Post by: Webmalfunction on January 07, 2013, 07:32:58 PM
Alex makes some predictions about tomorrow's Nintendo Direct.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/32926
Today is a very anxious day to be a Pokémon fan. With the promise of news on the horizon and no school or good games to play, I've been spending today bumming around the internet for answers as to what this Nintendo Direct-worthy news might be. What I have is not one answer, but several based on what I deem to be educational guesses.
First off, let's look at the basic, official news. We know that this is going to be a 10-minute, worldwide presentation by none other than Nintendo's Global President Satoru Iwata. Since the news is essentially produced by Nintendo, I can guarantee that this is video game news, and nothing but that. The other thing I can pretty much promise (based on the length) is that what we are getting will be a full reveal, and not a silhouette and a promise to "check back later this year".
The other official announcement comes in the form of an animation on the Pokémon official website, asking fans to "Check back in 1 day for major news". Keyword: Major news. In other words, this is likely not going to be some AR eShop app or Pokémon Snap U. I'd love a new Pokémon Snap, but (almost) all new Pokémon spin-off announcements have been made via press release, and giving a spin-off like this a major focus with several days of hyping makes little sense, and would fairly obviously anger a portion of the audience.
Okay, so it is surely going to be for a video game, definitely more than a tease, and almost assuredly not a spin-off. Keeping this in mind, I have a few ideas for what the announcement might be.
1) eShop re-releases of old Pokémon games
I'm leading with this because I rather strongly believe that this is going to be the actual news tomorrow. Since Nintendo knows its audience, they aren't going to release old Pokémon ROMs onto the eShop without enabling trading and battling (something that would take work to enable). Furthermore, it might not be out of the question to expand on this a bit by adding Wi-Fi and maybe even some kind of 3D. And if Nintendo did get 3D, Wi-Fi-enabled classic Pokemon games ready for market, this news certainly would be important enough for a hyped Nintendo Direct, and would be news that might not fit on CoroCoro or Pokémon Smash (the usual outlets for Poké-news) as well as a Direct. And if this was an eShop re-release of Pokémon games, wouldn't a Direct be perfect for saying "And you can get this games on the eShop right now!"?
2) Pokémon Stadium-esque Wii U game
I know I said no spin-offs, but these 3D battling games are as close to main series console games as you will ever get. Oh, and Pokémon will never ever have a main-line entry on a Nintendo console, so you can forget about that pipe dream if you still have it. Although it straddles the line of major news, I could certainly see Nintendo saving this news for a 10-minute Nintendo Direct.
3) New 3DS Pokémon games, Ruby and Saphire remakes, and other such business
I really hope that the Nintendo Direct focuses on the next big Pokémon game for 3DS, though I question the potential for such news (perhaps out of preparation for disappointment). Outside of the fact that we're promised major news (and it doesn't get more major than this), I wonder why the new Pokémon games wouldn't be announced through CoroCoro magazine or Pokémon Smash first like they usually are. It's not insane to think that Nintendo announcing it would be better (especially as international release dates move closer together), but it's way too unusual for me to ignore. As to what the game might be, your guess is as good as mine. In my opinion, a Ruby and Saphire 3DS remake would likely come after a brand-new Pokemon generation establishes a new engine (and there's no way Nintendo would let Game Freak develop another DS game). So, if anything, the news would probably involve brand-new games. And for this Pokémon Rainbow nonsense everyone keeps talking about, feel free to forget that ever happened. Unless it's on DS, a Pokémon game featuring four regions and a brand-new art-style would need way more time to cook than the three-years-or-so Game Freak has likely had with 3DS.
So, there you have it. Feel free to check back tomorrow and tell me how wrong I was about all of these predictions, or be astounded by how right they are. Either way, tomorrow morning should be a lot of fun.
Post by: Mop it up on January 07, 2013, 07:36:46 PM
Post by: Shaymin on January 07, 2013, 08:05:46 PM
They wouldn't put the effort needed to make the early games playable with the modern tech without breaking the games even more than they already are.
Post by: nickmitch on January 07, 2013, 08:26:23 PM
Post by: UncleBob on January 07, 2013, 08:37:02 PM
Post by: Arganos on January 07, 2013, 09:00:30 PM
Post by: Shaymin on January 07, 2013, 09:11:44 PM
I think the Rainbow rumor makes the most sense. This was an announcement about an announcement. Gen VI is inevitable, so that's too normal of an event to hype up this much. A gen III remake is fairly anticipated, so I wouldn't think it would get this hyped up. Rainbow sounds like a dream come true that's worth the hype. Any console game that isn't a dream game like rainbow would just be disappointing.
https://twitter.com/LegendaryPKMN/status/288417575640117248
3DS confirmed.
