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| Title | Pokémon Legends: Arceus Pokémon LEGENDS アルセウス |
| Platform | Nintendo Switch – Game Card and Nintendo eShop download; also plays on Switch 2 |
| Developer | Game Freak |
| Publisher | The Pokémon Company (Japan) / Nintendo (elsewhere) |
| Director | Kazumasa Iwao |
| Producers | Shigeru Ohmori, Akira Kinashi, Toyokazu Nonaka, Takanori Sowa and Kenji Endo |
| Music | Go Ichinose, Hitomi Sato and Hiromitsu Maeba |
| Series | The first Pokémon Legends game, followed by Pokémon Legends: Z-A (2025) |
| Players | 1; Pokémon trades locally or online (online needs Nintendo Switch Online) |
| Generation | Generation VIII – set in Hisui, the Sinnoh region of long ago |
| Pokémon | Hisui Pokédex of 242, including seven new species and sixteen Hisuian forms |
| Languages | Japanese, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese |
| Predecessor | Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl |
| Successor | Pokémon Scarlet & Violet (Nintendo Switch, November 2022); the next Legends game was Pokémon Legends: Z-A (October 2025) |
| Released | 28 January 2022 worldwide – Japan, North America, Europe, Australia and South Korea on the same day |
| Free update | Daybreak (version 1.1.0), 27 February 2022 |
| Rating | CERO A · ESRB E (Everyone) · PEGI 7 · PG (Australia) |
| Sales | 14.83 million (31 March 2023) – more than 6.5 million in the first week |
Overview
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an open-area action role-playing game from Game Freak, released worldwide on 28 January 2022 for the Nintendo Switch. It travels back to Hisui, the land that will one day become the Sinnoh region of Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, at a time when people and Pokémon barely trusted each other, and it was the first of the Pokémon Legends games.
Arceus drops you, as Rei or Akari, through a tear in the sky. Professor Laventon takes you to Jubilife Village, where the Galaxy Expedition Team sets you to work on Hisui’s first Pokédex, and the job soon becomes a mission to calm five frenzied Noble Pokémon, keep the peace between the rival Diamond and Pearl Clans and find out what has torn open the sky above Mount Coronet.
It plays unlike any core game before it. There are no Gyms and no League: wild Pokémon roam five large areas in plain sight, you sneak up and throw Pokémon Balls by hand, every species has research tasks, and you craft your own items and ride Pokémon across the land. Battles stay turn-based, with new Agile and Strong Styles, while the Nobles are fought in action-style boss battles.
Hisui brought seven new species, sixteen Hisuian forms and the Origin Formes of Dialga and Palkia. More than 6.5 million copies sold in the first week and 14.83 million by March 2023, and the free Daybreak update followed on Pokémon Day, a month after launch.
Get ready for a new kind of grand Pokémon adventure in Pokémon™ Legends: Arceus, a brand-new game from Game Freak that blends action and exploration with the RPG roots of the Pokémon series. Embark on survey missions in the ancient Hisui region. Explore natural expanses to catch wild Pokémon by learning their behavior, sneaking up, and throwing a well-aimed Poké Ball™. You can also toss the Poké Ball containing your ally Pokémon near a wild Pokémon to seamlessly enter battle.
— Official description
Quick Answers
The questions people ask most about Pokémon Legends: Arceus, answered first and explained further down the page.
Is Pokémon Legends: Arceus a main-series game, and how is it different?
Yes. It is a core-series Generation VIII game, but it plays very differently. There are no Gyms, Elite Four or regional League; instead you build Hisui’s first Pokédex by catching Pokémon in real time, completing research tasks, crafting your own items and calming frenzied Noble Pokémon in action-style boss fights. More →
Is Pokémon Legends: Arceus open world?
Not quite. Hisui is split into five large, freely explorable areas: the Obsidian Fieldlands, Crimson Mirelands, Cobalt Coastlands, Coronet Highlands and Alabaster Icelands. You set out to each from Jubilife Village, the Galaxy Team’s base, and travel between them through the village rather than across one seamless map. More →
How do you catch Arceus?
Finish the post-credits missions, including beating Volo and Giratina at the Temple of Sinnoh, which earns the Azure Flute. Then catch every Pokémon in Hisui apart from the Mythicals, which also means completing the Spiritomb, Giratina and forces of nature requests. Playing the flute at the temple then reveals the way to Arceus, at level 75. More →
What are Noble Pokémon and how do the battles work?
Nobles are five revered Pokémon, Kleavor, Lilligant, Arcanine, Electrode and Avalugg, driven into a frenzy by the rift in the sky. In each arena you dodge their attacks and throw balms made from their favourite food to drain a frenzy gauge, sending out your own Pokémon to battle them when they are stunned. More →
What are alpha Pokémon and mass outbreaks?
Alphas are oversized, red-eyed wild Pokémon that are higher in level, always aggressive and guaranteed at least three perfect stats. Mass outbreaks fill one spot with many Pokémon of a single evolutionary line, boosting the chance of a Shiny. Daybreak added massive mass outbreaks, with several outbreaks at once in an area and possible second waves. More →
How do you get Darkrai, Shaymin, Manaphy and Phione?
After the credits, Sword or Shield save data on the same Switch unlocks a request to catch Shaymin in the Obsidian Fieldlands, and Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl save data unlocks one for Darkrai in the Coronet Highlands, both at level 70. Manaphy and Phione come from Professor Laventon’s request The Sea’s Legend, in Seaside Hollow. More →
What was the Daybreak update?
