But it's not bad or ugly. Just really simple, which I'd take over looking jagged and ugly any day. Bonus for 60fps.
Pokémon is turn-based RPG. It's not a precision game (like i.e. Star Fox). Doesn't need 60 fps. 30 is enough.
4th gen for example wasn't slow because of fps, but untapped potential in hardware and possibly poor coding. How were GF able to do faster health bars and transitions in 5th gen with same hardware and pseudo 3D arenas as opposed to 2D graphics in 4th gen? Even Platinum and HGSS are faster than DP. BW saves faster than DPPt too, obviously not due to fps but hardware utilization.
The 3D models alone in XYORAS are a lot better looking than any sprite in RSEFRLG. The 3rd gen sprites are among the worst in the series, only superior to certain 1st and 2nd gen sprites, and not even all of them. It also saves GF the need to make a 3D arena battling Pokémon game on the Wii U, since the 3DS is more than enough for that and the effects look very pretty.
The better way is to achieve balance. If your game hits 60 fps but looks like a pile of turd you won't impress the mainstream buyer. Console makers have always tried to demonstrate what their machines are capable of, and this isn't achieved by 60 fps but better looks since those create the first impression and you can give up a few fps if needed. There's an ideal balance between fluidity and eyecandy for each machine and each gamer. 60 fps should be a ceiling rather than a medium number, especially since above 60 fps count is irrelevant to most gamers, not cost effective in the case of people who want the eyecandy, and not interesting for people who give more importance to immersion by graphics rather than fluidity. Consoles themselves shouldn't even be trying to aspire to constant 60 fps, because they're too weak for that.
I remember in some N64 games you could switch between low and highres modes. I preferred the lowres mode in Perfect Dark because it was faster while still looking better than Rare's previous title Goldeneye. But it still wasn't 60 fps. And the gameplay was adjusted for that, since N64 controller doesn't provide same precision as mouse aiming, and guards reacted slower. To rise to 60 fps on the N64 you needed very basic graphics like those in F-Zero X, which was a game where sense of speed was needed, hence giving everything up for 60 fps.
