Pokémon Sun and Moon E3 Trailer + It’s Evaluating Time!

Well, it’s that time again! Pokémon Sun and Moon were shown off at E3, so we got plenty to look over, meaning…

It’s Over-The-Top-Excited-While-Your-Friends-Watch-Awkwardly Evaluating Time!!!

So, let’s start with the trailer!

In addition to that, we’ve also got this trailer that was revealed a couple of days before E3 got started.

So, as usual, let’s go over the Pokémon covered in these videos. I should also note that there were two other Pokémon revealed in a CoroCoro leak, but we’re not gonna go over them just yet, since a few details (like their English names) have yet to be revealed. Until then, let’s start a little different and go over a Pokémon we already knew of.

Zygarde, the Order Pokémon

 

We’ve actually known for some time that Zygarde had different forms, due to their presence in the anime. That, combined with the title of the current arc of the anime, XY&Z, led people to believe there would be a Pokémon Z released, and that these forms would be released in said game. Instead, it looks as though the writers of the anime opted to use this arc to advertise these new forms early. Right off the bat, I can’t help but notice that Zygarde seemingly can only access its Complete Forme (or Perfect Zygarde, as people are calling it because, let’s be honest, the similarity to Cell is staggering) by first going 10% Forme (the dog). So what does this mean for Zygarde’s standard form we’ve already gotten to know? How do Zygarde Cell and Zygarde Core fit into all this? And does this mean Ash-Greninja will also be a thing in the games? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. I WILL say that its Core Enforcer attack is AWESOME. It’s like Zorro with a freaking laser beam. I love it. XD

Pikipek, the Woodpecker Pokémon…Try saying that five times fast. lol

Pikipek is apparently #10 in the Alola Regional Dex, and has two evolutions, so I’m pretty sure we’re looking at our early region bird. One thing that separates it from the others, though, is one of the two Abilities it can have: Skill Link. That means moves that hit 2-5 times (like Fury Attack, Bone Rush, or Rock Blast) will now ALWAYS hit 5 times. Combined with its Pokédex page saying it can strike targets with its beak 16 times per second, and I’m pretty sure it will learn Fury Attack, and perhaps some sort of new Flying-type equivalent to it. Its other Ability is Keen Eye, which you should know all about, especially with birds. The only move that I know for sure that it learns is Peck. And yes, it’s been brought to my attention that Pikipek looks like Pearl from Steven Universe…which is funny, because it’s weak against Rock-types. lol

Yungoos, the Loitering Pokémon

Yungoos is a mongoose. I’m not sure why the ‘e’ was taken off at the end of its name for English, but whatever. Point is, it’s a Normal-type, and has two different Abilities it can know: Strong Jaw, which increases the power of biting moves (like Bite, Crunch, Fire Fang, etc.), and Stakeout, which does more damage to Pokémon who are just switching in when it attacks, so you’ll wanna be careful about whether you want to switch Pokémon or not while battling it. The only move it was shown using was Tackle, but with Strong Jaw, I think it’s pretty clear that it will learn biting moves as it levels up and/or as Egg Moves. Originally, I didn’t think this was gonna be our new Rattata for this region, considering that a mongoose isn’t considered vermin. However, it’s been brought to my attention that, as mongooses are an invasive species in Hawaii, technically speaking, it IS considered vermin there, so here we are. The more you know, I guess.

Grubbin, the Larva Pokémon

I fully expect Grubbin to evolve, since early revealed Bug-types usually do, and based on its appearance, I would imagine its evolved form will be some kind of beetle. In fact, since there already are beetle-like Pokémon in existence, I wonder if this is the pre-evolution that will link the two? Probably not, but hey, it’s a theory we can speculate about. Its only Ability (that we know of, anyway) is Swarm, which increases the damage done by Bug-type moves when its health gets low. The only attack we know of that it can learn so far is String Shot, though since it apparently seems to love electricity, I’d imagine a likely move for it to learn is Electro Web.

