Pokémon Legends: Arceus: Difference between revisions

LA redirects here. For the Trading Card Game set that uses this abbreviation, see Legends Awakened (TCG).

Pokémon Legends: Arceus Pokémon LEGENDS アルセウス
Pokémon Legends: Arceus boxart
Basic info
Platform:	Nintendo Switch
Category:	Action RPG
Players:	1
Connectivity:	N/A
Developer:	Game Freak
Publisher:	Nintendo/The Pokémon Company
Part of:	Generation VIII core series
Ratings
CERO:	A
ESRB:	E
ACB:	PG
OFLC:	N/A
PEGI:	7
GRAC:	N/A
GSRR:	6+
Release dates
Japan:	January 28, 2022
North America:	January 28, 2022
Australia:	January 28, 2022
Europe:	January 28, 2022
South Korea:	January 28, 2022
Hong Kong:	January 28, 2022
Taiwan:	January 28, 2022
Websites
Japanese:	Pokémon.co.jp
English:	Official site Pokémon.com Nintendo.com
Japanese boxart Pokémon Legends: Arceus Japanese boxart

Pokémon Legends: Arceus (Japanese: Pokémon LEGENDS アルセウス Pokémon LEGENDS Arceus) is the fifth and final Generation VIII core series game.

The game was announced worldwide on the 25th Anniversary of the release of Pokémon Red and Green on February 27, 2021 at 12 am JST through Pokémon Presents. It was released on the Nintendo Switch worldwide on January 28, 2022. All copies of the game are playable in nine languages: Japanese, English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese.

Plot

Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.

The player character is transported back in time to the Hisui region by Arceus, who bestows upon them a device called the Arc Phone and the task of "seeking out all Pokémon". Upon waking up, the player meets Professor Laventon, a Pokémon Professor working for the Galaxy Expedition Team, who tells the player that they fell out of the mysterious space-time rift in the sky above Mount Coronet. After helping Laventon catch his three runaway partner Pokémon, they are escorted to Jubilife Village, where they meet Akari/Rei, the professor's assistant and a member of the Galaxy Team Survey Corps. Since the player has no home, the Survey Corps Captain Cyllene accepts Professor Laventon's request to let them join the organization, offering them a place to stay and food in exchange for working for them if they pass a trial set up for them. To help them pass the trial, Laventon gives the player one of the partner Pokémon they caught earlier. After passing the trial of catching a Bidoof, a Starly, and a Shinx, the player is formally accepted into the Survey Corps and given the mission of completing the Pokédex.

While exploring Hisui, the player learns that mysterious lightning striking down from the same space-time rift they fell out of is causing the five noble Pokémon around the region to go on wild frenzies and attack people. The player is given the mission to visit and calm each of these noble Pokémon. Each noble Pokémon is overseen by a warden belonging to one of Hisui's two clans: the Diamond Clan led by Adaman, and the Pearl Clan led by Irida. These clans both worship a deity known as "almighty Sinnoh", but they disagree with each other about whether it rules over time or space. During their travels, the player also has several encounters with the merchant Volo from the Ginkgo Guild, who enjoys studying the history of Hisui, and the bandit trio known as the Miss Fortune sisters. They also obtain a Celestica Flute and befriend five Pokémon (each overseen by a warden, like the nobles) who allow the player to ride them at will afterwards. Whenever the player defeats a noble Pokémon or befriends a rideable Pokémon, they are gifted with a Plate.

