Media previews of SM

[Nicolas721]

This spanish review also says that there are literally 7 trials per island: Impresiones - Pokémon Sol / Luna

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

7 trials per island? That doesn't sound right. That would give us 28 in total which is a bit much in my opinion.

 

[CynthiaLover]

All of that sounds exciting! Ugh one more month!

Tell me about it. All of that stuff sounds pretty sweet. Man, November 18th can't seem to come quickly enough. At least the demo will be something to chew on for a bit (not long enough, but at least it gives us a sample of what to expect).

 

[Nintendokusou]

7 trials per island? That doesn't sound right. That would give us 28 in total which is a bit much in my opinion.

Doesn't seem that much taking into account that the activities are just things like solving a puzzle or finding an item, plus a totem battle after. So it might be misleading in terms of size, but when you actually play it it doesn't feel like too long, I guess.

 

[RJB1987]

Tell me about it. All of that stuff sounds pretty sweet. Man, November 18th can't seem to come quickly enough. At least the demo will be something to chew on for a bit (not long enough, but at least it gives us a sample of what to expect).

Right? I just caught up on grading, clearing my schedule for the demo next week. It's bad, y'all.

 

[swiftgallade46]

Tackle was never a powerful move and a lost of 10 in power wouldn't matter. They have been increasing and decreasing moves power for a while.

Is... is tackle really that dear to your heart? Like, do people actually NOT replace it the first chance they get?

I, personally, keep it as like a finishing move. It's also like one of the starting moves (next to pound and scratch) that I replace last.

But I really don't care about the 10 point loss. Especially since I only use it a few times per battle.

Lol guys no I was being facetious

 

[Silktree]

"7 pruebas en total en Alola" does not translate to "7 trials per island". You don't even need to know Spanish to tell that much.

Doesn't seem that much taking into account that the activities are just things like solving a puzzle or finding an item, plus a totem battle after. So it might be misleading in terms of size, but when you actually play it it doesn't feel like too long, I guess.

Yes, because your standard gym is so much more time-consuming than the combination of a puzzle-oriented quest (that probably entails battling trainers along the way) and facing a Totem Pokemon.

 

[PinkIceFox]

7 per island would be fantastic... but sadly doesn't seem like that's the case. ): Better be some fantastic trials to be only seven of them. |:<

Also lol why would they weaken Tackle? It's already one of the first moves I get rid of. Now its just gonna make me get rid of it faster.

...And I'd like to see my character's dad without having him be a useless gym leader. "Hi dad! *battles* Bye forever, dad!"

 

[Nintendokusou]

"7 pruebas en total en Alola" does not translate to "7 trials per island". You don't even need to know Spanish to tell that much.


Yes, because your standard gym is so much more time-consuming than the combination of a puzzle-oriented quest (that probably entails battling trainers along the way) and facing a Totem Pokemon.

Well, I read two Spanish sources that attended the Nintendo of Europe event and they claim there are "7 trials per island in Alola". If they are wrong, since none of the previews tell us where they got that info, then it's not our fault for misinterpreting.
It wouldn't make any sense to have 7 trials and have 4 of them be in a single island though.

Maybe it is similar if you have to battle trainers along the way, but we don't know that yet, do we?

 

[CynthiaLover]

Also lol why would they weaken Tackle? It's already one of the first moves I get rid of. Now its just gonna make me get rid of it faster.

I suspect so that all the starters' beginning moves are equal in terms of power. Pound and Scratch both have a BP of 40, but Tackle had a BP of 50, making it the strongest of the three. We also know that Water Gun and Ember have a BP of 40, so that may mean that Leafage also has a BP of 40. While it means Pokemon that get STAB from Tackle won't get as much out of it as during Gen V and VI (which still isn't much, but you get the point), I think it's just designed to level the field a bit when it comes to the starters. At least that's just my theory, I could be way off.

 

[Silktree]

Well, I read two Spanish sources that attended the Nintendo of Europe event and they claim there are "7 trials per island in Alola". If they are wrong, since none of the previews tell us where they got that info, then it's not our fault for misinterpreting.

It is your fault for cherry-picking those two, when the source you actually linked to says something else.

It wouldn't make any sense to have 7 trials and have 4 of them be in a single island though.

We don't know what island Sophocles is from.

Maybe it is similar if you have to battle trainers along the way, but we don't know that yet, do we?

I think it's a fair assumption that we encounter trainers during a quest, especially if it happens outside. And to be perfectly honest, gym trainers (not leaders) are no different than regular trainers, so it doesn't matter either way.

 

[Nintendokusou]

It is your fault for cherry-picking those two, when the source you actually linked to says something else.


We don't know what island Sophocles is from.


I think it's a fair assumption that we encounter trainers during a quest, especially if it happens outside. And to be perfectly honest, gym trainers (not leaders) are no different than regular trainers, so it doesn't matter either way.

