Gyms or trials

The main series games have had two different methods of story roadblocks which were necessary to challenge the final bosses (usually Elite Four). Alolan games required you to clear trials, and all other games tasked you with beating gyms and obtaining gym badges.

Which did you like more? Would you mind seeing games with trials again?

The only issue I think I had with Trials was that you didn't get Badges. I kind of look forward to seeing new Badge designs, y'know? I was kind of disappointed with the Galar Badges, though. The Gym emblems would've worked so much better as Badges...

I'd love to see future Gyms where you have to complete tasks instead of just solving a puzzle to reach the Leader. Like the Orange League in the anime where you have to participate in racing and target-shooting.

They're the same thing presented two different ways, so I don't really have a preference for one over the other

Gyms are better in my opinion.

Over all I like and prefer the gym battles. The trials, I think had an interesting concept but, a poor execution. I liked that you had to complete a task before the battle. I think future games could implement a better system. Imagine that you have to enter a bug catching contest with the bug type gym leader and beat him/her before they offer a challenge. Or race on the open waters on the back of your surfer before challenging the water type gym leader. Go to the underground and dig up certain items and fossils before battling the rock gym leader. Collect certain berries/flowers around the region before challenging the grass type gym leader. Sky battle or flying race for the flying type and so on.

icycatelf said:

The only issue I think I had with Trials was that you didn't get Badges. I kind of look forward to seeing new Badge designs, y'know?

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Not really something I ever thought about it, good point! I loved seeing badges and deciding which was my favorite from a region way back in the day.

While I am Alola biased, I still think I prefer gyms. Trials and totem battles are fun and unique, but there's something about gyms that make them especially fun to complete and collect badges for. Maybe I would've loved trials just as much if we were awarded something like a badge for the victory though. Both concepts are cool, but gyms definitely come first!

personally, i like how trials tried to shake things up even a tad by including a boss pokemon with buffed up stats. i think that alone is really what made trials worth it to me. while i don't mind gym battles, i feel they have less and less of a "miniboss"-esque feel to them because a vast majority are a snooze and not really a threat.

i suppose one can make the same argument for totem pokemon, but at least there was an effort to balance the scales against the player, which is the one thing i appreciated the most, even if ultimately it could be cheesed like gym battles could.

Prefers trials slightly. Crushed most gym battles with Feather Dance and setting up. Swept from there. Feels harder to do with two Pokemon harassing you.

Harbors a soft spot for doubles too. Loved seeing Castform alongside Lurantis.

Could be the recency of Sword/Shield gyms talking, though. Enjoys both, provided a decent challenge.

I never understood the concept of trials. I was so used to running into some badass trainer with crazy-leveled Pokemon and earning badges on the go. Which is why Sun/Moon and Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon were not my favorite games...

Sign me up for gym battles anytime.

I wouldn't mind trials again if they were better thought out. The reason they were so bland was some of the programmers that would of been in charge of programming gyms (like the puzzles and gym layout) weren't on call. I can't remember the spisifics. So others had to step in and they used there specialtys to make them.

And for the other question I do infact prefer gyms

Gyms, hated the trials, for me sun and moon would of been better with regular gyms

I like whatever gives me an exciting and challenging battle against a strong but properly balanced trainer. Consider Trials actually better implemented and I think they make more sense and integrate better with the story. Totem battles were an interesting twist I personally liked.

The concept of "Gyms" that are actually more like fun houses with dumb puzzles that have nothing to do with Pokémon hasn't aged well to me. If they're called gyms they should be more like actual gyms, or get replaced with arenas or something else.

I would like to see them getting a more "serious" treatment, giving leaders better teams and strategies, force battle Set, equal levels, more held items, remove trainer items for both player trainer and AI, etc. As long as I get a good battle that requires some strategy, and not just mashing super effective move against everything I don't really care if it's a Gym, a Trial, a Tournament or whatever else.

I like gyms more than trials. Esp those W gyms u can battle W after completing elite four