Alola Forms

[kingdenas]

Thanks for the information. I do hope we get more Alola Form Pokémon not only from Kanto. Many Pokémon of other regions have great potential and it would be kind of a let down if Alola Forms end up being Kanto-only :/

 

[Hikamaru]

I mean, here's what I'm suspecting. It'll be a possibility of two or three things:

• It's going to be Kanto-only for these games only, and then they'll make Alola forms for Johto Pokemon assuming Sun and Moon get some sort of sequel or a third game.
• Alola forms will specifically be Kanto-only and then Game Freak will move on to create regional forms for other Pokemon for other generations next gen.
• Alola forms will be a mixture of Kanto Pokemon + other generational Pokemon (that we haven't seen yet).

So pick whichever you think is likely to occur. My guess is either the first or second option at this point, though I'm open to being pleasantly surprised by the third.

I think it could be suspicion 1, but I'd rather wait for another Alola Form to be revealed before I come to a conclusion on the 1st Gen only connection or not.

 

[blue]

They're called Alola forms for a reason which makes me think they will only be a S/M exclusive. I can't see them extending this feature outside gen VII, so unless we get follow-ups from Sun & Moon, then it most likely will just be for Kanto Pokemon. It sort of makes sense considering how we're at the 20th anniversary of the Kanto games, new forms would be a good way to commemorate the originals I guess. I think if they were to follow with Johto forms, fans would soon clamor for Hoenn forms, then Sinnoh and so on..

 

[Zoinkity]

If there are any Johto alola forms then there must be a reverse Girafarig ;*)

 

[MegaKuriboh]

I'm thinking and hoping that they're just showing Gen 1 Pokemon to build off the hype that Pokemon Go has been giving, making many old players want to return after seeing their favourite mons get some new love, but when we get the actual game they'll surprise us with other Alola forms. I'd love to see Alola forms of Pokemon from all regions, but I'm pretty happy already with the current forms, they're all well designed and interesting, and mostly on under appreciated Pokemon (They gave RAICHU one!!)

 

[Hikamaru]

I agree with MegaKuriboh, the success of Pokemon GO (which currently has a Kanto-only roster) and the fact it's been drawing people back to Pokemon who haven't played since the early days, and due to the Kanto region being the most iconic region of Pokemon (and hence all its resident Pokemon being recognizable by a wide audience) further supports the theory of Alola Forms only being given to Kanto Pokemon.

 

[Zoinkity]

It would be surprising if future games didn't have regional forms to a lesser degree, but also surprising if any more Alola forms are ever added in future games. The whole idea behind it is speciation: a species gets isolated on the island and diverges from those on the mainland to create a subspecies or potentially a unique species. That can happen anywhere but is incredibly common on islands, enough so that island biogeography is its own field of study. There's also minor effects on populations too, like dwarfism and gigantism. 10 meter tall Digglets anybody?

That's right: they finally opened the door to Pudgey Pidgeys.

 

[blue]

Well if Mega Evolutions exist outside of X/Y and assuming we get new megas in X/Y, then I guess Regional Variants could exist outside of S/M.

 

[typhurion]

I think it's cool how the creators are starting to go into variants of certain Pokémon. Oh, and Alola Marowak ftw!

 

[Harmonie]

They're called Alola forms for a reason which makes me think they will only be a S/M exclusive. I can't see them extending this feature outside gen VII, so unless we get follow-ups from Sun & Moon, then it most likely will just be for Kanto Pokemon. It sort of makes sense considering how we're at the 20th anniversary of the Kanto games, new forms would be a good way to commemorate the originals I guess. I think if they were to follow with Johto forms, fans would soon clamor for Hoenn forms, then Sinnoh and so on..

Shouldn't the 20th anniversary be celebrating all Pokemon generations and not just one?

I love the Alola variations they've shown so far, but really tired of the Generation I bias... Which has existed before we even hit this 20th anniversary deal.

And lets be honest here, they're *NOT* going to pull in the 90s Pokemon fans that came back to Pokemon GO. I've talked to many of these people IRL and they're so closed-minded to Pokemon past the original 151 it isn't even funny. They're a lost cause.

 

[blue]

Shouldn't the 20th anniversary be celebrating all Pokemon generations and not just one?

What I mean is that 20 years since the release of Red & Green, the games that brought the original 151. Don't get me wrong, I'd love for the Alola forms to expand out to Pokemon beyond Kanto and I can think of many that I would really like to see receive one. At this point it just seems like they are exclusive to the gen I Pokemon mainly due to the fact that all of the forms shown so far have been Kanto mons.

 

[Afterglow Ampharos]

I've talked to many of these people IRL and they're so closed-minded to Pokemon past the original 151 it isn't even funny. They're a lost cause.

In a way, Alolan Vulpix (for example) is part of the original 151. It's a type-shift, but it's still a Vulpix in species.

 

[Harmonie]

In a way, Alolan Vulpix (for example) is part of the original 151. It's a type-shift, but it's still a Vulpix in species.

