Festival Plaza and More Return in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon

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A description of the upcoming Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon guidebook has revealed some details about the title. The following features will be returning from the original Pokémon Sun & Moon

  • Festival Plaza
  • Battle Royal
  • Poké Pelago
  • Poké Finder
  • Battle Tree

It also mentions new information about attacks and abilities!

For fans of these in the first games it’s probably a relief! Did you enjoy these in Sun and Moon?

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1,734 thoughts on “Festival Plaza and More Return in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon”

  1. GOOOOOOODDDDDAAAAAAAAMMMMMNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

    NOBODY AND I MEAN NOBODY LIKED FESTIVAL PLAZA AND THE BATTLE TREE!!! NOBODY LIKED HOW POORLY THE BATTLE ROYALE WAS DESIGNED AND HOW IT CRASHED YOUR GAME WHENEVER YOU TRIED TO PLAY IT ON ANYTHING LESS THAN A 3DS ON STEROIDS. EVERYONE WANTED A BATTLE FRONTIER OR SOMETHING NEW. I HAD SUCH HIGH HOPES FOR THESE GAMES!! I REALLY DID!!! _FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC_
    You know what, I got excited for these games and whatever I hype automatically goes to shite….
    I’m just so frigging mad right now…

    Reply

    • First of all, calm down.

      It’s all subjective for one.

      I liked the Battle Tree. It never advertised itself as anything more than a Tower clone, but innovates by using Megas and Z-Moves. We’ve also got returning characters which is great fanservice. It’s probably the best Tower clone so far, and even though it’s boring and repetitive it’s better than its predecessors.

      Battle Royale was an innovative new game mode. Should they have held it off for hardware that handles it better? Yes. It has the same amount of models on screen as Triples/Rotation does, and they got removed because of that and also because Rotation sucked. But to be honest, it’s a good game mode that you’re never forced to use at all. I really enjoyed the Battle Royale, and I know others have too. I’m probably a bit biased because I have a new 3DS so it handles it better, but tbh the horrid FPS isn’t as bad as it could be because it’s a turn based game. It still majorly lowers enjoyment but it isn’t the end of the world.

      The Battle Subway and Battle Institute stayed in BW2, which introduced the PWT. Just because old features are staying in a third version doesn’t mean there’ll be no new features at all. Even if there is no new battle features, it won’t be the fault of these two facilities because they’ll probably just be copy pasted from SuMo with differences such as giving Alola mons tutor moves and maybe throwing new Alolans (if they happen) and Dusk Form in there.

      Calm down fam, these are all optional side features and seeing as they’re already established in SuMo won’t take enough dev time to justify removing new features. If Game freak really wanted to slap a million filters onto the Battle Tree and call it a whole new thing like they did in Emerald and Platinum, they’d do it and just straight port the old features.

      Reply

        • Maybe read the rest of the post before immediately trying to deflect? You’re not forced to use the plaza’s functions after an admittedly annoying demo. Yes it sucks its the way we get online, but it’s honestly not a big deal fam.

          Reply

          • I read it but still
            I mean honestly I HAVE to use the function regardless because of battling online. It’s just… why… I really just… I can’t anymore this year has sucked enough already and now this has to go and happen jesus christ

          • Fam. It’s not a big deal. Yes it’s how we get online, but besides the demo (which I acknowledged and criticised) it’s pretty much a few extra seconds to get online each time: it’s dumb but it’s not life ruining.

            These games are just updated versions of Sun and Moon. If you didn’t see all these features returning, I don’t know what to say besides get over it.

          • I know i just thought this game would actually have something resembling a post game this time
            I’m just gonna stop talking for now since all it’s gonna do is create problems..

  2. > Battle Tree

    *screaming ultron in the background*

    I just hope each of these features become a bit more refined and improved.

    Battle Tree really just needs an extra mode or two (Rental and Swap, or Rental and Inverse?) to spice it up. Although people have pointed out the need for online multi, and as well as this we obviously need more Battle Legends – especially from Johto. Also use all the Trial Captains.

    Battle Royale… Maybe add another rank where people use banned legendaries? Besides maybe increasing the chance of the Masked Royale appearing I just can’t think of ways to improve it besides allowing you to undertake battles with your friends in the Dome, so you don’t need four people to enjoy the mode with them.

    Finder just needs to become a better varied feature. Either add more Pokémon to the mix, or give the current Pokémon more emotions, poses, etc. Also change the spawn rates of some Pokémon because it’s boring getting the same Pokémon a million times and then the rare one once.