After the player has managed to quell the last of the five noble Pokémon, the space-time rift in the sky suddenly expands and the sky above Hisui turns red. Suspecting that the player, who fell out of the same rift, is somehow responsible for this, Galaxy Team Commander Kamado kicks them out of the Galaxy Team and banishes them from Jubilife Village. The player seeks help from the clans, but they both refuse to help in order to maintain neutrality with the Galaxy Team. Volo, however, agrees to help the player and takes them to a secret settlement, the Ancient Retreat, where the mysterious woman Cogita resides; from her, they learn that an artifact known as the Red Chain could help bind the world back together and make the rift disappear. To find the necessary materials to create the chain, the player gets assistance from either Adaman or Irida and visits each of Hisui's three lakes, receiving a necessary material from each of the lake guardians after passing their trials. Once all the materials have been gathered, the lake guardians combine them together to form the Red Chain. With the Red Chain in their possession, the player returns to Jubilife Village, only to learn that Kamado has led the Galaxy Team Security Corps to the Temple of Sinnoh atop Mount Coronet to deal with a Pokémon sighted at the space-time rift. After being reinstated in the Galaxy Team by Cyllene, the player climbs to the summit and defeats Kamado in battle, finally making him see reason and apologize for doubting them.

Depending on whether the player went to look for the Red Chain materials with Adaman or Irida, either Dialga or Palkia appears at the temple. However, when the player tries to use the Red Chain on it, the artifact is broken to pieces, forcing the player to confront the Legendary Pokémon. They manage to catch it, but the other Legendary Pokémon then appears as well, forcing them to retreat. Using a clue given by the Legendary Pokémon the player caught, Laventon crafts the Origin Ball, a one-of-a-kind Poké Ball created from the Red Chain's fragments and a sample of the Origin Ore, which they then decide to use to stop the Legendary Pokémon at Mount Coronet. The player returns to the Temple of Sinnoh, where the Legendary Pokémon transforms into its Origin Forme, destroying the temple in the process, before battling the player. The player defeats it and uses the Origin Ball to catch it, causing the space-time rift to disappear and returning the sky back to normal. With the appearance of both Dialga and Palkia, the Diamond and Pearl Clans realize that they were both worshipping real deities and resolve their conflict.

After a festival to celebrate the player's success, Volo asks them to investigate the Plates and collect the ones they don't own yet. The player travels around Hisui and collects the remaining Plates, the majority of which are awarded by Legendary Pokémon after they are caught. Once the player has collected 17 of the 18 Plates, Volo tells them of Giratina, a Legendary Pokémon as powerful as Dialga and Palkia, which was banished to another world due to its cruelty. He takes the player to the ruins of the Temple of Sinnoh, where he reveals that he was the one who caused the space-time rift to appear by seeking out Giratina, in the hopes that Dialga and Palkia's appearance would make Arceus appear and allow him to use its power to create a new, superior world, which would destroy the current world in the process. He challenges the player to a battle and loses, but Giratina then appears by his side and also battles the player, transforming into its Origin Forme midway through the battle. Once Giratina is defeated, Volo hands the player the final Plate, at which point the player's Celestica Flute transforms into the Azure Flute. Volo is surprised by Arceus having chosen the player instead of him and leaves in anger, swearing to one day conquer Arceus and create a new world, even if it will take him centuries to do so.

Once the player has caught at least one of every non-Mythical Pokémon species, they return to the Temple of Sinnoh and play the Azure Flute, granting them access to the Hall of Origin, where Arceus challenges them. Once the player has emerged victorious, Arceus willingly sends a fragment of itself to join them and grants them the Legend Plate, which allows it to change its type mid-battle.

	Spoilers end here.

Blurb

Action meets RPG in a new kind of Pokémon adventure!

Research Pokémon for the Hisui region's first Pokédex.
Catch Pokémon using your battle skills—or stealth and wits!
Answer the call of Arceus, said to be the creator of this world!

Features

The game takes place in the Hisui region, a version of Sinnoh in the past. It features Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott as first partner Pokémon, and Rei and Akari as player characters. NPCs include the members of the Galaxy Expedition Team and the Diamond and Pearl Clans.

New Pokémon and forms

• Seven new Pokémon (Wyrdeer, Kleavor, Ursaluna, Basculegion, Sneasler, Overqwil, and Enamorus) have been introduced. Wyrdeer, Kleavor, and Ursaluna evolve from Stantler, Scyther, and Ursaring respectively, while Sneasler, and Overqwil evolve from the newly-added Hisuian Forms of Sneasel and Qwilfish, respectively, and Basculegion evolves from the newly-added White-Striped Form of Basculin.
• Seventeen new Hisuian Forms (for Growlithe, Arcanine, Voltorb, Electrode, Typhlosion, Qwilfish, Sneasel, Samurott, Lilligant, Zorua, Zoroark, Braviary, Sliggoo, Goodra, Avalugg, and Decidueye) have been added. Other new forms have been added for Dialga, Palkia, and Basculin.

