The Return of Pokemon Riding?

[StarsMmd]

Firstly, pokemon have put so much work into sun and moon (to the point that XY/ORAS feel lacking in some areas). SM just feel so much more polished and well rounded. The scale of these will be incredible and they may just exceed our expectations.

The reins in the screenshot make it look like it's not your own pokemon. It just has a less personal feel. Alternatively, it could be a key item which you need to obtain before you can ride your pokemon. Also the route in the screenshot looks extremely boring! I really hope that isn't representative of the whole route in the final version.

 

[Cyrain]

I think we'll rather a racing minigame than actual pokémon riding. Don't get my wrong, I would be delighted to be able to ride on the back of my beloved suicune, but I don't think it's very likely.

One: we never had to wear safety gear like the helmet, not while riding a bike and not even while riding on a mammoth:D why start now? This looks more like a 'professional' outfit, to make us look like a jockey, similiar to the contest outfits.
Two: The reigns stoutland wears give me the same impression as the helmet. Of course it could be an item that's needed to ride the mons, but why bother making it visible? No other item is visible when carried by a pokémon.
Three: The Canyon on the picture looks so blank, more like something you rush by, concentrating on winning and not on the landscape. It's probably a part of the big canyon on the southwestern island.

So my guess is a race. Different courses through the canyon and maybe even some in the water or even in the air? Perhaps this minigame even has postgame quality? So you are able to train your pokémon in some kind of way, explicitly for these races. Maybe winning new helmets, reigns, etc and unlocking new courses all across alola? I'm really intersted how the riding will be implemented this time:).

 

[L'Belle]

I honestly think it is gonna be the same thing as X and Y, and that on this route, you need to ride Stoutland to continue. I would like it if you could actually Ride flying pokemon in a flying route.

 

[Desert Stream~]

I wouldn't mind if I couldn't ride ledges, but I wanna ride my own pokemon!

 

[mikey]

I'd rather have our Pokemon follow us again like in HGSS honestly, lol.

 

[kingdenas]

I'd rather have our Pokemon follow us again like in HGSS honestly, lol.

I would love that too .But probably that's not going to happen anymore :/ . Imagine how many overworld sprites they needed to create ....

 

[Flower]

Gosh I really hope it's more than what we had in XY, with just Mamoswine and Rhyhorn iirc.. I hope it's more than Stoutland hehe. Stoutland's an interesting choice though imo, but at least we're seeing some love for Gen 5 Pokes yeah? As some others had said I would prefer Following Pokémon to return but it'd be pretty hellish for Game Freak to go create presumably 800+ 3D models for all Pokémon, walking ones and ones for each side. @_@

 

[Lapis]

The riding on Pokemon thing was a cool concept. It is something I'm rather indifferent about so while it would be something awesome to have, I am rather indifferent on the whole situation. ^^;

 

[Cyrain]

Gosh I really hope it's more than what we had in XY, with just Mamoswine and Rhyhorn iirc.. I hope it's more than Stoutland hehe. Stoutland's an interesting choice though imo, but at least we're seeing some love for Gen 5 Pokes yeah? As some others had said I would prefer Following Pokémon to return but it'd be pretty hellish for Game Freak to go create presumably 800+ 3D models for all Pokémon, walking ones and ones for each side. @_@

Wouldn't be hellish at all, if they would use the models from Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon:). Of course, I have no idea if Gamefreak is allowed to use them, because they're from another company...

The reason not to have the walking with your pokemon is another in my oppinion. The proportions are way to realistic now for them. An Hoopa Unbound or a Wailord would be way to big for trailing behind you:D. And if they'd start do differentiate between this pokémon can follow you and this one can't, there would be an outcry from the community. 'Why's my favourite not on the list?' 'My favourite isn't on the list, why did gamefreak invest time in this useless feature?'
It would probably end in more problems than it's worth:/.

 

[Migit78]

I'm all for them bringing back HGSS style pokemon following you. That was my favorite pokemon feature so far. There are plenty of ways around the size issue, HGSS they werent exactly to scale, all pokemon were either small, medium or large. And the large ones werent allowed inside building due to there size.

As for the riding on pokemon, I'm glad to see it back, but I'd really like it to be more immersive than last time, where it was practically never used.
I'd even vote for the removal of bikes for the use of ride on pokemon. Make it a HM. There are plenty of Dog/Horse/Large Cat pokemon that could be rideable. would be so much cooler.

Open if interested in list of possible rideable pokemon

Spoiler:

This is just my opinion Ryhorn is currently the smallest ride on pokemon at 3'03", using that as a base following are big enough, and the right shape, to ride.

