Between Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it seems Pokemon fans are eating good this year. It even stands to reason that 2022 could be one of the best years for Pokemon yet, but what really stands out is what could come in the future.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus, or just Pokemon Legends, is really its own subfranchise. One game doesn’t a franchise make, though, and it stands to reason there will be more Pokemon Legends games set in different regions. Now, which region is certainly a question since there’s no real formula to follow here, but Unova—as Gen 5—would be a good pick to follow Sinnoh’s Gen 4.
The Unova Region in a Pokemon Legends Game
The biggest strength a Pokemon Legends Unova game could have comes from its core difference in the franchise: the Unova region is largely based on New York. Of course, going back in time likely means that skyscrapers aren’t around yet, but depending on how far back the game goes, a semi-urbanized area would be interesting to explore in a game.
Castelia City could serve as the base camp, but at the same time, it’s a big enough area that with a little urbanization, it could make for some fun in-game exploration too. A wide-open area surrounding the camp, especially if the new Pokemon Legends game goes full open-world like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, would be fun to see. Bringing in both Black City and White Forest, through some distortion explanation, could be nice to see, and specifically with Black City, the city could still exist in some regard. Both would make fun areas to explore in Pokemon Legends.
Indeed, if Pokemon Legends explored Unova, even if Black City and Castelia City weren’t as developed, Relic Castle has been around for 2500 years before the events of the game. Seeing it at its prime would go a long way in bringing Unova’s past to life. With these core differences, it stands to reason that the Unova region would have a unique setting for a Pokemon Legends game.
Unova Pokemon Who Deserve a New Time-Space/Regional Variant
Unova is also an interesting region in terms of Pokemon games, as there is a ton of mystery that the game could explore. For example, Klink and Elgyem weren’t seen in the region until 50 or 100 years prior, so it would be a good region to have more new Pokemon than it does regional variants. Indeed, this could go on to add new legendaries—perhaps legendary “city builders” to explain early urbanization in Unova OR a proper showcase, perhaps a new title Pokemon for Pokemon Legends: Unova, in forming and/or showing the original dragon Pokemon that was composed of Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem.
Nonetheless, regional variants would exist as explained by the shifting times. There are some pretty good picks among Unova’s Pokemon, too. A new form for Emboar or Serperior would be interesting, particularly for the former if he became a quadruped. The elemental monkey trio, Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour, would be good picks since they play such a unique role in the Unova games too. Munna, Darumaka, Scraggy, Trubbish (as disposal would be different), Solosis, and more.
It's unlikely, but as Pokemon Legends: Arceus teases an older Electric Mouse Pokemon connected to Pikachu, Emolga, and other clones, a regional variation and older evolution in this department would fit well in a Unova game too.
Pokemon Legends Nobles will likely be a mainstay in any future spin-offs, but it is harder to imagine new forms and what Pokemon would be chosen as rideable Pokemon, as well as Frenzied Nobles. However, these would be our picks.
Rideable Noble Pokemon in a Pokemon Legends Unova Game
- Wyrdeer (Standard Ride)*
- Stoutland (Search Ride)
- Jellicent (Water Ride)
- Krookodile (Climb Ride)
- Unfezant or Braviary** (Flying Ride)
Another interesting idea for the Water/Flying ride would be to be a focus on the game’s fossil Pokemon: Carracosta and Archeops. However, that would clearly depend on how it treats these Pokemon.
*Likely to return as Mainstay
**Braviary would be the more obvious pick, but too many returning Rideable Pokemon may be something Game Freak should avoid.
Frenzied Noble Pokemon in Pokemon Legends Unova Game
- Simisage/Simisear/Simipour
- Bouffalant
- Escavalier
- Reuniclus
- Volcarona
Unova Pokemon Legends Endgame
Pokemon Legends: Arceus also has an extensive endgame, and reasonably, Unova would probably need to pull in other legends to fill that in. Obviously, Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem would have a major role in the story, and perhaps it would introduce the original Dragon Pokemon to serve a similar role to Giratina in the story—at least in some regard.
Victini would also likely have a major quest in the endgame, while the Swords of Justice and Meloetta could help fill in the quests. Genesect was altered by Team Plasma, so it would be interesting to see what this ancient legendary bug Pokemon was like before these changes. However, it stands to reason that most of a Pokemon Legends: Unova game would likely need to be filled in with other regional legendaries, trios, and Pokemon to hit the same note as Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is available now on Nintendo Switch.
