Summary
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A will feature Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile as starter Pokemon in the Kalos region.
- Some fans debated the selection of Johto starters and questioned the absence of a Gen 2 starter like Cyndaquil.
- It remains uncertain if the starter trio will receive new forms or abilities in Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
After Pokemon Legends: Z-A got an extended trailer during the 2025 Pokemon Day event, fans voiced both their support and confusion about the game’s starter trio. While some Pokemon Legends: Z-A fans were glad to see Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile return to the franchise, others expressed disappointment over the selection.
During the end of the February 27 episode of Pokemon Presents, Pokemon Legends: Z-A was shown off for the first time in a year. The trailer confirmed a few details about the highly anticipated Switch title, including its late 2025 release window. Pokemon Legends: Z-A will allow trainers to explore the Kalos region’s largest hub, Lumiose City, as it undergoes a high-tech transformation into a metropolis where both people and Pokemon live in harmony. To help trainers explore Lumiose City and solve various problems, Pokemon Legends: Z-A trainers will get a Starter Pokemon that originally appeared in previous games, with Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile being the choices.
Related
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Won’t Have Abilities
A new report suggests that Pokemon Legends: Z-A will not include Pokemon Abilities as part of its gameplay, following in Legends: Arceus’ footsteps.
Although Pokemon Legends: Z-A has not fully revealed what the Starter Pokemon are capable of, some fans expressed their concerns about the choices they will have. On the r/Pokemon subreddit, a thread by user Abinabin1 sparked a discussion over why two of Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s starters are from the Johto region. To start the thread, Abinabin1 asked other users if they were bothered by the fact that two Starters originally from Pokemon Gold and Silver were featured rather than another generation. Users weighed in with their responses in the comments, with some expressing similar sentiments to Abinabin1. One user noted that new Mega Evolution concepts were a probable reason behind The Pokemon Company’s decision.
Pokemon Fans Debate Why Chikorita, Tepig, And Totodile Are The Legends: Z-A Starter Trio
Given that Chikorita and Totodile are from the Johto region, the inclusion of Tepig as the Fire starter meant that Cyndaquil was the odd Pokemon out. However, Cyndaquil was featured as the Fire-type starter in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, with Hisuian Typhlosion as its final form. Despite concerns about Johto and Unova bias, some Pokemon trainers defended the available choices. A few fans pointed out that since Tepig and Chikorita are considered among the “worst” Starters in their respective Pokemon generations by statistics and battle usage, they were due for some attention.
At the time of writing, it is unknown if the Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile lines will receive any new forms. Though Chikorita was confirmed to learn Disarming Voice as a Fairy-type attack, it remains to be seen what the full potential of Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s starter trio will be.
