Pokemon Presents is always a big day in the Pokemon fandom, and has long been when we’ve heard about the latest Pokemon games soon arriving at our thumbs. While the mainline Pokemon entries haven’t been my (or many people’s) favourites, the supporting cast have kept up their end of the deal more often than not. That means, as my colleague Eric Switzer recently wrote, there’s more reason than ever to be hype for this year’s event on February 27.
In that article, Eric details all the new things we might hear – the fabled Black & White remakes, which are next in line after Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. The global rollout of Chinese features in Pokemon Unite, which have since jumped the gun and gotten underway. More information on upcoming TCG collections, which are ever rising to new peaks, though not always to the benefit of fans. And, obviously, the actual big ticket Pokemon game we have coming this year, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, which was announced at last year’s Pokemon Presents and has gone radio silent ever since. Finally, a new game. What could that be?
Gen 10
Here is the boldest, most likely to be wrong suggestion for the big reveal of Pokemon Presents. Pokemon generations have been coming every three years like clockwork, and Scarlet & Violet were three years ago. To sweeten the deal, the Switch 2 launches this year, and a mainline Pokemon to move units would be a real money spinner. There are certainly arguments in its favour.
However, the impact of the three year cycle showed in the bugs and overall emptiness of Scarlet & Violet, so you’d hope that something would change in the aftermath. There’s also the additional pressure on the team from developing Legends: Z-A, which we can assume is all in-house after Legends: Arceus was. I don’t think we get Gen 10 this year. It may be teased, but I think Pokemon has another launch title for the Switch 2 lined up.
Let’s Go Johto
Almost as bold, almost as unlikely, is by far my most desired Pokemon game. I love the bounciness and character of Let’s Go Pikachu & Eevee, and still believe they are the best way to introduce new fans to the series, whether young or young at heart. It’s an easy formula to replicate across the generations, and Johto is the most popular of the lot. So what gives?
As the name underlines, the Let’s Go games are indelibly tied to Pokemon Go. They use the same catching animations, ‘mons can be transferred between them, and they even came with devices that linked to playing PoGo. As cute as it is, Let’s Go was a business decision to get the swathes of PoGo players into console gaming with the most recognisable creatures inside a world likely to be familiar to them and using mechanics they already understood. With those intentions, and with PoGo now more about whales than global domination, Let’s Go may be too dated an idea, no matter how timeless it appears at first.
Pokken
The first spin-off of the Switch era, Pokken launched for Japanese arcades in 2015, the Wii U in 2016, and then came to the Switch along with most other things worth salvaging from the Wii U in 2017. If you’re unfamiliar with Pokken, it’s Pokemon meets Tekken made by both dev teams working together, and is overdue for a sequel. Katsuhiro Harada, the executive producer and general face of Tekken, has long spoken of his desire to make one, but has said the choice would be Pokemon’s. Maybe its number comes up this time around?
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Slightly more recent than Pokken with the last Mystery Dungeon arriving in 2020, this was Rescue Mission DX, a remake of Rescue Mission. The last original Mystery Dungeon was launched between 2015-16 across different territories. The roguelike dungeon crawler has always been a cult fan favourite, and whether as another remake (though none stand out in this regard) or as an entirely new entry, rumours have long persisted that the next Mystery Dungeon could be just around the corner.
A Completely New Thing
It would be foolish to discount the possibility of Pokemon simply making something new. While the main series has grown stagnant, there has been experimentation elsewhere. Pokemon Unite, itself revealed in a Pokemon Presents, is evidence enough of this. I also expect that at least one Switch 2 launch game has some mouse gimmick to indulge the new Joy-Con, so in a similar vein to Let’s Go being of its era, we might see a Pokemon game made specifically to show off the Switch.
Pokemon Snap
After New Pokemon Snap, I’m not sure what you call a sequel. Newer Pokemon Snap? New Pokemon Snap 2? Pokemon Snap 3? Okay, that’s enough word count eaten up, let’s move on. I loved New Pokemon Snap, and consider it my favourite of the current era of spin-offs. However, I was surprised it only got meagre post-launch support, which felt stranger than giving it none at all. There was more to be done with New Pokemon Snap, and the failure to take advantage of that makes a sequel feel unlikely, though not entirely out of the question. Here’s hoping Tsareena shows up this time.
Pokemon Conquest
Pokemon
- Created by
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Satoshi Tajiri
- First Film
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Pokemon: The First Movie
- Latest Film
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Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle
- First Episode Air Date
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April 1, 1997