Thoughts on the Upcoming Pokemon Switch Game?

[BCVM22]

It really feels like a watered down version of the current mainline Pokemon games tbh.

That's almost exactly what it is. And for people for whom that isn't their cup of a tea, we get a more traditional entry next year.

 

[TTNH03]

For better or for worse, that's basically what it is, and it's on purpose.

Yeah, I can sort of understand that they want to bring in more casual players as well as the ones from Pokemon GO but this is a bit lackluster.
At least we have assurance that the next mainline title (possibly Gen 8) is coming next year though.

Still, it seems like this game is going to be 7th gen.

That's almost exactly what it is. And for people for whom that isn't their cup of a tea, we get a more traditional entry next year.

Yeah, true.

That's what I thought as soon as they announce a new core title in 2019. That's our assurance for those who feel upset about this game.

At least the next game isn't going to be rushed though.

 

[Kazuniya]

This is quite brilliant. They have essentially created a game for more casual fans that is a lot more simplified and easier to play.

This means they can freely make the gen 8 games more difficult, or at the very least, reduce all the handholding.

 

[Bguy7]

Still, it seems like this game is going to be 7th gen.

It is.

 

[Wulava]

I have made a Sticky of all currently known information on the game. Please have a read.

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

That's almost exactly what it is. And for people for whom that isn't their cup of a tea, we get a more traditional entry next year.

I know, but I hope that they don't actually go treating this as their new main series title for stuff like battle competitions. I like playing the online competitions and they're currently on USUM. There'll be pretty much nothing left in USUM without battle competitions if everything moves over. I guess if they don't care enough about battles to even put in wild pokémon battles in these games I shouldn't be too worried but you never know.

I'm honestly not sure why these games are even coming to the Switch, from what it looks like the 3DS should easily be able to run this, they have the same graphics, significantly fewer pokémon, no wild pokémon battles, still no movable camera which is going to be much more frustrating on the Switch than on the 3DS (no map on the lower screen to see where you're going if travelling towards the camera, especially on places like Cycling Road). The graphics in the overworld look blocky and gridlike, the graphics in the battles look the same as in SM except without the black linework, and there are people that hack their 3DS to remove that linework already in the Alola games and it looks the same as this. I don't see anything here except maybe a capture mechanic that requires the move to the Switch. People wanted to move to the Switch because it could do more and be better, not to just be a ported 3DS game.

Edit: Just read that they don't even bother putting in online functionality in this. That pretty much puts the idea that battle competitions are moving over six feet underground. I guess I'm happy about that.

 

[Trainer Yusuf]

At least the next game isn't going to be rushed though.

Neither this game nor the Pokémon Quest are second party or third party games, so... no....

Edit:

I know, but I hope that they don't actually go treating this as their new main series title for stuff like battle competitions.

Theoretically the most recent game is always the battle competition game, but if this game cannot have older Pokémon, then it would be really weird.

But yes, if you can have one to one battles in some form or another, they will use this game, not USUM.

 

[TTNH03]

It is.

Hmm, if that's the case then I wonder if we'll see Mega Evolution and Z-Moves returning.

 

[FrozTKnight]

Okay then. You know what would be a fun surprise. If Gamefreak decides to lie to it's fans that only Gen 1 Pokemon are available and then later a huge surprise is revealed that we can obtained Gen 2 and up from the Sevii Isles. Oh that would be awesome but also unlikely... sigh...

I might sound like a broken record for repeating this but what if they use the Pokemon Go model of updating the game with a new generation in a certain time frame. Because Go has Pokemon past Gen 1 and most Go players might want to use the Pokemon they caught past Gen 1 in LGPE, so it wouldn't that farfetch'd

 

[Bguy7]

I know, but I hope that they don't actually go treating this as their new main series title for stuff like battle competitions. I like playing the online competitions and they're currently on USUM. There'll be pretty much nothing left in USUM without battle competitions if everything moves over. I guess if they don't care enough about battles to even put in wild pokémon battles in these games I shouldn't be too worried but you never know.

If this game is designed for the casual audience, it seems unlikely they would push something inherently hardcore and competitive on it.

I'm honestly not sure why these games are even coming to the Switch, from what it looks like the 3DS should easily be able to run this, they have the same graphics, significantly fewer pokémon, no wild pokémon battles, still no movable camera which is going to be much more frustrating on the Switch than on the 3DS (no map on the lower screen to see where you're going if travelling towards the camera, especially on places like Cycling Road). The graphics in the overworld look blocky and gridlike, the graphics in the battles look the same as in SM except without the black linework, and there are people that hack their 3DS to remove that linework already in the Alola games and it looks the same as this. I don't see anything here except maybe a capture mechanic that requires the move to the Switch. People wanted to move to the Switch because it could do more and be better, not to just be a ported 3DS game.

The graphics look so much better than the 3DS if you ask me. Then there's a good chance that the following Pokémon and wild Pokémon appearing in the overworld wouldn't have worked on the 3DS.

