With this board called the Orange Islands, I don't think I would surprise anyone if I said I was reminded of the Anime's Orange Island arc.
I always wondered what an actual game version of the Orange Islands would be like, before Gen III I thought it would be a not possible task as back then the only thing you could do in Pokemon was battle but then Gen III introduced Pokemon Contests and the Battle Frontier which changed the rules of the game around. Pokemon Contests showed you can do more with a Pokemon besides battling and the Battle Frontier used special battling rules to make their battles different from normal battles.
So, how do you imagine a game version of the Orange Islands will be like? Note that it doesn't have to just be what we saw in the anime, look no further than the Gen III Battle Frontier arc for proof of that. If they can change how Gen III's Battle Frontier worked, then the game can change how the Orange Island League worked.
Starting with me, I'd imagine they sort of change it into a Battle Frontier like place. I guess it could be Kanto's and Johto's Battle Frontier, it always seemed odd to me they just shoved Sinnoh's Battle Frontier in Johto and I think Kanto and Johto deserve their own (then again I also thought the same thing for Unova but it never got one, instead relying on the Battle Subway, White Forest/Black City, Pokemon World Tournament for post game battles). Here is how I'd imagine it to start us off:
Alternatively, maybe they could expand the idea of them being a Pokemon League. The Orange Islands are an archipelago and there's plenty of those they can fully change the Orange Islands to match. A main series game which takes place in an archipelago does sound interesting and really all they'd need to do for the league is add 4 more Gym Leaders:
But enough of my thoughts, what do you think? Would you like to see them add in the Orange Islands into the games? If so, in what way?
Mini-Discussions (for those who watch the anime):
NOTE: Yes, I know about Pokemon Naranja, but that's a fan hack which tries to be like the anime except are limited by the Gen III engine. What I'm talking about is if GameFreak decided to do something (thus are not really limited as much).
I always wondered what an actual game version of the Orange Islands would be like, before Gen III I thought it would be a not possible task as back then the only thing you could do in Pokemon was battle but then Gen III introduced Pokemon Contests and the Battle Frontier which changed the rules of the game around. Pokemon Contests showed you can do more with a Pokemon besides battling and the Battle Frontier used special battling rules to make their battles different from normal battles.
So, how do you imagine a game version of the Orange Islands will be like? Note that it doesn't have to just be what we saw in the anime, look no further than the Gen III Battle Frontier arc for proof of that. If they can change how Gen III's Battle Frontier worked, then the game can change how the Orange Island League worked.
Starting with me, I'd imagine they sort of change it into a Battle Frontier like place. I guess it could be Kanto's and Johto's Battle Frontier, it always seemed odd to me they just shoved Sinnoh's Battle Frontier in Johto and I think Kanto and Johto deserve their own (then again I also thought the same thing for Unova but it never got one, instead relying on the Battle Subway, White Forest/Black City, Pokemon World Tournament for post game battles). Here is how I'd imagine it to start us off:
Brain: Cissy - Course Monitor
Facility: Battle Course
Gimmick: No in-battle gimmick, but rather an outside of battle gimmick which effects in-battle. Based on an obstacle course, the Battle Course would require you to traverse around an obstacle course which you'll need to use HMs and other moves that can be used outside of battle to traverse. Sound easy enough if you have a HM slave? Not quite, because every Pokemon in your party will be required to know 1 of these moves, an ONLY 1 of these moves. Also they'll each need to know a different HM move, so no going in with a team of all Surfers/Waterfall. And of course as you go through the course there are trainers to battle. When you travel to the end you'll finish one streak and eventually you'll face Cissy after obtaining long enough streaks.
Based On: In the anime, Cissy's challenge never involved directly battling, rather being a target practice and surfing race. Not really something that can be turned to proper gimmicks in the game. So taking cues from the Battle Pyramid and Trick Master's House, I focused on her final challenge (surf race) and decided to make her gimmick be based all around HM use and other outside of battle moves.
Proof (their version of a Symbol/Print):
1st Challenge: Clam-Eye
2nd Challenge: Coral-Eye
Brain: Danny - Mountain Adept
Facility: Battle Mountain
Gimmick: This ain't a normal mountain you're climbing. As you climb up it the weather conditions will constantly be changing. No weather, heavy rain, harsh sunlight, hail, sandstorm, thick fog, all of it. while you won't need a Pokemon that knows Rock Climb you may want Pokemon that'll be able to take advantage of weather as the trainers you'll be facing will. Getting to the top of the mountain finishes a streak and after enough streaks you will challenge Danny.
