The credits have rolled. The Elite Four have been crushed. The post-game content has been finished. By all measures, the game is over. Now it is time to add it to the collection of completed games to gather dust on the shelf until the new one finally comes out. Or is it?
Pokémon is such a massive franchise that there are still so many things to do even if the storyline has been completed. Not everything requires an arduous grind or starting from scratch either, though these are options. The player may have done everything, but now it's time to become a Master. Up for the task?
10 Build A Living Pokédex
A Living Pokédex is a difficult task, but a massively rewarding one if it manages to come to fruition. Now with Pokémon Home and the clever use of social media, it is possible to catch 'em all, and keep them. Every single Pokémon is out there, it just might take a minute to get them.
Catch everything, wonder trade, link trade with users across the world, complete games and transfer everything to one space. Sooner or later it will all combine to the satisfaction of owning at least one of every single Pokémon to be taken out and used whenever, wherever, and however the player sees fit. Then when a new generation comes out, all that they have to do is transfer over all of the old ones to save valuable time completing that 'Dex. It also impresses all of the younger nerds, a valuable asset in the world today.
9 Go Collect Those Shinies
Shinies are nothing more than just a differently colored Pokémon with an extra sparkly effect to them, but that doesn't mean they aren't awesome. After completing the Pokédex, most games hand out a Shiny Charm which will increase the odds of finding one of these special colored Pokémon, and it applies to any method valid in the game.
Masuda Method is a method of breeding a Pokémon with parents from two separate languages and then hatching a ton of eggs. Saddle up with a Flame Body Pokémon, a bike, and get hatching. And chaining involves either fishing or just fighting the same Pokémon over and over trying to build a chain that drags the possibility down.
8 Train A Competitive Team
Even if there is no interest in participating in competitions, working towards breeding a favored Pokémon that is absolutely perfect statistically with all of the most ideal moves is a massive reward. It's a long, arduous task requiring hours of hatching, searching, checking, and training but in the end, will produce a significantly better than average Pokémon that will likely follow the player across various games.
If that's still too easy, trying to breed a competitive shiny is also on the table and will likely take even longer. It works best if a really good Ditto with a Destiny Knot can be the main breeder, and the player can trade for a decent other one to start with.
7 Play In A New Language
This one requires restarting the game, but it serves more than one purpose. It will allow the player to catch Pokémon with another language tag and thus granting easier access to the Masuda Method. It will also give the player a chance to learn a new language, or brush up on one that they have been pushing to the backburner.
Then there is also the lovely perk of everything feeling new again. With every single thing having unrecognizable names, suddenly everything is new. It becomes a game once again where the player gets to go, "oh what's that?" The best part is the newer generations are so image heavy, that it makes it even easier to pick up what things mean.
6 Do A Single Type Run
This one is probably going to require a little trading or bringing Pokémon up from other games, but pick a type and play like some of the Gym Leaders. Try to build a team consisting entirely of one type or one kind of Pokémon and see how that particular limitation changes the stakes.
Another option for this is to generate (or roll) a number 1-12 and assign each to a type. Whichever one rolled is the type that has to be used. It is a serious thought challenge at the very least to make sure that it becomes a successful run.
5 Force A Random Pokémon Into The Team
Another one that could be a fun exercise is to roll a number corresponding to one specific Pokémon's National Pokédex number. In Sword and Shield, this would have to be adjusted for the Galarian Pokédex, but the point stands.
Whichever gets rolled is a Pokémon that absolutely must be in the team at all points, or at least one of its evolutions. It can be further adjusted to include or exclude mythicals and legendaries, forcing to just one specific Pokédex, or even a state of evolution.
4 Build Up A Wonder Team
Run out as soon as Pokéballs are available and go catch a full team of Pokémon. Then turn around and shove each one into the Wonder Trade, Suprise Trade, whatever similar system and use those Pokémon throughout the game. Get five Bidoofs? Too bad.
Make it a little easier by continuing to trade until there is a full team of unique Pokémon, but it could also be fun to see what happens with multiples of the same one.
3 Try A Nuzlocke
The Nuzlocke Challenge has been a massive thing spreading across genres for some time and there are just as many variations to the rules. The most important part however is that once a Pokémon is knocked out, they are considered dead and have to either be released, Wonder Traded away, or shoved into a Dead box.
Some versions go so far as to limit the number of Pokémon allowed to be caught to the first one encountered in a route, giving only limited chances to complete the game. Some even limit the usage of items. Pick something that sounds adequately difficult while still retaining the fun and get to it.
2 Get All Of The Variations
There are a number of Pokémon out there that have different variations. Vivillon for example has so many different patterns, one of which having been event exclusive. Alcreamie has different possibilities based on candy used, time of day, direction spun, and length of spin.
So if there is that really intense collection itch, get all of the variations. Really want to hurt the old gaming hands? Get the shinies too. That should keep the painstaking completionist brain going for ages.
1 Max Out Those Levels
Still haven't had enough with the level grinding? Get all of those favorites up to level 100. Sword and Shield make it really easy with all those dynamax battles and exp candies being so readily available, especially if connected to the internet.
If that isn't enough, there are hundreds of Pokémon out there. Get them all to level 100. Train them all to be the very best, strongest ever for no other reason than it's possible. Some people just live for the grind.