News: No Gyms Confirmed? Introducing Alola’s Island Challenge

[MegaKuriboh]

I really like this, this is super neat, and to be honest, it's kind of like Gym Battles? I mean at least those four trainers specialize in a type (Although the Fire guy has a Marowak?). I'm hoping the Kahunas don't restrict themselves to types though. The idea of going through challenges and testing your knowledge and looking for stuff is really cool though, it just seems like a general gaming thing that hasn't been seen in Pokemon much, it seems fun. And fighting super powered wild Pokemon who summon others? Count me in! That sounds awesome, although I doubt you can catch them, but it's still really cool! I'm glad that Game Freak are finally switching up the formula a bit.

 

[RileyXY1]

Gyms are dead. They're never coming back. Island Trials will be in all future games instead (including Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos remakes).

 

[Rivvon]

You know, considering we'll likely be battling against the four trial captains (otherwise why would they state their type speciality) and we'll also be battling against the four Kahunas. That's 8 important trainer battles right there.

This is really just gyms with extra bells and whistles added on. (in the form of quests and battles against boss Pokemon)

This is basically what I was thinking--since in the end there's 8 of them, it's just glorified Gyms. Instead of 8 bosses, we fight 4 mini-bosses and 4 bosses (SM easier than XY confirmed?).

Which, in turn, makes me like it less because none of them use Dark-Types (unless Hala happens to be the only Typeless Grand Kahuna, and one of the other three does specialize in Dark-Types). No Dark Gym, no buy.

 

[Z25]

This is basically what I was thinking--since in the end there's 8 of them, it's just glorified Gyms. Instead of 8 bosses, we fight 4 mini-bosses and 4 bosses (SM easier than XY confirmed?).

Which, in turn, makes me like it less because none of them use Dark-Types (unless Hala happens to be the only Typeless Grand Kahuna, and one of the other three does specialize in Dark-Types). No Dark Gym, no buy.

I have seen it pointed out, but all 4 trial captains seem to be on the second island.

This would mean 4 per island, and a Kuhuna, plus the totem pokemon. Meaning that we would have 20 fights in a gym fashion. So the game could be harder that way.

EDIT:

There are more then 4 captains
https://twitter.com/TheLastSugababe/status/760154517883252736
https://twitter.com/JoeMerrick/status/760155367703707648

 

[esperance]

I'm shocked that they actually went and are doing away with the traditional eight gym system... that's one core concept I was sure would never change. New forms are pretty cool as well although I have to wonder why they made Exeggutor Grass/Dragon...

 

[Kahnu]

Not a fan, to be honest. Having a regional Gym Leader league was very nice and showed who were strongest trainers in the particular area. I don't know how to explain it all too well but, If its gone for good, I'll be mad.

 

[esperance]

Not a fan, to be honest. Having a regional Gym Leader league was very nice and showed who were strongest trainers in the particular area. I don't know how to explain it all too well but, If its gone for good, I'll be mad.

I think now the general idea is that these 'kahunas' are the equivalent of gym leaders and represent the strongest/wisest/whatever trainer for each island.

 

[Majestic Electric]

Never thought I'd see the day where gyms no longer exist in Pokemon. Glad to see that GameFreak is trying something new, story-wise. I'm just wondering if there will be 8 island trials and not just 4 because then it would be safe to say the trials are the equivalent of Gyms in S / M.

Also, does this whole idea remind anyone else of the Orange Islands?

 

[Rivvon]

Just because the system has been given a new coat of paint doesn't inherently mean the story is improved or the characters involved in it are any more in-depth/relevant. The plot could very well have just changed from "obtain all 8 Gym Badges" to "clear all the Island Trials." It's way too early to assume this change means the plot and its characters have changed for the better or worse.

 

[Juice585]

They just took the traditional formula and "repackaged" it to fit Alola and its islands. I think it makes sense. I'm going into this with an open mind and I'm curious to see more.

 

[Hikamaru]

Also, does this whole idea remind anyone else of the Orange Islands?

This video from well-known Pokemon theorist YouTuber Bird Keeper Toby would agree with you.

 

[jfuze174]

The only thing that scares me about the no gyms is that with the 8 gyms you can stretch out the game with side quests and grinding between each gym and while I'm sure it won't be easy to get to each island master I can't help but feel the game is gonna be shorter than other gens

 

[Ducolamia]

I like the idea of having no gyms. It really changes things up a bit. :D

From what I read in the forum already, people are afraid that the gyms might be too short, or might not put up a challenge. And while if implemented horribly it could go terribly wrong, I have a feeling that if it's done well, it's probably going to be a very difficult and pretty long game.

Think about it. When you look at the size of Alola from afar, it's pretty tiny, but in proportion with the environment of the characters it's pretty big.( I noticed this when the trainer was walking in the E3 presentation) This leads me to believe that the islands are probably going to have much more to do in them( though I could be wrong). It has been confirmed by Serebii that there will be more than four captains per island. Therefore, if we assume it's 4 per island making you either battle or do fetch-quests(making you battle other trainers along the way) we have at least 12 battles on our hands.(Not including the artificial island). We also have to take into consideration the Totem Pokemon whose bullshit(in a good way) concept looks like it came from an SMT game (Seriously, summoning more allies to combo one Pokemon in battle? Man, considering my luck with the hack gods, I'm gonna have a bad time). THEN we also have to take into account the Kahunas and that they might be carrying Pokemon like Tapu Koko. Even further, we have to deal with the Legendaries, Zygarde, and the story and having to defeat the villianous team( if we even have that).

As a Pokemon fan all I can say is

https://www.cmcstir.org/pr/jardinepr/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/simpsons-thumb.jpg

 

[StarsMmd]

It has been confirmed by Serebii that there will be more than four captains per island.

Actually serebii doesn't say "per island". It really looks like one per island from the way they are described. Also if you look at the environment they are in when you see them in the video, you can map those environments to each of the islands in the map.

I feel like they aren't too different from the typical gym formula. Four captains and four kahunas make 8 bosses. We've seen that they have type preferences. They have a challenge, similar to the gym puzzles in other games. Their designs look like GF's typical gym leader designs.

For those worried about content, remember we haven't even seen the evil team yet! There are a lot of interesting looking locations on the high resolution maps we've seen and it looks like there will be a lot to explore in alola.

 

[Ducolamia]

In a way I agree. You can definitely map out the environments, but I feel there are parts of the island gamefreak isn't showing yet.

Sorry. I meant to say Joe Merrick of Serebii. My apologies for the typo.

And yes, it is confirmed there are more than 4 captains( in the Japanese trailers)

Here's a link:https://twitter.com/TheLastSugababe/status/760154517883252736

and this too:
https://https://twitter.com/JoeMerrick/status/760155367703707648

 

[MarinoKadame]

Anyone can get back the silhouette from the first trailer that were in the classroom an compare them with those captain ?

 

[Rivvon]

Anyone can get back the silhouette from the first trailer that were in the classroom an compare them with those captain ?

Spoiler:

They don't look even remotely close. Either this was an intense red herring for them to make, or we've got another set of 8 people to watch out for.

 

[Solar Snivy]

Here you go:

Spoiler:

None of the silhouettes match, but they could have changed the poses. Arrows point to the closest I can get to matching them.

 

[xWolfiex]

I can't say gym is dead. Not yet. We have to wait for more info from Nintendo/Pkmn Co.

Edit: Can someone delete the second post? Wifi is messing up with me.

 

[The Evil Mewtwo]

Hopefully this would help get around level restrictions for traded Pokemons and restrictions for field moves.