Initial Signs Pointed to Walking Pokemon
In a previous trailer for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon, some sections showed that Pokemon appeared to follow their Trainers. One such instance was the screenshot of the protagonist interacting with a Rockruff by the crossroads. Another case was Wingull, which appeared to tag along the protagonist. Last but not least, snapshots of Rival Trainer Hau leading his chosen starter in what appeared to be Paniola Ranch circulated across the web.
With scarce information prior to the game’s release, some fans believed that Walking Pokemon would return.
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First seen on Pokemon Yellow
The Walking Pokemon mechanic first appeared in the classic Gameboy Color game, Pokemon Yellow, where the starter pokemon trails behind the trainer. Fast forwarding to Diamond and Pearl, trainers got to take their starters for a quick stroll around the park. Later on, the arrival of the remakes – namely Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver – revived the forgotten feature by bringing full implementation to all the towns of Johto and Kanto.
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To give more variety, the game has coded many overworld sprites for all 493 Pokemon. This is a huge step from the lone starter in Yellow, considering the new games were in full color.
Walking Pokemon Fulfill a Different Purpose
More recent trailers attempted to promote Walking Pokemon. Game data surfaced to show that said Pokemon will roam around the routes and various maps. For instance, one trailer showed the Ultra Beast Xurkitree frolicking in its Ultra Space.
Source: Pokemon
However, Walking Pokemon will not return to Ultra Sun and Moon. To prove this, a snapshot showed that the Rockruff did not belong to the trainer, but instead showed it as an NPC. The way it works is that trainer gets to interact with the Rockruff through a set of options, similar to talking to the Miltank in Paniola Ranch.
With that being said, it is unfortunate that the game will stick to having no walking Pokemon. Encased in their balls amidst the heat of the sun-drenched island, it made sense to assume its return. It would have paired nicely with Poke Refresh because it seemed to be an extension if it returned in full 3D.
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