Pokemon Stars Discussion Thread (Speculation)

[Arceus the Dragon]

The 3ds can handle triple and rotation battles. They were in gen 6. Walking with pokemon should not appear again.

 

[Soki]

I doubt Triple/Rotation Battles would appear in Stars. I don't think they were removed because the 3DS couldn't handle them anymore, I think they were removed because there's simply not enough people who care about them.

 

[epicgordan]

Now, another theory...what if Pokémon Stars is simply Sun and Moon ported over to the Switch, and given a colossal overhaul? Like an expansive Pokedex (at the very least, the return of the National Pokedex and a means of completing it between the two games), many more island trials (like the 3+ trial sites that did not have a trial of their very own--like the ones on Ten Carat Hill, Haina Desert, and Mount Lanakila), and possibly the return of gyms (either during the game or post-game as an excuse to rematch the majority of the Trial Captains). Given that there's one empty lot on Melemele Island, three on Akala, two or three on Ula'Ula (still haven't gotten that far yet), and one on Poni, it's highly likely our eight gym leaders could end up being the following if that's true:

1. Ilima (Hau'Oli Gym): Normal
2. Kiawe (Royal Avenue Gym): Fire
3. Mallow (Haenae Gym): Grass
4. Lana (Konikoni Gym): Water
5. Molayne (Hokulani Gym): Steel
6. Plumeria (Tapu Village): Poison
7. Nanu (Malie City): Dark
8. Mina (Seafolk Village): Fairy

And then finally, we'd get three new island trials representing Flying, Psychic, and Ice. The four Kahuna can then remain as they are. As would the Island Trials from Sun and Moon. So in total, instead of merely being given the Steel, Poison, or Fairy-type Z-Crystals, we'd have to earn them via the gyms. Nanu's gym might even double as a Grand Trial as well. Plus, you'd still have to solve Sophocle's and Accelroga's trials as well as complete the one on Vast Poni Canyon.

So in other words, we'd have half the gyms leaders doubling as Trial Captains, plus one Kahuna doubling as a gym leader as well (Mina and Molayne could simply be relegated to gym leader status who either were former Trial Captains or currently still are, but simply not active). Kahili might even get an expanded role as a Trial Captain herself--I'd might consider calling her a gym leader, but since she's also a member of the Elite 4, I don't think it'd work out very well); just relocate the Ten Carat Hill trial over to her golf course we never got to explore (even though it's totally mapped out).

We'd also have the Psychic and Ice-type Trials, though I have no idea who the captains in this case could be. Maybe Faba and Lillie, but if I'd have to guess, I'd say we'd get two new Trial Captains here if that's the case (well, we do know that we had to complete Hapu's Grand Trial before completing the final trial in the Island Trial Challenge, so perhaps the Ice-type trial could simply be the final Trial the islanders would need to complete before facing the Elite 4. The only problem then would be the Psychic-type Trial. Especially since you get the Psychium-Z at a place where there are absolutely no Psychic-type Pokémon (heck, the same applies with Flyium-Z being located at a place where there aren't any birds to capture--even then, at least I'm suggesting a possible relocation here to Kahili's inaccessible golf course).

I thought about relocating it to Exeggutor Island, except the only Psychic-type Pokémon that you can find over there is a lonely Exeggcute.

So there you have it, ten trials plus eight gyms. Four of which would overlap with each other to make 13 type-based Z-Crystals in your rewards. You then throw in the four Kahuna--one of which is also a gym leader, leading the tally up to 17 Z-Crystals in total. That would just leave Bugium-Z alone in the possession of Guzma. And even then, maybe we can reorganize just how you get it? I am kind of bumbed out that Guzma never even bothered to use a Z-Crystal at any point at all in the game, even though he already had one in his treasure trove. Still, I think it's rather fitting that he would somehow be how you'd get it in the game anyways, let alone in Po Town).

As for the species-based Z-Crystals...who cares, really? Maybe you get them from Hau and Kukui again, as well as some random NPC's if you complete a difficult sidequest or two.

 

[PurplePopplio]

The 3ds can handle triple and rotation battles. They were in gen 6. Walking with pokemon should not appear again.

If the 3DS can handle Triple and Rotation, why were they removed from Sun and Moon then?

 

[SUP3RN0VA]

The production of them would eat up development assets that could've gone to other things. Wasting assets on pretty graphics, as we seen before, is never a good idea.