Excuse me, but I read and translated it correctly at the time, so they must have changed it in the meanwhile.
However, the source they took it from, which actually went to Nintendo of Europe, not them, still says 7 trials per island, and I quote "7 pruebas por cada una de las cuatro islas de Alola".
See -> Impresiones - Pokémon Sol / Luna
There does seem to be some confusion going on though, so I know as much as you, and don't want to claim to be sure of anything.
I just translated it like I saw it back then, it wasn't with the intention of misleading anyone, specially when it's not my fault that they changed it later.

We don't know where he's from, but they were introduced together and his Captain trinket has the North part colored in Yellow, much like the other Captains from the same island have their North part colored in their types. So it's implied.

Ok, agreed.

 

[Tente]

...And I'd like to see my character's dad without having him be a useless gym leader. "Hi dad! *battles* Bye forever, dad!"

I'd like to see more presence from the parents also, but to be fair Norman had magnitudes more relevance than like every other parent combined

 

[Silktree]

We don't know where he's from, but they were introduced together and his Captain trinket has the North part colored in Yellow, much like the other Captains from the same island have their North part colored in their types. So it's implied.

I also thought this at first, but when you think about it Akala being labeled as the northern island would be rather weird. And they revealed those four alongside Hala, who is from another island.

Anyway, I can't imagine that there are going to be 28 trial captains. If nothing else, there aren't enough types for that, and I don't think that Game Freak want to design that many characters. 28 Totem Pokemon would also end up feeling very gimmicky, especially when they're all likely to be giant versions of evolved Alola Pokemon or forms.

I'm pretty confident that we'll battle the trial captains in the post-game, so that should make up for the island trials having slightly less content than gyms, if that is even the case.

 

[jitzul]

So only 7 island trials huh ok. I felt like typing more but I won't since most of it is gonna come as complaining about a game that is not out yet.

 

[Nintendokusou]

I also thought this at first, but when you think about it Akala being labeled as the northern island would be rather weird. And they revealed those four alongside Hala, who is from another island.

Anyway, I can't imagine that there are going to be 28 trial captains. If nothing else, there aren't enough types for that, and I don't think that Game Freak want to design that many characters. 28 Totem Pokemon would also end up feeling very gimmicky, especially when they're all likely to be giant versions of evolved Alola Pokemon or forms.

I'm pretty confident that we'll battle the trial captains in the post-game, so that should make up for the island trials having slightly less content than gyms, if that is even the case.

Actually, it isn't that strange that it's labeled as the "North Island", because theoretically this island will have a guardian based on the god Lono, and this guardian will almost surely represent the Earth element in this game due to various reasons, and the element is often associated with the North in most alchemic models I have seen, so it would fit. But I'm keeping an open mind to the fact it might not be the case, as always.
They were revealed alongside Hala, but TPC only said they were Trial Captains, while Hala was directly introduced as Melemele's Kahuna.
Also, the other three besides Sophocles have their trials in the northern part of the island, which would make the lighthouse and surrounding areas in the southern part a perfect place for a Trial involving Sophocles, for example. This is just an idea though.
And here's the trinkets just for illustrative purposes.

I can see where you are coming from, but maybe they could have certain Captains hold more than one trial, or some could be two-part trials with a Totem Pokémon at the end of both parts, for example.
I know 28 sounds too much, but 7 sounds too few for 4 islands, when at least 3 have been seen in the same one.
There are many conflicting reports about this from what I have seen, so the confusion is growing and we can't tell who's right or wrong because no source specifies where they heard this, if inside the game or if it was a Nintendo employee that explained it.
Some say 7 in Alola, some say 7 per island, some say the first but make it seems like the latter, and I have also seen one say 3 Trials per Island including the 5th one, which is really confusing.
At least, we are sure that each Trial will end with a Totem Pokémon battle, and that you will face the Kahuna after all the Trials in an island, because that is specified on the official website.

I do believe we will have to battle them at some too. It would be a waste of several characters otherwise after all.

 

[Esiouqrut]

If there's really 7 trials per island, and that there are 3 types of the trials, I imagine it'll be like this:
- 3 trials from each captain
- 3 totem Pokemon fights
- 1 Kahuna fight
which totals seven.

Also, I think Sophocles will be in the MeleMele island. He's the owner of the Plaza after all, and they will give us access to that place early on, won't they?

 

[Necrozma]

If there's really 7 trials per island, and that there are 3 types of the trials, I imagine it'll be like this:
- 3 trials from each captain
- 3 totem Pokemon fights
- 1 Kahuna fight
which totals seven.

In that case, 7 trials per island would make sense. I hope that is the case.

 

[Mitchman]

I think its going to be more like 24 trials, and the 4 Kahunas. 2 Trials to reach each of the 12 Totem Pokemons, and the 4 Kahuna Battles. Comes out to 16 Boss Battles, and an additional 6 Boss Battles that would yield non-totem z crystals. Surprised that Lillie just gives you one though, I am assuming its a Pokemon Z Crystal and not a Type Z.

 

[Esserise]

Since the topic came up, I guess it's worth noting that Ilima's trial charm is also colored in on the "northern" segment, so it doesn't seem as though that indicates island placement. Sophocles doesn't have to be on Akala, in that case.