    Festival Plaza…. Eww. Please just shift all the online features out of there and make it its own thing. Also, streamline it a bit, add more variety, and don’t make the tutorial as boring. Maybe

    Pelago is pretty much perfect IMO, I guess just make the EXP and happiness/hatching a bit faster and make the wild Pokémon have their HAs because they’re not worth the hassle imo. Or add exclusives to it, preferably Pokémon not in the AloDex.

    Really hope Island Scan comes back too, with a new variety of Pokémon. Maybe the Sinnoh and Hoenn Starters, and Sina and Dexio can provide the Kanto and Kalos starters? Then all starters would be available in Gen VII.

    Reply

    • I mean to be fair they could fix Battle Royales by making it that the game doesn’t end when one trainer is out of mons… it makes games either really short or really crap cause you have to avoid a certain person to make sure the game still goes on. I’d be fine with it if they did that

      Reply

  3. i would love it if poke finder allows you to find legendary pokemon as a new update of the game when it comes out just like in pokemon snap

    Reply

  4. I thought the Battle Tree was ok, could have included more legendary trainers but overall it was a decent addition. Obviously not Frontier calibre but it wasnt as bad as some people make it out to be either

    Reply

  5. I really hope Magikarp Swapping is not a glitch and it stays in USUM
    Simply because I never actually get shinies otherwise

    Reply

    • Pretty much the same for me, I would occasionally get some in gen 6 with sheer quantity of breeding I did but they often weren’t ones I wanted. This new method has been so beneficial to me I hope it stays in forever.

      Reply

      • Exactly, it needs to
        I promised to get a friend a shiny as a gift for them being amazing but I can’t do it in USUM if they remove it

        Reply

  8. Can we just like have the Festival Plaza run by Nanu? It would make zero sense but it would be hilarious getting our three hour tutorial from a guy who clearly doesn’t give a shite. That would spice things up

    Reply

  10. Inb4 the Battle Tree ends up being changed to a battle frontier like thing called the Battle Trees
    Like literally just an S added on and everything
    I don’t know anymore
    #spectralspam

    Reply

  11. I think the battle tree is a great way to reveal the “revamped” theme of USUM – extending the battle tree to fit more old characters and trainers (like the PWT in black and white) would be great

    Reply

  12. Alright I have calmed down a lil
    Tbh I’m just pissed about the plaza returning, like come the hell on literally nobody liked that trash. I’d rather drown myself in a septic tank than use that
    I guess the rest can still be improved

    Though Pelago is perfect already so props for that
    Can we make it have story relevance? I can’t be the only one who finds it weird that we can’t tell Lusamine her husband us living on an island that has trees that grow jellybeans

    Reply

  14. “Weak points of captain, king, queen, nude Pokemon who understands the big game can be seen at a glance ”

    Ummmm for some reason I don’t think the page translated correctly…

    Reply

      • Certainly

        ”
        Product description
        Introduction
        ◆ 704 page · A5 version of full color

        fully capture the whole scenario + all the elements!

        “Pokemon Ultra Sun Ultra Moon” capture the full version also appeared early in the book!
        From the release date of the game, on sale! After only 3 weeks

        [purchase privilege] Two Ultimate Monster Balls “Master Ball” Two Serial Codes

        “The Complete Story Capture” chapter captures the enormous amount of all events of “Pokemon Ultra Sun Ultra Moon” perfectly!
        • After the entry into the Hall of Fame First scenario released for the first time! Full capture!
        · Weak points of captain, king, queen, nude Pokemon who understands the big game can be seen at a glance
        · Pokemon trainers ‘Pokemon’ Tommy ”s Pokemon is also released for the first time!

        ‘ Arora In the chapter “Introducing a method to register the appearing Pokemon in Arora’s book” I am looking forward to the cool appearance of Pokemon , Will fill the picture book!

        ￭ Contents
        Arora local official map
        -Meremere island, Akara island, Uraura island, Poni island, detailed map of ether Paradise
        game progresses breeze “scenario capture chart”
        look at the – the necessary information as soon as “Arora Region Useful Guide”
        · Basic knowledge which added plenty of information
        · ” Knowledge of Pokemon Trainer” · “Island Touring Manual”
        · This book is the only one who has fully captured the world after Hall of Fame! “Complete story Capture ”
        · Teaching technique that can be number one!” Mantaine Surf ”
        · Pokemon can be advantageous in battle if you love Pokemon · Pokemon
        becoming a fellow and “Poke resort” where the excavated one got renewed
        · “Fes Circle” which revamped the magazine for enjoying more enjoyment
        · Edit “Pocket Finder”
        · A visual catalog covering all new customized items is convenient! “Fashion”
        · Tips for taking pictures of your own thoughts are posted “Arora Photo Club”
        · Battle “Battle Facility”
        , “QR Scan” which fully captured Royal · Battle Tree etc. · ”
        How to catch Pokemon that appears” “Arora Book”
        · “Data” covering the latest ways and achievements, how to get it
        · Game Freak Oshimura Shigeru · Iwa Kazumasa official long interview also included!”