We also learned about a new way to battle: Battle Royal. Four Trainers send out one Pokémon each. Anyone can attack anyone. When one of your Pokémon are knocked out, you send out a new one. The battle continues until one Trainer has had all of their Pokémon knocked out, at which point, the other Trainers will have the number of Pokémon they’ve knocked out added to the number they still have conscious to determine who did the best. Not sure what happens if there’s a tie, like maybe it then goes into overtime or something. Personally, I would’ve just had all four Trainers battle til the last one standing, but whatever. I will say that, given the rules presented, you probably wanna try to make alliances early so that you don’t get singled out by all three opponents.  Also, the image for Battle Royals confirms something else: There IS Trainer customization of some kind in this game. So, for those wondering, this seems to solidify that it IS back.

There was also a demonstration of the game streamed on Treehouse. If you wanna watch it, it’s right here…

I will say that this both answers a few questions about the early game while also opening the floor to several new questions. Apparently, each of the four islands has a guardian deity, and the deity for the island you start off on, supposedly called Melemele, is referred to as Tapu Koko. These deities are highly implied to be Pokémon, so does this mean there’s a Pokémon named Tapu Koko, or is that a title of some sort? Is this a Legendary Pokémon, or could Tapu Koko be an individual of a species of regular Pokémon found on the island? We also know that Hau is referred to as the “grandson of the kahuna”. Kahuna is apparently a Hawaiian term for…

“And I quote…”

…”a priest, sorcerer, magician, wizard, minister, or expert in any profession”. I’m still convinced that Hala is Hau’s grandfather, so that tells me that he is the kahuna. It’s also been suggested that Hala is a great Trainer of some sort, so perhaps kahuna is also a Trainer class in this game. Something else we learned from this video is that, after encountering a Pokémon in battle once, the battle menu will show which of the moves your Pokémon can use will be effective, super-effective, or not very effective against that Pokémon when you battle it again. There’s also the option to check on each Pokémon in battle to see how much their status has been changed by the effects of different moves and Abilities. Both of these things are great for beginners, and unlike stuff like giving away items like Lucky Eggs and Exp. Shares, I don’t really mind this too much. Heck, it makes things easier for me, too, since there’ve been some changes to the type chart as of late. And lastly, we learned that Popplio can learn Disarming Voice, furthering the fan theory that it will evolve into a Water/Fairy-type, which I would actually be okay with, especially since it would make it vastly different from other seal-like Pokémon we’ve seen in the past.

Anyway, that’s all for now. Be sure to check back here when we next learn anything about the new games, and to get the games when they come out in November. Ja né!

Pokémon Sun And Moon’s Pokédex Is HAUNTED?! – It’s Evaluating Time!

Well, more info is out, so let’s start going through it! And you know what that means…

It’s Evaluating Time!!!

So, first off, let’s take a look at the new trailer.

And, just because it’s my blog and I can do whatever the hell I want, here are some additional clips in Japanese, compliments of GameXplain!

So, let’s go over what we know, shall we? Let’s start with…well, where the trailer started: The new Legendary Pokémon.

Solgaleo, the Sunne Pokémon. Known as “the beast that devours the sun”, Solgaleo is a Psychic/Steel-type, and its Ability is Full Metal Body, which prevents its stats from being lowered by enemy Abilities or moves. It also knows the attack Sunsteel Strike, which ignores the effects of the target’s Ability, kind of like if Solgaleo had Mold Breaker. Given its overall theme and presentation, I wouldn’t be surprised if it can learn Fire-type attacks and moves like Solar Beam as well. Everything about this new Legend screams that it’ll likely be the more offensively oriented of the two mascots, but what of its counterpart?

Lunala, the Moone Pokémon. Referred to as “the beast who calls the moon”, Lunala is a Psychic/Ghost-type, and its Ability is Shadow Shield, which lessens the amount of damage it takes when it’s at full HP. Like Solgaleo’s Sunsteel Strike, Lunala’s signature attack, Moongeist Beam, ignores the Ability of whoever it attacks. As Lunala is a moon-themed Pokémon, clearly it’s more than a bit nocturnally-based, so I fully expect it to have access to Dark-type attacks as well, and will likely know a few Flying-type moves as it’s a winged creature. I also figure this will be the more defensively oriented of the version mascots for Sun and Moon, though somehow, I kinda figured that going in. Just a hunch.

