Besides a new approach to its battling system, the contrast between these trainer battles andPokemon Legends: Z-A’s day-night cycle seems uncharacteristic for the series, something which could be laying the groundwork for the nextPokemon Legendsgame. With the introduction of internal batteries to Game Boy Color cartridges,Pokemon GoldandSilverdebuted an in-game day-night cycle, which has since become a core mechanic throughout thePokemonseries. However, untilPokemon Legends: Z-A’s latest reveal, Gen 7’sPokemon SunandMoonand theirUltracounterparts were the only games to experiment with this feature.
As another connection betweenLegends: Z-Aand these Gen 7 games, it could be argued that Game Freak’sPokemon Legendsgames were never just alternative perspectives across thePokemonworld beyond its various generations. Having started withPokemon Legends: Arceusand the potential overlap between its Space-Time Distortions and Gen 7’s Ultra Wormholes, the upcoming game appears to share these overlaps, first with Zygarde and the return of cell-collecting and now withLegends: Z-A’s day-night cycle mechanics. Ultimately, as the story comes full circle, this could mean that Gen 7’s Alola will be the backdrop to the nextPokemon Legendsgame.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Day-Night Cycle Seems Reminiscent of Pokemon Sun and Moon
Since its introduction inGoldandSilver,Pokemon’s day-night cycle mechanichas been integral to its games, with certain Pokemon only appearing in the wild or in-game events only being available at set times. However,SunandMoonattempted to explore this mechanic by alternating their day-night cycles as a form of version exclusivity, withMoonandUltra Moonbeing offset by twelve hours. While this didn’t impact gameplay beyond certain cutscenes and in-game sequences occurring during the day or night, respectively, Game Freak could likely have pushed the envelope further if given a second chance.
For instance, thereveal ofLegends: Z-A’s new battling systemcould be an example of what Game Freak might have been working towards, as trainer battles were not typically locked to the time of day before now. Moreover, it seemsSunandMoonand theirUltracounterparts have been significantly influential forLegends: Z-A, such as with the return of Mega Evolutions since their last appearance in Gen 7, to the potential cell-collecting gimmick behind Zygarde. Though some connections could be brushed off as a coincidence, the consistent ties between Gen 7 and thePokemon Legendsgames are becoming difficult to ignore.
The overlap betweenPokemon Legendsand Gen 7 didn’t start withLegends: Z-A, however, as theories surroundingLegends: Arceus' Space-Time Distortions had speculated that they had potential ties to Ultra Wormholes. DespiteLegends: Arceus' story eventually stating that these distortions were caused by Giratina, the player character and Ingo falling through the distortions still seems uncannily similar to “Fallers” who have traveled through Ultra Wormholes. Additionally, having played a prominent role in the Gen 5 andGen 7 games with ties to Ultra Beastsand Fallers, it was duringPokemon XandYthat Looker’s story started to evolve.
The Next Pokemon Legends Game Could Come Full Circle With Gen 7
With multiple connections between Gen 7,Legends: Arceus, and nowLegends: Z-A, Game Freak may have been cultivating a narrative that it had left behind inUltra SunandUltra Moonas it moved onto newer generations. Between the historical backdrop of feudal Sinnoh inLegends: ArceusandLegends: Z-A’s near-futurewith the introduction of Quasartico Inc., a company named after a star much like the sun and moon, Game Freak could intend for its thirdPokemon Legendsgame to conclude this trilogy. UntilLegends: Z-Ais released with more connections revealed, only time will tell if an AlolanPokemon Legendsgame comes next.
