After Arceus, The Next Pokémon Legends Game Needs Original Starters

Pokémon Legends: Arceus brought plenty of new Pokémon with its many Hisuian forms, but if the subseries gets another installment, then it should include a new set of original starters. Every major region has had its own set of starters, but Hisui did not. This leaves it with a rather odd legacy, and one that a second Legends game may not want to follow.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus was the first Pokémon game to use a selection of traditional Grass, Fire, and Water starters from other regions. It offered Rowlet from Alola, Cyndaquil from Johto, and Oshawott from Unova, but no Pokémon that are distinct to Hisui. This could be explained by the game taking place far in the past compared to the rest of the series, although not as far as when Pokémon were used for war before Legends: Arceus. Even so, the lack of original starters definitely sticks out.

While Hisui is not the first region that didn’t have its own starter Pokémon, the other regions that did so were limited to side games that did not introduce new Pokémon to the franchise. However, Hisui introduced new Pokémon in the form of Hisuian forms as well as new evolutions for old species. So while Legends: Arceus did add new Pokémon, it relied on using a mix of starters from other regions at the same time. Professor Laventon even admits that he brought them over from their respective regions, so Pokémon Legends: Arceus‘ starters aren’t from Hisui in the first place.

Unique Starters Help To Flavor A Pokémon Game And Its Region

A new region’s starter Pokémon are usually one of the first things to leave an impact on a player in each new game, and they provide a bit of character for the region. In most situations, the starter Pokémon are one of the most iconic aspects of the region alongside the local legendary Pokémon. However, because Pokémon Legends: Arceus does not have unique starters, it is missing a part of that formula. Hisui does still have its own ways to stand out, from the prominent culture as well as Legends: Arceus‘ unique gameplay system and story. Legends: Arceus is different from other Pokémon games, and it deserves to be praised for standing out the way it does. However, a set of original starters could have done so much more for the game.

Admittedly, Hisui does have some originality with its starters, as each of them has a unique Hisuian form as its final evolution. However, that raises questions on why the starters couldn’t have been more unique from the beginning. If each of the starters had been Hisuian forms from the start, then they would be more iconic for the game, rather than only their final incarnation. If Pokémon Legends gets a new installment, then they should seek to take that further step. Pokémon Legends: Arceus can inspire future games, and a new Legends could build off of it in amazing ways. Three lines of new regional forms for old starters could be just as effective as three entirely new evolutionary lines, and it’s an idea that should be reconsidered at some point.

As it stands, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is still an incredible game that breathes new life into the Pokémon franchise. However, with a game so distinctive, it feels odd not to have its own original starter Pokémon. If a new Pokémon Legends is released, it will hopefully come with its own set of starters fitting its unique place in the Pokémon world.

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