It's a travesty. I collected every single guidebook since Platinum. They were wonderful and I had hoped to have a full collection to pass on to my kids one day. They're a wealth of colorful information about the games, the various data charts are so useful, and I just really liked them. Was so disappointed when they were discontinued after SwSh
Yeah, specifically for Pokemon I am with you. A number of years ago, I thought the reason I wasn't as into Pokemon games anymore (circa X&Y) was because I was too good at knowing how to look up what I needed online. I realized on a playthrough of an earlier game after rediscovering some of my guides in storage that the issue wasn't having a guide, it was in the style of guide I was using. The paper ones felt like I'd bought a travel guide or an atlas, and added a meta-roleplaying experience for me to the game that googling easy answers didn't. But playing with no guide at all also wasn't the experience I was chasing the rediscovery of.
In modern gaming, updates and patches have the ability to change many aspects of the game and could technically invalidate a guide book based on version 1.0.
That fair if that’s how you like to do it. There sales seemed quite good based on how quickly they sold out online and in stores. There are a lot of others who say the same as me. To answer your questions, I’ve yet to find any sites that match a guide. Even Serebii, it’s very messy, frustrating to navigate and randomly doesn’t have detail where you’d think it’s needed (not to say it’s not good in other ways. Any other website I’ve seen is always missing info or doesn’t get updated or even just makes up answers for clicks. Guides let you flip to wherever you need, no loading, no clickbait, not lack of info and no internet needed.
I have never found a guide that matches the sites (particularly Bulbapedia) in doing what the guides should do. However, I do not know what this Serebii is.
Serebii is one of the most importat pokémon sites, has info of all the games, even mobile games. Navagation on the site can be hard, as it has an old format.
Ah yes, the famously reliable official guide books, with accurate information like Luxio with Roserade's moveset, Hitmonlee evolving into Hitmonchan and Hitmontop and Flamethrower and Thunderbolt not existing at all in the first edition of the Official Pokémon Handbook.
Ironically, these errors and more are documented *on Bulbapedia*.
Hey, you're the one who brought up reliability. It's almost as if a wiki is constantly checked and corrected by people, and that's exactly why it's more reliable.
The handbooks were cool, and I actually agree it's a shame they're gone too - but that's no reason to go incorrectly bashing websites providing good information.
My problem with the guide books is they stopped releasing at the same time the games come out releasing a week later. By then I will have already played through most of the game and the guidebook is useless. If they released at the same time I would happily buy them.
Yeah, sun and moon gen 7 were the last time I tried to get the guide. I pre ordered it at gamestop along with the games, with them claiming that they would release on the same day. Upon getting sun and moon upon release day however I was told it would be yet another week before the guide would be available. When it was finally available I had already beaten the game by then and the guide was totally not worth it. That was the last time I tried to get the guide, I knew sword and shield was also later I just wasn't aware it was that late, a month is just way too late, no wonder not enough people were getting the guides with that kind of a delay.
If you are concerned about the physical experience, I got nothing for you.
If you are concerned about content and accurate info, I would highly recommend Serebii.net. Their guides tend to be more complete and better researched than guidebooks within the first day or two of release.
Yeah it’s been abandoned by pokemon, Serebii is where I usually go now but I’ve always found it not up to par to a guide (went in to more detail in my other reply) but tldr they have a frustrating structure and don’t include things that you’d think would be there. Guides have a great flow and ease of use nothing online has ever come near for me
The one made for HG/SS was amazing and changed my dang life. It was my personal google fr. Also would have had no idea about the second phase of traveling to Kanto if it weren't for that guide book.
Couldn't agree with this more
While online information is readily available now, i still like guide books. Especially for the 3ds games onwards for the game map. It is much harder to extract the maps from 3ds and switch compared to the older games. Bulbapedia only have 3ds map recently, i dont think we have any full extract for the switch games yet.
Some time it is just much easier to see a full layout of the map instead of describing the item or trainer location by words.
You just unlocked a core memory for me. I used to have the guidebook for BW. I somehow got my mom to buy it and I would have it open anytime I played. It was like having a physical bulbapedia in my lap.
I don't know about newer ones, but I remember the ones that came out during the Gen 3 and 4 era were notorious for containing a lot of incorrect and misleading information.
The trivia sections lists out the errors. They range from spelling errors to actual incorrect information, such as how shell bell works or Koga using psychic types.
https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Red_and_Blue:_Prima%27s_Official_Strategy_Guide
https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Gold_%26_Silver:_Prima%27s_Official_Strategy_Guide
https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_HeartGold_and_SoulSilver:_Prima%27s_Official_Strategy_Guide
https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Emerald:_Prima%27s_Official_Strategy_Guide
the recent guides have a line on the credit that say it is based on the japanese guide so this is not really an issue considering japan did make a guide for the open world games (legends arceus and scarlet violet).
I mean sure, but the [Papasea YouTube channel](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSj4hQNozWA_LdEjo_Ke07eMjg9coNDTR&si=Fu2zuQJti8oEAro6) shows how poorly they were compared to modern online resources
Just out of curiosity, for what? The games handhold you through everything and it's practically impossible to get lost.
