Pokemon Legends sure seems like a mainline game: do you want this to be the new norm?

Sure, just build on it

The Pokemon Legends mainline entry debate raged on as soon as it was announced, but a new tweet provides some ammo on the pro main side of the argument.

Just this past week, Nintendo UK asked “where did your journey with Pokemon begin?” while posting an infographic of “mainline” games in the series. It starts in 1999 with Pokemon Red and Blue (look at this western disrespect of Green!), then goes into Yellow, and from generation to generation, with the “third entry” games included, as well as Pokemon Let‘s Go, and generational remakes. At the end of the list in 2022 is Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

Now this could just be a rogue marketing tactic, which is why I’m careful with my phrasing here with the “seems” qualifier, but honestly, I think it’s for the better. Legends, while getting dinged for its visual presentation (that’s an insult to the Switch hardware to be frank, at times), has had a very positive reception overall, namely for its lack of hand-holding compared to other mainline games; and its penchant for streamlining and adding a few unique wrinkles of its own. The series would be better off moving forward with Legends as a guide.

The Pokemon Legends: Arceus mainline entry debate may continue, but in any case, I’m dying to know what happens next. Is the generation after this merely going to revert back to Sword and Shield‘s format? Or will we see a legitimate evolution of the formula, built on the foundation that Legends has given us?

It’s Game Freak, so we probably won’t actually know until the thing is out!

Where did your journey with Pokémon begin? pic.twitter.com/Vwi6Bbcv2k

— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) January 18, 2022