Pokemon Legends: Arceus is delivering on many things that the Pokemon fandom has wanted for quite a while. It looks to be a dream Pokemon game, possessing a truly open world and more real-time interactions with the titular creatures. One of these interactions stands out from the rest: Being able to ride particular Pokemon wherever one pleases.
Riding Pokemon is by no means a new concept. It's present in the anime, and even in a few of the games, but the latter's inclusion of rideable Pokemon has never really been anything to write home about. Pokemon Legends: Arceus looks to change that up by allowing players to take to the land, sea, or sky on the backs of a few of Pocket Monsters. So far only three rideable Pokemon - Basculegion, Braviary, and Wyrdeer - have been revealed, but there are many more that deserve to join their ranks.
Charizard
As one of the original three Pokemon starters, Charizard is among the most popular Pokemon out there, and it has been ridden by multiple trainers across Pokemon's multimedia landscape. That said, players have rarely gotten the chance to control it in flight; the Let's Go games are an exception, but flying there isn't all that different from exploring on foot. Riding on the wings of this fan-favorite Pokemon in a 3D environment is surely an ardent desire for many longtime fans.
Dragonite
Similar to Charizard, Dragonite is another fondly remembered Pokemon from the early games. Pokedex entries across the mainline series generally describe this Dragon-type Pokemon as a kind-hearted creature capable of flying at outrageous speeds, but the latter quality is hardly well represented in gameplay as players never get to see it fly around.
Should this Pokemon make its way into Pokemon Legends: Arceus, it would make sense for Dragonite to be one of the faster airborne mounts. Furthermore, as Legends: Arceus is a game set far into the series' past, it could also provide an explanation for why seeing one of these Pokemon in the wild is so uncommon in the modern era.
Aerodactyl
Yet another Flying-type, Aerodactyl would certainly make for one impressive ride. However, its inclusion could also afford Game Freak an opportunity to provide more insight into the culture and customs of this ancient Pokemon species.
At the time of Pokemon's first generation, Aerodactyl are extinct, and the only way players can acquire one is by performing an experiment on an Old Amber. As Pokemon Legends: Arceus is set in a far older period in the Pokemon world's history, it could make sense for fossilized Pokemon to appear in greater numbers.
Lapras
Lapras is one of the most charming Water-types out there, and its status as the "transport Pokemon" would make it a prime choice for seafaring adventures in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. In the Pokemon anime, Ash notably used a Lapras to navigate the Orange Islands. Furthermore, given the Pokemon's lack of an evolutionary line, it would be wonderful to see the majestic creature get a regional variant, whether it be a new version of Lapras, or a region-exclusive evolution akin to Basculegion.
Hisuian Arcanine
While a Hisuian Arcanine has yet to be confirmed, it's safe to assume that the Hisuian variant of Growlithe will evolve into one, barring the introduction of a region-exclusive evolution. Like many other Pokemon, Arcanine has been frequently used throughout the Pokemon games and anime as a mode of transportation. Standing at six feet tall and nearly 350 pounds, Arcanine would surely be a beastly mount capable of holding its own against the Hisui region's more aggressive Pokemon.
Arceus
The namesake of the game itself, Arceus would certainly make for an interesting ride. As the mythological creator of the Sinnoh region and potentially the Pokemon universe at large, it would admittedly be a little strange to ride this Legendary Pokemon from town to town. Fortunately, Pokemon has never been a franchise to care about strange details like that. Ten year olds can catch legendaries that have evaded capture for years, so really anything goes.
Given Arceus' malleable typing depending on its equipped plate, it would make sense for the Pokemon to be able to swap between land, air, and water travel seamlessly. That said, if Arceus is a rideable Pokemon, it might be best for it to be unavailable until Pokemon Legends: Arceus' endgame, encouraging travel with other Pokemon in the meantime.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus will launch on the Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022.