Did you know each of the mainline Pokémon games is based on a real location? The first four regions take inspiration from specific areas of Japan, Unova and Alola are based on the United States, Galar is the United Kingdom, Kalos is France, while Paldea is Iberia (Spain, Portugal, and Andorra).
Where should they set the next main instalment in the series? We don't know anything about Gen 10 yet, but there's plenty of the world still unexplored, so let your imaginations run wild. Let us know which country it should be based on and highlight specific cities you'd like to see represented to earn $4. We're looking for at least 200 words here though, so please go into detail to justify your choices, and provide images to help illustrate your picks!
already paid
$32 / 32
Reward details
This reward closed to entries at 3:57pm on July 15, 2024 but you can still reply, react, and join the conversation below! If you’d like to enter other rewards which are still open, click here.
I think maybe Australia would be a good place to base the next game on it's very different to what we have seen before in other Pokemon games, you could have areas that are based on the Australian outback and Ayers rock this would provide a good environment to introduce new ground and rock type Pokemon.
an area based on The Great Barrier Reef would allow for new Water Pokemon to be added and for people to explore perhaps some sort of underwater exploration which has not really been included in any other Pokemon game before
an area based on Kakadu National Park would allow for a good area to add new grass and bug type Pokemon.
The main city in the game would have to be based of Sydney with maybe the Pokemon lab having influences from the Sydney opera house. You could also potentially add references from aboriginal culture into the game in the form of locations or new Pokemon.
In summary Australia has a lot to offer in terms of influences from the beautiful land and culture so i think it would make for a interesting Pokemon game if the Gen 10 was based on Australia and everything it has to offer.
So for me, of course, I’m gonna say Manchester in the UK.
How cool and amazing would it be to have the next Pokémon game set in Manchester? Not only have I lived my entire life but I feel like the city really does have it. It has a mix of old and new it’s full of sports music culture. I’m honestly one of those people when I leave Manchester and go to another city. I’m really disappointed all the time because of how lucky I have it here in Manchester.
But more about sort of the Pokémon game itself and how it could corporate Manchester within the game.
One could be the historical side of it. Imagine exploring Castlefield with its Roman ruins and canals I think it would be perfect for discovering water and ground type pokemon.
Manchester is absolutely mad about football so I think Jim battled at all. Trafford and Etihad Stadium would be so cool and each gym leader could be inspired by football legends making battles intense and strategic.
The northern Quarter is sort of like the heart of the Indy culture it’s full of street art and music and it’s a great spot for electric and sound type Pokémon and you could join Pokémon contest and music battles here.
Museum of science and industry could be really good for some puzzles and to discover steel and electric type Pokémon and it could be an odd to Manchester industrial past.
Heaton Park and Fletcher Moss botanical Gardens could be amazing for greenspaces. These would be teaming with grass type Pokémon and you could do seasonal events that could bring unique to those areas specifically.
With Manchester trains and buses you can easily sort of zip around the city so encountering on the go and part fitness special events could be really easy to do.
Manchester has loads of festivals International festival this could be mirrored in the game with endgame events, battles and special awards
I feel like setting the next game in Manchester would bring a vibrant field to the series. You’d get to explore a rich city in history and culture and innovation whilst catching battling Pokémon.
For the next mainline Pokémon game, I suggest setting it in Iceland. This unique and richly diverse biome would be a perfect location, offering a logical and natural environment for a wide variety of Pokémon types.
Volcanoes, Lava Fields, Mountains, and Ashes: Iceland’s volcanic landscape is ideal for Earth and Fire-type Pokémon. Famous volcanoes could serve as lairs for legendary Pokémons. Snow-capped mountain tops could be the habitat for Ice-type Pokémon, creating dramatic and battle backgrounds.
Hot Springs, Steam Fields, and Oceanic Coastlines: The island’s hot springs and steam fields provide excellent settings for Flying, Ice, and Water-type Pokémon. The geothermal areas, with their unique geysers and bubbling mud pots, could be home to rare and exotic Pokémon. The stony coastlines and oceanic expanses are perfect for Water-type Pokémon, offering opportunities for dynamic and immersive aquatic adventures.