Daybreak was the free version 1.1.0 update released on 27 February 2022. Once the credits have rolled it adds massive mass outbreaks with Warden Mai, the Eternal Battle Reverie, rematches and restricted challenges at the training grounds, visitors at the photo studio, a tougher balloon race and new requests. More →
How many Pokémon are there, and how do you complete the Pokédex?
The Hisui Pokédex has 242 entries. Each species has research tasks, and an entry is Complete at research level 10. Bringing Arceus and every non-Mythical species to that level earns the Shiny Charm. Finishing every task on an entry marks it Perfect, an optional extra; Complete and Perfect entries both improve that species’ Shiny odds. More →
Can Pokémon move between Legends: Arceus and other games?
Yes, through Pokémon HOME since version 2.0.0 in May 2022. Only species in the Hisui Pokédex can be sent in, and from HOME they can go on to Sword and Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Scarlet and Violet or Legends: Z-A where those games support them. A Pokémon moved into Legends: Z-A cannot come back. More →
How does it play on Nintendo Switch 2, and what came next?
Nintendo lists the Switch version as supported on Switch 2, with the game behaving the same as on the original console; it is still sold on the eShop. Hisuian forms returned in Scarlet and Violet, and the series’ next Legends game, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, set in Lumiose City, followed in October 2025. More →
Plot / Story
In a void, the voice of Arceus speaks to Rei or Akari, asks them to seek out every Pokémon and drops them through a tear in the sky. They wake on Prelude Beach in Hisui, the Sinnoh of long ago, holding a strange device, the Arc Phone. Professor Laventon finds them, and after they round up his three runaway Pokémon he brings them to Jubilife Village, home of the Galaxy Expedition Team. Over a meal at the Wallflower, Captain Cyllene agrees to take the newcomer in, but only if they pass the team’s entrance test the following day. Guided by a Survey Corps member (whichever of Akari and Rei was not chosen), the player passes and joins the Survey Corps, while Commander Kamado stays wary of a stranger who fell from the sky.
The job is to build Hisui’s first Pokédex, but the rift above Mount Coronet has thrown the Noble Pokémon, descendants of an ancient hero’s companions, into a frenzy. Area by area the player calms them with balms: Lord Kleavor in the Obsidian Fieldlands, guarded by Warden Lian; Lady Lilligant in the Crimson Mirelands, Arezu’s charge; Lord Arcanine on Firespit Island in the Cobalt Coastlands, a newly evolved successor to the late lord, under Palina; Lord Electrode in the Coronet Highlands, watched by Melli; and Lord Avalugg in the Alabaster Icelands, Gaeric’s ward. Along the way the Diamond Clan under Adaman and the Pearl Clan under Irida, long at odds over the deity each calls Sinnoh, lend their Wardens and ride Pokémon, while Volo, a cheerful Ginkgo Guild merchant, keeps turning up with advice.
Calming the last Noble does not mend the sky. The rift turns red and grows, and Kamado, convinced the outsider is linked to it, banishes the player from Jubilife. Cyllene quietly sends her Abra so the pastures stay within reach, and Volo leads the exile to the Ancient Retreat, where Cogita explains that a Red Chain could bind the rift. The player sides with either Adaman or Irida, passes the trials of Mesprit, Azelf and Uxie at Lakes Verity, Valor and Acuity, and watches the three guardians forge the chain at the Shrouded Ruins.
The Temple of Sinnoh, Volo and Arceus
At the Temple of Sinnoh on Mount Coronet’s summit, the player defeats Kamado, who backs down. The deity of the chosen clan appears and is caught, but its counterpart bursts out in a frenzied Origin Forme, wrecking the temple. Weakened with balms, it is caught in the Origin Ball, the clans realise that time and space each have their own master, and the credits roll.
After the credits, Cogita sends the player after Arceus’s scattered Plates, back to the lakes and on to Firespit Island, Moonview Arena and Snowpoint Temple. Then, at the temple ruins, Volo drops the act: he urged Giratina to tear open the rift, hoping to reach Arceus and remake the world to his liking. Beaten, he hands over the last Plate and leaves. The Azure Flute appears, Giratina can be tracked to Turnback Cave, and once every non-Mythical Pokémon in Hisui has been caught, the flute opens the way to the Hall of Origin and Arceus.
Eighteen things that set Legends: Arceus apart
- There are no Gyms, Gym Leaders, Elite Four or regional Pokémon League; progress comes through story missions and optional requests.
- The goal is Hisui’s first Pokédex, filled through research tasks for each species rather than a single capture.
- Wild Pokémon roam in full view and can be caught by throwing a Poké Ball at them directly, so most catches need no battle at all.
- Stealth is a real tool: crouching in tall grass and staying out of sight makes catches far easier.
- Aggressive wild Pokémon attack the player in person, so dodge-rolling matters, and taking too much damage costs items from the satchel.
- Battles use an action-order display, and mastered moves can be used in Agile or Strong Style to shift who acts next.
- Abilities, held items, breeding and Eggs are all absent.
- There are no TMs; moves are learned by levelling up or from Zisu at the training grounds.
- Poké Balls, medicine and other items are crafted from gathered materials at workbenches or with the Crafting Kit.
- Five ride Pokémon, summoned with the Celestica Flute, take over from field moves such as Surf and Rock Climb.