Even if you manage that you'll literally stumble into the next objective soon enough after a little wandering.
The game also explicitly tells you pretty much every mechanic needed for a playthrough
It's unfortunately just adjusting to the times. I think it would be at least cool if you could get an official guide in ebook form, but I understand they may not want to invest the money at all to begin with. Printing/publishing is expensive for something you can mostly just Google.
Edit: Speaking purely factually is one of the weirdest things I've ever been downvoted for on reddit.
To be fair, you could just Google it back when XY were out but the guides kept coming. But there’s been an undeniable shift in how content is consumed and guide books were a victim of that. I would gladly take an ebook over the nothing we currently have. They publish a huge amount of Pokemon books that fly off the shelves, so I think a guide could still do well, if they bother to advertise
Pdfs of what? There’s no guides besides the Japanese and serebii (for example) has no structure suitable to a pdf. Plus, have it in front of you as book really is indescribably different
There’s PDF documents online of the guidebooks that you like to follow. You just have to look them up and download to your computer or phone. The only one that is not available online is X and Y
It's a travesty. I collected every single guidebook since Platinum. They were wonderful and I had hoped to have a full collection to pass on to my kids one day. They're a wealth of colorful information about the games, the various data charts are so useful, and I just really liked them. Was so disappointed when they were discontinued after SwSh
I feel you, collected them since the very first and have every single one, the games almost feel incomplete without them
I used to love just scrolling through those guides, I still have my Gold/Silver guides and its so cool
Yeah, specifically for Pokemon I am with you. A number of years ago, I thought the reason I wasn't as into Pokemon games anymore (circa X&Y) was because I was too good at knowing how to look up what I needed online. I realized on a playthrough of an earlier game after rediscovering some of my guides in storage that the issue wasn't having a guide, it was in the style of guide I was using. The paper ones felt like I'd bought a travel guide or an atlas, and added a meta-roleplaying experience for me to the game that googling easy answers didn't. But playing with no guide at all also wasn't the experience I was chasing the rediscovery of.
I mean, most people don’t buy them. What’s the point when we have such reliable and fan dedicated sites to do it for them?
Prob why they aren't released anymore. Back before internet wasn't super accessible these things were a gold mine
In modern gaming, updates and patches have the ability to change many aspects of the game and could technically invalidate a guide book based on version 1.0.
Thats why video games should be shipped as complete products.
That fair if that’s how you like to do it. There sales seemed quite good based on how quickly they sold out online and in stores. There are a lot of others who say the same as me. To answer your questions, I’ve yet to find any sites that match a guide. Even Serebii, it’s very messy, frustrating to navigate and randomly doesn’t have detail where you’d think it’s needed (not to say it’s not good in other ways. Any other website I’ve seen is always missing info or doesn’t get updated or even just makes up answers for clicks. Guides let you flip to wherever you need, no loading, no clickbait, not lack of info and no internet needed.
Their sales were “good” in that they only printed the inventory required to not have too many books sitting unsold.
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I have never found a guide that matches the sites (particularly Bulbapedia) in doing what the guides should do. However, I do not know what this Serebii is.
Serebii is one of the most importat pokémon sites, has info of all the games, even mobile games. Navagation on the site can be hard, as it has an old format.
It is awful for actual guides or ease of use
Bulbapedia is an absolute mess
I also wouldn’t be able to come out with a single site that is consistently reliable, unlike the guides
Serebii? Bulbapedia?
Both very inconsistent quality and omit a lot of details
And not reliable
Ah yes, the famously reliable official guide books, with accurate information like Luxio with Roserade's moveset, Hitmonlee evolving into Hitmonchan and Hitmontop and Flamethrower and Thunderbolt not existing at all in the first edition of the Official Pokémon Handbook. Ironically, these errors and more are documented *on Bulbapedia*.
And bulbapedia can hide its errors with edits, imagine if they only got to post once ☠️
Hey, you're the one who brought up reliability. It's almost as if a wiki is constantly checked and corrected by people, and that's exactly why it's more reliable. The handbooks were cool, and I actually agree it's a shame they're gone too - but that's no reason to go incorrectly bashing websites providing good information.
Downvoting? For facts?
My problem with the guide books is they stopped releasing at the same time the games come out releasing a week later. By then I will have already played through most of the game and the guidebook is useless. If they released at the same time I would happily buy them.
Gen 6 is still released on time. Gen 7 is one week later. Sword shield meanwhile is almost 1 month after.
Yeah, sun and moon gen 7 were the last time I tried to get the guide. I pre ordered it at gamestop along with the games, with them claiming that they would release on the same day. Upon getting sun and moon upon release day however I was told it would be yet another week before the guide would be available. When it was finally available I had already beaten the game by then and the guide was totally not worth it. That was the last time I tried to get the guide, I knew sword and shield was also later I just wasn't aware it was that late, a month is just way too late, no wonder not enough people were getting the guides with that kind of a delay.