I'm struggling to understand what you're arguing here. If you're arguing that the Alola variations being Generation I would help shift these 90s-only Pokemon fans to the new games, that's not going to happen. I had a coworker (who was adamantly playing Pokemon GO before I left) who bought a 3DS and bought a Pokemon game hoping to enjoy it. He sold it all back because there was too many Pokemon he did not know.

Alolan variations will not change these people's minds. They are too closed-minded. Like literally, there's one thing they just love to say as a throw-away statement: "There are too many Pokemon now". I heard another coworker say that and I just wanted to slap him because it was obvious he didn't even care and was saying that just because he thought it was the cool thing to say.

 

[Afterglow Ampharos]

I'm struggling to understand what you're arguing here. If you're arguing that the Alola variations being Generation I would help shift these 90s-only Pokemon fans to the new games, that's not going to happen. I had a coworker (who was adamantly playing Pokemon GO before I left) who bought a 3DS and bought a Pokemon game hoping to enjoy it. He sold it all back because there was too many Pokemon he did not know.

Alolan variations will not change these people's minds. They are too closed-minded. Like literally, there's one thing they just love to say as a throw-away statement: "There are too many Pokemon now". I heard another coworker say that and I just wanted to slap him because it was obvious he didn't even care and was saying that just because he thought it was the cool thing to say.

Ok, I understand what you're saying.

To those people I say: You realize that prior to you falling in love with the Pokemon series, every single one of those 151 were new, right? You didn't have a problem with them then.

 

[Ducolamia]

I'm struggling to understand what you're arguing here. If you're arguing that the Alola variations being Generation I would help shift these 90s-only Pokemon fans to the new games, that's not going to happen. I had a coworker (who was adamantly playing Pokemon GO before I left) who bought a 3DS and bought a Pokemon game hoping to enjoy it. He sold it all back because there was too many Pokemon he did not know.

Alolan variations will not change these people's minds. They are too closed-minded. Like literally, there's one thing they just love to say as a throw-away statement: "There are too many Pokemon now". I heard another coworker say that and I just wanted to slap him because it was obvious he didn't even care and was saying that just because he thought it was the cool thing to say.

Completely agreed. TPC is just trying to chase waterfalls with this one. A majority(not all) of people I've met who think Gen 1 is the best and only the best are for a lack of a better word--Genwunners. These people are never satisfied with anything--ANYTHING after Gen 1. New Graphics? They suck. New Pokemon. They suck. Glitches fixed. Nope. Trying to help these people get out of this elitist mindset is basically talking to a brick wall( I've tried in real life, it doesn't so shit).

I get what TPC is trying to do luring in old fans with Alola forms and all and I don't blame them as the best selling games to this date are the originals and Pokemon Go is all the rage. I bet there's a fanbase for that kind of stuff, but it's obviously not the original elitist fans who only like Gen 1 and are pissed off about their precious Pokemon being "soiled". I guarantee it's not going get them back. They have to eventually realize pandering to Gen 1 will only get them so far.

 

[MegaKuriboh]

I really hope the Gen 1 pandering stops completely after Gen 7. Gen 6 had a bunch, but it was alright. Like, wow we get to use the original starters again and they get new special forms! Alright! That was super cool (but why couldn't Venasaur and Blastoise get a second form?) and catching Mewtwo again was pretty awesome, especially with his animation when you get close to it.

Pokemon Go, for now only has the first 150 - legendaries, which is fine because it helped build a bunch of hype for a while and if they tried fitting all 718 Pokemon at once the game would just explode, so they'll do it gradually.

But come on Sun and Moon, please chill with the Gen 1 pandering, I love Gen 1 as much as the next guy. Really awesome Pokemon, cool and mysterious characters, memorable music and just all around great memories, but it's not just the first generation that has this. Every Gen had it's great moments and they should all be appreciated and recognized, especially during the 20th anniversary. Don't get me wrong, they're still doing a great job with the pandering because the new forms are excellent and mostly on rare and underappreciated Pokemon (hell I like the new Meowth a lot more than old Meowth) but give some other gens some love.

 

[Hikamaru]

MegaKuriboh is right, Kanto doesn't need so much fanservice in the 20th anniversary. I get the appeal with Kanto but we need to appreciate every generation equally.

 

[Salzorrah]

Such a shame tbh, there are literally tons of better Pokemon than the original 151... AND WHAT ABOUT THE POKEMON WHO ARE CROSSGEN RELATIVES OF THE ORIGINAL 151? Tbh, I'm really just sick and tired of the Gen 1 bias here, and it's literally not funny anymore.

 

[kingdenas]

As Hikamaru said, even though it's the 20th Pokémon Anniversary, that doens't mean Kanto has to be the only region appreciated. Every generation should be celebrated equally, since they're all part of the Pokémon World.

 

[Hikamaru]

^ Hika Appreciated.

Even if we only got Kanto forms this generation, it could bring up possibility for other non-Kanto Pokemon to be regional forms in the next gen's region, assuming if regional forms do return.