Very little is known about the first installments in thePokemonseries' ninth generation,Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. From its initial trailer, it’s clear that this game marks a big departure from the formula of previous mainlinePokemongames. It appears thatScarlet & Violetwill inherit a lot fromPokemon Legends Arceus.
Related:Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Features From Mainline Games We Want To See Return
Pokemon Legends Arceus, released in 2022, finds players focusing on exploration and Pokedex research rather than battling.Scarlet & Violetwill likely combine this game’s best aspects with the standard gameplay of aPokemongame. These ten other mechanics inLegends Arceushopefully return to the new generation.
10A New Way To Catch Pokemon
In previous mainlinePokemongames, catching new creatures was as easy as pressing a button. Back then, the likelihood of catching a Pokemon was based on several factors, including probability and the target’s HP. However,Legends Arceustook a completely new direction when it came to gathering new partners.
InLegends Arceus, players had to actually aim their Poke Balls at their desired Pokemon and hope it gets caught. Some Pokemon tend to be tame enough to catch without battling, while others won’t go down without a fight. This certainly makescatching new Pokemon feel like embarking on a real wildlife adventure.
9No Random Encounters
Legends Arceusis also the firstPokemongame to do away with random Pokemon encounters. Ever since the very firstPokemongames on GameBoy, players had to trek through tall grass to discover random Pokemon.Legends Arceus, however, has all the catchable Pokemon wandering in the overworld, visible to the player.
The lack of random encounters certainly streamlines the process of finding new Pokemon to catch. Additionally, it can also help players looking to grind quickly avoid Pokemon with type advantages.Tall grass can even keep its function fromLegends Arceusas a way for players to hide while throwing Poke Balls at Pokemon.
8Base Camps
Pokemon Legends Arceustakes a lot more inspiration from theMonster Hunterfranchise than it does from previousPokemongames. One thing it shares in common withMonster Hunteris the usage of Base Camps as hubs for players. When exploring a large, open world, it’s nice to have areas to regroup.
Related:Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do In Monster Hunter Rise
Essentially, Base Camps could make a return inScarlet & Violetas an alternate version of Pokemon Centers. There, players can access their PC, recover their Pokemon’s health, and buy new items. The release trailer forScarlet & Violetmay even tease a version of this mechanic in a building that resembles a gas station.
7Fast Travel
Of course, one of the benefits of keeping Base Camps inScarlet & Violetwould be for them to serve as fast-travel waypoints.When exploring the vast areas of Hisui inLegends Arceus, it’s easy for players to get lost. Accessing fast-travel destinations can speed up the time it takes to get from point A to point B.
Scarlet & Violetis already confirmed to be a completely open world title. Furthermore, previousPokemongames have already included fast travel via Ride Pokemon or HM Fly. It makes sense that the games would feature some type of mechanic to expedite travel time, but perhaps it can be more than cities and towns.
6Ride Pokemon
Previous mainlinePokemongames have dipped their toes in the inclusion of Ride Pokemon.Pokemon X & Yallowed players to ride Pokemon like Gogoat and Lapras under special conditions.Sun & Moonadvanced this mechanic by including Pokemon who can help players navigate certain terrain or access secret areas.
However,noPokemontitle truly perfected Ride Pokemon untilLegends Arceus. Given that this game features many open worlds, it makes sense that Ride Pokemon like Wyrdeer and Sneasler are intended to speed up the process of traversing terrain. InScarlet & Violet, it makes sense for this trend to continue.
5Optional Evolution
Oftentimes, evolution is not always preferable to players. Some like to build up strength in lower-stage evolutions that hold Everstones. Other times, a Pokemon with split evolution paths may meet the conditions for one of its evolved forms, costing a player the opportunity to add the other evolved form onto their team.
Related:Pokemon That Deserve Evolutions In Gen 9
Legends Arceusincluded a fairly simple solution to this problem: optional evolution. When a Pokemon met certain conditions to evolve, players could trigger it themselves via the menu. This quality-of-life feature would definitely appeal to fans who want more influence over their Pokemon’s ability to evolve or not.
4Streamlined Evolution Conditions
Of course, the vast difference in the gameplay ofLegends Arceusalso affected certain Pokemon’s ability to evolve the same way. Certain Pokemon need to be traded to fully evolve, while others depend on location or even how the system is held.Legends Arceussimplified some of the more complex evolve conditions.
WithScarlet & Violeton the way, it’s difficult to believe that Game Freak will re-complicate some of these techniques. Some Pokemon may gain new conditions that don’t involve specific items or trading. For instance, evolving Tangela inLegends Arceusonly requires the Pokemon to level up while knowing Ancient Power.
3Alpha Pokemon
The challenge of creating an open worldPokemongame is adding in replay value. During later parts of the game, it can be tiresome to explore early areas that don’t have strong Pokemon to fight or catch. That is why there’s a benefit to Alpha Pokemon, whose size and strength certainly scare off new players for a short time.
Being able to catch Alpha Pokemon inLegends Arceusis also a feat of its own. These extra-powerful Pokemon are even marked in menus to commemorate players' achievements. Having them return forScarlet & Violetwould add a whole new level of post-game accomplishments for players to aspire towards.
2Mass Outbreaks
One of the best parts ofLegends Arceus, especially for hardcore fans, is the addition of Mass Outbreaks. These special events will trigger a horde of one specific Pokemon species in a certain area. While this is a great place inLegends Arceusto farm battles and captures for the Pokedex, there’s also an additional benefit.
Related:Potential Settings For The Next Pokemon Legends Game
When encountering Pokemon in a Mass Outbreak, their chances of being Shiny increase drastically. It’s even higher if players have completed that Pokemon’s Pokedex entry and equip an item called the Shiny Charm. Bringing this back inScarlet & Violetwould be a welcomed return for shiny hunters.
1Pokedex Research
Part of what makesPokemon Legends Arceusso effortlessly addictive is its main gameplay feature: the Pokedex. Prior Pokemon games simply used the Pokedex as an encyclopedia of Pokemon data.Legends Arceusmakes it more active, encouraging players to re-encounter the same Pokemon and complete their entries.
Not only is this a worthwhile post-game activity, butit also forms a bond between players and Pokemon. Especially in newer games, it’s easy to find a Pokemon, catch it, and forget about it in a Box. Hopefully,Scarlet & Violetwill use Pokedex research as an opportunity to encourage players to keep picking the game back up.
More:Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Pokemon Who Must Return In The New Games
