10 Pokemon that need to be in Pokemon Legends Arceus

The release of Pokemon Legends Arceus may be a while off, but that hasn’t stopped us from making our very own Pokemon roster wishlist. 

Pokemon Legends Arceus may be set in ancient Feudal Sinnoh, but that doesn’t mean that creatures from other locations wouldn’t have settled into the region during this time period. After all, Pokemon games are renowned for their huge roster of monsters. Not only does this add a huge amount of diversity, but it also enables players to catch their favorite creatures and utilize them in battles.

The Pokemon Presents showcase gave us a good look at the game’s setting, new mechanics, and a number of Pokemon that will appear in the game at launch. After reviewing the early footage, we have found there to be a total of 52 monsters when including each Pokemon’s individual evolutions. 

However, the really exciting thing here is that not all of these creatures originate from the Sinnoh Region. In fact, the majority of these entries are from other Pokemon generations entirely, meaning that Pokemon Legends Arceus will likely feature a pretty diverse roster despite its setting in long-ago Sinnoh. This means that we could end up seeing a number of picks from our wish list below. 

10. Golduck

Golduck is another Pokemon that has been heavily inspired by Japanese folklore. The Gen 1 water-type shares many aspects to that of the Kappa, which is also typically depicted as humanoid in its appearance and has webbed hands and feet. Pokemon Red and Blue’s Pokedex entries even state that Golduck “is often mistaken for the Japanese monster, Kappa.” 

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Sinnoh has plenty of lakes (Valor, Verity, Acuity) and large bodies of water that Golduck is known to lurk in, so we’ll most definitely see Golduck make an appearance in Pokemon Legends Arceus.  

9. Hariyama

This sumo Pokemon packs an incredibly powerful punch and one that could prove fatal should your party Pokemon faint in combat. Current leaks suggest that wild Pokemon will attack you if you no longer have any available Pokemon to send out. This certainly makes sense considering the game features a dedicated dodge roll. 

Narrowly avoiding a swift punch from Hariyama before following up with your own swift counterattack would be enough to get most Pokemon Trainer’s hearts pumping. Not to mention that Hariyama’s overall strength could prove invaluable in the overworld. 

8. Kangaskhan

With its armor-like hide and heavily fortified build, Kangaskhan certainly looks befitting of a bygone age. Kangaskhan could previously only be found in the Safari Game area of Diamond & Pearl, but this obviously won’t exist during an era “before ideas such as being a Pokémon Trainer or having a Pokémon League even existed.” 

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As a result, it would be great to see this iconic Pokemon wandering around the lush plains and using it to move impassable boulders or structures. We could even finally see the addition of the elusive male version of the species. This would certainly be a historical moment for the games and one that would make this encounter even more special. 

7. Heracross

Heracross, just like the Japanese rhinoceros beetle it is based on, is incredibly strong and has a penchant for battle. With its armored hide and imposing pronged horn, this battle-hardened beetle can effortlessly throw around an object that is 100 times its own body weight. 

Walking through the vast reaches of Eterna Forest only to bump into a sparring Heracross would make for a particularly memorable experience. If that wasn’t enough, Heracross’s sharpened claws would also enable it to help its Trainer uncover lost treasures, items, and even consumables.  

6. Urshifu

This dual Fighting-type Legendary was introduced in Sword & Shield’s Isle of Armor expansion. Urshifu is a highly versatile fighter thanks to its two separate forms, which are obtained via the Tower of Darkness or Tower of Waters trials. However, it would be great to see another way to obtain either of these or a completely new evolution entirely. 

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Honing your skills with Kubfu and undertaking the gigantic task of filling out Sinnoh’s first-ever Pokedex would certainly be befitting of a fighter’s journey to the top. The harsh lands of Pokemon Legends Arceus would be the perfect place for Kubfu to hone its skills, taking them even further than that of its modern-day successor. 

5. Gyarados

According to an entry in Pearl’s Pokedex, “in ancient literature, there is a record of a Gyarados that razed a village when violence flared.” Quite where this village once lay remains unknown, but it could make for a great throwback if Pokemon Legends Arceus were to use this. Maybe we could visit the old village ruins or perhaps prevent the disaster entirely by battling the famed sea monster. 

There’s also an entry from Gold that says “during past wars, Gyarados would appear and leave blazing ruins in its wake.” Of course, Pokemon Legends Arceus won’t likely include any depictions of ancient Sinnoh wars, but it would be interesting to see Gyrados play into its old lore. 

4. Arcanine

If the leaks pertaining to riding Pokemon are to be believed, then Arcanine would be our top choice. This proud and regal canine has captured the hearts of people since long ago, with many Pokedex entries stating that Arcanine is a “Pokémon that has been admired since the past for its beauty.” Despite not strictly being a Legendary Pokemon, many ancient civilizations categorize it as such.

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Arcanine is known to travel 6,200 miles in a single day and night, making it the perfect travel companion for our adventure. After all, tearing through the lush fields and mountainous valleys of Sinnoh at breakneck speed would certainly make for a breathtaking experience. 

3. Scyther

You can’t have a Feudal-era Pokemon game without Scyther appearing in it. The dual-type Bug/Flying Pokemon is said to have “ninja-like agility and speed,” which allows it to “create the illusion that there is more than one.” Walking through a forest and hearing the clang and chime of swords, only to then stumble upon rival Scyther locking swords would make for a pretty cool scene. 

Using Scyther to slice our way through dense brush and chop down trees would also add an extra layer of depth to the game’s traversal. Maybe Game Freak will also finally enable Scyther to learn Fly, which would be a landmark moment for the Bug/Flying-type. 

2. Ninetales

Ninetales has many parrels to that of the kitsune depicted in Japanese folklore. These majestic foxes are known for their wisdom, long lifespan, and powerful supernatural powers. Kitsune are also known to play tricks on humans and even go as far as protecting them from evil spirits. The number of tails a kitsune has is a direct correlation to how wise and powerful it is. 

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As the name suggests, Ninetales is depicted with nine tails – meaning that this creature is incredibly strong. In fact, a Pokedex entry from Ruby states that Ninetales is known to cast “a sinister light from its bright red eyes to gain total control over its foe’s mind,” while an entry from Red says “grabbing one of its many tails could result in a 1000-year curse.” 

Ninetales certainly oozes the very essence of the mysticism and folklore that would have been around at this period of time, so we hope to see this folklore-inspired fox. Maybe we could even see an ancient Sinnoh variant? This idea isn’t all that farfetched when you consider that an Alolan variant was discovered on the snow-capped mountains of Mount Lanakila.

1. Greninja

Just like how Samurott (a combination of samurai and otter) was chosen due to its connection to that of Japan’s fabled Samurai, Greninja is also an easy pick. After all, you can’t have a samurai-inspired Pokemon without its rival ninja counterpart. If Pokemon’s resident shinobi frog doesn’t make an appearance in Pokemon Legends, then we’d certainly be surprised. 

Part of what makes Pokemon Legends Arceus so exciting is the completely revamped catching method. Trainers will need to observe their target to learn their behavior, carefully sneak up to them, then hurl a Pokeball or battle them. Trying to sneak up on a Pokemon that “appears and vanishes with a ninja’s grace,” would definitely make for an extremely rewarding prize.

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There you have it, 10 Pokemon we’d love to see in Pokemon Legends Arceus. Make sure you check out our Pokemon hub for all the latest news, info, and leaks on all the upcoming games.