        Reply

    • It’s probably referring to Trial Captains, Kahunas (known in Japan as Island Kings/Queens) and either Totem Pokémon or wild Pokémon

      Reply

  17. I’m so braindead right now that I just looked up “is it possible to grow jellybeans from trees”
    Can somebody please help me? I’ve lost my mind

    Reply

  18. It seems like we’re now going to have a SuMo speed of news release I think
    So like, no info than info weekly for the final two months
    Tbh? I’ll take it

    Reply

  20. Doing 100+ moderately difficult battles with no way of making each battle unique and if you lose once you lose ALL of your progress.

    It’s not fun.

    It’s not intresting. It just isn’t. If any other rpg did something like this people would loathe it

    Adding two or three more characters isn’t going to fix it. Ffs GameFreak. Just give us back the battle frontier. Stop fucking over your fans. This is literally one of the three things people ask for in every Pokémon game and I don’t know why this isn’t a standard feature of every game.

    Reply

          • They include this same facility in every game and every game fan ask for something different. I really dont get it. They wont listen to the fans.

          • Because they know they don’t have to. They don’t have to change. Because they have a franchise that has been built on a foundation of not changing for 20 years. And they don’t have geniuses like Miyamoto to help them progress the games forward.

            It’s honestly baffling how much change has happened in Mario and Zelda while Pokemon is functionally the same.

            Because Pokémon fans don’t demand anything more. They’re scared of change. Just the thought of a Pokémon game that tries to change the formula gets them all upset

            As long as people keep buying these games and don’t deman anything, GameFreak will keep doing this

          • All we want is a post game and a bit more story. SuMo was honestly close. Even if it’s functionally the same is it really that hard to add enough to ensure the game doesn’t die in two months?

    • Exactly. It’s so lazy. It’s a tiny step up from the battle tower, but what is that honestly saying? It’s not innovative, it’s not fun. It’s just a skin of the battle tree. Good for the people who enjoy it though. It’s way too repetitive for me and take forever to get to the top. I even liked the battle tree/building in B2W2 better than this

      Reply

        • You know they have limited dev time and have to choose between things to implement, right?

          Especially since Gens 6 and 7 were obviously rushed for the good of the franchise

          Reply

          • Innovative isn’t even hard to compliment really, and I’d rather for them to not rush stuff if it removes features that people liked from previous games.

            And gen 7 is not really rushed, they just added an important feature last minute and that’s it.

          • I mean… I GUESS I still have faith in USUM because they have some things I still adore… but like… this hurts

          • Gen 6 and 7 are obviously rushed due to the lack of polish and content they have compared to earlier installments in the franchise, and it’s obvious what both were rushed for: 6 for the 3DS, and 7 for the anniversary

      • Innovative features? Such as?

        And if their priority is to release games every 1 or 2 years and not to make a new game that gives players a satisfying experience that will last then they shouldn’t be surprised why fans are upset when gen 8 continues to remove things people actually liked

        Reply

        • Gen 6

          Fairy type
          Mega Evolution
          8 directional movement
          Limited off the grid movement
          Full 3D world
          PSS
          3D models of all (then) 721 Pokémon
          Amie reactions for all 721 Pokémon
          3D cutscenes (albeit few and simple)
          Super Training

          Gen 7

          Alola Forms
          Z-Moves
          Ultra Beasts (whilst just more Pokémon, it would’ve taken more time to conceptualise and finalise the idea)
          Models and animations for all the above
          Bigger story
          Replacement of gyms (which was already a rush job)
          Title defense
          Poké Pelago
          Pokémon Refresh for all new Pokémon and forms

          Reply

          • I mean, gen 5 added a lot of new stuff BUT they added PWT ( aka better BF) so I’m still thinking that they could’ve made BM and BT better for some reason.

            And new features aren’t here to substitute what these battle facilities are here for: add post game.

          • Gen 5 didn’t add much new at all, it’s probably the least innovative of all the games besides its WiFi and wireless connectivity. Gen 1 introduced the franchise, Gen 2 refined it, Gen 3 reworked the core mechanics into something more like the current games, and Gen 4 added the physical special split. Gen 5 didn’t rock the gameplay majorly at all, but instead utilised what was already there well and had a compelling narrative.