I suppose I should look at the main protagonists of the game next, since we’re getting better looks at them. They both look fine, but my God, I hope we can change clothes in this game, especially in the case of the girl’s hat. I have no idea what that is on her head, but it just looks weird, and considering we just had remakes of Ruby and Sapphire, which had arguably the oddest of headwear, that’s saying something. lol But otherwise, they look fine. I also can’t help but notice the devices on their wrists. New Mega Rings, perhaps? We’ll see.

These two are Lillie and Hau. Hau appears to be a rival of sorts, though video footage of him so far has him using the Pokémon weak to whatever you start off with instead of having the type advantage. He also bears a resemblance to Hala, the man who shows off the starter Pokémon in the initial trailer. Perhaps a relative of some sort? As for Lillie, she’s apparently an assistant to Professor Kukui, dislikes Pokémon battles, but loves to read, and is central to the plot of the new games somehow, so keeping an eye on her is likely a must.

The Alola Region itself seems a LOT bigger than was first shown off, as I suspected it would be (initially, only one island was shown). After all, Alola is based off of Hawaii, which itself is made up of multiple islands. For reference, btw, all we saw initially was the island shown in the top left of this map, and if the dimensions of this map are to be believed, it’s not even close to being the biggest island in the region. Either way, expect to either do a lot of Surfing or sailing between islands.

And lastly, the thing that most caught my eye: The new Pokédex, which is apparently freaking HAUNTED! lol Apparently, Professor Kukui created the new Pokédex and had a Rotom inhabit it in order to provide new means of connecting with Pokémon, as well as to grant the ‘dex with new modes. Rotom will be able to communicate with you directly while inhabiting the Pokédex, and will provide you with a map of the surrounding area, as well as tips and information on where you should venture next. There’s also something called the QR Scanner function, which I’m not sure if it’s part of the Pokédex or something separate altogether, but it allows the player to scan QR Code patterns to register Pokémon in Alola in the Pokédex. Once that’s done, you can view their habitats. What’s more, if you’ve caught a Pokémon, you can display its QR Code in your Pokédex and share it with other players, so filling pages in the Pokédex is that much easier.

Anyway, that’s all there is to cover for now, but apparently, more info will be made available during Nintendo Treehouse Live @ E3 on June 14th 2016, so come on back then to see me go through whatever they reveal. Ja né!

Pokémon Sun And Pokémon Moon Confirmed!

…Yup, it’s official.

…Okay, I have so many questions, so I’m just gonna get ’em out in a bulleted list. XD

• Does this mean we’re NOT getting a Pokémon Z Version, or just not yet?
• If not, what does that mean for Zygarde’s alternate forms?
• Is this even the anticipated Generation VII, or direct sequels to X and Y? Or BOTH?
• Will they be exclusive to the New 3DS?…God, I hope not. o.O
• Why does the little artwork we see in the trailer seem focused on vehicles? Are we getting a greater emphasis on vehicles in these games? ‘Cuz while they’ve been around since the beginning, they haven’t really been exploited to their fullest potential in-game. Pokémon are still the primary method of getting around within a region, whether it’s riding on Rhyhorn or Mamoswine back across harsh terrain, using Pokémon that can swim or otherwise traverse rivers and lakes to get across water, or flying with Pokémon to fast-travel from place to place. Oh, and just saying, that firetruck with Blastoise riding in the back was ADORABLE. lol
• If this IS Generation VII, how many new Pokémon are we getting? Are they going to be scaled back like in X & Y, or will we be getting a new region populated almost entirely of new Pokémon like in Black and White?
• Are we gonna see Ash-Greninja in the games, or is it anime exclusive in order to give Ash something akin to a Mega Evolution without actually giving him a Mega Evolution?
• What’s the meaning behind Sun and Moon? Are there new Legendaries that are related to the sun and the moon? Are the version exclusives going to be Pokémon found in the same places at different times of the day? Are Solrock and Lunatone getting Mega Evolutions?
• What other new Mega Evolutions and forms will there be for older Pokémon this time around?
• We’ve learned that Pokémon from the re-released Red, Blue, and Yellow will be transferable to Sun and Moon via Pokémon Bank, and there’s a big emphasis on everything “coming together” for this one. Is there some kind of emphasis on that in the story? Are we maybe going to see old characters return? Are we getting further elaboration on old stories and mythologies? Is this perhaps the CONCLUSION of the main Pokémon games, at least up to this point?
• Will Ash EVER turn 11 and/or win an actual regional tournament???

