show up across each of the regions, more specifically areas known as Routes. From the original Pokémon games all the way up to Pokémon Sword & Shield's base game content, Routes were a staple part of Pokémon's main series regions for many years. After all, this is what fans think of first when asked "where can I actually find Pokémon in the overworld?"
Just like how there are so many Pokémon, though, it's honestly surprising to me just how many numbered Routes there are in the main series Pokémon games. We're looking at 48 Routes across Kanto and Johto, 34 Routes in Hoenn, 30 Routes in Sinnoh if you count the six in the Battle Zone section of the region, 23 Routes across the two Unova installments, 22 Routes in Kalos, 17 Routes in Alola, and 10 Routes in the base game sections of Galar. In total, that adds up to an absolutely staggering 183 different numbered Routes we've seen in the main series games, and that's not counting any non-numbered areas that could also be considered as a Route or as a focal point within a larger Route. For context, that's enough numbered routes to where you could fill 151 of these with a single, individual Gen 1 Pokémon and still have 32 whole Routes left over. Suffice to say, with a number that significant, some Routes are bound to be better than others, and that's what I've been looking forward to creating a discussion thread about.
I would imagine most of you understand the drill with these kinds of discussion threads by now, so I'm not going to waste your time and instead I'll start this discussion off with one of my favorite Routes across the main series.
(Not my artwork)
SoulSilver was one of the first games I played in the main series alongside Pearl and White, although I can't remember the order in which I first played each of them. Nonetheless, the new cliffside Route leading towards the reworked Safari Zone completely mesmerized me as a kid. There really hadn't been any Routes quite like it before or since, from the visuals pushing the Gen 4 engine to its absolute limits to the incredible music and everything in between. My only real complaint is that on subsequent playthroughs, the Route itself can feel a bit on the shorter side; nonetheless, this one's a severely underrated classic in my eyes. Things only get better when you realize there's more to this Route than meets the eye, as there's plenty of rare Pokémon to find in the caves along the cliffside and some extra exploration accessible atop the waterfalls.
Just like how there are so many Pokémon, though, it's honestly surprising to me just how many numbered Routes there are in the main series Pokémon games. We're looking at 48 Routes across Kanto and Johto, 34 Routes in Hoenn, 30 Routes in Sinnoh if you count the six in the Battle Zone section of the region, 23 Routes across the two Unova installments, 22 Routes in Kalos, 17 Routes in Alola, and 10 Routes in the base game sections of Galar. In total, that adds up to an absolutely staggering 183 different numbered Routes we've seen in the main series games, and that's not counting any non-numbered areas that could also be considered as a Route or as a focal point within a larger Route. For context, that's enough numbered routes to where you could fill 151 of these with a single, individual Gen 1 Pokémon and still have 32 whole Routes left over. Suffice to say, with a number that significant, some Routes are bound to be better than others, and that's what I've been looking forward to creating a discussion thread about.
I would imagine most of you understand the drill with these kinds of discussion threads by now, so I'm not going to waste your time and instead I'll start this discussion off with one of my favorite Routes across the main series.
- Route 47: Johto (HGSS)
(Not my artwork)
SoulSilver was one of the first games I played in the main series alongside Pearl and White, although I can't remember the order in which I first played each of them. Nonetheless, the new cliffside Route leading towards the reworked Safari Zone completely mesmerized me as a kid. There really hadn't been any Routes quite like it before or since, from the visuals pushing the Gen 4 engine to its absolute limits to the incredible music and everything in between. My only real complaint is that on subsequent playthroughs, the Route itself can feel a bit on the shorter side; nonetheless, this one's a severely underrated classic in my eyes. Things only get better when you realize there's more to this Route than meets the eye, as there's plenty of rare Pokémon to find in the caves along the cliffside and some extra exploration accessible atop the waterfalls.