            BW2 was an enhanced game (but with a new story) so it’s not really a fair comparison to base pairs because it had an extra two years of development with most of its assets already made.

          • Yeah, in gen 5 gameplay wasn’t very innovative yet in your gen 6 example you include things like 3d world and cutscenes, (and in gen 7 things like UBs and story) so it wouldn’t be unfair to name the moving sprites, 3d bridges, camera movement and more dynamic battles as innovations.

            And 2 years of development for BW2? Didn’t SM had the same time? But working on a new engine is hard I guess

          • That’s the whole point. Sun and Moon was a new engine with a completely new region, BW2 had most of its assets already existing because it had its own dev time + black and whites

            Those aren’t as innovative because Game freak had been working in 2D for years – that was simply building on what was already there. Innovative, but not as much so.

          • Other than fairy type and cosmetics (3D etc.), they removed most of the gen 6 features.

            Alolan Forms are great but they take the same amount of time if not less than new Pokémon

            Ultra Beasts are renamed legends

            Bigger story conveyed through unskippable cutscenes rather than gameplay

            Good idea bad execution

            Good feature that doesn’t take that much time to implement.

            Goona be removed next gen

            “Expanded”upon from Amie

          • So? Even if they’re removed next gen, they remain in the base game and still take time to innovate and implement? It’s not like the time they spent on it magically comes back the gen it’s removed. Battle Frontier was removed yet you don’t see people stop crying about how innovative it was.

            The concept of Alola Forms and Ultra Beasts probably would’ve taken time to make before even beginning to design individuals, hence why I said it’d add to dev time.

            That expansion still takes time lol

            UBs aren’t just renamed legends seeing as their design conventions completely push the boundaries of previous Pokémon design, especially since they have to look alien yet still believable in their universe.

          • *inhale*

            If you aren’t going to keep the features that expand your game… YOU ARE NOT INNOVATING.

            That would be like when they made HD TVs for the first time they stopped selling them and just made more CRTs after a year even though it was better in every way.

            Wouldn’t that be stupid? Huh? That’s what pokemon fucking does!

            Doesn’t matter how good a feature is! It probably won’t be in the next one

          • It’s innovative at the time, even if it isn’t maintained. Innovation literally just means new. Those innovations still took time to make, even if they’re removed after. They’re innovating each individual game, even if the innovation doesn’t stay the whole franchise. Because the thing about Game freak is that it isn’t like they just strip away features and leave nothing, they change and innovate and add new things every gen.

            The difference between TVs and Pokemon is that they’re not constant. Every Pokemon game has different features, and add and subtract, not just add on. It’s a whole different beast entirely. Whilst HD is better than CRT objectively in pretty much every single way, Pokémon removes and adds features that are mostly subjectively better or worse.

          • They’re not just taking away tho. They add and subtract side features whilst there’s never been a major core change removed. Phys/Special split? Still here. Steel and Dark? Still here. Special split? Still here. Fairies? Still here. Megas? Replaced with something similar and kept as a post game function, and is being kept on hold because the devs have shown interest in returning it to the center stage.

  22. This mostly doesn’t really surprise me that these returned honestly. The Festival Plaza was the main online feature for the gen like PSS, so I expected this. I saw the Battle Royale and Poke Pelago on the new map, so there’s that. And the Poke Finder was something that I knew some people would want (considering they can get mons outside the Dex).

    The only one I was surprised about returning was the Battle Tree. I figured they might pull a Emerald or Platinum and modify the battle facility/completely transform it this time around. Even as it returns, I’m curious to see who we can Battle at the tree now in these new games.

    Reply

        • There’s ‘afraid of change’ and ‘can’t be bothered with unnecessary changes when the current system can still be altered into something so much better’

          If anything changes to Pokémon’s game play belongs in spin offs

          Reply

          • I mean yeah they risk losing money over fixing a system that isn’t really broken considering most people complaining are out of their target audience but ehhhhhh

          • It’s not like their target audience even plays Pokémon. Kids don’t care about Pokémon. Their audience is older.

            So do something new with the series. You played the same game for 7 gens. Nothing about the formula has changed. The battle system is still the same boring repetitive system.

            Just try something new. How could you possibly know it wouldn’t work if thy never tried? Even button timed events like in Mario and Luigi RPGs would be better.

    • The problem is, Pokemon is very important competitively thanks to the battle system so I doubt they’ll change that.

      Unless they just play Gen 7 competitively from now on

      Reply

    • The battle system is the only thing I don’t want changed, it’s honestly what makes the game what it is IMO
      Otherwise, change as you will, I’m all ears

      Reply

    • Mario, at its core, is a platformer. It’s stayed a platformer consistently.