- The big set pieces are boss fights against frenzied Noble Pokémon, calmed by throwing balms while dodging attacks.
- There are no Pokémon Centres, Poké Marts, routes, Repels, Escape Ropes or Master Balls.
- There is no traditional rival; Volo, Adaman and Irida battle the player at key points instead.
- Link battles are absent, although Pokémon can still be traded with other players.
- It came out in a single version, the first core game not released alongside a partner version since Platinum.
- Evolution can be triggered from the menu as soon as the conditions are met, and trade evolutions work without trading.
- Pokédex entries are written in the first person, as Professor Laventon’s own notes.
- Alpha Pokémon, mass outbreaks and space-time distortions shape where and when rare Pokémon appear.
Every major battle
Legends: Arceus has no rival in the usual sense. These are the Trainer battles that matter, in story order:
- Volo – Jubilife Village, early in the story: Togepi (Lv. 5).
- Irida – Grandtree Arena, Obsidian Fieldlands, after the player beats Warden Lian: Glaceon (Lv. 17).
- Volo – Solaceon Ruins, Crimson Mirelands (optional): Togepi (Lv. 22), Gible (Lv. 22).
- Irida – Beachside Camp, Cobalt Coastlands (the story continues whether the player wins or loses): Glaceon (Lv. 30), Eevee (Lv. 15).
- Adaman – Jubilife Village (optional): Leafeon (Lv. 36), Eevee (Lv. 18).
- Ingo – Coronet Highlands, during Mission 11, Scaling Perilous Heights: the only Warden who battles with Poké Balls.
- The Wardens Mai, Lian, Arezu, Sabi and Gaeric each battle the player at some point, either to test them or to win their trust before a ride Pokémon or Noble is approached.
- Adaman – Lake Valor, late in the main story: Leafeon (Lv. 64), Umbreon (Lv. 32), Vaporeon (Lv. 32).
- Irida – Pearl Settlement, late in the main story: Glaceon (Lv. 64), Espeon (Lv. 32), Flareon (Lv. 32).
- Commander Kamado – Temple of Sinnoh, Mission 17: Braviary (Lv. 61), Golem (Lv. 61), Clefable (Lv. 61), Snorlax (Lv. 62).
- Commander Kamado – Prelude Beach, Mission 25 (post-game): the same team as at the temple.
- Volo – Temple of Sinnoh (post-game): Spiritomb, Roserade, Togekiss, Hisuian Arcanine, Lucario and Garchomp (all Lv. 68), then Giratina (Lv. 70) in Altered Forme and then Origin Forme.
- Daybreak (version 1.1.0): Adaman at Ginkgo Landing and Irida at the Diamond Settlement, where the player may use only Origin Forme Dialga or Palkia respectively; Path of Tenacity rematches against Kamado, Adaman and Irida; and Path of Solitude battles against Ingo.
Volo, the travelling merchant
Volo is a friendly, ever-curious merchant of the Ginkgo Guild who wanders Hisui alone, hands the player useful items and tips, and battles them a few times with his Togepi. He also guides the banished player to Cogita’s retreat. After the credits he reveals the truth: he contacted Giratina, which Arceus had banished long ago, and had it tear open the rift above Mount Coronet, causing the Nobles’ frenzy and bringing the player to Hisui. His aim was to reach Arceus and use its power to remake the world. Beaten at the temple together with Giratina, he gives up the Spooky Plate and leaves.
Dialga, Palkia, Giratina and Arceus
In Hisui’s legends, Arceus shaped the land and Mount Coronet, and the lake guardians Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf settled in its three lakes. An ancient hero gathered Arceus’s 18 Plates with the help of ten Pokémon whose descendants became the Nobles and ride Pokémon. Dialga and Palkia reveal their Origin Formes here for the first time when one bursts frenzied from the rift. The Red Chain, forged from Uxie’s Claw, Mesprit’s Plume and Azelf’s Fang, is meant to bind the rift. Giratina, banished by Arceus long ago, worked with Volo to tear open the sky and is fought first in Altered Forme, then in Origin Forme. Arceus waits in the Hall of Origin, reached with the Azure Flute once the Plates are collected and every non-Mythical Pokémon in Hisui has been caught.
In the anime and movies
Hisui reached the anime in two specials made around the game’s launch, and its Pokémon have carried on into Pokémon Horizons, where Kleavor is one of the Six Heroes.
In the anime
Anime seasons and films which tie in with Pokémon Legends: Arceus (Hisui, Arceus and the Pokémon of the game):
Season 25: Ultimate Journeys2021–2022The season that ran alongside the game’s launch, with Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles taking Ash, Goh, Dawn and Brock to Mount Coronet, where Arceus, its Plates and Team Galactic’s Commanders take centre stage.
Horizons Season 1Season 26 overallLiko and Roy’s adventure begins, and Lucius’s Kleavor, one of the Six Heroes, is first glimpsed in a vision of the ancient past.
Horizons Season 2: The Search for LaquaSeason 27 overallKleavor appears in person and returns to its Ancient Pokémon Ball in Liko’s care, while Perrin travels with a Hisuian Growlithe.
Horizons Season 3: Rising HopeSeason 28 overallKleavor fights in the battle for the Six Heroes, and Hamber’s Bloodmoon Ursaluna brings in a relative of the bear Pokémon first met in Hisui.
In the movies
Hisui in the anime
The Horizons episodes where the Pokémon of Hisui come through most clearly:
- HZ025Rivals in the Dark of Night! – Lucius’s Kleavor is first glimpsed in a fantasy sequence.