Forests and Plains: Iceland's forests and plains can be home to Grass, Poison, and Bug-type Pokémon. The wide-open spaces would offer for trainers to explore and discover new Pokémon species.
Rich Myth and Culture: Iceland’s rich mythology and cultural heritage could inspire new Draconic, Ghost, Dark, and Fairy-type Pokémon. The folklore of Iceland is filled with tales of dragons, spirits, and mystical beings, providing a wealth of material to create compelling and unique Pokémon designs. And of course Aurora Borealis could also keep it's secrets.
Overall, Iceland's compact yet varied landscape can serve as a comprehensive reference for all Pokémon types.
Story-wise, Iceland also offers a unique backdrop for a global conflict or environmental crisis. Imagine a storyline where the eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull were caused by a primal Groudon, threatening the world. Trainers must work together to restore balance, adding an epic and immersive narrative to the game.
By setting the next Pokémon game in Iceland, players can experience the magic of this incredible country while exploring new and exciting Pokémon habitats.
I believe Jamaica could be an interesting country to turn into a region. As I have always wanted a Caribbean-style Pokémon region.
Here are some prominent cities/locations that can be represented in this region, and what they are home to:
Kingston
Capital city.
Home to the Independence Park (Gym/Victory Road).
The University of the West Indies.
The Bob Marley Museum.
The Jamaica Defence Force Museum.
Montego Bay
“The Second City”.
Cornwall Regional Hospital.
Hard Rock Cafe.
James Bond Filming Locations.
Portland/Port Antonio
Blue Mountain
The third largest shipping yard. Famous for shipping bananas and coconuts.
Tropical rainforest climate.
James Bond Filming Locations.
Dunn’s River Fall
Waterfall(s).
The perfect place for a Water-Type Gym (Leader).
Manchester Parish/Mandeville
A lot of caves and sinkholes.
Home of the bauxite mining industry.
The perfect place for a Rock/Ground-Type Gym (Leader).
Jamaica also houses a variety of different wildlife. Both natural and foreign/invasive. Since Jamaica is a very hot country, it would be difficult to incorporate Ice-Type Pokémon. To get around this I would make one of the northern areas or a small island off the coast of the north side of the region, or create an artificial island as the home of ice-type pokemon. This would also be home to the Ice-Type Gym Leader/Elite Four member.
These are some ideas for gym leaders/elite four members, and the champion:
An Electric-Type Gym Leader/Elite Four member inspired by an Athelte (like Usain Bolt).
A Fire-Type Gym Leader/Elite Four member inspired by a cricket player (and the film documentary Fire in Babylon).
An Ice-Type Gym leader/Elite Four member inspired by the Jamaican bobsleigh team (Cool Runnings), and a scientist who is trying to introduce Ice-Type Pokemon into the region.
A Gym Leader/Elite Four member who’s inspired by Ian Flemming and James Bond, who originates from the Galar region (Flemming wrote several James Bond novels whilst in Jamaica).
A Gym Leader/Elite Four member inspired by a football player.
A Gym Leader/Elite Four member inspired by a horse rider.
A Gym Leader/Elite Four member inspired by a chef.
I propose a region based on Greenland. A region which mostly consisted of glaciers and tundras.
The landscape of the region would mostly be icy landscapes, tundras, frozen lakes, and snowy mountains. Greenland’s cultural heritage, folklore, as well as their myths and legends about the arctic could be added to the game’s storyline.
Greenland’s capital Nuuk could be used as the base of the region’s elite four and champion. A semi-modern city that has integrated both modern and traditional architecture. A central hub for trainers and pokemon.
Ilulissat, which was a coastal town in Greenland and known for it’s stunning ice fjord, a place surrounded by glaciers.
Sisimiut, a northern city that has both modern and traditional architecture but not as much as Nuuk.