All of these arguments make no sense. They wouldn't lose money because Pokemon is going to end up on the Nintendo Switch regardless if it happens with Pokemon Stars or gen VIII first. It makes no difference. They are going to have to do all of these things when they do move to the Nintendo Switch, which we all know is going to happen, so how does it make a difference whether they start doing all that work for Pokemon Stars or if they start it in get VIII?

There are no benefits to Stars being on Switch in my opinion. It would become incompatible with SM. Shouldn't put the rest of gen 7 on the Switch in my opinion. I rather they just do gen 8 on the Switch instead of Stars.

There are plenty of benefits whether you disagree with Stars being on the Switch or not. There are undeniable benefits. Better graphics to name a simple one. Also, there's the fact that you can play Pokémon on the television screen in HD as well as portably. Not to mention, the fact that they can add a vast amount of things that they couldn't add due to SM due to SM already reaching the limits of the 3DS.

Again, you may disagree with Pokémon Stars being on Nintendo Switch, however, there are undeniable benefits, no matter what your personal feelings towards it are.

 

[djinnEXE]

Isn't Mount Lanakili basically Victory Road?

Anyway since they're slowly adopting other RPG mechanics I want a more meaningful quest system
Fighting an entire road of trainers for 10 random balls is boring, give us VS seeker or Amulet Coin or TMs even

 

[SirOni]

The 3ds can handle triple and rotation battles.

Not anymore. You've played Sun and Moon so you should know this to be demonstrably false now.

 

[NinjutsuSen]

After thinking a while about a possible Stars version for the Switch, I have to say now that this would indeed be the most stupid decision they would make since Pokemon excist if this generation is 3 years long.

Now we have Sun and Moon which came out in 2016. If Stars will be released as a simple port with some new features for the Switch and this game probably ment to be the last release for this gen (since 3 years generation all had 2 releases before), then there will be a 3 years gap INTERNATIONALLY until we get some brand new games in 2019. Stars being a Switch game with a low installment base by then won't help. Worse than DP->HG/SS, since there weren't worldwide release dates back in Gen IV with the whole world needing to wait three full years until we get new games. The wait between ORAS and SM was already painfull, now slapping another year onto that gap would be awful.

 

[SUP3RN0VA]

After thinking a while about a possible Stars version for the Switch, I have to say now that this would indeed be the most stupid decision they would make since Pokemon excist if this generation is 3 years long.

Now we have Sun and Moon which came out in 2016. If Stars will be released as a simple port with some new features for the Switch and this game probably ment to be the last release for this gen (since 3 years generation all had 2 releases before), then there will be a 3 years gap INTERNATIONALLY until we get some brand new games in 2019. Stars being a Switch game with a low installment base by then won't help. Worse than DP->HG/SS, since there weren't worldwide release dates back in Gen IV with the whole world needing to wait three full years until we get new games. The wait between ORAS and SM was already painfull, now slapping another year onto that gap would be awful.

I'm confused with what you are trying to say here. Stars is rumoured to be released around the end (or atleast second half of the year) if I remember correctly, which means that by the time Stars is released, it will already be the second year of Gen VI. Abiding by your rule (it is yours, as Gamefreak has never stated that generations HAVE to be three years long), then the third year will be the only blank year and then the year after that is when we'd get a new generation. How is that waiting three years without any games?

 

[Silktree]

I'm confused with what you are trying to say here. Stars is rumoured to be released around the end (or atleast second half of the year) if I remember correctly, which means that by the time Stars is released, it will already be the second year of Gen VI. Abiding by your rule (it is yours, as Gamefreak has never stated that generations HAVE to be three years long), then the third year will be the only blank year and then the year after that is when we'd get a new generation. How is that waiting three years without any games?

He's saying that Stars doesn't count as a brand new game.

I'm surprised that people are actually considering the possibility of Stars being the last Generation VII game. If Game Freak are already moving onto the Switch, then that means that there is no real need to release the next generation in 2019. I highly doubt that they're upgrading the Generation VII engine just for a third version; chances are the real reason for the transition is the 2018 games.

It's easy to call Stars a dumb decision if you don't think about the bigger picture.

 

[PurplePopplio]

If there are games after Stars, if it's real, in 2018 then it has to be either Sinnoh remakes/sequels, Kanto remakes/sequels, Kalos sequels, Gen 8 or something unexpected. I am actually hoping for the Kanto sequels.

