Pokemon Sword and Shieldwill be the new generation in the franchise. The game will launch in late 2019 worldwide so expect a holiday release. It is set in the Galar Region which features snowy and green mountains, European-like towns, and caves.
Of course, the three starters were announced. Grookey, a mischievous monkey, Scorbunny, an active bunny, and Sobble, a timid water lizard. I’m not a huge fan of the designs and they looked extremely small in the gameplay trailer.
Gameplay
It still looks like traditional Pokemon and it seems to be using the same engine as Pokemon Let’s Go. Characters are much taller looking than before, especially the playable character. Perhaps these are signs of the game trying to reach an adolescent market. Random battles have returned which is unfortunate. I personally enjoyed that Pokemon Let’s Go allowed players to see which Pokemon they would run into. However, you can battle wild Pokemon again.
More announcements are coming soon so come back for your Pokemon news soon.
Everyone loves Starter Pokemon but there are always arguments on who is the best starter. (It’s Charmander btw) However, the cutest starter is also a hot competition. Last month on Japan’s polling site, Goo Ranking, they asked fans to vote for the cutest starters. The list is below.
Piplup – 525 votes
Charmander – 309 votes
Squirtle – 294 votes
Chikorita – 231 votes
Bulbasaur – 220 votes
Torchic – 188 votes
Cyndaquil – 149 votes
Rowlet – 104 votes
Fennekin – 93 votes
Litten – 86 votes
Oshawott – 81 votes
Snivy – 62 votes
Mudkip – 48 votes
Popplio – 35 votes
Froakie – 34 votes
Totodile/Chimchar – 33 Votes
Tepig – 27 votes
Turtwig – 25 votes
Treecko – 23 votes
Chespin – votes
Who are your favorite starter Pokemon? Do you agree with the list?
You know what sucks about step counters? Your phone not reading your steps while it’s idle or the application is not opened. It was especially bad with Pokemon Go. Players had to leave the Pokemon Go app open on their phone and walk to count their steps. This was draining on your phone but it was the only way for the app to count your steps to hatch Pokemon Eggs or Candies. The initial solution was for players to purchase a Pokemon Go Tracker. Now Niantic is finally adding Adventure Sync.
The application syncs in the background with iOS HealthKit and Android Google Fit. This allows players to leave the Pokemon Go app idle or even closed on your phone and helps you save battery life. It will also provide weekly rewards to players who walk or run certain kilometers. The launch will be global but the official release date is unconfirmed.
The game has been a huge success for Nintendo and Niantic. Despite its first year having technical issues, the company has been working hard to cater to fans demands. They have gradually rolled out more features and Nintendo is slowly beginning to have a grip on the mobile market. Fire Emblem Heroes, Mario Run, and Animal Crossing have scratch casual fans’ itches for a Nintendo game. Early this year, Analyst Sensor Tower reported a $1.8 billion in revenue for Pokemon Go and $400 million for Fire Emblem Heroes.
Fire Emblem… HEROES!!!!!
Are you playing Pokemon Go? Did you stop or did you recently get back into the game?
I’ve been playing Pokemon ever since I was four years old. I’ve played every generation of handhelds Pokemon series: From Yellow to Ultra Moon. Like every longtime fan, I’ve been waiting for a new big entry into the series for the consoles and when the Switch was announced, it was a dream come true. “A console that can also be a handheld?! This is perfect for Pokemon!” When Pokemon Let’s Go: Pikachu/Eevee Edition was announced, I was ecstatic as every Pokemon players dreams came too. As the game comes closer to release on November 16th, I hear more news which discourages me from buying the game.
Back to Kanto in the Wrong Way
The first generation Pokemon are classics. Their designs are great, simple, and appeal to every age. What isn’t a classic is Kanto. While Gold & Silver are revolutionary for including the Kanto region thanks to Iwada, the appeal was because players just played the first generation and it provided more opportunities to explore than Johto. Players want to explore more than one region, it doesn’t have to be Kanto. I think going back to Kanto and only having Kanto is a mistake.
I think starting with the first generation of Pokemon and simplifying the genre for potential new players is good, I wish it wasn’t the next big Pokemon game. While Gamefreaks (Developers of Pokemon) have confirmed they are working on the next generation for 2019, I am worried they believe having one big region to explore is what fans want.
The map looks amazing but if you filter through it, it’s just the same thing we have played before
Simplifying the Catching System
Pokemon Go completely changed how we catch Pokemon. Rather than clicking the button, we can now feel and throw the ball in Pokemon Let’s Go! However, catching them feels more like luck than strategy. While weakening Pokemon isn’t complex, it helps makes the player like they are working towards a higher success rate. The biggest annoyance in Pokemon Go is Pokemon running away after failing to catch. While curve throws and aiming are skill based, GameFreaks didn’t need to cut out the Pokemon battling portion. Both systems should be available but Junichi Masuda (Director of Pokemon) felt the game changes needed to be made for the Switch game.
Give me that Clefairy
Forcing Gym Battles to be easier
Siliconera showed a new screenshot regarding Gym battles. In front of most gyms, an NPC stands to give you advice on how to beat the Gym Leader with certain Pokemon types. In Pokemon Let’s Go, they won’t let you even challenge the leader until you have a Pokemon that is type effective against them. While it is great for new players to hear, it removes the freedom of gameplay. You should be allowed to challenge and play however you like in Pokemon. Letting players struggle should be an active learning experience.
Translate: You need a Water or Grass Type Pokemon to challenge
Conclusion:
I hope Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee does well. While I will most likely skip this game, I love the series. I think it may be a test to see how players respond to the changes before they consider finalizing the details on Pokemon 2019. Many of the changes are controversial to longtime players like me but perhaps the sales numbers and review responses will affect future gameplay changes. I like Pokemon Go but I treat it like a different game than the main series. I prefer the style of a console game to be different than a mobile game.
The Gaming News Corner 