Summary
With the next majorPokemongame,Legends: Z-A, on the horizon, players of all kinds have been speculating what additions and changes will be present in this now-established side series forPokemongames in the form ofLegends. SinceLegends: Arceusbrought quite a bit of change to the world of shiny hunting, the potential inZ-Afollowing bothArceusandPokemon Scarlet and Violetis immense.
AsLegends: Arceusadded many mechanics and features for both the casual player and dedicated shiny hunters to play around with,Legends: Z-Ahas the chance to improve even further beyond the many beloved aspects found in the Sinnoh of old. Based on what already exists inScarlet and VioletandLegends: Arceus, possible changes, additions, and improvements inLegends: Z-Aare obvious.
5Balance Player Control
Making The Most From Sandwiches
While most players absolutely adore the ease of shiny hunting thanks to the ability to literally improve the odds with Herba Mystica andsandwiches inScarlet and Violet,there’s a distinct subset of players that find the boost a little too excessive. ForLegends: Z-A,it’s entirely possible that this ability will be reduced.
Although having the power to increase what types of Pokemon can appear is perfect and should persist through the next game, the somewhat contentious shiny boost may find itself reduced or otherwise altered. The Herba Mystica are a great reward for completing challenges, currently in the form of Tera raids, so in whatever wayLegends: Z-Amight allow players to control Pokemon spawns, a similarly rare item would be appreciated.
4Making Use Of The City Plaza
The Importance Of Resets
A key component to resetting non-shiny Pokemon that have spawned in, adding more “zones” to the overworld would help almost every kind ofPokemonplayer. Currently utilized inScarlet and Violet, Legends: Arceus,and theLet’s Gogames through the form of entryways and the picnic table, the potential for this mechanic already exists in some capacityin the Lumiose CityofPokemon X and Y.
While theX and Yversion of Lumiose City don’t feature catchable Pokemon, since the entire map ofPokemon Legends: Z-Ais set within the city, usingthe various plazas found in the originalcould offer ways for players to quickly reset what Pokemon they find. As the current understanding ofZ-A’splot revolves around urban development that incorporates Pokemon into Lumiose City, the different plazas, alleyways, and canals could offer a wide variety of Pokemon - making resets even more powerful.
3Continue Outbreaks
Attention-Grabbing Encounters
A powerful variety addition inLegends: Arceusand a perfect event addition inScarlet and Violet,outbreaks may serve somewhat different purposesin the two games, but the general idea surrounding them remains a strong asset to the series. While a combination of the core ideas from the two versions would be ideal, any new iteration on outbreaks continuing would remain a positive mechanic.
With the massive mass outbreaks and normal outbreaks inArceusoffering smaller waves but special bonuses, such as an Alpha chance or the appearance of evolved forms, and the outbreaks inScarlet and Violetoffer a technically endless supply of Pokemon, combining the bonuses from the former and the endless nature of the latter could be a powerful new way for players to shiny hunt.
2Return Of The Overworld Notification
A Much Loved And Much Needed Feature
Perhaps the greatest loss whenPokemon Scarlet and Violetrevealed the continued presence of Pokemon appearing shiny in the overworld, the missing shiny sound notification and shiny sparkle outside of battle have been dearly missed by most players of the Generation Nine games. Acting as both a success and excitement cue for players and as an accessibility feature, the return of the shiny notification is possibly the greatest hope for most players.
Since players currently have to eyeball the difference between a shiny and non-shiny Pokemon, players who are unfamiliar or unable to tell the difference between a shiny variant and the standard form have undoubtedly lost out on plenty ofrare Pokemon inScarlet and Violet.The dramatic star-sparkle and jingle from the firstLegendsgame returning inZ-Awould be just as, if not more, exciting than that of Mega Evolution.
1The Successor To Alpha Pokemon
The Crown Jewel Of A Shiny Hunt
Hands-down the greatest shiny find for almost every player ofPokemon Legends: Arceus,the return of Alpha Pokemon, or a similar concept, would add another layer of rarity and extravagance on top of finding a preferred shiny Pokemon. Whether Alphas would return as themselves, or as Titans or evenappearing as roaming Mega Evolutions,the pure presence of massive, shiny Pokemon with glowing red eyes offers one of the coolest experiences when shiny hunting.
While the premise behind Alpha Pokemon revolves around the wild nature of Hisui, a similar idea could work with the urban redevelopment of Lumiose City, adding wild and potentially powerful Pokemon to completely unfamiliar environments. For most shiny hunters, there was little more enticing and exciting than finding a giant, intimidating ShAlpha.