Qaqortoq, a city that could connect to a mountainous region that also has a hot spring, the place has mostly rock types.
One could be based on the northern lights, their legends tells the northern lights are connected to life and death, like a bird-like pokemon with shining feathers similar to the northen lights while emanating a warm, soothing light and aura.
The other could be based on the mother of the sea, where when the people breaks a taboo the mother sea’s hair gets filthy and entangles the animals, the pokemon could be a serpentine creature covered in ice crystals, with wings resembling glaciers.
Indonesia, Indonesia is a tropical country and has various islands, each island has a different environment and culture, which reflects the Indonesian archipelago, that's why I find it suitable to be a place in the next pokemon game.
The following are the famous islands in Indonesia that can be made into pokemon places:
Java Island:
Capital City: A bustling metropolis inspired by Jakarta, featuring high-tech but still traditional elements.
Volcano (Mount Merapi): A volcano-themed area where Fire-type Pokémon can be found in abundance.
Ancient Temple (Borobudur Temple): A historical site inspired by Borobudur Temple, Psychic and Ghost-type Pokémon may be encountered in this area.
Bali Island:
Beach Resort (Kuta Beach): Beautiful beaches with Water-type Pokémon and surfing mini-games.
Spiritual Site (Ubud Village): Quiet village and temple, featuring Grass and Fairy-type Pokémon.
Sumatra Island:
Rainforest (Tropical Rainforest): Sumatra's dense forest with Insect, Grass, and Poison-type Pokémon.
Elephant Sanctuary (Elephant Grounds): Sanctuaries inspired by elephant habitats in Sumatra, home to various Ground and Normal-type Pokémon.
Borneo:
Orangutan Reserve (Orangutan Sanctuary): A forest with rare Pokémon and conservation-themed quests.
Rivers and Wetlands (Mahakam River): Water-themed routes with unique Water and Dragon-type Pokémon.
Papua Island:
Mountainous Highlands (Jayawijaya mountains): Although Indonesia is a tropical country, it has perpetual icebergs, Rock and Ice-type Pokémon can be found here.
Coral Reefs (Raja Ampat): An underwater exploration area with a variety of marine Pokémon, maybe a dive spot here.
Sulawesi:
Cultural Village (Toraja Village): Unique traditional house architecture, could be a place for Fighting and Ghost type Pokémon.
Cultural and Gameplay Elements:
Festivals and Traditions:
Indonesia has many traditions, which can be referenced in the game as special events, mini-games, and Pokémon encounters.
Traditional Crafts and Food:
Players can collect traditional Indonesian crafts and try local foods, medicinal herbs, get special items or bonuses.
Flora and Fauna:
The game can highlight Indonesia's biodiversity, featuring Pokémon inspired by animals such as Komodo dragons, hornbills, and various tropical plants.
Transportation and Exploration:
Players can use various traditional modes of transportation such as boats, bicycles, and even flying Pokémon to navigate between islands.
Indonesia also has various rare and mythical animals that can be referenced as legendary Pokémon:
Garuda (Flying/Psychic): A majestic bird Pokémon inspired by the myth of Garuda, symbolizing freedom and power.
Komodo dragon (Dragon/Stone): A powerful Pokémon inspired by the Komodo dragon, which emphasizes strength and resilience.
Well, that's put every other region in the Northern Hemisphere ... so let's go to the other side.
Australia and New Zealand
The desert regions of Australia would be able to have some very interesting Pokemon there and contrast it with the greenery of New Zealand. The history of both places would lend into some cool storylines for the Bosses I'd think as well.
I'm not super familiar with Australia's geography so I don't know about any cities in the center of the landmass. You'd definitely have to get Sydney in there somewhere so you could have a Pokemon Opera performance ... maybe one of the gym leaders would be an opera singer as well.
When you go over to New Zealand, Auckland is the only city I know by name but it would be a neat little wink-wink if they had something resembling Hobbiton, 'legally distinct' of course although Nintendo has enough dough to get some license agreement going I'm sure.
