“Pokemon Players Reveal the Hilarious Names They Gave Their Rivals in Older Games”
Pokemon fans have taken to social media to share the funny names they gave their rivals in the early Pokemon games, sparking a wave of nostalgic and humorous responses from players around the world.
One of the most iconic elements of the Pokemon series is the rival Pokemon trainer who competes with players throughout the game. Whether they’re friendly characters or total jerks, the rival often becomes one of the most memorable characters in the game as they face off against the player in battle and sometimes even fight alongside them against shared enemies.
In the early Pokemon games, players had the option to rename their rivals, leading to some hilarious results. A recent thread on the Pokemon subreddit asked players to share the names they gave their rivals in older games, resulting in a flood of comical and creative responses.
“I distinctly remember taking the rival at face value during Gen 2, and naming him ‘???’. When I learned that it was supposed to be whatever you like, I went on to name him ‘Scumbag’ in later playthroughs,” one user shared.
Another player wrote, “I remember I didn’t know many bad words as a kid so I named my rival ‘Hot Mama.’ For some reason I saw that as an insult.”
Many others admitted to using inappropriate or swear words as the names for their rivals, a practice that would not fly in the later games due to the introduction of a word filter that prevented certain terms from being used as names.
Despite the immaturity of some of the names, players noted that giving their rivals humorous monikers added a fun and lighthearted twist to the game. Just like naming Pokemon in a Nuzlocke run, giving rivals funny names ensures that players will never forget them, even if they can be seen as boring characters at times.
Ultimately, the lighthearted fun of renaming rivals in the early Pokemon games serves as a reminder of the creativity and humor that players have brought to the series over the years. As Pokemon continues to evolve and grow, it’s clear that the bond between players and their rivals remains as strong as ever.