Post by: Webmalfunction on January 07, 2013, 09:32:41 PM
I think the Rainbow rumor makes the most sense. This was an announcement about an announcement. Gen VI is inevitable, so that's too normal of an event to hype up this much. A gen III remake is fairly anticipated, so I wouldn't think it would get this hyped up. Rainbow sounds like a dream come true that's worth the hype. Any console game that isn't a dream game like rainbow would just be disappointing.
Not every Pokemon fan is a lifelong fan who knows what to expect. Gen VI is a given, yes, but that doesn't mean it isn't insanely exciting and unworthy of days of hyping. If it's new and will sell millions of copies, hyping like this isn't unexpected in the least.
On the other hand, four regions with new content throughout, a new plot, new Pokemon, new mechanics, a new engine, one version, and a new (awful-sounding) art-style sounds impossible in so many ways. A game that big wouldn't be even half done in 2-3 years (AKA, this would be 2-3 years before a likely release date), and making a one-version Pokemon game goes against the entire design philosophy of Pokemon.
Post by: Shaymin on January 07, 2013, 09:40:44 PM
and making a one-region Pokemon game goes against the entire design philosophy of Pokemon.
/me throws the challenge flag
Consider the one time they tried two regions, one was half-assed and one was 16th-of-an-assed. They haven't done it since outside of a remake. I'd say that one good region *is* the design philosophy.
Post by: Webmalfunction on January 07, 2013, 09:51:25 PM
My bad! I meant one-version, not one-region.and making a one-region Pokemon game goes against the entire design philosophy of Pokemon.
/me throws the challenge flag
Consider the one time they tried two regions, one was half-assed and one was 16th-of-an-assed. They haven't done it since outside of a remake. I'd say that one good region *is* the design philosophy.
You're absolutely right.
Post by: nickmitch on January 07, 2013, 09:56:13 PM
I think the Rainbow rumor makes the most sense. This was an announcement about an announcement. Gen VI is inevitable, so that's too normal of an event to hype up this much. A gen III remake is fairly anticipated, so I wouldn't think it would get this hyped up. Rainbow sounds like a dream come true that's worth the hype. Any console game that isn't a dream game like rainbow would just be disappointing.
Not every Pokemon fan is a lifelong fan who knows what to expect. Gen VI is a given, yes, but that doesn't mean it isn't insanely exciting and unworthy of days of hyping. If it's new and will sell millions of copies, hyping like this isn't unexpected in the least.
Not everyone is gonna care about impending pokenews. They might care about the news itself, but not enough to get hyped up for it. And a Gen VI would probably be teased first. I mean, we knew of a few Gen II Pokemon before that was announced, and it's been the same way ever since. A new gen has to be a tease.
Post by: ShyGuy on January 08, 2013, 12:49:30 PM
Post by: Webmalfunction on January 08, 2013, 01:04:47 PM
LOL PREDICTIONS.Hey, I'm glad they didn't come true!
Post by: nickmitch on January 08, 2013, 09:13:23 PM
Post by: TJ Spyke on January 08, 2013, 10:52:49 PM
Post by: nickmitch on January 08, 2013, 11:04:50 PM
Japan: September 18, 2010
North America: March 6, 2011
Australia: March 10, 2011
Europe: March 4, 2011
Though B2W2 were closer to 4 months, this was the shortest gap. I dunno where you're getting 2-4 from. Pretty sure the Nintendo Direct stressed the delay.
Post by: TJ Spyke on January 08, 2013, 11:28:10 PM
Red/Blue: 2 years, 7 months
Yellow: 1 year, 2 weeks
Gold/Silver: 5 months, 3 weeks
Crystal: 7 months, 2 weeks
Ruby/Sapphire: 4 months
Emerald: 7 months, 2 weeks
FireRed/LeafGreen: 7 months, 1 week
Diamond/Pearl: 7 months
Platinum: 5 months, 1 week
HeartGold/SoulSilver: 6 months
Black/White:5 months, 1 week
Black 2/White 2: 3 months, 2 weeks
So not quite 2-4 months, but the last few generations have not been that bad, they keep getting shorter.
