Summary
- Fans expect new regional variants in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, learning from Violet's Paradox Pokemon design flaws.
- Game Freak could introduce partly organic, metallic Pokemon or explore the narrative of technological advancements.
- Careful consideration of futuristic designs is needed in Pokemon Legends: Z-A to avoid repeating Violet's mistakes.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A has fans speculating about all kinds of inclusions, but which Pokemon show up is one of the most important. If Game Freak decides to add any new Pokemon in Legends Z-A though, there’s one mistake from Pokemon Violet it needs to learn from.
In recent years, Pokemon games have given fans loads of different varieties of new Pokemon. Between regional variants, convergent species, regional evolutions, and others, players have been spoiled with new creatures. So, naturally, fans are wondering which, if any, new regional variants will show up in Legends Z-A. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s addition to this list came in the form of Paradox Pokemon, which originated from the past in Scarlet and the future in Violet. While opinions vary, the consensus is that Scarlet’s past Pokemon generally look good, but Violet’s future Pokemon were lacking. With Pokemon Legends: Z-A seeming to take place in the future, this mistake is looming large when it comes to the design of new Pokemon from future eras.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Can Finally Make Good on One Piece of Cut Content
One piece of cut content has been hovering around Pokemon since Kalos' debut, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A could mark its official debut.
Why Violet’s Paradox Pokemon Didn't Meet Expectations
Game Freak faced a unique challenge in creating Paradox Pokemon, both the past and future versions. It clearly wanted to use existing Pokemon that fans were familiar with, but the designs also had to look different enough to be distinct. The solution, it seems, was to base each era on existing concepts, the past Pokemon being based on dinosaurs, and the future ones on robots. Both of those ideas sound good on paper, but Pokemon tend to look better as organic life forms. The past Paradox Pokemon had plenty of variety in design, color, and inspiration, while the future Paradox Pokemon just looked like uniform robots. There were some good design choices for the future variants, like floating elements, and using specific machine parts for the gimmick of Iron Treads, but mostly, no future form felt different enough from any other.
How Game Freak Could Change its Design of Futuristic Pokemon
Since Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes place in the future and fans want new Pokemon in each game, it seems like Game Freak has painted itself into a corner considering the reception of future Paradox Pokemon. A good way to please fans could be to create something in between normal Pokemon and their robotic counterparts. Introducing Pokemon that are partly organic, but have metallic components, could be the best way to go. Game Freak could also lean into the idea of man-made Pokemon, like Porygon, which is visibly different from organic life, but still looks fun and colorful.
Another option lies in the game’s narrative. Pokemon Legends: Z-A is going to focus on the expansion of Lumiose City, but side stories might be able to revolve around other expansions in technology. Specifically, the invention of robotic Pokemon or electronic gear for Pokemon to wear might fit naturally into the game's story.
In this way, Game Freak could add more Pokemon that look similar to the futuristic Paradox forms, and the overall reception could be better knowing the story of how they came to be. After all, Legends Arceus showcased the exploration and formation of a new region, so maybe Legends Z-A can explore a different leap in human society. Where Legends Arceus showed the beginning of the technological revolution in the Pokemon world, Legends Z-A could focus on the next period of technological growth, emphasizing the foil between the past and future in Pokemon games.
There have been cases where Game Freak repeated certain mistakes, such as Gen 9's Dondozo and Tatsugiri being Accelgor and Escavalier all over again due to them working in tandem, meaning they need to be present simultaneously in future titles. As such, given that the reception of future Paradox mons is not overly positive, Pokemon Legends: Z-A should tread carefully with new futuristic designs. This could mean having only a few futuristic elements in each design rather than full-blown robotic features, and it could be a good thing for Pokemon Legends: Z-A to experiment with this direction.
Pokemon Legends Z-A
- Released
- 2025
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak
The sequel to Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes Pokemon trainers back to the Kalos region's Lumiose City.