Overworld

• The player receives a device called the Arc Phone early in the story, which distinctly resembles Arceus. Using it allows the player to see the map and teleport to certain locations (such as base camps), as well as view their tasks.
• All wild Pokémon are visible in the overworld like a symbol encounter, although colliding with these Pokémon does not immediately cause a battle to begin. Different species of Pokémon respond to the player differently, with some having no reaction, some fleeing, and some becoming aggressive and directly attacking the player.
  • If the player sustains too many attacks from aggressive Pokémon, they will be rescued. They will gradually have their health restored when not being targeted by a Pokémon.
  • The player may catch a Pokémon from the overworld by throwing a Poké Ball at it without having to start a battle first. However, if an aggressive Pokémon is targeting the player, it cannot be caught without starting a battle or stunning it with a throwable item. Hitting a Pokémon from behind with a Poké Ball increases the likelihood of capturing it.
  • To battle a wild Pokémon, the player must throw one of their own Pokémon's Poké Balls at or near it. Hitting the wild Pokémon with the ball from behind will surprise it, causing it to not move on its first turn.
• Particularly strong and large wild Pokémon with glowing red eyes, known as alpha Pokémon, can appear. These Pokémon are always aggressive and have their stats increased in battle. If one is caught, it will lose its stat boosts and its eyes will no longer glow, although they will still be red.
• In the overworld, the player has access to new actions: they can crouch to be less visible to wild Pokémon (although this slows movement), roll in order to quickly move a short distance while avoiding attacks from aggressive Pokémon, or throw certain items with the aid of an aiming reticle (including Poké Balls as well as various Berries and other such items which can affect the behavior of wild Pokémon).
• Due to the changes to wild Pokémon encounters, tall grass now serves a different purpose: the player is less visible to wild Pokémon while moving through it.
• The Celestica Flute is a new Key Item that allows the player to summon Pokémon and ride on them, similar to the Ride Pager. There are five Pokémon that can be ridden on, each unlocked at a different point in the story: Wyrdeer (which can travel on land at high speed and jump), Ursaluna (which can find hidden items similarly to the Dowsing Machine), Basculegion (which can travel over water and jump up to two times before landing), Sneasler (which can climb walls), and Hisuian Braviary (which can travel through the air).
  • Basculegion is unique among the rideable Pokémon in that Poké Balls and other items can still be thrown while riding it; if this is done while it is jumping, the game will temporarily slow down to allow for increased precision.
• Pokémon can be sent out of their Poké Balls outside of battle; while this can be done no matter what the situation, specific uses include using them to gather items from trees and mineral deposits, which gives the Pokémon used a small amount of experience (depending on the area) and increases their friendship.
  • Some trees and ore deposits shake; if the player attempts to harvest items from these, a wild Pokémon will appear instead and immediately begin a battle.
• Real-time (that is, the time according to the Nintendo Switch's internal clock) no longer determines in-game time, and the game instead uses its own system by which time passes significantly faster. It is also possible to change the time immediately by resting.
  • Every minute corresponds to an hour in-game; thus, an in-game day is 24 minutes long.
  • In Jubilife Village, time does not pass unless the player rests.
  • Every two nights that pass change the moon phase. The full moon allows Ursaring to evolve into Ursaluna.
• The conditions and mechanics of defeat have been changed:
  • The player may take damage in the overworld from attacks by wild Pokémon or by falling from large heights. This damage will gradually heal over time unless the player is being targeted by a wild Pokémon. Taking too much damage will cause the player to be rescued, upon which the player will lose several of the items in their satchel (but none of their money) and return to the last visited base camp.
    • If the player has achieved First Star rank and is connected to the internet, items that they drop upon being rescued may appear in other players' games as lost satchels. If a player collects a lost satchel, the items will be returned to their owner's item storage, and the player who collected the satchel will be rewarded with Merit Points that can then be used to purchase items at the trading post in Jubilife Village.
  • Defeat does not occur after all of the Pokémon in the player's party faint.
    • If the player's entire party is knocked out during a battle against a Trainer, their party is fully healed and they are given the opportunity to restart the battle with no penalty.
    • If the player's entire party is knocked out during a battle against a wild Pokémon, the battle ends, and there is no other direct consequence. However, since fainted Pokémon cannot be sent out, the player cannot send out their Pokémon (or, by extension, start another battle) if their entire party is knocked out, leaving the player largely defenseless against wild Pokémon until their Pokémon are healed.
• Outside of Jubilife Village, Pokémon Centers have been replaced by base camps, which allow for purchasing items, accessing Pokémon stored in pastures, accessing the item storage, resting to heal or change the time, and crafting.
• Noble Pokémon, Pokémon sacred to the people of Hisui that have become frenzied by strange lightning, act as boss battles, with five being fought throughout the story. To defeat a noble Pokémon, the player must throw special balms at it to gradually calm it down while avoiding its attacks. Under certain circumstances, the noble Pokémon will drop its guard and allow the player to engage it in a Pokémon battle; upon having its HP reduced to 0, the noble Pokémon will be temporarily stunned, making balms more effective and allowing the player to throw them without any risk of being attacked. After completing the story, the player can redo battles against nobles indefinitely, with their fastest defeat of each being tracked.
• Completing a Pokédex entry now requires more than just catching a certain Pokémon once; research tasks can also be completed, which are tasks involving the Pokémon (such as catching multiple, defeating multiple, seeing it use certain moves, etc.). A Pokémon's research level will rise as more of its corresponding research tasks are completed, filling out more of its entry, up to a maximum of level 10 (a complete entry).
  • Obedience has been changed: it is now possible for any Pokémon to disobey even if they are not outsider Pokémon, and their obedience is based on the level they were obtained at rather than their current level. Completing research tasks and Pokédex entries rewards the player with points, and if they have obtained enough of these, they can increase in rank, which increases the maximum level a Pokémon can be obtained at without becoming disobedient.