Based On: In the anime in order to even challenge Danny you first need to climb a mountain to the top where his first challenge actually is. His other challenge involve building a toboggan to race down the mountain, but I decided to focus on the mountain climbing part. As Ash climbed further up the mountain, it got colder and colder until it was snowing. This also holds true in the game as you climb up Mt. Silver, even your battle with Red has it hailing the entire time unless you clear/change the weather. So this is more an extension on that concept, except instead of it hailing all the time the weather is completely random.
Proof:
1st Challenge: Shore Ruby
2nd Challenge: Sea Ruby
Brain: Rudy - Match Maker
Facility: Battle Match
Gimmick: Same-type battles. You choose which 3 Pokemon you want to battle and you'll have 3 battles, 1 each for your Pokemon. In each battle your Pokemon will go up against a Pokemon that shares one of it typing. You need to win 2 out of 3 of the battles to advance to the next trainer. beating a certain number of trainers equal one streak and after a certain number of streaks you'll face Rudy.
Based On: This is directly from the anime. After a target test, Rudy actually battles and uses this same exact method to battle. It also as a bit of the Battle Hall in it.
Proof:
1st Challenge: Spike Scale
2nd Challenge: Spike Shell
Brain: Luana - Resort Heiress
Facility: Battle Resort/Tower
Gimmick: Your battle is randomly picked to either be a single, double, triple, or rotation battle. Defeating a certain number of trainers is one streak and after a certain number of streaks you'll battle Luana.
Alternatively, it can also be the Battle Tower.
Based On: Luana is another of the Orange Island "Gym Leaders" who actually battles. Her battles are double battles, which was unique at that time because this was during Gen I when the implementation of actual Double Battles hadn't been introduced. Of course just having all her battles be Double Battles is a bit dull, so I also took a bit of inspiration from the anime's version of the Gen III Battle Arena and had it so that the type of battle it is is random.
Alternatively, since all Battle Frontiers have a Battle Tower I think Luana would be the perfect pick since she does own a hotel resort.
Proof:
1st Challenge: Jade Sponge
2nd Challenge: Jade Star
Brain: Drake - Stadium Champ
Facility: Battle Stadium
Gimmick: The battlefield randomly changes between battles. Basically it chooses a type of environement (based on Nature Power's classifications), a field hazards (Spikes, Stealth Rock, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web), and/or terrain (Electric Terrain, Grassy Terrain, Misty Terrain). Certain number of trainers equal a streak, certain number of streaks lets you battle Drake.
Based On: During Drake's battle, halfway through the battle he changes the type of field battled in (similar to how the Indigo League would have trainers battling on different kinds of environments). For Ash's battle it started out on a grassy field and then changed to a rocky field, this is really only notable because the rocky field's floor was sandy which prevented Ash's Tauros from doing Fissure since the sand absorbed the impact that could cause the Fissure. Still, the type of field does effect the way trainers battle in the anime and being the closest thing to that in the games are environment types, field hazards, and now the terrains I thought that would provide for an interesting challenge.
Proof:
1st Challenge: Spiral Crown
2nd Challenge: Conch Crown
Facility: Battle Course
Gimmick: No in-battle gimmick, but rather an outside of battle gimmick which effects in-battle. Based on an obstacle course, the Battle Course would require you to traverse around an obstacle course which you'll need to use HMs and other moves that can be used outside of battle to traverse. Sound easy enough if you have a HM slave? Not quite, because every Pokemon in your party will be required to know 1 of these moves, an ONLY 1 of these moves. Also they'll each need to know a different HM move, so no going in with a team of all Surfers/Waterfall. And of course as you go through the course there are trainers to battle. When you travel to the end you'll finish one streak and eventually you'll face Cissy after obtaining long enough streaks.
Based On: In the anime, Cissy's challenge never involved directly battling, rather being a target practice and surfing race. Not really something that can be turned to proper gimmicks in the game. So taking cues from the Battle Pyramid and Trick Master's House, I focused on her final challenge (surf race) and decided to make her gimmick be based all around HM use and other outside of battle moves.
