10 Pokemon Starters We Would Have Liked To Have Seen For Pokemon Legends: Z-A

The Pokemon Company has released details and footage from the latest Legends title, Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Among all the information given, the three starters were shown to be Chikorita, Totodile, and Tepig. And Pokemon fans have…some thoughts.

While there may not have been a perfect combination of three starters that would have made everyone happy, there, of course, were more options that fans would have preferred. When it comes down to it, which of the Fire, Water, and Grass Pokemon should have, or would have been appreciated more, than the Legends Z-A line-up? This article will go over why others could have used the Legends treatment.

This article will not include any starters from the Kalos region and will not consider starters that already have Mega evolutions.

10

Pikachu

Put the pitchforks down. Pikachu is technically a starter thanks to Pokemon Yellow and Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu! Now, it’s understandable why Pikachu isn’t at the top of the list of candidates for Pokemon Legends: Z-A. However! Pikachu hasn’t had a Mega evolution.

While it hasn’t been said, the assumption is that any starters featured in Legends: Z-A will undergo some big changes, similar to the starters that were available in Legends: Arceus. That means you could be rocking a really cool Pikachu or Raichu Mega that has a different typing.

9

Quaxly

Quaxly joins the crew from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. This, to many, may mean that they don’t want to see Feucoco, Sprigatito, or the sassy Water duckling Pokemon just yet. And, of the three, Quaxly didn’t receive the same kind of love as their fellow Gen 9 starters.

This does make Quaxly a prime choice for a refresh. Changing the appearance of their final evolution, giving them a Mega, maybe both. While that would mean replacing Totodile, it could boost the little duck’s popularity and give the fans a new form to fall in love with. Not to mention it could still tie in with Scarlet and Violet with Tera events and the like.

8

Scorbunny

Let’s address the pig in the room. A lot of people don’t love that Tepig is a part of the Legends: Z-A starters. This means it’s very easy to tag in a different Fire-type Pokemon. And Scorbunny would be an excellent candidate.

While Scorbunny already has a cool Gigantimax form, adding a Mega wouldn’t do any harm. After all, look at Charizard. They’ll put that dude in anything, in any form. Scorbunny could get that same treatment, showing a different side thanks to a type change. What would Cinderace have looked like if they hadn’t been so interested in sports?

7

Turtwig

Chikorita is an okay choice for a Grass starter, however, the biggest complaint about the leaf Pokemon is that, compared to Totodile and Cyndaquil, Chikorita is just weaker. Plus, with Totodile also slated to be in Legends: Z-A, it feels a bit odd to have two Pokemon from the same region in this game that greatly switches up the usual, mainline formula.

With all that said, there is another cute Grass Pokemon with leaves on their head: Turtwig. None of the Gen 4 Pokemon have been added to a Legends game, and they would be a wonderful choice to get some Diamond and Pearl love after not having Turtwig and the other starters in Legends: Arcues.

In the Legends games, starters from that same region are not used. Since Legends: Arcues was based in the Sinnoh region, Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup were not starter options, even though they could be caught in-game.

6

Piplup

If there’s a case to be made for the Sinnoh Grass-type Pokemon, then there’s a case to be made for Piplup. While maybe not rising to the popularity of Mudkip (who already has a Mega evolution), Piplup is loved, has a cute design, and could contend with replacing Totodile.

And, design-wise, Empoleon, who is Piplup’s final evolution, is already really cool, but so much could be played with in terms of their Mega design. If they remain as a Water and Steel Pokemon, giving them sword arms or a crown of daggers could enhance what’s already a strong Pokemon.

5

Chimchar

Hey look, it’s the Sinnoh Fire starter! Just as stated for Turtwig and Piplup, Chimchar was absent from Legends: Arcues, so it would be perfect if they were now included in Legends: Z-A. Plus, they would replace Tepig, who is maybe the most disliked of the Z-A trio.

Chimchar hasn’t gotten a whole lot of love from other games, even if they appeared in them. So it would make a whole lot of sense to turn to the chimp Pokemon and give them a Mega evolution, but also potentially a final form that varies from the Fire and Fighting-type Infernape.

4

Snivy

Snivy is one of those Pokemon that you either love or greatly dislike if hate feels like a strong word. Once again, this makes the case for Snivy getting the Legends treatment. Serperior has such an interesting design. They’re the only starter that loses their limbs, taking on a serpent design.

That could open the door for a Grass and Poison-type Pokemon. Or bleeding into Totodile’s territory by becoming a Grass and Water-type Pokemon with power that rivals Gyarados. Or, better still, a Grass and Dragon-type Pokemon. They’d be the first starter to boast that typing, and it suits them.

3

Grookey

Grookey was left behind by trainers who wanted the cool sports bunny or sad water child. But Rillaboom has been a popular pick among competitive Pokemon players. What better way to honor their service to some of the greatest trainers to ever do it than to give Grookey a Mega form and, potentially, a new final evolution type?

Not to mention, their design lends itself to cool alterations. Being a musician and using their drums to attack with sound-based moves could be amplified further in a Mega design. Or could we see a Rillaboom that uses a different kind of instrument of destruction? We’ll never know now, but there was so much potential for Grookey to shine.

2

Litten

You probably know what this choice is about: Incineroar. Incineroar is, arguably, the best Pokemon when it comes to their strength, their competitive viability, all of it. Not to mention they are a recognizable Pokemon outside of the mainline games, even being featured in Super Smash Bros.

When you compare Litten and Tepig, it’s similar to Poffins and Poke Puffs. They just aren’t the same. So, while it’s still good to give some starters that don’t get much love a shot at a Legends makeover, it could do some good to revisit Incineroar. Plus, just like with Rillaboom, if it’s about earning a spot on the roster, Incine has done that tenfold.

1

Eevee

Okay, you can get the pitchforks out again. However, there’s a compelling argument to be made here. Just like Pikachu, Eevee was technically made a starter thanks to the Let’s Go games. And while it may seem like it would be unfair to add Eevee to the bunch, it could be so refreshing in the Legends, not the mainline, formula.

While there’s so much potential because Eevee is a Normal-type Pokemon and can transform into most of the types in the game, it could mean we either get a new eeveelution or that we could get numerous Megas to compensate for the many final evolutions you could be bringing to the table. Mega Umbreon. Mega Espeon. It could have been the origin of Sylveon as Kalos was the first region to include the Fairy-type evolution. So, yes, Eevee doesn’t fit the typical mold, but this isn’t a typical game in the franchise.