These 7 features would make Pokemon Sword and Shield the best Pokemon game yet
The new Pokemon game has been announced, Pokemon Sword and Shield will be released in late 2019. While some details have been revealed, none have related to the finer details of the game. Here are some features that would make Pokemon Sword and Shield the best yet.
Pokemon Generation 8
Speculation surrounding what the 8th generation of Pokemon could entail is reaching fever-pitch. The excitement for this particular new Pokemon game is more than previous releases because of the hardware potential and how long the game had been teased for.
Pokemon game enthusiasts all have different opinions and ideas as to what is needed for the latest iteration in the Pokemon video game series. Here are the best and most unique of those ideas in the form of a Pokemon Gen 8 wish list.
It is important to note that none of these features have been confirmed. They are simply some of the best sounding ideas which could make the new Pokemon game a success. With that said, here are those features.
New Camera
An overhead, birds-eye camera has been ingrained in Pokemon games since Pokemon Red and Green were first made available in Japan, in 1996. Subsequent games all the way to Pokemon Let’s Go have followed this.
Is now the time to break away from this trend, in order to create a more immersive experience. Other role-playing games (RPGs) have used more modern camera angles for a long time now.
The concept would be that the game isn’t only controlled by the left analog stick. Instead, the right analog stick would be able to adjust the camera, so you change the angle and see different areas without having to move the character.
The initial teaser footage from Pokemon Day suggests this won’t be utilized, however.
Will a new camera system be implemented for the Gen 8 Pokemon game?Side Quests
Unlike other RPGs, Pokemon games are primarily focused on the end game. Everything you do is in order to get to that final boss.
Conversely, games such as Assassin’s Creed, Zelda and even GTA have an array of side missions to complete. These don’t necessarily align with the main story of the game but are a welcome distraction/change. The new Gen 8 game, and subsequent Pokemon games, may also benefit from something similar.
These could be in the form special tasks or even something that can take you to new areas.
Difficulty Options
The difficulty of a Pokemon game is something that Pokemon fans are never going to unanimously agree on. There are hardened players who have been with the series since the beginning and there are also new players being introduced to the game all the time.
As a result, the developers of the Pokemon game have an almost impossible task to please both audiences. The game needs to difficult enough to make it challenging while easy enough for new players to pick up.
Consequently, the only real resolution is a difficulty settings option. These can range from “I’m new to Pokemon” to “Pokemon Master”.
Post Game
The post game has been a topic of discussion for a number of years now.
The first generation saw little more than the ability to re-trace your own steps, explore Kanto region and complete the Pokedex. Gen 2, the Johto region, furthered this by adding the Kanto region as a place to complete at the end of the first part of the game.
Most recently, Pokemon Let’s Go has introduced the concept of Master Trainers. Even with this interesting new addition to the post game, a lot of Pokemon trainers were left underwhelmed.
Therefore, something fresh is needed for Gen 8. This could involve new areas only seen in the post game. There is also the potential for multiple story-lines depending on previously made decisions.
Rumors are suggesting that for the first time since Johto, Pokemon Sword and Shield could have another region to explore. More specifically, this would be the Kalos region seen in Pokemon X and Y.
Pokken Tournament offers an alternative form of Pokemon battling…PvP Competition
The core element of Pokemon, other than perhaps catching, is battling Pokemon. In 2019, the concept of PvP battling isn’t overly complicated. The infrastructure is there to facilitate PvP battles, whether it’s with another close device or on the internet.
This is something that Pokemon as a company have yet to nail. While there have been no hints this is something that’s being worked on for the late 2019 release, it could be a welcomed surprise.
It’s possible that the current battling system is too simplified to gain mass adoption between players. However, Pokemon Go gym battles have proven this assumption to be false.
More Pokemon interaction
Reddit user, HarperBallad, provided their own wish list and one of them was more expressive Pokemon. A lot of the time Pokemon sprites do little and do the same thing. New hardware and a new generation of Pokemon is a perfect opportunity to rectify that.
Specifically HarperBallad stated, “Less stationary sprites in the world and in battle. Having more expressive sprites would add a lot in terms of atmosphere, especially in a Pokémon world. I think back to Pokémon stadium and how expressive some of the Pokémon were and I think that’d add a lot of much needed personality.“
Battle System – Turn Based or Real Time
This brings us on to the actual Pokemon battle system. Pokemon Yellow, Stadium, Sun, Let’s Go and you name it, have all utilized the traditional turn-based system.
It’s a system that is synonymous with Pokemon. Nevertheless, in 2019, some fans believe it is time for a change.
This is another topic that is met with contrasting opinions, so once again it won’t be possible to please everyone. The only way to perhaps appease both mindsets would be to introduce a real-time battle system but only through choice. Therefore, the original traditional system would remain but would also give players the option to try the new, modern one.
Your Wish List
Do you agree with the above list? Is there anything more pressing that you feel needs to be included? Let us know by tweeting our Pokemon Twitter account.