Official Pre-Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield Speculation & Leaks thread

[Esserise]

I felt like USUM undid all of Lillie’s character development- instead of confronting her mother and leaving to have her own independent adventure with her newfound confidence, her mother is just framed as being “the lesser of two evils” and Lillie goes back to living with her and gets a Clefairy?

I gotta’ disagree here. USUM really just accelerate in the direction that SM were already heading in - to have Lillie become a Trainer with a reformed mom and a repaired family. Lillie doesn’t leave to have her own “independent” adventure in SM - the main reason why she is going to Kanto is in order to find a treatment for Lusamine, who was left in rough shape by fusing with Nihilego, and Lillie talks about how she’s been trying to help Lusamine understand what she did wrong. Lillie wouldn’t even need to go to Kanto if it weren’t for the link between Lusamine’s fusion and Bill’s; I assume she’d prefer to stay in Alola if she could.

USUM hits the same basic note, but since Lusamine isn’t left unconscious this time, they give Lusamine a more active and aware part in her decision to become better. (And, at least for me, I think the development they have Lusamine go through in USUM is good enough to where this is a fair and sensible trade-off.)

Plus, think about why you’re leveling this criticism - because you saw Lillie go through her full development, with the big confrontation in Ultra Space, in SM. But what’s the point in watching the exact same thing happen twice? I think USUM needed to shift its narrative focuses in order to be even remotely worth playing (frankly, I wish they’d have done even more than they did), and Lillie hogged all the spotlight for the first two games.

That's the purpose of all typical third version games / remakes, while we get that to hold us over and distract fans, the next generation is already being developed and concepts completed. It's a giant cash cow that works.

Sure, but at the same time, I don’t think it has ever been practiced as cynically as it was with USUM. Well, either cynically or naively.

Third versions were perfectly understandable in 2008.

B2W2 showed us they could take the same basic prompt (“we need a filler game made mostly with existing assets so we can still make money while working on this other, bigger game”) and do it in such a way that makes the purchase much more worthwhile on the consumer’s end.

Gen 6 said “hey, just remakes’ll do”, and by now it seemed as though they’d simply moved on from what could reasonably be called an outdated business model.

But then Gen 7 swerves right back around with what is essentially Pokémon Plat and Pokémon Inum, even though it seemed like they were past that.

Sure, I get that they needed to whip something up quick while they worked on Switchmon, but like... they could have at least put more effort into it, especially since USUM exist in the age of DLC. Crystal, Emerald, and Platinum didn’t exist in a reality where that was an option, so naturally they were held to a different standard.

I feel like I am the only one who doesn't dislike Delphox :3

Delphox is great <3

 

[William-Jdubz]

I feel like I am the only one who doesn't dislike Delphox :3

Also Serperior is my favourite starter but I can agree than Gen V had the worst overall set.

Delphox was my fav gen 6 starter

 

[Dj Yanma]

Delphox is ok in my book, I don’t really dislike or hate any Pokémon I only dislike or hate about 6 Pokémon which is very little

 

[SodiumChloride]

I think that could be because most fans initially assume that the evos are just going to be bigger versions of their pro- evos when that's never really the case.
The term itself means to develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form.
The Alolan Starters probably present this concept in the most believable manner so far.
Rowlet goes from being a goofball- to a vain ass- eventually to an ironed out yet more tactful sniper.
Litten starts off emotionally withdrawn but slowly becomes more and more passionate until its "true self" comes through fruition with Incineroar.
Popplio is more about how seals where originally confused for what eventually became known as mermaids. Though it does become more confident.
This whole scenario is a case of truth in television. Most of us are probably very different than how we were a decade ago, so much so that we're unrecognizable from a persona standpoint. I'm sure as with every final evo we'll get hit with " Dude what happened" or " You changed alot" but that's just how things play out.

Even if they keep the theme, they should still have them look like the first stages so no one is dissapointed. To me, the design is more important than the theme. What if a little kid picks popplio only to be dissapointed it evolves into my little mermaid? or if they pick a cool little kitten only for it to evolve into essentially, a man in a cat suit?

