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Pokemon Sword and Shield, the eighth generation of the 23-year-old series is set to release on November 15 this year on the Nintendo Switch. The gameplay looks very polished and the overworld is much much bigger than any other Pokemon game we have seen so far.
But fans are pretty mad at Gamefreak. A controversial statement in E3 2019 which mentioned that all Pokemon will not be available in the new Sword and Shield games pissed some people off. Especially hardcore fans.
Gamefreak has been creative with each new Pokemon game that they released over the years. Some features which fans loved never showed up again in future games. Here are 8 of those beloved features which was abandoned in the Pokemon series.
#8. Contests
Introduced in Generation 3's Ruby and Sapphire, Pokemon Contests were a neat little side game that you could play in a bunch of cities in Hoenn. Contests were brought back in Generation 4 as well as the Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire remakes.
While it wasn't super rewarding, it was a lot of fun. Getting Ribbons and becoming a Master Rank was good fun. Mixing different Berries for different effects made it a lot more interesting as well. But sadly, Contests were not seen again in future games. We don't know if it will return in Sword and Shield.
#7. Battle Frontier
Battle Frontier is probably one of the best features in Pokemon ever. It only appeared in Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, Diamond/Pearl/Platinum and HeartGold/SoulSilver. A previous version of it called "Battle Tower" was also found in many games.
Battle Frontier levelled the playing field and made your Pokemon at equal levels and tuned their IVs accordingly. It was much harder than regular battles and accumulating Battle Points for various rewards was really worth it.
Hopefully something similar comes along in Sword and Shield but it doesn't seem like it will.
#6. Triple Battle and Rotation Battle
Triple Battles and Rotation Battles were introduced in Generation 5's Black and White. It saw some appearances in Generation 6 but not as frequently. These kind of battles, especially online, were some of the most fun forms of battles in the game.
It was easier to lose and due to area of effect moves such as Earthquake, you had to plan your team and make sure your Pokemon have synergy with each other. Unfortunately, it was never seen again in Generation 7 and we don't know if it will be there in Sword and Shield.
#4. Sky Battles
Sky Battles were another unique type of Battle that was only seen in Pokemon X and Y. Only certain Pokemon such as Flying Pokemon or Pokemon that have the ability to levitate in the air were eligible to fight in such Battles.
There were also move restrictions in Sky Battles. Attempting a forbidden move made the Pokemon use "Struggle" instead. This another feature that has to see a return someday!
Also read: Luigi mansion makes a return after 6 years
#4. Secret Bases
Introduced in Ruby/Sapphire, Secret Bases was one of the most creative features Gamefreak came up with. It saw a return in Diamond/Pearl/Platinum but a little differently. Secret Bases were much better in the remakes Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire.
Not only could you set up and decorate your base, but you could also get quests and rewards for recruiting a "Secret Pal" into your base. These included various types of Berries, Evolutionary Stones and much more. We need Secret Bases again!
Also read: 8 characters that would be perfect for Super Smash Bros Ultimate
#3. Following Pokemon
Pokemon following you were seen in the latest release Pokemon Let's Go: Eevee and Pikachu for the Switch. It was only seen in Pokemon Yellow, Diamond/Pearl/Platinum and HeartGold/SoulSilver. There was something about Pokemon walking with you that just made it seem so... meaningful.
It was nice seeing your Pokemon perform HM moves right in front of you and for you to interact with them. Hopefully, the features in Pokemon Let's Go where you could also ride your Pokemon will return in Sword and Shield.
#2. Mega Evolution
Mega Evolutions were introduced in X/Y and could be seen in the following games as well. New Mega Evolutions were last introduced in Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire but not after that. Gamefreak has confirmed that Mega Evolutions will not be in Sword and Shield.
Whether that means you can't Mega Evolve at all or whether you won't be able to find the Mega Stones is unclear. Mega Evolution was a powerful feature and it also had some really cool designs for existing Pokemon (though some were rather weird). We don't know if it has been abandoned or if we will see it again in the future.
Also read: 6 games to look forward to in June 2019
#1. Z-Moves
Z-Moves were introduced only one generation ago in Sun/Moon. Gamefreak has also confirmed Z-Moves will not be featured in Sword and Shield. So it looks like both Z-Moves and Mega Evolution have been dumped in favour of the new Dynamax feature.
Z-Moves allowed players to perform one super powerful move per battle. It's a pretty neat feature but it doesn't make sense to introduce a new feature and then abandon it so quickly.
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