Pokémon mechanics

• Similarly to Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, EVs and IVs have been replaced by effort levels.
• The mechanics of evolution have been changed. If a Pokémon achieves the requirement for an evolution (other than those that use Evolution items), it will not evolve immediately, but instead gain the ability to evolve, with the player being able to activate the evolution at any point afterwards by pressing the X button on it in the menu (at which point it cannot be canceled with the B Button). Additionally, several methods of evolution have been slightly changed:
  • Pokémon that evolved by leveling up but also required some other condition to be met now only require for said other condition to be met, not needing to be leveled up (for example, Pokémon that previously evolved by leveling up with high friendship are now able to evolve immediately after achieving high friendship).
    • As in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Pokémon that evolve in certain locations can now also evolve using Evolution stones, but unlike in said game, this now applies to Eevee evolving into Glaceon and Nosepass evolving into Probopass as well.
  • Pokémon whose evolution methods involved an Evolution item in any way (including holding the item while leveling up or being traded) now all evolve when exposed to the item, akin to an Evolution stone.
  • Pokémon that evolved by being traded without requiring an item can still evolve in this way, but can alternatively evolve by being exposed to a Linking Cord.
• The process of learning moves has been altered. When a Pokémon that already knows four moves reaches a sufficient level for learning another move, it does not immediately attempt to learn the move, but instead "gets the idea" for the move. At any time outside of battle, the player can freely have a Pokémon forget its moves and learn moves that it has gotten the idea for, and any moves that it forgets in this process can later be relearned using the same method. This effectively means that the player has constant access to the services of the Move Reminder and Move Deleter of previous games without having to pay anything for them.
• The player can now freely alter a Pokémon's nickname at any time outside of battle. As such, they are no longer prompted to nickname Pokémon after obtaining them, and the Name Rater has been removed.
• Abilities, held items, breeding, Eggs, and Pokérus have been removed.