      Zelda, at its core, is about exploration and dungeon crawling. It’s still about that at its core.

      Pokémon at its core is a turn based RPG, a genre that is hard to innovate to the same extent because it’s more specific. There’s also the fact Pokémon’s spent longer without the same extent of innovation that it would inevitably lead to an uproar, even if the new system is good, because some would miss the old system.

      Reply

      • If the community uproars, bring out a soundproof Pokemon

        No but seriously I agree with you here, I personally would miss it so

        Reply

        • Final Fantasy was a franchise whose combat system were changing slowly with each new installment, like they stopped being turn based at 4, so it’s not really a fair comparison when FF combat turned slowly into an action like game and Pokemon is still completely turn based.

          Also, FFXV combat looks so different it’s because it was supposed to be a spin off and they couldn’t be bothered to change the battle system so

          Reply

        • Final Fantasy, as Kuppo said, was changed years ago and to be honest aren’t even that closely related to each other because every number is a new installment with an all new universe and game play system

          Reply

          • Yes, but I mean not 2D platformers, which was what the series was built as. It completely changes how you play the games.

          • The thing is a change to a 3D world can be made with changes to a platformer, yet its still a platformer. It stayed a platformer just like Pokemon stayed a turn based RPG, it’s just that turn based RPG isn’t as flexible and innovative as something as simple as ‘jump and run’ (which a platformer is)

          • It totally is though? Undertale, Xenoblade, Mario RPGs, are only a few examples but they are all RPGs that make the battle system unique and interactive and you aren’t just pressing buttons

          • Yeah because the battle system is what sells Pokémon. Who stands in line at gamestop at 11 o’clock st night to get the new Pokémon game because of DAT BATTLE SYSTEM

            That boring repetitive RNG based battle system that hasn’t changed in 20 years

            So fun

          • The combat is part of the gameplay not all of it, when people buy Pokemon they’re thinking of catching and battling with monsters, what’s the type of battle is doesn’t really affect consumers

          • Unless it’s a bad battling system they tried to replace a perfectly fine one that can still be innovated for.

            And it’s still the battling that you spend the majority of time on, catching is primarily done through battle.

          • I wouldn’t really call what they’ve done lately with the combat “innovating” it’s just the same with some mechanics changed

          • It’s not so much the battle system that’s flawed as it is the lack of refinement to it
            Like it still has a LONG way to go

          • Yeah I mean Im not saying that we need to innovate as much as those games, just that it worked well for mario and zelda. I do think pokemon switch will change quite a few things

        • Still fit the description

          “A platform game (or platformer) is a type of video game, and subgenre of action game. It involves guiding a player character or avatar to jump between suspended platforms and/or over obstacles to traverse their environment. The player controls the jumps to avoid letting their character fall to their death or miss necessary jumps”

          And if you mean 2d not being here anymore then I have to say that it’s been like that since 1996 when they made 64 so it’s not really the “last few major Mario games”

          Reply

  24. “Battle tree” I swear, if it isn’t revamped in any shape or form by adding more battle types or stuff like that, i’m gonna choke someone. Same goes for poke finder they better make it more interesting ( and they will hopefully)

    Reply

  25. Lol forgot about the swear filter so repost without swearing

    Not throwing shade at anyone, just generally asking. Why are people surprised that the Battle Tree is back and acting like it automatically makes the game bad already? Like this isn’t new info? We’ve seen it on the map we’ve had for like a month now, and people were crying about it back then too. It’s also just common sense seeing as other third versions/sequels kept the base game’s facilities and either expanded or added new facilities

    Reply

    • Because Emerald, Platinum, and BW2 all expanded on the battle facilities.
      I guess we all are assuming it will be the same
      Is it correct? Possibly, maybe not, but it’s natural to think that way

      Reply

        • I know,I just said I think we all expected it to be the same
          That’s why I said it might not be a correct thought, more or less how we’re responding is sort of a first reaction sort of thingy
          I’m just hoping expansion happens in some form.
          And I don’t mean Buzzwole

          Reply

          • Battle Frontier =/= only form of expansion, for all we know GF is adding something new they don’t want to reveal yet or are adding that innovation to existing aspects

    • Tbh I’m kinda surprised that people are surprised that the BT is still here, like, why would they remove it. I just hope they do something better with it.

      Reply

      • They can still do better, they kept an aspect from the base game that probably won’t effect dev time in a huge way because it’ll probably be a straight port/slightly enhanced from from SuMo and isn’t forced upon you at all whilst they’ll probably add at least one alternative?

        Reply

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