And, personally, the best part about the Switch is simply being able to play on the TV instead of hunched over a tiny screen. That alone justifies moving the franchise to the Switch for me.

Hmm, if that's the case then I wonder if we'll see Mega Evolution and Z-Moves returning.

Given the simplification of the game, I would be inclined to say no, especially for Mega Evolution, but I guess you never know.

 

[WhiteBlair]

We're playing as Red? I'm pretty sure that's not Red. These look like entirely new characters, not redesigns.

He looks like Red from Manga. And if not, it is better since I'd rather see Red/Blue in the story than as playable characters.

Hmm, if that's the case then I wonder if we'll see Mega Evolution and Z-Moves returning.

While following Eurogamer on Twitter, I saw a tweet about Joy-Cons being used to perform Z-Moves.

 

[Mega Altaria]

Hmm, if that's the case then I wonder if we'll see Mega Evolution and Z-Moves returning.

It is at a very early stage so at this stage Z-Moves and Mega Evolution may or may not be in the game. But I'd definitely like these to be in so that newer players can get more immersed into them.

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

The graphics look so much better than the 3DS if you ask me. Then there's a good chance that the following Pokémon and wild Pokémon appearing in the overworld wouldn't have worked on the 3DS.

And, personally, the best part about the Switch is simply being able to play on the TV instead of hunched over a tiny screen. That alone justifies moving the franchise to the Switch for me.

Following pokémon already worked back on the Game Boy in the original Pokémon Yellow. It's really not hardware limitations that holds this back. And the fact that they barely even show it on a TV in the trailer is also concerning, I'm not sure if they even have the resolution to support that. Besides, I don't care about connecting to a TV, I don't even have a TV.

And seriously, what about the graphics looks better than in USUM?

 

[Mega Altaria]

Following pokémon already worked back on the Game Boy in the original Pokémon Yellow. It's really not hardware limitations that holds this back.

Except the difference is that following Pokémon will be a model rather than a sprite, which takes much less memory than a model.

 

[BCVM22]

I know, but I hope that they don't actually go treating this as their new main series title for stuff like battle competitions.

US/UM will almost certainly remain the competitive standard until next year's games release. I don't think there's any real question about that.

I'm honestly not sure why these games are even coming to the Switch

Because Nintendo has more desire to start Pokémon's run on the Switch and more to gain from starting Pokémon's run on the Switch than they do in continuing the franchise's run on the 3DS. These games serve as a gateway to people whose only exposure thus far may have been Pokémon GO, and in trying for that crowd and other individuals new to the franchise or even the medium, Nintendo wants people buying their fancy console/hybrid that they intend to support for years to come, not their seven-year-old handheld that's basically taking a victory lap before it fades away gracefully. Furthermore, all that stuff you see going on in the overworld in the trailers? Two players on the screen (something else the 3DS wouldn't have been able to do) with all the wild Pokémon roaming around? The 3DS can't do that. Sun/Moon and Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon were already pushing it to its limits. It's not always about pure graphics - a better system means more going on at once under the hood. And finally, the GO integration would have been impossible on the 3DS, as that hardware doesn't have the Bluetooth connection that makes communication possible between the Switch and any properly-equipped smartphone.

So no, the 3DS would not have "easily be able to run this." It would have struggled with many of the key aspects and made most of them impossible.

 

[Trainer Yusuf]

And seriously, what about the graphics looks better than in USUM?

For starters, textures(which are largely ripped off GO) look substantially better. Lighting and color depth is also obviously superior due to better hardware.

These are small but significant changes. But yes, actual models look worse because of the chibi artstyle and washed up colors. Aliasing is also bad but that is standard for Switch.

 

[Bguy7]

He looks like Red from Manga. And if not, it is better since I'd rather see Red/Blue in the story than as playable characters.

I'll admit that's a lot closer, but why would they base his design off the manga? They just redesigned Red for Sun and Moon, I doubt he's getting an even more drastic redesign in the same generation.

Following pokémon already worked back on the Game Boy in the original Pokémon Yellow. It's really not hardware limitations that holds this back.

That was with sprites, not complex 3D models.

And seriously, what about the graphics looks better than in USUM?

If you can't see it, it's hard to explain. But essentially, the graphics looks so much more crisp and smooth, and the colors are so much more vibrant.

 

[Sulfurian]

To be honest the main games themselves need a serious overhaul, or just quality of life changes that are not limited to wait times of several hours.

Am I saying pokemon go should be a major feature like this for the core games? No, but honestly this seems better than: start game, play decent story, finish story, game collects dust somewhere. Unless you play the recycled battle Maison.

The core games need something and I am happy what I'm seeing so far. If you just add bullshit into battle mechanics it's not gonna really improve the overall experience.

 

[Xuxuba]

So are we going to call this gen 8 or what?

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

So are we going to call this gen 8 or what?

No, it's gen 1.