He's saying that Bulbasaur, Chikorita, Treecko, and Turtwig are all reptillian.
Anyway, I agree with you for the most part, other than the GS stuff, as Pokemon Gold and Silver were the natural and logical sequels to Red and Blue. They kept the formula but expanded on it enough to make it a lot better without alienating fans of the last games. They added new types, new moves, Baby Pokemon, Breeding, the Radio, a day and night system, the ability to trade back in time with RBY, etc. Also, it was the first (and only) to allow you to travel back to the region of the first game, meeting old characters and stuff. Gold and Silver also acted like a sequel in the way they reference old characters and events and all the changes that have happened between the first and second gen, like:
-Koda, a gym leader from the first gen, is now a member of the Elite Four, while his daughter replaces him at his gym.
-Lance is no longer a member of the elite four, but the Champion, while Blue(the former Champion and first gen's rival..) has taken over Giovanni's place at the Veridian Gym after Giovanni(former leader of Team Rocket) leaves.
-Cinnabar island's volcano erupted, destroying the city and forcing the gym to be relocated to the island to the right(which I believe once nested a legendary bird..)
-Although there is a new Proffesor(Elm), Proffesor Oak is still a large part of the Pokemon community, giving you your pokedex and monitoring its completion, and hosting his own radio talkshow.
-Red(Ash), the protagonist of the first game is now available to be battled at Mt. Silver, where he has a Pikachu, Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, and Snorlax of insanely high levels.
-Rydel's bike shop has been relocated to Goldenrod, and his old shop remains locked up in Cerulean!
Etc.
Ever since RSE they have lost all storyline ties to the originals, which GSC tried very hard not to do...
Anyway, I agree about the armor thing, it seems like such a pointless thing to add.
I recently replayed through Gold, getting to own about 200 or so without the use of trading whatsoever. I could keep going(I have beaten everything other than Red, and I still haven't even attempted to get Lugia
), and I don't think I would be nearly as motivated to do so in DP(and I surely wasn't in Ruby..).