- HZ068Into a New Sky! The Brave Olivine! – Lucius’s Kleavor appears in person for the first time, right at the end.
- HZ071Encounters at the Crystal Pool – Perrin’s Hisuian Growlithe makes its debut.
- HZ073Kleavor the Solitary Warrior – Kleavor returns to its Ancient Poké Ball and is placed in Liko’s care.
- HZ125Battle for the Six Heroes! – Kleavor Terastallises into a Bug type using Terastal energy from Pagogo.
- HZ130Hamber’s Moonlight Battle – Hamber’s newly caught Bloodmoon Ursaluna, a Kitakami form of the Pokémon introduced in Legends: Arceus, debuts.
In the Trading Card Game
The Pokémon Trading Card Game met Hisui in the closing stretch of the Sword & Shield era. Brilliant Stars landed in February 2022, a month after the game, with Arceus VSTAR heading the new VSTAR mechanic. Astral Radiance followed in May as the true Hisui set, with Origin Forme Dialga and Palkia VSTAR, the Hisuian starters’ final forms as V and VSTAR cards, a crowd of Hisuian forms and Supporters starring Cyllene, Kamado, Adaman, Irida and Zisu. Lost Origin brought Giratina VSTAR in its Origin Forme, Hisuian Zoroark and Goodra, plus Volo and Arezu; Silver Tempest added Professor Laventon, and Crown Zenith revisited the cast in gallery art. Hisuian Growlithe and Arcanine later returned in Scarlet & Violet’s Twilight Masquerade. Long before all this, the 2009 Arceus expansion of the Platinum series gave Arceus a card for nine different types.
The Hisui sets
Seven expansions with the strongest links to Hisui and the game, each with its own page on the site:
Brilliant StarsReleased 25 February 2022Released four weeks after Legends: Arceus and adapted from Japan’s Star Birth, this set introduced the VSTAR mechanic with Arceus at its heart: Arceus V and Arceus VSTAR, whose Starbirth VSTAR Power fetches any two cards once per game. Beyond Arceus it has little Hisui content, but its timing and headliner tie it closely to the game’s launch.
Astral RadianceReleased 27 May 2022The headline Hisui expansion, drawn from Japan’s Time Gazer and Space Juggler. Origin Forme Dialga and Palkia arrive as V and VSTAR cards, Hisuian Decidueye, Typhlosion and Samurott as V and VSTAR Pokémon, and Hisuian Growlithe, Sneasel, Basculin and Lilligant join Wyrdeer, Kleavor and Ursaluna. Adaman, Irida, Cyllene, Kamado and Zisu are Supporters, and Jubilife Village and the Temple of Sinnoh are Stadiums.
Lost OriginReleased 9 September 2022Built around the Lost Zone and Japan’s Lost Abyss, this set casts Giratina V and VSTAR in Origin Forme as its stars. Hisui returns through Hisuian Zoroark V and VSTAR, Hisuian Goodra V and VSTAR, Hisuian Electrode V, Radiant Hisuian Sneasler and Enamorus V, while Volo and the Diamond Clan Warden Arezu become Supporter cards.
Silver TempestReleased 11 November 2022Lugia VSTAR leads this set, but a quieter Hisui thread runs through it: Hisuian Arcanine V, Ursaluna V, Hisuian Lilligant and Hisuian Braviary appear, along with the Professor Laventon Supporter, which returns up to three Pokémon with ‘Hisuian’ in their names from the discard pile to the hand.
Crown ZenithReleased 20 January 2023The final special set of the Sword & Shield era, based on Japan’s VSTAR Universe. Its Galarian Gallery revisits Hisui with fresh art of Origin Forme Dialga, Origin Forme Palkia, Giratina and Arceus VSTAR, Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR and Hisuian Samurott V and VSTAR, plus illustration cards of Adaman and Irida; Volo and Enamorus also feature.
Twilight MasqueradeReleased 24 May 2024A Kitakami-themed Scarlet & Violet set, combining Japan’s Transformation Mask and Crimson Haze, that still makes room for Hisui: Hisuian Growlithe, with an Illustration Rare print, and Hisuian Arcanine return, Enamorus appears, and Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex, a Kitakami relative of the bear Pokémon introduced in Legends: Arceus, comes in several rarities.
ArceusReleased 4 November 2009The fourth and last main Platinum expansion, adapted from Japan’s Advent of Arceus, whose release came ten days before the twelfth Pokémon film. Its 99 cards were joined by nine AR-numbered Arceus cards of different types and three shiny SH cards, with three Arceus LV.X among the main set: the original card showcase for the Pokémon at the centre of Hisui’s story.Hisui on the cards
Twelve cards that tie straight back to the game:
Arceus VSTARBrilliant Stars · 123/172The Pokémon at the heart of the story, which you finally meet in the Hall of Origin, as the headline card of Brilliant Stars.
Origin Forme Dialga VSTARAstral Radiance · 114/189Dialga in the Origin Forme it first took on at the Temple of Sinnoh.
Origin Forme Palkia VSTARAstral Radiance · 040/189Palkia in its Origin Forme, the frenzied deity of space you calm at the temple.
Giratina VSTARLost Origin · 131/196The Pokémon behind the rift, fought alongside Volo after the credits.