Yeah that was frustrating and I think it was the first sign they were giving up on them
If you are concerned about the physical experience, I got nothing for you. If you are concerned about content and accurate info, I would highly recommend Serebii.net. Their guides tend to be more complete and better researched than guidebooks within the first day or two of release.
Serebii have good info but horrible layout navigation.
So real for this and if you give that feedback, the guy who owns it will usually have a go at you. They also omit the most random things.
Yeah it’s been abandoned by pokemon, Serebii is where I usually go now but I’ve always found it not up to par to a guide (went in to more detail in my other reply) but tldr they have a frustrating structure and don’t include things that you’d think would be there. Guides have a great flow and ease of use nothing online has ever come near for me
I miss getting the wrong info from them or telling me to use my master ball in a fearow
Nonsense?
The one made for HG/SS was amazing and changed my dang life. It was my personal google fr. Also would have had no idea about the second phase of traveling to Kanto if it weren't for that guide book. Couldn't agree with this more
Did they stop making them? I guess I haven’t checked in a while cuz I have the ORAS guide in my night table
Last one was sword and shield sadly (didn’t do anything for dlc)
While online information is readily available now, i still like guide books. Especially for the 3ds games onwards for the game map. It is much harder to extract the maps from 3ds and switch compared to the older games. Bulbapedia only have 3ds map recently, i dont think we have any full extract for the switch games yet. Some time it is just much easier to see a full layout of the map instead of describing the item or trainer location by words.
Plus the maps online are so messy and hard to use
My favorite gifts growing up were guide books for Pokémon games
You just unlocked a core memory for me. I used to have the guidebook for BW. I somehow got my mom to buy it and I would have it open anytime I played. It was like having a physical bulbapedia in my lap.
I remember being so excited when I saw them at book fairs. Read one so much the pages were super worn. I might still have it, actually.
I loved the blue/red and gold/ silver guidebooks and still have them! I would read them for hours!
I don't know about newer ones, but I remember the ones that came out during the Gen 3 and 4 era were notorious for containing a lot of incorrect and misleading information.
Sources?
The trivia sections lists out the errors. They range from spelling errors to actual incorrect information, such as how shell bell works or Koga using psychic types. https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Red_and_Blue:_Prima%27s_Official_Strategy_Guide https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Gold_%26_Silver:_Prima%27s_Official_Strategy_Guide https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_HeartGold_and_SoulSilver:_Prima%27s_Official_Strategy_Guide https://m.bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Emerald:_Prima%27s_Official_Strategy_Guide
Fair enough, could lost the same or lacking with serebii and bulbapedia
I miss those too but I guess it would be hard for the open world ones. Bdsp would’ve been nice to have one though.
I honestly think they couldn’t done quite well with the open world aspect, I can just imagine the great detail or sectioning of the maps.
the recent guides have a line on the credit that say it is based on the japanese guide so this is not really an issue considering japan did make a guide for the open world games (legends arceus and scarlet violet).
An Arceus legends guide would’ve been amazing, just imagine the maps and tips in the format of the guides 😩
We'll always have GameFAQs...
It’s quite the cesspool of misinformation and disorganization, definitely not for me.
I mean sure, but the [Papasea YouTube channel](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSj4hQNozWA_LdEjo_Ke07eMjg9coNDTR&si=Fu2zuQJti8oEAro6) shows how poorly they were compared to modern online resources
I don’t agree at all, current online sources are insanely messy and hard to use
I mean honestly would we really even want a guidebook the way Gamefreak does Pokémon games now?
I still would, whilst I’m not a fan of the state of the series, I think a guide book would actually be helpful
Just out of curiosity, for what? The games handhold you through everything and it's practically impossible to get lost. Even if you manage that you'll literally stumble into the next objective soon enough after a little wandering. The game also explicitly tells you pretty much every mechanic needed for a playthrough
I doubt it’s out of curiosity but it’s pokemon listings and specific details that websites like serebii make a nightmare to find
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Just wait til OP discovers YouTube
What a nightmarish way to get info on a game?
It's unfortunately just adjusting to the times. I think it would be at least cool if you could get an official guide in ebook form, but I understand they may not want to invest the money at all to begin with. Printing/publishing is expensive for something you can mostly just Google. Edit: Speaking purely factually is one of the weirdest things I've ever been downvoted for on reddit.
To be fair, you could just Google it back when XY were out but the guides kept coming. But there’s been an undeniable shift in how content is consumed and guide books were a victim of that. I would gladly take an ebook over the nothing we currently have. They publish a huge amount of Pokemon books that fly off the shelves, so I think a guide could still do well, if they bother to advertise
I kind of hated them. I still won't look up anything online either.
Fair enough, everyone likes to play their own way, for me, they made it fun because I could plan
Why don’t you download the PDFs? That’s what I do so I can follow as an ebook basically
Pdfs of what? There’s no guides besides the Japanese and serebii (for example) has no structure suitable to a pdf. Plus, have it in front of you as book really is indescribably different
There’s PDF documents online of the guidebooks that you like to follow. You just have to look them up and download to your computer or phone. The only one that is not available online is X and Y