Item mechanics

• The player's Bag is replaced by a satchel, which can only store a finite quantity of items. Similarly to the Bag in Generation I games, the satchel consists of "slots" for different items, though the number of these slots can be increased by paying Bagin, a member of the Galaxy Team, at the Galaxy Hall. Excess items can be placed in the item storage, which has enough space for all items but is only accessible from certain areas.
• Items can now be combined in order to create new items via crafting. The player can only craft an item if they own the recipe for that item. Crafting can be performed either at a workbench (where the player has access to all of their items) or in any location via the usage of the Crafting Kit (in which case the player only has access to items in their satchel).
• Poké Balls have an "old-fashioned" appearance in this game, with a wooden bottom half, a buckle-shaped metal-colored implement instead of a button, and a valve on top that puffs out steam on a successful catch.
  • Poké Balls, Great Balls, and Ultra Balls return, in addition to several new Poké Ball varieties, such as Heavy Balls and Feather Balls.
• Items sell for a quarter of their purchase price instead of a half.

Battle mechanics

• The player can now move during battles. In most battles against wild Pokémon, the battle will end automatically if the player moves too far away from it; in other battles, such as battles against Trainers, there are invisible barriers to prevent this, and in-battle movement consequently has no effect.
• The game uses a revised system for battles:
  • A Pokémon can master its moves by leveling up. A mastered move can be used in one of two new styles in addition to the regular version: the strong style, which increases the move's power, accuracy, and/or other effects, but lowers action speed; or the agile style, which decreases the move's power and/or other effects but raises action speed. Using a move in either style consumes two PP instead of one unless the move has only one PP left.
  • Turns have been drastically altered with the introduction of the Action Order. In this new system, a turn consists solely of one side performing an action, rather than both sides performing an action in the same turn. Which side is able to act on each turn is decided by each Pokémon's action speed, which is affected by a variety of factors, primarily each Pokémon's Speed stat (with a possibility of one side acting for multiple consecutive turns). During the battle, it is possible to check which sides will be able to act for the next six turns.
    • Moves that previously had increased priority (such as Quick Attack) now increase the user's action speed, while moves that previously had decreased priority or required recharging (such as Hyper Beam) now decrease the user's action speed.
    • The player is only presented with a menu (and thus has an opportunity to run, switch Pokémon, or use an item) when it is their turn.
  • Status conditions have received multiple changes:
    • The freeze and sleep status conditions have been removed; they are replaced by the new status conditions frostbite and drowsy. Drowsy makes the Pokémon sometimes fail to move (similar to paralysis) and increases the damage it takes from direct attacks, while frostbite repeatedly damages the Pokémon (similar to burn and poison) and reduces its Special Attack.
    • Burn, poison, and frostbite cause damage after each action by the affected Pokémon, due to the alterations to turns.
    • Status conditions now automatically wear off after several turns. Furthermore, having a status condition no longer renders a Pokémon immune to other status conditions; instead, if a Pokémon is afflicted with a status condition, it will replace any condition it had previously. The Pokémon can be re-inflicted with the same status condition; in that case, the turn count for it will be reset.
    • Flinching is not present in this game. Instead, moves that cause flinching in other games will instead lower the target's action speed.
  • Stat changes have received multiple alterations:
    • Stat changes now simultaneously affect both physical and special stats, rather than only one of the two as most did previously.
    • Stat changes now wear off after several turns.
    • Increases or decreases to the same stat can no longer stack. Attempting to increase or decrease a stat that has already been altered in such a way has no effect besides resetting the number of turns before the change wears off.
    • Accuracy and evasion can no longer be affected by stat changes in the same way as other stats. Instead, a Pokémon can temporarily obscure itself, which makes attacks used against it more likely to miss.
  • The following mechanics from previous games are absent:
    • The ability to recall Pokémon upon defeating an opposing one (the switch battle style).
    • Held items. Due to this:
      • the Plates are now Key Items, and Arceus must be exposed to them to change its form (with the Blank Plate also being introduced to revert it back to its Normal-type form). Similarly, with the removal of the Griseous Orb, Giratina can now switch between its Altered Forme and Origin Forme by being exposed to the Griseous Core, a new Key Item.
      • Items that require to be held to evolve certain Pokémon, such as Upgrade for Porygon, are now used like evolution stones.
    • Abilities.
      • There are in-game mechanics to simulate Cherrim's Flower Gift, Regigigas's Slow Start, and Arceus's Multitype.
    • Entry hazards, with Spikes and Stealth Rock now causing direct damage along with splinter damage over later turns, similar to binding.
    • Double Battles.
      • It is possible for the player to battle multiple Pokémon at once, but they can never use more than one Pokémon at a time themselves. In addition, these battles allow Poké Balls to be thrown even when there are still multiple remaining Pokémon.
      • In battles against multiple Pokémon, moves that hit multiple foes in previous games, such as Rock Slide or Bulldoze, will only hit one target.
    • Terrain.
    • Contact.
    • One-hit knockout moves.
    • In-battle bonuses due to friendship or affection.