Hisuian Zoroark VSTARLost Origin · 147/196One of the Hisuian forms, a Normal and Ghost-type Zoroark haunted by grudges.
Kleavor VAstral Radiance · 087/189Lord Kleavor, the first Noble you calm, in the Obsidian Fieldlands.
Wyrdeer VAstral Radiance · 134/189Stantler’s new evolution and the first ride Pokémon, lent to you by Warden Mai.
CylleneAstral Radiance · 138/189The Galaxy Team’s Survey Corps captain, who takes you in and sends her Abra to help when you are banished.
KamadoAstral Radiance · 149/189The Galaxy Team’s commander, who banishes you and later battles you at the Temple of Sinnoh.
AdamanAstral Radiance · 135/189The leader of the Diamond Clan, who reveres the deity of time.
IridaAstral Radiance · 147/189The leader of the Pearl Clan, who reveres the deity of space.
Professor LaventonSilver Tempest · 162/195The professor who finds you on Prelude Beach and gives you your first Pokémon.Hisui promos
Black Star Promos with a Hisui link:
- SWSH204 Arceus V – Arceus V Figure Collection
- SWSH205 Hisuian Basculegion, SWSH206 Wyrdeer and SWSH207 Hisuian Samurott – Astral Radiance Build & Battle Box (also handed out through Pokémon League play in early 2023)
- SWSH237 Hisuian Typhlosion V, SWSH238 Hisuian Decidueye V and SWSH239 Hisuian Samurott V – Divergent Powers Tins
- SWSH248 Kleavor V and SWSH249 Kleavor VSTAR (standard and jumbo) – Kleavor VSTAR Premium Collection
- SWSH253 Origin Forme Palkia V and SWSH254 Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR (standard and jumbo) – Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR Premium Collection
- SWSH255 Origin Forme Dialga V and SWSH256 Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR (standard and jumbo) – Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR Premium Collection
- SWSH259 Giratina V – Hidden Potential Tins
- SWSH294 Hisuian Electrode V (jumbo) – Hisuian Electrode V Box
- SWSH297 Hisuian Zoroark V (jumbo) and SWSH298 Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR – Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR Premium Collection
- SWSH306 Arceus V and SWSH307 Arceus VSTAR – Trainer’s Toolkit 2023
Hisui products
Collections and boxes built around Hisui’s Pokémon and people:
- Astral Radiance Build & Battle Box (2022), with Hisuian Basculegion, Wyrdeer and Hisuian Samurott promos
- Kleavor VSTAR Premium Collection, with the full-art Kleavor V and a jumbo Kleavor VSTAR
- Origin Forme Dialga VSTAR Premium Collection and Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR Premium Collection, each with V and VSTAR promos and a jumbo VSTAR
- Hisuian Zoroark VSTAR Premium Collection (28 October 2022)
- Divergent Powers Tins, each with a Hisuian Typhlosion V, Hisuian Decidueye V or Hisuian Samurott V promo
- Hisuian Electrode V Box and Arceus V Figure Collection
- Fall 2022 Collector Chest, with Cosmos Holo Hisuian Voltorb, Hisuian Growlithe and Hisuian Sneasel
- Origin Forme Palkia VSTAR League Battle Deck
- Lost Origin launch gift: an oversized Giratina VSTAR given with eligible purchases in several countries on 9 September 2022
- Japanese physical pre-orders of Legends: Arceus came with a gold holographic art book and a limited Arceus trading card
- A 2022 retailer promotion (GAME in the UK, GameStop in the US and Europe) gave out Mystery Gift codes for a Hisuian Growlithe and 20 Feather Balls
What’s new in Legends: Arceus
Legends: Arceus keeps the turn-based battles and the urge to catch them all, but almost everything around them is new. The headline changes first, then the fine print:
Catching in the open
Wild Pokémon wander the land in plain sight, and most can be caught without a battle at all. You crouch in tall grass, wait for a Pokémon to look away and throw a Pokémon Ball by hand; a back strike is more likely to land, and bait, smoke bombs and the new Feather and Heavy Balls help with skittish or heavy targets. Some species flee, others attack you directly, and you can be knocked out yourself if you are careless.
A Pokédex built on research
Every species has a list of research tasks – catch it, defeat it, see it use a move, feed it, evolve it – and each task raises its research level. A species counts as complete at level 10, and filling in entries raises your Galaxy Team star rank, which in turn lets you command higher-level Pokémon and unlocks new missions.
Riding across Hisui
Five ride Pokémon, lent by the clans’ Wardens, change how you get around: Wyrdeer for speed, Basculegion for water, Sneasler for climbing cliffs, Braviary for gliding and Ursaluna for digging up buried treasure. They are called with the Celestica Flute and replace HMs entirely.
Camps, crafting and the Pastures
Each area has base camps where you can rest, craft and swap Pokémon. With the Crafting Kit you turn gathered materials into Pokémon Balls, potions, bait and smoke bombs, and back in Jubilife Village the Pastures hold every Pokémon you catch, standing in for the PC Boxes of other games.
In depth: how Legends: Arceus works
Each of the new systems, with the fine print.
