Yeah, gen V added difficulty levels, but only in the sequels and only on a new game +, so yeah, that isn't much.

Still, I completely disagree with you, Formy. I think trying and "failing" (which is subjective here, because if you can't tell, V is my absolute favorite gen) is not better than not trying at all. A status quo in games like Dragon Quest is good because the only thing it does keep consistently is the art style and classic battle system - for Pokemon, a series similarly beloved in Japan, this was really a much welcomed step forward because it kept those same things that made the series great while trying to do something different. Same reason why I love FFXII and Dragon Quarter, two very contested games in their respective franchises - they all dated to be different and in doing so have me an unexpectedly satisfying experience that no other game in the series could provide.