And to me, it would be very cool to have any sort of weather cycle matching the area. so players in the Northern Hemisphere would actually see the game as Winter in June and Summer in January to match the location.
I'd definitely look forward to a Pokemon adventure set down under.
Imagine the new "Ice Pokemon" we could introduce, I think this would be great in terms of location because real "survival" would come into it, as well as needing lots of Pokemon stations dotted about, we could have alternative reality portals, such as parallel worlds.
Also, the Northern Lights could play a significant role in the series as well, certain new Pokemon could draw power from said lights, the brighter the more powerful, the dimmer, the less power they have.
I was also thinking we could have an underground Pokemon movement, based solely on the "Ice" side of things, sort of a "Team Rocket" situation but go one further with say, them having an underground city as well.
As I said the real Survival situation can be a situation that can be exploited as well, such things as blizzards, dangerous areas, and rebel Pokemon that strike without warning, keeping adventurers always on guard.
But also, all this could lead to a big bad, new Pokemon boss, a much more powerful, never-before-seen Pokemon overlord, we could really lean into a "hive mind" feature as well. A single Pokemon that actively controls the rebel Pokemon, the natural Pokemon of the land and of course, could adversely affect the adventurer's Pokemon as well.
Say for the sake of easy example, "I choose you Pikachu" and summoned so it is, but instead of the friendly yellow Pokemon we know and love, this evil-looking Ice Pikachu appears? You know? So the adventurer has to find ways and gems and powerful objects to counteract the hive mind of the land.
I definitely need to second the motion for an Australian Pokemon and it totally has nothing to do with the fact that I’m an Aussie bogan myself.
Locales:
All major cities in Australia are very different and the cultures are very different too which would make it extremely easy to base cities off these.
Sydney could be used for the Opera House, possibly being used as the base for the League.
Melbourne would be a very artistic city full of cafes and culture.
Brisbane would be very tropical and laid back.
Northern Territory would be a bit more sparse and old town.
On top of these (and the other major cities) you could easily incorporate Uluṟu (being a mountain in the centre of the region, as Uluṟu is in the centre of Australia) and also the Great Barrier Reef (one of the wonders of the world) being an underwater area you could explore.
There is so much opportunity here for snags in BBQ’s, flip flops (or thongs) and the laid back culture of our country!
Hey GameofBeardz, thanks for entering this bounty! Unfortunately, I've had to reject your entry as it didn't quite meet the required 200 word minimum outlined in the description. Australia is a great shout and your reasoning is more than fair, so in future please do double check the bounty requirements to ensure you're eligible for a prize! ✌
Scandinavia might be chosen because it would provide an interesting setting due to its combination of beautiful nature, rich culture, and fascinating mythological history. Here are some reasons why Scandinavia would be an appealing choice, for example:
Diverse Landscape: Scandinavia has mountains, dense forests, and beautiful coastlines. One can see vast pine forests, peaceful blue lakes, and majestic snowy mountain views. There may be hidden cities among the valleys and hills.
Viking Culture: Scandinavia is famous for its Viking history. Elements of Norse mythology, Viking ships, and ancient temples can be incorporated into the game. Cities like Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen could serve as centers of civilization and adventure. Myths and Creatures: There are many mythological creatures in Norse stories, such as dragons, elves, and spirits. They could be included as legendary Pokémon or powerful enemies in the game.
Dynamic Seasons: Scandinavia experiences four distinct seasons intensely. This could affect gameplay, with certain Pokémon appearing only during specific seasons.
Architectural Design: Scandinavian architectural structures, like wooden houses with thatched roofs, would provide a unique atmosphere to the cities in the game.
To illustrate this choice, let's imagine a fictional city named Nordheim. Nordheim is located on the seaside, with a bustling harbor and wooden bridges connecting small islands. In the center of the city, there is an ancient temple surrounded by pine forests. Along the coast, one could encounter water Pokémon and perhaps even hidden sea legends.