 

[Synthaphone]

I'm not sure there are any starters that I actively dislike... I think Primarina was maybe the most disappointed I'd ever been in a final starter evolution, just because while it is very nice, it didn't have any of the things I liked about Popplio anymore. I don't think its at all a bad design or concept, it just isn't really my deal- Popplio is one of my favorite Pokemon of all time, so I was bound to be disappointed by where it ended up going. I think I'm one of the few people who liked the clown aspects of Popplio, and was hoping it would go in a circus direction- I think that a selkie mermaid siren was a lot more creative though.

I usually tend to pick grass types- my favorites being the Torterra, Venusaur, Serperior and Chesnaught lines. (those are... incidentally all the generations where I picked a grass type for my first go-round, since I always go off of which 1st stage design I like the best)
I'm not sure I could pick a least favorite starter line- MAYBE Treecko, since Grovyle and Sceptile never really spoke to me as much as Treecko did. I raised a Treecko in Omega Ruby to try and have more appreciation for its line, but Sceptile just doesn't stand out to me- its a big lizard, and I guess its personality could be 'aloof', but its not really distinct enough for me to remember it, or cute/goofy enough to endear itself to me. Just kinda 'there'. The mega is nice though- the extra oranges and increase of reds in the design help it stand out more, I think. I don't think its a bad Pokemon either, its very solid and not particularly disappointing, it just doesn't have much special to offer.

I gotta say though, I could absolutely go for another big ol' quadrupedal friend- I'm a bit worried that they might never do those anymore, when a lot of my favorites fall into that category.

 

[Desdar300]

Even if they keep the theme, they should still have them look like the first stages so no one is dissapointed. To me, the design is more important than the theme. What if a little kid picks popplio only to be dissapointed it evolves into my little mermaid? or if they pick a cool little kitten only for it to evolve into essentially, a man in a cat suit?

Well in Japan they ate that shit up because they love Mermaids and Tiger Mask.
That and this logic can be applied to any Mon they make since not everyone going to feel the same

 

[Synthaphone]

Even if they keep the theme, they should still have them look like the first stages so no one is dissapointed. To me, the design is more important than the theme. What if a little kid picks popplio only to be dissapointed it evolves into my little mermaid? or if they pick a cool little kitten only for it to evolve into essentially, a man in a cat suit?

I always felt like being a little disappointed by evolutions was part of the core Pokemon experience- I was always a bit sad when my starter evolved in every game, no matter how much I like the later evolutions, because that's just how starters work- the later forms are never as cute as the first ones. It's like how your kitten isn't going to always be a baby- but you learn to love the adult cat all the same, even if it isn't necessarily as cute anymore. That's why I have a level 86 shiny Charmander that I still haven't brought myself to evolve, haha.

I'd be real bummed if they just made all of them bigger versions of the first form though- I always see a lot of fan designs that are basically that, and they really bore me. If it's gonna stop being cute regardless of how drastic the change is, I want it to at least grow in an interesting direction, instead of just being a big version of the baby. Remember that really ugly fake Piplup final evolution, where they just made the buttons really big and gave it big eyebrows? Sure, Empoleon isn't the cute baby penguin you started with, but at least it has its own identity.

 

[Zweilous]

Well in Japan they ate that shit up because they love Mermaids and Tiger Mask.
That and this logic can be applied to any Mon they make since not everyone going to feel the same

Interesting, I was told Incineroar wasn't that popular in Japan. If you don't mind me asking, how liked is it relative to the other starters?
​

From what I hear from most. The problem is overdesigning. Some just think they have too much going on to the point it's gaudy. And I can kinda see where they're coming from.

You know, while I can see that complaint with Emboar (though it has other issues then that), I didn't really get that from Serperior and especially Samurott. Neither of their designs are that complex compared to the starters that came before or after them, they just seem odd due to the way they evolved if anything.