Connectivity

As with other games on Nintendo Switch, the game is not compatible with other games of the same generation. The game supports online connectivity and trading with other players of Legends: Arceus, but does not include battles between players. The game received Pokémon HOME compatibility on May 18, 2022, as part of the version 2.0.0 update.

Any Pokémon brought in from outside of the game (and vice versa) will have their Poké Ball displayed as a Strange Ball, due to the invalid Poké Ball ID not being otherwise recognized in this game. Additionally, when a Pokémon originating from another game first enters this game, its moveset is changed to its four most recent level-up moves by default (though the player can make alterations as of HOME's version 3.0.0, released on May 30, 2023), but its original moves will be restored if it is returned to HOME. The Pokémon will also not have its origin mark displayed if it was brought from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Users of HOME can transfer Pokémon freely between other Legends: Arceus save files on the console, even if the files belong to different profiles.

Only Pokémon found in the game, i.e. those in the Hisui Pokédex (excluding some regional forms) can be transferred to Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Save data bonuses

Some content in the game is unlocked if the player has save data for previous core series Pokémon titles on the Nintendo Switch system being used:

• Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!: The Pikachu Festival Mask and Eevee Festival Mask are received.
• Pokémon Sword and Shield: The Shaymin Fancy Kimono and Shaymin Fancy Bottoms are received. After the credits, it also unlocks Request 92: A Token of Gratitude, in which the player obtains the Gracidea and catches the Mythical Pokémon Shaymin.
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl: The Modern Jacket, Modern Trousers, and Modern Shoes are received. After the credits, it also unlocks Request 93: The Darksome Nightmare, in which the player catches the Mythical Pokémon Darkrai.

Save data for Legends: Arceus unlocks content in the following Nintendo Switch games:

• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl: If every story mission in Legends: Arceus has been completed, the Azure Flute appears in the player's room, although it cannot be used until after entering the Hall of Fame and obtaining the National Pokédex.
• Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Arc Phone Case for the player's Rotom Phone is obtained through Rotometry in Mesagoza.

Reception

It holds a rating of 83% on Metacritic, based on 116 critic reviews.^[1] Nintendo Life gave the game a 9 out of 10, praising "its emphasis on extremely rewarding exploration, addictive catching mechanics, a fine roster of Pokémon and a genuine sense of scale that’s unlike anything in the series".^[2] Gaming magazine Famitsu gave Pokémon Legends: Arceus a score of 38 out of 40.^[3] IGN rated the game a "Good" 7.0/10,^[4] pointing that "its otherwise exciting attempt at a genre-shift is set in a disappointingly empty, ugly, and at times tedious world." And Eurogamer recommended the game noting that "Pokémon Legends: Arceus is flimsy and compulsive and exhilaratingly new."^[5]

Sales

The game sold over 6.5 million units in its launch week.^[6] In the fiscal year of its release, it sold 12.64 million copies worldwide.^[7] As of March 31, 2023, Pokémon Legends: Arceus has sold 14.83 million copies worldwide, becoming the highest selling solitary Pokémon game.^[8]