Proof (their version of a Symbol/Print):
1st Challenge: Clam-Eye
2nd Challenge: Coral-Eye
Brain: Danny - Mountain Adept
Facility: Battle Mountain
Gimmick: This ain't a normal mountain you're climbing. As you climb up it the weather conditions will constantly be changing. No weather, heavy rain, harsh sunlight, hail, sandstorm, thick fog, all of it. while you won't need a Pokemon that knows Rock Climb you may want Pokemon that'll be able to take advantage of weather as the trainers you'll be facing will. Getting to the top of the mountain finishes a streak and after enough streaks you will challenge Danny.
Based On: In the anime in order to even challenge Danny you first need to climb a mountain to the top where his first challenge actually is. His other challenge involve building a toboggan to race down the mountain, but I decided to focus on the mountain climbing part. As Ash climbed further up the mountain, it got colder and colder until it was snowing. This also holds true in the game as you climb up Mt. Silver, even your battle with Red has it hailing the entire time unless you clear/change the weather. So this is more an extension on that concept, except instead of it hailing all the time the weather is completely random.
Proof:
1st Challenge: Shore Ruby
2nd Challenge: Sea Ruby
Brain: Rudy - Match Maker
Facility: Battle Match
Gimmick: Same-type battles. You choose which 3 Pokemon you want to battle and you'll have 3 battles, 1 each for your Pokemon. In each battle your Pokemon will go up against a Pokemon that shares one of it typing. You need to win 2 out of 3 of the battles to advance to the next trainer. beating a certain number of trainers equal one streak and after a certain number of streaks you'll face Rudy.
Based On: This is directly from the anime. After a target test, Rudy actually battles and uses this same exact method to battle. It also as a bit of the Battle Hall in it.
Proof:
1st Challenge: Spike Scale
2nd Challenge: Spike Shell
Brain: Luana - Resort Heiress
Facility: Battle Resort/Tower
Gimmick: Your battle is randomly picked to either be a single, double, triple, or rotation battle. Defeating a certain number of trainers is one streak and after a certain number of streaks you'll battle Luana.
Alternatively, it can also be the Battle Tower.
Based On: Luana is another of the Orange Island "Gym Leaders" who actually battles. Her battles are double battles, which was unique at that time because this was during Gen I when the implementation of actual Double Battles hadn't been introduced. Of course just having all her battles be Double Battles is a bit dull, so I also took a bit of inspiration from the anime's version of the Gen III Battle Arena and had it so that the type of battle it is is random.
Alternatively, since all Battle Frontiers have a Battle Tower I think Luana would be the perfect pick since she does own a hotel resort.
Proof:
1st Challenge: Jade Sponge
2nd Challenge: Jade Star
Brain: Drake - Stadium Champ
Facility: Battle Stadium
Gimmick: The battlefield randomly changes between battles. Basically it chooses a type of environement (based on Nature Power's classifications), a field hazards (Spikes, Stealth Rock, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web), and/or terrain (Electric Terrain, Grassy Terrain, Misty Terrain). Certain number of trainers equal a streak, certain number of streaks lets you battle Drake.
Based On: During Drake's battle, halfway through the battle he changes the type of field battled in (similar to how the Indigo League would have trainers battling on different kinds of environments). For Ash's battle it started out on a grassy field and then changed to a rocky field, this is really only notable because the rocky field's floor was sandy which prevented Ash's Tauros from doing Fissure since the sand absorbed the impact that could cause the Fissure. Still, the type of field does effect the way trainers battle in the anime and being the closest thing to that in the games are environment types, field hazards, and now the terrains I thought that would provide for an interesting challenge.
Proof:
1st Challenge: Spiral Crown
2nd Challenge: Conch Crown
Alternatively, maybe they could expand the idea of them being a Pokemon League. The Orange Islands are an archipelago and there's plenty of those they can fully change the Orange Islands to match. A main series game which takes place in an archipelago does sound interesting and really all they'd need to do for the league is add 4 more Gym Leaders:
Cissy: Water-type
Danny: Rock/Ice-type
Rudy: Fairy-type
Luana: ???-type
(Four other Gym Leaders)
(Elite Four)
Drake: Dragon/Various types
Danny: Rock/Ice-type
Rudy: Fairy-type
Luana: ???-type
(Four other Gym Leaders)
(Elite Four)
Drake: Dragon/Various types
But enough of my thoughts, what do you think? Would you like to see them add in the Orange Islands into the games? If so, in what way?
