Ultra Sun And Ultra Moon Will Be The Last Pokemon RPGS For 3DS

[Alola]

It looks like this will be the end of an era Yesterday, Ohmori and Iwao confirmed that Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon will be the last main core series games on the DS platform. I'm sure a lot of you all saw this coming, but regardless what are your thoughts? Are you happy about this transition? Sad and nostalgic? Ready to start investing money into a Switch?

 

[Esserise]

I think it’s exciting to consider what the series could be like on the Switch (which I have indeed started saving up for) and how they will adapt to it, and the 3DS has pretty much reached its natural end anyway. I don’t think there’s anything else of significance that they could really do on the system, and I think DP remakes will be far better-served by being on the Switch. And really, having thought about it more and more, Kanto sequels probably would be too (if GF are interested in doing those at some point). So on the 3DS’s end, I’ve started to think that USUM aren’t so bad a way to end it (even though they aren’t going quite as far with the alternate universe shenanigans as I would have if I were in charge). Looking back, I’ve been pretty happy with all of the 3DS games they’ve released, and I like replaying them more than older games. So it’s been a good era in my opinion, but I do think it’s time to move on, and I personally am ready to see what’s next.

 

[Silktree]

I was in favor of cross-platform games for this generation, but really, the 3DS is a relic and the only game for it I've truly enjoyed wasn't a Pokemon one (nor was it 3DS-exclusive). SM were decent, if to be fair.

If the first entries for the Switch are like XY, it will be a good while before I buy the system, if ever. The hybrid concept is cool, though.

 

[Karamazov]

It was inevitable, and it's clear that Switch is the future. As much as I'd rather not shell out the money for a system that lacks the backwards compatibility I need, I've long accepted that the franchise needs to evolve with the times and keep changing. Besides, I don't know think there's a lot of things they can keep doing with the 3DS, and the Switch seems to have the power to let Game Freak expand their vision.

USUM's closing out this time in the franchise. Neat, I guess. It looks like it'll be a good game, but I hope it'll be good enough to make for the perfect send-off, much like how BW2 was the perfect send-off for the DS era.

I won't buy the Switch just yet. I'd need to see if the Pokemon games are worth the purchase, since I can't just go on the franchise's name alone. (I learned that the hard way with X & Y.) But if the Switch Pokemon games are really good, and there are other Switch games that I like, I'll consider buying it. Though if we got Digimon Cyber Sleuth port for the Switch, I'd immediately go out and buy the console.

Bye, 3DS era. You were a good time for the franchise. Not great, but good. I much preferred the DS era of Pokemon games. But you brought so many wonderful new ideas to the table, and I hope to see those contributions continue on in the future.

 

[TheMonster6893]

I mean of course the series was gonna make the jump. Would have been sadly surprised if they announced yet another 3dd game after USUM. It was a good run, but eventually we have to move on. Anyone that says the Switch isn't a handheld system and is only a TV console is a dummy. Games work amazing on the switch when in handheld mode. Sometimes even better than when on tv

 

[jeisu]

Does anybody think it'll be strange going from one screen, to two screens, then back to one screen?

 

[Alola]

Does anybody think it'll be strange going from one screen, to two screens, then back to one screen?

I didn't think about that...

It's going to be weird having the battle menu share the screen with the actual battle again...

 

[Silktree]

It will probably work like the Stadium games' UI, which onIy shows up if you press a particular button. Fairly convenient and not obstructive.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Good riddance. The 3DS era has easily been the worst in series history and I can't say I'm sad to see it end. Too much linearity, not enough content, and too much inconsistency. So long 3DS Pokemon, I won't miss you.

 

[zoroarctic]

Looking back, I’ve been pretty happy with all of the 3DS games they’ve released, and I like replaying them more than older games. So it’s been a good era in my opinion, but I do think it’s time to move on, and I personally am ready to see what’s next.

I wholeheartedly agree. I loved what we got on the 3DS, but it really is time to move on to (hopefully) bigger and better things.

At least it looks like the 3DS will go out with a bang.

 

[DoctorWhy]

I'm whatever on it I guess. I'll bite the bullet and buy a Switch for Pokemon when the time comes. Though I admit that I would prefer a smaller, dedicated handheld 3DS successor. I know that the Switch is technically the successor of both the Wii U and 3DS, but it's just not quite as much to my liking. I hope they release a handheld-only Switch Mini or something next year.

 

[Kharixi]

On one hand, it's certainly easier for me to have Pokémon on handheld. I have a 3DS XL and I've been able to collect games from Generations IV-VII. On the other hand, although I don't currently have plans for a Switch, it'd probably be a better system as far as what Pokémon games need goes.

So I'm pretty much indifferent.

 

[Lanstar]

I'm glad they're finally done with the 3DS. I feel like they have squeezed so much out the console, I can't see how they could ever improve the games while having the same graphical intensity they have embraced at the same time.

Sun and Moon are big examples of the compromises they had to deal with against the underpowered hardware:

-Triple/Rotation Battles removed.

-Framerates dropping in so many scenarios, and preventing Battle Royale from getting much potential.

-Forcing normal 3DS's into an even deeper hardware graphic mode that prevented those users from accessing Miiverse for play journals. (I'll miss Miiverse, too. )

-The large amount of areas with loading cut-offs.

-The hidden features, like walking Pokemon, being trapped in the data of the game, not being used due to heavy graphics.