In Japan, the game sold 1.43 million copies in 3 days.^[9] In the United States, Legends Arceus was the best selling video game of January 2022.^[10]

Staff

Main article: Staff of Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Music

Main article: Pokémon LEGENDS Arceus Super Music Collection

Version history

Gallery

Logos

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  English logo

• 

  Japanese logo

• 

  Korean logo

• 

  Traditional Chinese logo

• 

  Simplified Chinese logo

Box art

• 

  Japanese box art

• 

  Australian box art

• 

  Brazilian box art

Trivia

• As stated in the Game Freak presentation at CEDEC2022, the development of the game Pokémon Legends: Arceus lasted about three years, starting in autumn 2018, and was mostly simultaneous with the production of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
• This is the first core series game not to have been released alongside another version since Pokémon Platinum. This is also the first core series game to only come out in one version, previous solitary releases having all been upper versions.
• Other than in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl when the DS Sounds is enabled, this is the first core series game to use Pikachu's old cry since Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, and the first to use Eevee's old cry since Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. These reversions would continue into Generation IX.
• This is the only core series game:
  • To be released in the same year as another core series game from a different generation.
  • In which trading or transferring is not required to obtain any Pokémon.
  • In which evolution is not required to obtain any species of Pokémon (without trading or transferring); after the Daybreak update, every evolved Pokémon in the game is catchable except for Alolan Ninetales.
  • In which Manaphy, Darkrai, and Shaymin can be obtained outside of an event (excluding glitches).
  • In which the Red Chain is obtainable without cheating.
  • To unlock a save data bonus in a previous game, and to unlock a save data bonus conditionally.
  • To not feature:
    • Link Battles.
    • Event-exclusive Pokémon.
    • TMs.
    • Master Balls.
    • Poké Dolls.
    • A Pokémon League.
    • Pokémon Centers and Poké Marts.
    • The ability to cancel an evolution.
    • Drinks.
    • The player character's mother.
    • A game mascot on its boxart, although like Pokémon Yellow and its remakes, a Pokémon is named in the title.
    • A rival.
  • Released during the lifetime of the Nintendo Switch in which the system is not featured in the player character's home, although there is an unused room in the game containing one.
  • Released for the Nintendo Switch to not have a special Nintendo Switch system themed after it.
  • In which Pokédex entries are written from a first-person perspective, being written by Professor Laventon.
• This is the first (but not only) core series game to not feature:
  • The full title of "Pocket Monsters" in its Japanese name (though the official website still considers it part of the core series^[11]).
  • Routes.
  • Escape Ropes.
  • Repels.
  • Ledges.
  • The option to toggle battle effects on or off.
  • An in-game representation of Game Freak.
• Out of the Generation VIII core series games, this game contains the fewest Pokémon, and is the only one to not feature any additional Pokémon outside the regional Pokédex.
• There are no returning Pokémon featured in this game that were introduced after Pokémon Sun and Moon, with the only Generation VIII Pokémon it features being those introduced in this game.
  • Additionally, the only Generation VII Pokémon that are featured in the game are Rowlet and its evolutions.
  • Every Pokémon introduced in Generation IV is featured in this game.
    • As of this game, every Pokémon introduced in Generation IV (and by extension, up to Generation VIII) is in at least one regional Pokédex.
• This is the first game since Pokémon X and Y to introduce cross-generational evolutions that evolve from the original form rather than a regional form, namely Wyrdeer, Kleavor, and Ursaluna.

In other languages

Language Title Japanese Pokémon LEGENDS アルセウス Chinese Cantonese 寶可夢傳說 阿爾宙斯 Mandarin 寶可夢傳說 阿爾宙斯 宝可梦传说 阿尔宙斯 French Légendes Pokémon : Arceus German Pokémon-Legenden: Arceus Italian Leggende Pokémon: Arceus Korean Pokémon LEGENDS 아르세우스 Spanish Leyendas Pokémon: Arceus

References

This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.