A game that makes a good entry point to a genre isn't necessarily also a good game for established fans. If Pokemon Red/Blue were designed for established RPG fans and more complex as a result, I don't think it ever would've had the same level of mainstream success. Same deal with Final Fantasy VII and how extremely easy it is.

I was already an established RPG fan when Pokemon came out too, and it didn't catch my interest. I didn't bother playing it until the 00s, and I ended up finding it mediocre, but I was also playing with zero involvement with anyone else (of course, considering most Pokemon players had moved on to later releases at that point). I can see how the collecting, trading, PvP battling, etc. would make it appealing to many, though. I have enjoyed collecting Pokemon in some of the non-RPGs, like Snap, Pinball, and Go.