 

[NinjutsuSen]

I'm confused with what you are trying to say here. Stars is rumoured to be released around the end (or atleast second half of the year) if I remember correctly, which means that by the time Stars is released, it will already be the second year of Gen VI. Abiding by your rule (it is yours, as Gamefreak has never stated that generations HAVE to be three years long), then the third year will be the only blank year and then the year after that is when we'd get a new generation. How is that waiting three years without any games?

Like I've said IF the generation is three years long. Never stated it going to be three years long for sure. But all previous generations were at least three years long. Of course they just could release Gen 8 in 2018, but I've argued that three years until some brand new games come out with a simple "upgrade/third version" world wide release in between would turn off the hype Pokemon got over the last months.
Stars would generate a low amount of sales, especially if it's on a new system with a low installment base and if it's going to be a simple third version without much of new stuff or much worse a simple port of SM. Of course Stars would be a new game, but not an brand new experience like the most third versions, since it's the same game with some new features. Players, who aren't interested into third versions or ports (which are about 9-10 million looking at the difference of generation debut games and their third versions), have to wait 3 years until a new experience arrives or at least hear about.

IMO another game after Stars would be unlikely to me. Generation VIII debut would be 2019 at the latest which would mean that they would release pokemon games 4 years in a row. Too many games at once and it would cause problems to the development of the new generation. It also unlikely that they just port SM to the Switch without any new features or at least graphical improvements like DP->Platinum. It would be very weak and underwhelming if they just port these games into the Switch without any new things which would generate even lower selling numbers and then they just could skip Stars for good.

 

[Tuoko]

what if Pokémon Stars is simply Sun and Moon ported over to the Switch, and given a colossal overhaul? Like an expansive Pokedex (at the very least, the return of the National Pokedex and a means of completing it between the two games)

It won't be called Sun/Moon then. And why should the National Dex return? Bank will get it in the near future.

As for being able to complete the National Dex in one game with two versions, you shouldn't really expect that.

it's highly likely our eight gym leaders could end up being the following if that's true:

1. Ilima (Hau'Oli Gym): Normal
2. Kiawe (Royal Avenue Gym): Fire
3. Mallow (Haenae Gym): Grass
4. Lana (Konikoni Gym): Water
5. Molayne (Hokulani Gym): Steel
6. Plumeria (Tapu Village): Poison
7. Nanu (Malie City): Dark
8. Mina (Seafolk Village): Fairy

Why would Nanu of all people be a Gym Leader? If you played the games, then you'd know he refused to be an Elite Four member. He's a Kahuna because he can't reject it.

I don't get why the Gyms should be in Alola. Wouldn't that go against what Kukui said with wanting to show the other regions how Alola is?

 

[LuxrayOfTheWild]

Nanu being a Gym Leader is kinda wishful thinking. We know he's a Dark type user and many people want to see a Dark type gym for once. If he refused to join the Elite 4, because he thought he had no obligation to, I don't think he'd accept the role of Gym Leader either.

 

[Lufenium]

If Stars going on Switch is real, then I would say 2018 is a realistic expectation for Gen VIII.

It'd certainly explain why only one new mythical was found in the Sun/Moon data.

 

[Glaceon Mage]

Considering how lazy Elite 4 members are compared to Gym Leaders (they basically just hang out in the League waiting for 10 year olds to beat them up, while Gym Leaders at least had some activity outside the gyms in later gens), I HIGHLY doubt Nanu would be game for being a Gym Leader if he wasn't game for being Elite 4.

 

[NinjutsuSen]

Honestly when Stars is indeed a third version, then GF would become more unpopular in my eyes since they lied themself into their faces because "no more third versions" they stated back in 2011.

And it won't impress me. No impressioning new features and more landmass to explore and I will skip it for good.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Isn't Mount Lanakili basically Victory Road?

Not really. The only similarity between Mount Lanakili and traditional Victory Roads is that Victory Roads are long, daunting, puzzling dungeons usually filled with trainers. Vast Poni Canyon is more similar to Victory Road in spirit than Mount Lanakili is, that's more the kind of dungeon you would expect Victory Road to be like. Mount Lanakili is just a short cavern with no one in it. It's possible they could make it into a Victory Road in a sequel, maybe remove the elevators and expand it with extra floors, but right now it's not quite the same.