The Galaxy Team and the clans
The Galaxy Expedition Team is a band of settlers from distant regions such as Hoenn, Alola and Galar who reached Hisui two years before the story begins, founded Jubilife Village and brought Poké Balls with them. Commander Kamado leads, and the work is split between corps: Survey (Captain Cyllene), Security (Zisu), Medical (Pesselle), Supply (Tao Hua), Agriculture (Colza) and Construction (Sanqua). Survey Corps members climb from No Star to Full Star as their research earns points. The Diamond and Pearl Clans arrived by sea long before the team, and both claim the Celestica name. The Diamond Clan, led by Adaman from the Diamond Settlement in the Crimson Mirelands, honours Sinnoh as the master of time; the Pearl Clan, led by Irida from the Pearl Settlement in the Alabaster Icelands, honours Sinnoh as the master of space. Each clan’s Wardens look after the Nobles and ride Pokémon, and Kamado orders the player not to take sides.
Commander Kamado
Commander Kamado leads the Galaxy Expedition Team and Jubilife Village. He came to Hisui after maddened Pokémon burned down the hometown he shared with Beni, determined to build a place where people need not fear Pokémon. He respects the player’s skill but never stops treating them as an outsider from the rift, and when the sky turns red he banishes them. Defeated at the Temple of Sinnoh, he concedes and leaves Dialga and Palkia in the player’s hands.
The Diamond and Pearl Clans and their Wardens
Adaman leads the Diamond Clan from the Diamond Settlement in the Crimson Mirelands, with Leafeon as his partner. Easy-going but firm with clan members who step out of line, he quickly befriends the player, gives them the Celestica Flute and rejects Kamado’s claim that the newcomer caused the rift. He and Irida argue over whether Sinnoh rules time or space, yet they work together when all of Hisui is at risk, and Dialga speaks through him at the rift. Irida leads the Pearl Clan from the Pearl Settlement in the Alabaster Icelands, with Glaceon at her side in every battle. Cautious and forward-thinking, she distrusts the player and the idea of catching Pokémon at first, but changes her mind after losing to them. Trained by the Warden Gaeric, she won the leadership in competition with Palina, whom she still calls by the old nickname ‘Lina’. She reveres Sinnoh as the master of space.
Each clan keeps Wardens who look after the Nobles and the ride Pokémon. Lian, Arezu, Palina, Melli and Gaeric watch over the five Nobles, and you meet each of them before you face their lord or lady; Mai, Sabi, Calaba, Iscan and Ingo look after the five ride Pokémon.
After the credits
Once the rift in the sky closes and the credits roll, Hisui stays open and the story quietly carries on. A new morning in Jubilife Village brings a fresh run of missions that send the player after the scattered Plates of Arceus, pointed first towards the travelling merchant Volo and then to Cogita, a reclusive student of myths. The lake guardians, Heatran, Cresselia and Regigigas wait in remote corners of the map, while new requests open the way to Giratina, the forces of nature and, with the right save data, Shaymin and Darkrai. The free Daybreak update then adds massive mass outbreaks, battle challenges at the training grounds and a dream-world gauntlet set by Arceus itself.
The Plates, Volo and Arceus
With the rift gone, Cyllene sends the player to meet Volo at the Heights Camp in the Obsidian Fieldlands, where a search of the Grueling Grove turns up the first Plate. The trail then leads to Cogita at the Ancient Retreat, whose riddles drive a chain of missions: catching Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf at the three lakes, entering the Lava Dome Sanctum on Firespit Island for Heatran, meeting Cresselia at Moonview Arena, opening the lower floors of Snowpoint Temple to reach Regigigas, and beating Commander Kamado on Prelude Beach. Each success brings another Plate. With seventeen of the eighteen collected, Volo meets the player at the Temple of Sinnoh and finally drops the friendly act: he confesses that he tore open the rift, then battles the player and, once beaten, is followed into the fight by Giratina, which shifts into its Origin Forme part-way through. Afterwards the last Plate changes hands and the Celestica Flute becomes the Azure Flute. Once every non-Mythical species in the Hisui Pokédex has been caught, playing the flute at the Temple of Sinnoh opens the Hall of Origin, where Arceus tests the player in battle before sending a fragment of itself to join them.
- The post-credits missions run from Mission 19, ‘A New Day Dawns’, to Mission 27, ‘The Deified Pokémon’.
- Cogita’s missions award the Draco Plate (lake guardians), Iron Plate (Heatran), Dread Plate (Cresselia), Blank Plate (Regigigas) and Fist Plate (the battle with Kamado).
- Mission 26, ‘Seeking the Remaining Plates’, is requested by Volo and ends with the Pixie and Spooky Plates and the Azure Flute.
- Giratina is caught afterwards through Request 91, ‘On the Trail of Giratina’, in which Professor Laventon sends the player to investigate a huge shadow in the Cobalt Coastlands; the Griseous Core is part of the reward.
- Requests 89 and 90 have Adaman and Irida battle the player near their settlements and hand over the Adamant Crystal and the Lustrous Globe, items that switch Dialga and Palkia between their standard form and Origin Forme.
- To reach Arceus, every non-Mythical Pokémon in the Hisui Pokédex must be caught; Mythical Pokémon such as Manaphy, Phione, Shaymin and Darkrai are not required.
- Beating Arceus earns Arceus itself and the Legend Plate, which allows it to change type during battle.