Anyway, lemme know what you think of these questions, what you think the answers will be, and if there are any other questions you have, and we’ll see what develops between now and the end of the year. Ja né!

Jyger’s Favourite 5 – 5 Games I’d Love To See Makers For

So, as anyone who follows me on Facebook and/or Twitter can gather, I have a copy of Super Mario Maker. And, suffice to say, I LOVE THIS FREAKING GAME! XD However, as I know for a fact people have already realized (because I’ve seen videos akin to this article that I am currently writing), there will most likely be copycats. In other words, expect there to be Maker games for other series. However, in this case, I say “By all means!”. The only thing I ask is that these aren’t just pushed outta people’s asses, and have the same level of care put into them as Super Mario Maker. Otherwise, what’s the point? But yeah, as long as this is likely going to be a thing that’ll happen, here’re some games I’d love to see makers for.

#1 – Sonic the Hedgehog Maker and Mega Man Maker

Probably the most “DUH” worthy titles, hence why I’m putting them together. Why “DUH”? Well, because they’re both platformers, like Mario, but have their own unique flavours to them as well, and have highly dedicated fan bases. But, I think the biggest reason is a simple fact that is all too clear to said fan bases: No one at Capcom or Sega either care to or know how to make a good Mega Man or Sonic game anymore. That’s a fact that’s become blatantly clear over the past few years. And if we can’t count on them, then this is the logical conclusion, unless they want more indy titles like Mighty no.9 and Freedom Planet to steal their spotlight. And hey, Mega Man actually DID do a level creator once for a PSP title that worked out decently, so they’ve already got a system for it that they can tweak.

#2 – Pokémon Maker

No, not making individual Pokémon, just making Pokémon games. That might be going a tad bit too far. But yeah, being able to make your own region with your own Trainers, Gyms, Elite 4, caves to explore, cities to visit, etc. I’d also include a means by which to have your maps and battles be shown in either the original Red and Blue graphics or in the new-school X & Y 3D graphics. Of course, like the standard Pokémon game only having a single save file, you should only be able to make the one Pokémon game.

#3 – The Legend of Zelda Maker

Much like Mega Man and Sonic, this is another “DUH!” title, but for different reasons. Specifically, though, since Nintendo has now done a Mario Maker, Zelda would be the next logical choice. Obviously, this would have to be the top-down games, but I would advise making options to do them in the style of the original Legend of Zelda game, A Link To The Past, the Oracle games, Minish Cap, and A Link Between Worlds.

#4 – Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy

Yes, I know, RPG Maker. As someone who has used them, I can tell you that, as cool as they are, having an official game that’s more user friendly and available to more people in an official capacity would be great, and really, either one of these titles would be great. Maybe even both as a package deal. Hell, maybe even include sprites for other Square-Enix games like Chrono Trigger, Legend of Dragoon, or Kingdom Hearts for fans of those games, as a sort of Square-Enix RPG all-stars type deal.

#5 – Metroid

Again, now that we’ve done a Maker game for Mario, let’s get the other major Nintendo titles Maker games. And really, who wouldn’t salivate at the idea of making their own Metroid stages and games? Especially because it would take us back to the days where Samus rarely said a word and mostly just kicked who knows how many billion types of ass? lol I’m thinking the styles present could be the original NES version, the Game Boy version, SNES version, and the GBA version.

Anyway, those are my picks for future Maker games. Got one that’s not on here? Leave it in the comments, and we’ll see what the future has in store for us all. Ja né!