Pokemon Home is now live on the Nintendo Switch eShop, which allows players to use a cloud service to store Pokemon to use across multiple games. It also introduces a new Professor with some eye-catching fashion choices.
Professor Grand Oak makes an appearance on Pokemon Home, wearing wacky green shades in the shape of arrows and showing off long white hair down to his chest, along with a green smartwatch with the Pokemon logo on it. Pokemon Sun & Moon featured the original Professor Oak's cousin, referred to as Samson Oak. Samson Oak and Grand Oak share some similarities, including their white hair and seemingly happy, laid back appearance.
The family of Oaks has expanded, but the original is not forgotten. Professor Oak from the Kanto region has also made an appearance in one of the new Pokemon games as well. It's possible that all the Oaks will make an appearance together, but for now, the Oaks are mentoring trainers in their own regions.
Many mixed reactions have come pouring in about the new Professor Oak. Many believed that the new Pokemon Home professor is the same as Gary Oak, the original professor. However, it seems that Grand Oak is a different person altogether than Gary Oak. Players have also criticized the new professor's clothing choice relative to his apparent age.
Many Reddit users poked fun at Grand Oak being an old man trying to fit in with the youth trends. He was even called the Gigantamax version of Professor Oak, as a Gigantamax Pokemon appears much larger and has a different appearance than the standard version, which makes it stand out, just as the appearance of Grand Oak does. It seems many people find the appearance of Grand Oak a little ridiculous, claiming that Grand Oak is just meant to appeal to a younger audience. Similar reviews were made about Samson Oak as well, but with time, he seemed to grow on trainers in Pokemon Sun & Moon.
Some fans have wondered why Grand Oak is even in Pokemon Home. Many believe that the Oaks should be reserved for actual Pokemon games instead of the cloud-based service. Some Reddit users are disappointed that the creators of the original Pokemon Storage System, Bill and Bridgette, are not featured in Pokemon Home, despite making appearances in other Pokemon games.
Although there are many mixed reactions to the new appearance of Grand Oak, Pokemon Home has nostalgic rewards for downloading the app. Downloading it from the Nintendo Switch shop will give players a free Pikachu, and downloading the mobile version will grant players a choice between Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur. Grand Oak's appearance may be questionable, but the Pokemon Home service should appeal to many players hoping to transfer Pokemon to different games.
The Pokemon Home cloud service is available now for Switch and mobile devices.
Source: Polygon