Daybreak
Daybreak, version 1.1.0, arrived free on Pokémon Day, 27 February 2022, and opens once the credits have rolled. Its centrepiece is the massive mass outbreak: Warden Mai of the Diamond Clan and her Munchlax investigate clusters of outbreaks spread across a whole area, each running against the clock as a rainstorm closes in. Some spots bring a second wave of evolved or alpha Pokémon, and hard-to-find species turn up too. Mai’s investigation, which begins with reports of a strange Zorua on Ramanas Island, leads into further requests, among them a sunrise trip to the Obsidian Fieldlands with Adaman and Irida, and a bout with the Security Corps’ secret weapon. At the training grounds, the Path of Solitude asks the player to pick a single Pokémon to face Ingo, while the Path of Tenacity offers runs of three battles against the Galaxy Team, the Diamond Clan or the Pearl Clan. Sleeping in the player’s quarters leads to the Eternal Battle Reverie, a dream challenge from Arceus against formidable teams, Legendary Pokémon included, in pursuit of the longest winning streak. A harder balloon race, a special Berry harvest, photo-studio visitors and new Ginkgo Guild cart options round it off.
- Daybreak was announced in the Pokémon Presents for Pokémon Day 2022 and released the same day, 27 February 2022.
- Requests from number 95 onwards arrived with the update, including Mai’s massive mass outbreak surveys of all five areas, Request 102 ‘Daybreak’ and Request 105 ‘The Ultimate Balloon Race’, which calls for 40 balloons to be burst within the time limit.
- Request 106, ‘Adaman’s Hope’, must be won using only Origin Forme Dialga, and Request 107, ‘Irida’s Wish’, using only Origin Forme Palkia.
- The Path of Tenacity’s Galaxy Team run (Zisu, Beni and Kamado) opens after Request 102; the Diamond Clan run (Arezu, Melli and Adaman) and the Pearl Clan run (Lian, Gaeric and Irida) follow Requests 106 and 107. Teams grow larger and stronger with each clear.
- On the Path of Solitude the chosen Pokémon’s species decides what Ingo sends out, and a win adds a new mark to that Pokémon’s Pokédex entry; Gared’s requests ask for wins with partners ranging from Bidoof and Magikarp to Kleavor and Lilligant.
- Massive mass outbreaks appear as a question mark over an area on the map, and giving Aguav Berries to Mai’s Munchlax at a base camp reveals the outbreak spots.
- The update also fixed a problem that could block progress in ‘The Plate of Moonview Arena’ and a bug that could leave the weather stuck.
The forces of nature
After Mission 26, Cogita offers Request 94, ‘Incarnate Forces of Hisui’. Three roaming Legendaries must be found, each tied to its own weather: Tornadus sweeps over the Bonechill Wastes of the Alabaster Icelands in snowstorms, Thundurus prowls between Sand’s Reach and Lunker’s Lair during thunderstorms, and Landorus appears over Ramanas Island when the sun is out. Once their Pokédex entries are complete, Cogita reveals a fourth member, Enamorus, said to have brought spring to Hisui alongside Landorus. It waits in the Scarlet Bog of the Crimson Mirelands in any weather, and finishing its entry earns the Reveal Glass, which switches all four between Incarnate and Therian Formes.
Mythical Pokémon and save-data gifts
Legends: Arceus never relied on event distributions for its Mythical Pokémon. Manaphy is part of Professor Laventon’s Request 66, ‘The Sea’s Legend’, at Seaside Hollow in the Cobalt Coastlands, and Phione can be caught there too. Shaymin and Darkrai depend on save data: a Sword or Shield save opens Request 92 for Shaymin in a Gracidea meadow in the Obsidian Fieldlands, and a Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl save opens Request 93 for Darkrai around Clamberclaw Cliffs at night, both after the main story. Because none of these needs a code or a server, all four can still be obtained in October 2026. The launch-window Mystery Gifts were mostly items and outfits, plus a Hisuian Growlithe from a retailer promotion, and every one of those offers has now closed.
- Shaymin (Shaymin Fancy Kimono and Shaymin Fancy Bottoms) – Request 92, ‘A Token of Gratitude’ (client Medi, Galaxy Hall blackboard); Gracidea field in the Obsidian Fieldlands. Pokémon Sword or Shield save data; Mission 18 completed. Permanent save-data bonus; still available in October 2026.
- Darkrai (Modern Jacket, Trousers and Shoes) – Request 93, ‘The Darksome Nightmare’ (client Cael, Galaxy Hall blackboard); around Clamberclaw Cliffs at night. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl save data; Mission 18 completed. Permanent save-data bonus; still available in October 2026.
- Manaphy – Request 66, ‘The Sea’s Legend’ (client Professor Laventon); Seaside Hollow, Cobalt Coastlands. Mission 10 completed, Buizel, Hisuian Qwilfish and Mantyke caught, and a five-star Galaxy Team rank reached. Normal gameplay; always available.
- Phione – Seaside Hollow, Cobalt Coastlands. Three appear during Request 66; unlimited encounters after Manaphy is caught. Normal gameplay; always available.
- Hisuian Growlithe (plus 20 Feather Balls on a separate code) – Mystery Gift serial codes handed out by retailers (GAME in the UK, GameStop in the US and Europe); the Growlithe is collected at the pastures in Jubilife Village. Serial code. Early 2022; codes expired on 1 June 2022.
