Japanese Language

Absolutely. Kanji is extremely convenient. Though I think for intermediate to advanced learners it can actually become a crutch and a disadvantage to rely exclusively on Kanji.

For example, the Pokemon games shouldn't be a painful experience, because recognizing words by their pronunciation is no different from listening to someone talk, so I think struggling with them probably reflects a lower listening skill level compared to a higher reading level.

Ultimately, I don't think Kanji is actually necessary for writing or reading Japanese. You can hear people talk, give lectures, and communicate orally just fine, which is functionally the same as writing and reading only in kana. But once you know how to read Kanji, it's so convenient, there is very little reason to stop using it. In text, it removes any ambiguity from homophones. It also provides a clear visual structure to sentences. It helps save space and make information concise. And so much more. Kanji is awesome!

But yeah, don't let kanji become a crutch where you wouldn't be able to make out words just by their pronunciation, if you aim to be fluent in Japanese.