Hey everyone.

I'm going to figure everyone knows about the Spikey Eared Pichu you can get in Heartgold and Soulsilver due to the special Pichu we can get right now in Diamond and Pearl.

If you want to skip my little introduction, just skip to where I have the writing in bold down below.

For many of us long time Pokemon fans, the series appears to have run its course. We've been with the series since we were 6 or 7 and have played generation after generation of the cool little critters.

But I know many of you have wondered (even some of you die-hard fans) the same thing: where are they going to go with it next?

We've seen nice little improvements to Pokemon since Gold and Silver came out, and even revolutionary changes have occurred visually and in the battle system.

Now with the possibility of a 5th generation of Pokemon and a supposed "new direction" for the series, we all can't help but wonder how they could possibly make the series feel new and original when it seems like they've done all we know they can do.

So here is my theory that connects the future of Pokemon with the Spikey Eared Pichu:

I believe Nintendo and Game Freak have been experimenting with little changes in the game (such as Shaymin Sky Forme or the Spikey Eared Pichu) to figure out what to do with the series after the D/P/Pt. series. I think that having the Spikey Eared Pichu was a test to see if fans would get into wanting to have it based on its unique characteristics (moves, appearance, etc.).

If GF and Nintendo want to really take the series in a "new direction," I say that it's going to be in visual alteration (and possibly moves) of the Pokemon by the will of the trainer.

In a way, you could think of it like the Chao in the Sonic Adventure series. Use certain items and treat them a certain way to get different appearances and abilities.

Now, the drawback to going this way for Pokemon is that they'd be creating a feature that many people might not like or want. Some might feel this detracts from what makes the series feel and play the way it does today.

However, if this feature is controllable, many may like the idea of customizing their Pokemon into different sprites based on color or other appearances. Imagine having options as to how a Charizard could look. I'm not talking about making it easier to get "shiny" Pokemon. Maybe a slightly darker red color or a larger flame on the tip of the tail, or even a different eye color.

This all might seem small at first, but add enough little changes to the Pokemon and it really becomes your own.

So, let me know what you guys think about my theory for Pokemon.

It's possible - they also seem to have been playing around on the small scale with many things, like 3D in the distortion world. Similarly, to add to your theory, you could say that ball seals are kind-of this way - with several seals, and the ability to place 8 on one ball, you have a lot of creativity that is still optional, and easy to turn off if they choose not to support it in a future game or something.

I'm not sure if this will actually come to be, but I like the idea. Customization is not only in gaming 'vogue' right now, but is also fitting for individuals like coordinators who would have good reason to make aesthetic changes. It might make certain monsters less iconic, though, especially if a customized look catches on.

Also, if you could write this in essay or paragraph form, this kind of thing would make a nice addition to the articles sub-forum.

Pretty good theory but I think Game Freak did go "To Far" with formes when they came out with notched eared pichu.

Customizable Pokemon sprites? That'd be cool, give your team your own little touch.

But, I also want custom avatars. Like, cool modifications to the base sprites like PBR had.

This is interesting. The problem, is making it work. You'd need to have more complicated imaging than sprites for sure, as that would take a colossal amount of memory, and would greatly restrict room for anything else.

I'd say this is a plausible feature.

Some characterization in my Pokemon games would be quite enjoyable at the start, but it might not last long, We'll see.