In height/generation order:
Persian, Ponyta, Vaporeon, Umbreon, Mightyena, Leafeon, Ninetails, Aridos, Poliswine, Donphan, Delcatty, Liepied, Slowpoke, Bayleef, Absol, Furfrou, Taurus, Houndoom, Stantler, Luxray, Giraffig, Pyroar, Samurott, Zebstiker, Buffolant, Rapidash (as seen in anime), Meganium, Furret (which brings us to 6'0"), Arcanine, Sawsbuck, Venasuar, Ekans, Tropius, Hippodon, Avalugg, Torterra, Momoswine, Scolopede, Tyrantrum, Seviper, Aureuos, Serperior, Arbok, Onix, Steelix

I missed Doduo and Dotrio, sorry. I didn't include the ones weve already seen/used, I left out Dratini and Dragonair as I feel Dragonite's shape doesnt quite support riding, rather flying. And I left out legends due to I don't see them getting this feature.

Sorry for all the spelling mistakes too, they should be close enough you know who I mean though

 

[Denrew]

They can somehow select Pok?mon with size that can reasonably be out from
trainer's Pok?ball and follow their trainers. I can't even imagine myself strolling
a walk in a park while being followed by fish-like Pok?mon. Perhaps, it's also
important to consider the place where a Pok?mon can follow you (though for
sure, things will going to be more complicated)

Anyway, as for me, just got an idea from Pok?mon Amie...
I hope they can create specific places where you can actually release all of your
Pok?mon from your party all at once and interact with them. Places wide enough
to accommodate your team and enjoy playing/feeding and doing interactive
gameplay aside from an actual battle.

Will love to see my character making a dorect interaction with my Pok?mon
Like hugging or touching Espeon and Mewtwo and look at their expressions... {XD}

 

[machomuu]

Yes, as a less restrictive feature and implemented in a way that made it a simple alternative to a bike or like, maybe with some utility. I like that they tried incorporating Pokemon interaction with humans, and I'd really like to see them go further with it. It could make mobility and travel (and potentially area design) a lot more interesting.

 

[Lunar]

Anyway, as for me, just got an idea from Pok?mon Amie...
I hope they can create specific places where you can actually release all of your
Pok?mon from your party all at once and interact with them. Places wide enough
to accommodate your team and enjoy playing/feeding and doing interactive
gameplay aside from an actual battle.

This would be amazing, perhaps it would be possible in a large field area. If one day Game Freak did implement something similar to this I think it would be the greatest feature in Pokemon history.

 

[Migit78]

Yes, as a less restrictive feature and implemented in a way that made it a simple alternative to a bike or like, maybe with some utility. I like that they tried incorporating Pokemon interaction with humans, and I'd really like to see them go further with it. It could make mobility and travel (and potentially area design) a lot more interesting.

On this, I think they cold start incorporating sprites into more HMs, as we saw with Kyroge, Wailmer and was it Lapras? for Surf. Why can't we have the Machop line visible using Strength, or a Scyther using Cut for us? Just for increased immersion. Again the may need to be choosie with which pokemon receive the overworld sprite, but HGSS limited it to 8'06" for not being allowed indoors, which 90%+ of pokemon are smaller than. And from the trailers weve seen so far the areas in Alola seem rather spacious to me. Even the leaked grass cavern thing looks massive

 

[Migit78]

I mean the general purpose of including Kyogre/Sharpedo/Lapras into Surf was that it actually affected the way you surf across the water (meaning how fast you can go, things like that), so it was done with some purpose in mind. That being said, I can't think of any actual benefit, from a more practical standpoint, for including more models into the Cut/Strength HMs other than "just because".

There were speed differences across the different sprites? I was totally unaware of that

 

[blue]

From that new trailer it appears that some Pokemon may have to be fitted with equipment to ride them.

Spoiler:

 

[Hikamaru]

From that new trailer it appears that some Pokemon may have to be fitted with equipment to ride them.

Spoiler:

I actually like how they're doing little details like this, sorta like how OR/AS had you now wearing diving gear when you went underwater.

 

[Rivvon]

I wonder if the segments with Sharpedo and Lapras are actually an example of "Pokémon riding," or if they're just a continuation of XY/ORAS's Surf, where some Pokémon (such as... Sharpedo and Lapras) had special overworld models when you surfed on them (and, in the case of ORAS, change in surf speed).

 

[Lunar]

The Tauros riding was really cool and hopefully with the edition of this new equipment to ride Pokemon it will allow for more to be rideable by using it. Although Sharpedo and Lapras have been Pokemon which previously have been shown while surfing in other games the images showing Stoutland and Tauros being ridden could mean this feature is being opened up to a lot more Pokemon!