 

[SodiumChloride]

I always felt like being a little disappointed by evolutions was part of the core Pokemon experience

Your supposted to be happy when your starter evolves, not dissapointed

They should focus more on the starters being cool

Starter are always supposed to have major changes, bust staying similar enough to the point you can say "Look how much you've grown"

This is what I want for the gen 8+ starters. Starters should have more safe evolutions, like the first 4 gens. I was never dissapointed with a starter evolution before gen 6

 

[Desdar300]

Interesting, I was told Incineroar wasn't that popular in Japan. If you don't mind me asking, how liked is it relative to the other starters?
​

You know, while I can see that complaint with Emboar (though it has other issues then that), I didn't really get that from Serperior and especially Samurott. Neither of their designs are that complex compared to the starters that came before or after them, they just seem odd due to the way they evolved if anything.

Nope, he's in the top twenty ranking in at number twelve. That the least popular sadly seems to be Decidueye
Many Japanese fans are passionate about Tiger Mask because he's a icon to them so that rubbed off on Incineroar.

 

[TechSkylander1518]

What if a little kid picks popplio only to be dissapointed it evolves into my little mermaid? or if they pick a cool little kitten only for it to evolve into essentially, a man in a cat suit?

 

[SodiumChloride]

That the least popular sadly seems to be Decidueye

I think thats because its japan. In the west, Decidueye would probably be the most popular.
When every I see somewhat say a pokemon characrer for smash 5(or 6), Most of the time its decidueye

 

[SodiumChloride]

By the time they see brioone on the evolution screen, it would be too late. A kid probably wouldn't know that you have too press B on the evolution screen in the first place, or even be aware of what the starters evolve into

 

[Desdar300]

I think thats because its japan. In the west, Decidueye would probably be the most popular.
When every I see somewhat say a pokemon characrer for smash 5(or 6), Most of the time its decidueye

TPC typically values Japan's opinions over everyone else's

 

[Oriden]

I always felt like being a little disappointed by evolutions was part of the core Pokemon experience

I feel a need to know what my starter will evolve into before I pick one just so I won't have to suffer that disappointment. XD It really is a shame, and I'd really prefer something closer to the original starters just to watch my baby grow instead of watching them mutate into something barely recognizable as the pokemon I started with.

 

[Desdar300]

I think we safely say we aren't going to see them keep something quadruped if it's a Starter.
At the end of the day they're mascots.
Ever wonder why neither Bugs or Mickey look like their real life counterparts?
It's because Jones and Disney gave them Human-like elements so that the audience can get more attached to them which is why most mascots in animation are extremely humanoid or have those qualities.
For Pokemon the same thing goes.
Making them anthropomorphous makes them easy to adapt into things like Smash, the anime, among other things.

 

[SodiumChloride]

TPC typically values Japan's opinions over everyone else's

True that, they only advertise pokemon that are usually popular in japan
I think gen 8 shouldn't have a shillmon( like Lucario, greninja, etc) and should just focus on all the new pokemon

 

[Oriden]

I think we safely say we aren't going to see them keep something quadruped if it's a Starter.
At the end of the day they're mascots.
Ever wonder why neither Bugs or Mickey look like their real life counterparts?
It's because Jones and Disney gave them Human-like elements so that the audience can get more attached to them which is why most mascots in animation are extremely humanoid or have those qualities.
For Pokemon the same thing goes.
Making them anthropomorphous makes them easy to adapt into things like Smash, the anime, among other things.

You say that, but eevee is like the secondary overall mascot next to Pikachu right now and with all of its evolutions is a heck of a more popular pokemon than most of the starters. =/ I don't think it's unreasonable to say that you could keep a starter on all fours and still have people get super attached. If we got some final starter evos looking like midday or dusk lycanroc, people would go nuts.

Also fairly certain Bugs and Mickey are humanoid so they can interact with things more easily, not appeal to the audience. XD

 

[D_S]

I feel like I am the only one who doesn't dislike Delphox :3

I like Delphox! It was my starter in my X play through, I loved her :3, trained her all the way to 100

 

[Minnale101]

only gen 6 Pokemon I dislike is quilladin

awful awful design