The Nintendo Switch's 2018 lineup received a huge boost during the last Nintendo Direct, as a new Super Smash Bros. game has been announced for the system. There are still a lot of fans who are excited for the Switch's 2019 lineup, as it promises games like Bayonetta 3, Metroid Prime 4, and the first ever mainline Pokémon game for a home console.

Game Freak and Nintendo have kept their cards close to their chests in terms of information concerning the upcoming Pokémon games, which is likely still in the early stages of development. A few pieces of information have leaked out into the world, though we won't know how much of it is credible until we see more of the games.

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We are here today to dissect the few rumors and pieces of information about the upcoming Pokémon games on the Nintendo Switch. From the return to the series roots, to the peculiar rumors concerning the future of the combat system.

Here are The Five Biggest Fan Theories About Pokémon Switch!

A Return To Kanto?

The success of Pokémon Go created a wave of nostalgia for the earliest titles in the series. The kids who grew up playing Pokémon Red & Blue are now adults whose interest in the series has been reignited. The success of the Nintendo Switch has also helped Nintendo to retake a place in the home console market, which means that a lot of lapsed fans are now looking to enjoy Pokémon games on their new system.

The upcoming Pokémon title for the Switch (which will hereafter be referred to as Pokémon Switch for clarity's sake) has the opportunity to capitalize on the nostalgia for the Pokémon series that was ignited by the success of Pokémon Go. This means that there is a strong possibility that the first home console iteration of the series could take a journey back to Kanto.

A remake or sequel of Pokémon Red & Blue for the Nintendo Switch would be a smart move, as it would help to capitalize on the nostalgia of the older games. It would also offer an established framework for a new title, which would cut down on the development time.

Upscaled Ports (Pokémon Stars?)

The Pokémon series stopped using the "third version" games as of the fifth generation, with Pokémon Platinum being the last one. This hasn't stopped rumors of new third versions being in development, which have been fueled by trademarks being claimed, with games like Pokémon Grey, Pokémon Z, Pokémon Delta Emerald, and Pokémon Stars being rumored to be in development.

Pokémon Stars is an interesting example, as numerous websites have reported rumors of the game being in development. Pokémon Stars is said to be an updated version of Pokémon Sun & Moon that was in development for the Nintendo Switch. The release of Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon seems to suggest that they may have evolved from the Pokémon Stars project.

This isn't to say that we should rule out Pokémon Stars entirely. It's possible that Game Freak is planning on releasing the game as a stop-gap before Pokémon Switch, which may also give them more of a chance to learn the hardware.

The Future Of Mega Evolution & Z Moves?

Pokémon X & Y introduced the concept of Mega Evolution to the series. These are temporary evolutions that can be performed by certain Pokémon during battle, so long as they hold a specific item.

The fans have noticed that the Pokémon games have started to lose interest in Mega Evolution, as no new Mega Evolutions were introduced in Pokémon Sun & Moon or their sequels. These were the games that introduced Z-Moves, which are similar to Mega Evolutions in regards to their mechanics.

It's possible that Pokémon Switch will remove these mechanics entirely, as part of Game Freak's rumored initiative to make the combat more accessible.

The one way in which Z-Moves might stay in the game is through the use of the Joy-Cons, as you could perform the same actions using the Switch's motion controls. This would have to strictly be a gimmick and not part of the actual mechanics of how the moves work, as not all players use the Joy-Cons when playing on their Nintendo Switch.

Crisis On Infinite Poké-Earths

The casual Pokémon fan might not realize this, but the Pokémon video games actually take place in separate timelines. This was proven by a scene in Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, where Steven Stone mentions Alain, who is a character from the Pokémon anime series. Zinna also confirms that there is another version of Hoenn out there, where people never discovered Mega Evolution.

At least one rumor from a major source in the community has confirmed that Pokémon Switch will be a reboot of the series, with the previous games belonging to a separate canon. This could tie into the idea of Pokémon Switch being a new version of Pokémon Red & Blue that is updated in numerous ways that aren't affected by the larger canon.

The Combat System Overhaul?

The move to home consoles offers Game Freak the chance to make some big changes to the Pokémon series which may have faced opposition from the fans if they had been attempted on one of the handheld versions of the game.

One of the most persistent rumors concerning Pokémon Switch is of a radical change to the combat system. The complex RPG gameplay of the other Pokémon titles is said to be replaced with one that is more simple and with a focus on being more exciting.

If this change is true, then it represents as big of a shift for the series as the move to consoles. It would also be massively controversial among the Pokémon fanbase, as actively dumbing down the combat system that they spent years mastering in order to make the game accessible is likely to cause a huge backlash.

The current Pokémon combat system (as well as the mechanics of breeding Pokémon in order to make them competitive) can seem incredibly complex to an outsider. You don't need to learn the ins and outs of the system in order to be able to complete the single-player storyline, but they are a necessity for those who wish to play the game at tournaments.

The process of learning the various systems of the Pokémon games is only fun to those who love repetition. The mechanics of breeding alone require you to spend numerous hours running in circles while hoping for a Pokémon with the right attributes and stats to hatch. This is to say nothing of needing to memorize the unique traits of all of the top-tier Pokémon, on the off-chance that you face one in battle. These are the things you need to handle to become a Pokémon Master, which is a lot less interesting than what was promised by the Pokémon anime.

The Pokémon games have been begging for a massive overhaul of the combat system for years now and the shift to the Switch might be the perfect opportunity to justify such a change.