Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ successful launch has many curious about its future. Pokemon Legends: Arceus DLC is probably the most speculated-upon potential announcement at the coming Pokemon Presents, alongside a Gen 9 announcement, just because the core game is so fun. While a sequel has always seemed possible, another Legends entry is practically guaranteed now.
There are so many regions a Legends game could explore, giving new life by showing older versions of beloved areas, using massive landmarks, and more to create a living breathing world. Imagining what those games could look like, based on this information, really makes more games like Pokemon Legends: Arceus even more enticing. POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD FOR POKEMON: LEGENDS ARCEUS.
The Kanto-Johto Region in a Pokemon Legends Game
Whereas Pokemon Legends: Arceus has Coronet Mountain, the snow area of Sinnoh (then-Hisui), and more, Kanto is a much more land-based area. So, it might be harder to recreate more iconic areas without it looking repetitive…but that’s where Johto comes in. Kanto and Johto are literally side by side and have always been connected; a Pokemon Legends: Mew or Pokemon Legends: Celebi game could likely use both.
This opens so much room for potential areas. Of course, there could be a simple starting area like in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Yet, there could be a water and island area based on Cinnabar, with the volcano as the main point. Victory Road, Cerulean Forest, and more would operate as good regions to adapt for exploration in Pokemon Legends, but Johto brings in a lot more history, lore, and physical locations.
Seeing the Bell Tower area before it burned down would be interesting, while the Ruins of Alph and Slowpoke Well are noted as some of the oldest places in the PokeWorld. This could make for some great ruin exploration or perhaps more unique underground areas than in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Ilex Forest could be great for a forest-heavy area, while Lake of Rage, Dragon’s Den, and the Whirl Islands could appear in some areas. Perhaps more than anything, especially with Kanto too, it would be interesting to see the Pre-Safari Zones and the National Park for some classic bug-catching contests.
Kanto-Johto Pokemon Who Deserve a New Regional Variant
When it comes to Kanto and Johto, there would be two ways to handle the Pokedex similar to Pokemon Legends: Arceus. It could focus exclusively on the Pokemon of this region, or it could bring in others. It would probably do the latter, as Kanto and Johto have pretty good representation of Pokemon in the Arceus Pokedex. Still, there are quite a few Kanto and Johto Pokemon who could use some new regional variants, justified by the time difference between the Legends setting and the OG game settings.
Since Cyndaquil was a starter in Pokemon Legends: Arceus with a new final typing for Typholosion, it would be great to see Totodile and Feraligatr get some of that same love in this game. Hoot-Hoot and Noctowl are classics who would benefit from a new form and typing, perhaps turning the normal/flying Noctowl (who has always felt heavily on the Psychic side anyway) into a Psychic/Flying would correct a long wrong. Dunsparce, as a Pokemon with no evolution or pre-evolution, would be an obvious pick for a new evolution overall. Other potentially good choices would include Ampharos, Victreebel, Wobbuffet, Granbull, Hitmontop/Hitmonchan/Hitmonlee, Miltank, and far more.
Obviously, the selection is limited, but just as Pokemon Legends: Arceus players deal with Lords, these Nobles will likely return in some form across each game. It would be hard to pick 5 Pokemon for Rideable Nobles and Frenzied Nobles, especially as they get new forms or evolutions, but here would be our choices.
Rideable Noble Pokemon in Pokemon Legends Kanto-Johto Game
- Wyrdeer (Standard Ride)*
- Donphan (Search Ride)
- Kingdra (Water Ride)
- Marowak (Climb Ride)
- Skarmory (Flying Ride)
*likely to return as a mainstay
Frenzied Noble Pokemon in Pokemon Legends
1. Miltank
2. Poliwrath/Politoed
3. Houndoom
4. Dragonite
5. Ampharos
Kanto-Johto Pokemon Endgame
One reason for Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ success is its extensive endgame of legendary Pokemon. Without bringing in others, there are not as many legendary Pokemon. Presumably, a story about Lugia and Ho-Oh would serve the main plot, but there’s no third legendary there to serve as Giratina does in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. This could be a way to introduce another legendary Pokemon as part of these two, perhaps one responsible for the destruction of Bell/Brass Tower. (It is said to be destroyed by a bolt of lightning, a legendary Electric Pokemon?)
Celebi or Mew would likely serve in a capacity similar to Arceus, while a Space-Time Distortion Event could bring Mewtwo into the game (since Mewtwo would not exist yet). Other legendaries to fill up the standard endgame would include Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Entei, Raikou, and Suicune. Perhaps the Unown could play a bigger endgame role than the role they currently have in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
This obviously pales in comparison to the 16 or so Legendary Pokemon found in Arceus’ endgame, but other legendaries could still be brought in or introduced, like a new legendary dog. But perhaps instead of the quantity route, these legendaries could have more complex quests to obtain them and really dive deep and expand their lore. Furthermore, giving endgame quests to starters from the Kanto region would also go a long way in buffing up this endgame well.
Overall, when and if it happens, as well as what it looks like, is all up in the air. But the idea of more Pokemon Legends games brings nothing but joy to mind.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available now on Switch.