Mini-Discussions (for those who watch the anime):
1. What did you think about the changes they did to the Gen III Battle Frontier? For a quick recap:
2. Do you think it's kind of Tauros Mulch that they didn't feature the Gen IV Battle Frontier (even though Ash battled against Palmer to set up a gen IV Battle Frontier arc)?
Battle Tower:
Game: It's the Battle Tower, you choose whether you want 3-vs-3 single battles of 4-vs-4 double battles.
Anime: It was a 3-vs-3 single battle.
Battle Palace:
Game: Your Pokemon battled depending on its Nature.
Anime: The battlefield was an entire forest.
Battle Factory:
Game: You used rental Pokemon, and after winning a battle you were allowed to trade a Pokemon with your opponent.
Anime: Noland showed Ash all his Pokemon and told him to choose one to battle. (Which would have been a rather boring way to do things, so the writers had it so Noland befriended an Articuno which Ash's Charizard battled)
Battle Pyramid:
Game: You had to travel through the Pyramid battling wild Pokemon. As you go through floors the tactics of the wild Pokemon change. You also can't bring any items with you, instead given an Item Bag to store items you find in the Pyramid in to use.
Anime: A 4-vs-4 single battle, however Brandon uses one of the the Golem Trio.
Battle Dome:
Game: You need to compete through a single knockout tournament.
Anime: A double battle (you're allowed to use any of your Pokemon, but Ash chose to choose two in his party).
Battle Arena:
Game: After 3 moves, if you or your opponent didn't knock each other out, your Pokemon's performance is judged. The loser of the judging is knocked out.
Anime: A wheel is spun to decide if it would be a 1-vs-1, 2-vs-2, or 3-vs-3 single battle.
Battle Pike:
Game: You choose to go down 1 of 3 halls were various things can happen (nothing, Pokemon are healed, trainer battle, or your Pokemon are given a status ailment).
Anime: 2-vs-2 single battle, only notable thing is that she uses serpentine Pokemon.
Game: It's the Battle Tower, you choose whether you want 3-vs-3 single battles of 4-vs-4 double battles.
Anime: It was a 3-vs-3 single battle.
Battle Palace:
Game: Your Pokemon battled depending on its Nature.
Anime: The battlefield was an entire forest.
Battle Factory:
Game: You used rental Pokemon, and after winning a battle you were allowed to trade a Pokemon with your opponent.
Anime: Noland showed Ash all his Pokemon and told him to choose one to battle. (Which would have been a rather boring way to do things, so the writers had it so Noland befriended an Articuno which Ash's Charizard battled)
Battle Pyramid:
Game: You had to travel through the Pyramid battling wild Pokemon. As you go through floors the tactics of the wild Pokemon change. You also can't bring any items with you, instead given an Item Bag to store items you find in the Pyramid in to use.
Anime: A 4-vs-4 single battle, however Brandon uses one of the the Golem Trio.
Battle Dome:
Game: You need to compete through a single knockout tournament.
Anime: A double battle (you're allowed to use any of your Pokemon, but Ash chose to choose two in his party).
Battle Arena:
Game: After 3 moves, if you or your opponent didn't knock each other out, your Pokemon's performance is judged. The loser of the judging is knocked out.
Anime: A wheel is spun to decide if it would be a 1-vs-1, 2-vs-2, or 3-vs-3 single battle.
Battle Pike:
Game: You choose to go down 1 of 3 halls were various things can happen (nothing, Pokemon are healed, trainer battle, or your Pokemon are given a status ailment).
Anime: 2-vs-2 single battle, only notable thing is that she uses serpentine Pokemon.
2. Do you think it's kind of Tauros Mulch that they didn't feature the Gen IV Battle Frontier (even though Ash battled against Palmer to set up a gen IV Battle Frontier arc)?
NOTE: Yes, I know about Pokemon Naranja, but that's a fan hack which tries to be like the anime except are limited by the Gen III engine. What I'm talking about is if GameFreak decided to do something (thus are not really limited as much).