-The Sky Box being incredibly pixelated.

-The very outdated screen resolution for all the supposedly high-poly Pokemon models.


There is a point when the hardware inhibits the games - and the fact that the 3DS is just a smidge above the original Wii in graphics capabilities really speaks of how outdated it is now. It really is time for a Switch update sometime!

 

[Mitchman]

Good. I love the 3DS but its been a nightmare getting to USUM, and SM was barely there in terms of GF offering us a solid product. Single screen Pokemon is going to take a lot of time to get used to again, but I can only assume they are going to try hard to make it as seamless a transition as possible.

 

[Karamazov]

I feel like they have squeezed so much out the console, I can't see how they could ever improve the games while having the same graphical intensity they have embraced at the same time.

Honestly, I disagree, and I feel like that was the main problem with the 3DS era: a lack of substantial content, or missing out on very obvious ways to improve what they had.

XY was barebones as hell, and the two main draws (Megas and customization) were shallow or underutilized. ORAS had a ton of things, but it lacked customization and a Battle Frontier, and sticking to the RS format made them miss out on a lot of what made Emerald so fun. SM was even admitted to be rushed, with the Trials being slap-dash jobs. USUM seems to be more substantial though, but at the cost of being a regular third version.

In my opinion, they could have easily fleshed these all games out more, but they didn't. They ended up making good products (or mediocre, in XY's case), but not great games. Which is why I'm holding off on the Switch until I see that the Pokemon games offer more than just updated graphics, a handful of new Pokemon, and some gimmicks.

 

[Alola]

I have mixed feelings. I'm not necessarily ready to buy a Switch (nor do I have the money to), but like @Lanstar said it'll produce a much more powerful Pokemon gaming experience (at least, hypothetically). And I would greatly appreciate that, as would so many others.

It's just that the Gameboy Color, Advance and DSes have all been a big part of my life with my Pokemon experience. I'm crying behind my nostalgia goggles.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Honestly, I disagree, and I feel like that was the main problem with the 3DS era: a lack of substantial content, or missing out on very obvious ways to improve what they had.

XY was barebones as hell, and the two main draws (Megas and customization) were shallow or underutilized. ORAS had a ton of things, but it lacked customization and a Battle Frontier, and sticking to the RS format made them miss out on a lot of what made Emerald so fun. SM was even admitted to be rushed, with the Trials being slap-dash jobs. USUM seems to be more substantial though, but at the cost of being a regular third version.

In my opinion, they could have easily fleshed these all games out more, but they didn't. They ended up making good products (or mediocre, in XY's case), but not great games. Which is why I'm holding off on the Switch until I see that the Pokemon games offer more than just updated graphics, a handful of new Pokemon, and some gimmicks.

This. I'm not at all convinced that Game Freak wasn't capable of making better games on the Switch, most of the 3DS era's limitations were likely self imposed by Game Freak as a result of the conscious decision to design the games to feel mobile-esque. Were there some ideas that might not have been feasible because of technical limitations? Of course. But there were many more ideas that could've been done that Game Freak simply decided not to because it didn't fit their vision of a streamlined, casual friendly experience.

 

[Almonds]

I was initially thinking of skipping Gen6 entirely because I didn't want to spend too much money on the 3DS. The only thing I wanted was Hoenn remakes, so XY initially didn't exactly thrill me much. But then the 2Ds came out, and I had fun playing Y version. And then ORAS came out and I was completely satisfied. I wasn't expecting anything else for the 3DS, but then there was SM and of course, USUM scheduled for this year.

Moving on to the Switch is inevitable, and I'm pretty excited and hopefully they'll make improvements. However, I don't have the money yet, so I'm going to wait till there's a price drop or they release a cheaper version of the Switch like they did with the 2DS. Either way, hopefully the next pokemon games come after that XD

 

[Lanstar]

Honestly, I disagree, and I feel like that was the main problem with the 3DS era: a lack of substantial content, or missing out on very obvious ways to improve what they had.

XY was barebones as hell, and the two main draws (Megas and customization) were shallow or underutilized. ORAS had a ton of things, but it lacked customization and a Battle Frontier, and sticking to the RS format made them miss out on a lot of what made Emerald so fun. SM was even admitted to be rushed, with the Trials being slap-dash jobs. USUM seems to be more substantial though, but at the cost of being a regular third version.

In my opinion, they could have easily fleshed these all games out more, but they didn't. They ended up making good products (or mediocre, in XY's case), but not great games. Which is why I'm holding off on the Switch until I see that the Pokemon games offer more than just updated graphics, a handful of new Pokemon, and some gimmicks.

That's not my point: It is the features and holding up the graphics at the same time. If Game Freak wanted to, they could just go back to just non-intensive pixel graphics prior to Gen. VI, and create something incredibly rich with nearly every known feature known to Pokemon, and then some. I won't deny that.

However, they instead decided to go full force to create a modern looking, 3D Pokemon game - and in the process, had to make compromises due to the hardware limitations - like the onces I listed (I want my triple battles back! ).

Yes, Game Freak did set themselves up upon this - and if they just stuck their next games on the 3DS, I kind of wonder what compromises these graphics will have to limiting the gameplay... and how new features could end up compromising the graphics as well.

 

[PurplePopplio]

I didn't enjoy the 3DS era at all. Not one game stood out as a winner for me. So I won't miss it at all. Much more excited for the Switch.