Anyway since they're slowly adopting other RPG mechanics I want a more meaningful quest system
Fighting an entire road of trainers for 10 random balls is boring, give us VS seeker or Amulet Coin or TMs even

Or better yet, unlockable Pokemon. They really should take a page from the Ranger series' quest system, as they did a pretty good job of making those quests a little more worthwhile. You didn't just get rewarded with some menial upgrades, but completing certain missions actually caused new Pokemon to appear in the area. That would make the quest system more dynamic and rewarding, there'd be a lot more incentive to complete them if you could catch new Pokemon that way.

I'm confused with what you are trying to say here. Stars is rumoured to be released around the end (or atleast second half of the year) if I remember correctly, which means that by the time Stars is released, it will already be the second year of Gen VI. Abiding by your rule (it is yours, as Gamefreak has never stated that generations HAVE to be three years long), then the third year will be the only blank year and then the year after that is when we'd get a new generation. How is that waiting three years without any games?

What he's trying to say is it'd be 3 years without new content. In that scenario you'd have 7th gen -> Port of 7th gen -> Gap year -> 8th gen, and he's not counting Stars as a new game since it's a port that's largely the same game. Really, we've had something similar in the past with 1st and 2nd gen, games like JP Blue, Yellow, and Crystal are equally as similar as Stars would probably be, but it's been a long time since then and it'd be a huge step back.

Honestly when Stars is indeed a third version, then GF would become more unpopular in my eyes since they lied themself into their faces because "no more third versions" they stated back in 2011.

And it won't impress me. No impressioning new features and more landmass to explore and I will skip it for good.

Yeah, Stars would really hurt their reputation because it would show how ridiculously arbitrary and inconsistent they are with this series. It's been bad enough that they've been phasing in and out certain gameplay features and mechanics. Now they're starting to do the same thing with entire games, you'd have no idea what kind of game you'd get. And while that might sound good on the surface (because God knows the industry is way too samey and predictable right now), the reality of that is that they'd be releasing games with varying standards of quality and it'd be difficult to trust them anymore. Look right now at XY vs. SM. One was a relatively shallow experience with minimal content and a storyline that seems to be poorly thought out. The other is a finely polished experience brimming with personality and content. Guess which one is getting more fleshed out? How can you continue to buy a game from them if you don't know if it'll be like XY or SM?

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

If the 3DS can handle Triple and Rotation, why were they removed from Sun and Moon then?

Probably because they wanted Sun and Moon to be even more different to previous games.

There are plenty of benefits whether you disagree with Stars being on the Switch or not. There are undeniable benefits. Better graphics to name a simple one. Also, there's the fact that you can play Pokémon on the television screen in HD as well as portably. Not to mention, the fact that they can add a vast amount of things that they couldn't add due to SM due to SM already reaching the limits of the 3DS.

Again, you may disagree with Pokémon Stars being on Nintendo Switch, however, there are undeniable benefits, no matter what your personal feelings towards it are.

Playing pokemon on a TV is a utter joke in my opinion. Graphics maybe one but that is not enough to support Stars on Switch. And no, the 3DS hasn't reached it's limits. People are assuming that because they want to move on to a new handheld more quickly.

Not anymore. You've played Sun and Moon so you should know this to be demonstrably false now.

Actually it isn't. Sun and Moon didn't have them because they were always a gen 5 format but were allowed to be in one more gen. Gen 7 is basically new so they decided that triple and rotations were done.

 

[NinjutsuSen]

Actually it isn't. Sun and Moon didn't have them because they were always a gen 5 format but were allowed to be in one more gen. Gen 7 is basically new so they decided that triple and rotations were done.

Don't act like they are generation exclusive things. Double are still in the games since generation three because it is a good addition to the game. Triple and rotation battles despite having some gameplay problems also had fans and an own CP format in Smogon. Removing them is just a loss of content.

And no, the 3DS hasn't reached it's limits. People are assuming that because they want to move on to a new handheld more quickly.

Yes the 3DS definitely reached it's limit with SM. Not content wise, but technical. It's going to be impossible to improve the current SM graphics like XY->ORAS without causing lags. SM already are using the RAM of the 3DS home manuel to an degree, noticable when you close the game or when you turn off the power of the 3DS.