Pokémon's Exp. Share changes may make the games much easier than before, but they're ultimately a positive change for the franchise. The lower difficulty has proven to be a controversial subject, but comparing the new and old games, it's clear that the new mechanic is for the better. All it takes is a look back at the classic games to explain why.
Pokémon's Exp. Share was a held item from the early generations that shared experience points gained from battle with the Pokémon holding the Exp. Share. Starting in Pokémon X and Y, the Exp. Share went from being a held item that only benefited the holder to a key item that spread experience to every Pokémon in the party. Newer titles such as Pokémon BDSP make party experience gain permanent, with the Exp. Share's effects being a mechanic without requiring the item itself. As a result, leveling up Pokémon became easier as the series went on.
Pokémon EXP Share Means Less Grinding In New Gens
In the early generations of Pokémon, players had to train up their Pokémon one at a time, with some assistance from the original Exp. Share if it was used. This required a significant time investment whenever the player needed to level up another Pokémon, especially if they were particularly behind. This was especially bad for Pokémon like Magikarp who had no good moves, forcing the player to use a tactic where they switch them out at the start of battle. This process was slow, repetitive, and unfortunately boring, being a prime reason why early Pokémon games don't hold up as well as they could have.
Pokémon's EXP Changes Make Training Far More Efficient
The revamped Exp. Share mechanics introduced in X and Y cut out a lot of the series' grinding. Players don't even have to actively use a Pokémon in battle in order for them to get experience, albeit at a slower rate. The relative ease at which players can have a battle-ready party has been criticized by those who prefer the higher difficulty of past games. Despite this, the reduction of the grind is an overall positive because the games flow better and have fewer roadblocks for players. This improvement is worth the cost of the games getting easier, even though recent Pokémon games still provide a challenge.
Ironically, the revamped Exp. Share in Pokémon is not as radical a change as it may seem at first glance. In Pokémon Red and Blue, there was an item called the Exp. All that acted as a version of the Exp. Share. That makes the item's eventual change more of a throwback than a new invention. It's a mystery as to why it took so long for the benefits of the Exp. All to find their way back into the series. Whatever the case, the experience rework made training Pokémon much easier, and it all started with what could have easily been one of Pokémon's odd, forgotten early details.
It is fair to feel that Pokémon is getting too easy, but the process of training has been made far less tedious in the process. Players no longer have to use a repetitive, time-consuming tactic to raise their weaker Pokémon, letting them focus more on having fun battles instead. Although Exp. Share did end up making Pokémon games simpler, it's a fair trade for cutting out the least fun part of the earlier titles.
Source: Nintendo of America/YouTube