Item and clothing gifts, all now ended unless they come from save data:
- Pikachu Festival Mask and Eevee Festival Mask – Save-data bonus (Permanent save-data bonus)
- 30 Ultra Balls, 30 Gigaton Balls and 30 Jet Balls – Mystery Gift password ARCEUSADVENTURE (Pokémon Day 2022) (27 February to 31 March 2022 (ended))
- 5 Grit Pebbles, 5 Rare Candies and 5 Star Pieces – Mystery Gift password THX4Y0URHELP, shared by the Poké Times account (4 to 31 March 2022 (ended))
- Growlithe Fancy Kimono, Growlithe Fancy Bottoms and White Lily Baneful Fox Mask – Mystery Gift via the internet (28 January to 9 May 2022 (ended))
- Garchomp Fancy Kimono and Garchomp Fancy Bottoms – Retailer serial codes (Japan, US, France, Benelux and Greece) (28 January to 16 May 2022 (ended))
- 30 Heavy Balls – Serial code with digital purchases from the Nintendo eShop (28 January to 16 May 2022 (ended))
- Shiny Baneful Fox Mask – Mystery Gift via the internet (22 June 2022 to 1 June 2023 (ended))
- 50 Nuggets – Serial code packed with the Japanese strategy guide (16 April 2022 to 31 May 2023 (ended))
Version updates
Legends: Arceus received four updates, from a day-one patch to version 1.1.1 in March 2022:
- Version 1.0.0 (28 January 2022) – Launch version.
- Version 1.0.1 (26 January 2022) – Day-one patch with general fixes for a smoother experience.
- Version 1.0.2 (8 February 2022) – Fixed a freeze when offline after throwing a ball to recover a lost satchel, made Cherrim easier to catch, restored a missing event in a mission and fixed bugs that could let certain Pokémon, including a lake guardian, be obtained twice.
- Version 1.1.0 (27 February 2022) – The free Daybreak update: post-credits requests with massive mass outbreaks, the Eternal Battle Reverie, the Path of Solitude and Path of Tenacity, photography studio visitors, a high-difficulty balloon race in the Coronet Highlands, a special Berry harvest and new Ginkgo Guild cart options, plus fixes for a mission blocker in ‘The Plate of Moonview Arena’ and stuck weather.
- Version 1.1.1 (17 March 2022) – Fixed a bug that stopped some players from receiving the Shiny Charm after meeting its conditions; affected players can collect it from Professor Laventon in Galaxy Hall. This remains the latest version.
- Pokémon HOME 2.0.0 (18 May 2022) – Pokémon HOME update that connected Legends: Arceus: Pokémon can be moved in and out, arrivals from other games show a Strange Ball, and HOME gained a Hisui Pokédex view and research-task features.
Hisui
Hisui is the land that will one day become Sinnoh, seen long before its towns and Gyms existed. Its settlers are newcomers from across the sea, the Diamond and Pearl Clans have lived there for generations, and wild Pokémon are still feared. The game splits it into Jubilife Village and five large areas – the Obsidian Fieldlands, Crimson Mirelands, Cobalt Coastlands, Coronet Highlands and Alabaster Icelands – each with its own Noble, and Mount Coronet’s Temple of Sinnoh stands over them all.
Where the journey takes you
Ten places that define Legends: Arceus, in roughly the order you reach them.
Jubilife Village
The Galaxy Expedition Team built Jubilife Village on Hisui’s western shore two years before the player arrives, and every expedition starts and ends at its front gate. Galaxy Hall holds Laventon’s lab and the request board, the Wallflower serves Beni’s potato mochi, the training grounds belong to Zisu and Marie keeps the pastures. Shops include the Craftworks, the Clothier, a hairdresser, a photo studio and Simona’s Trading Post. Prelude Beach, where the player first wakes, lies close by. By the end of the story the village has grown to 102 residents, and in time it becomes Jubilife City.
Pokémon of note: Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott (first partners), Abra (Cyllene’s partner), Unown (after visiting the Solaceon Ruins), Burmy (takes the Plant Cloak if it battles here). Items: Fist Plate, Odd Keystone, Rotom appliances (Ginkgo Guild cart).
Obsidian Fieldlands
The first area surveyed is a sweep of grassland in south-west Hisui, ringed by forest, rivers and cliffs. The Heartwood covers the south-east, Lake Verity sits in the west behind its cliffs, and Ramanas Island lies offshore, reachable only by water. Fieldlands Camp and Heights Camp serve as bases. Lord Kleavor rules the Grandtree Arena, and Warden Mai watches over Wyrdeer, the first ride Pokémon. Burmy that battle here take the Plant Cloak. In later ages the land becomes south-western Sinnoh, around Twinleaf Town and Sandgem Town.
Pokémon of note: Kleavor (Noble), Wyrdeer (ride Pokémon), Alpha Heracross (Grueling Grove), Shaymin (Floaro Gardens), Landorus, Mesprit (Lake Verity). Items: Insect Plate, Mind Plate, Tumblestone, King’s Leaf.
Crimson Mirelands
A swampy expanse of bogs, muddy pools and golden plains in the south-east, the Crimson Mirelands are home to the Diamond Clan, whose settlement lies in a forest at the northern end. The Solaceon Ruins stand in the marsh, the Shrouded Ruins hold the place where the Red Chain is forged, and Lake Valor hides a cavern at its centre. Lady Lilligant waits at Brava Arena above Cloudpool Ridge, while Ursaluna, the bear ride Pokémon, lives here too. Space-time distortions first appear on this survey. The marsh later becomes the Great Marsh of Sinnoh.
Pokémon of note: Hisuian Lilligant (Noble), Ursaluna (ride Pokémon), Azelf (Lake Valor), Enamorus, Unown (Solaceon Ruins), Porygon (space-time distortions). Items: Meadow Plate, Earth Plate, Black and Sky Tumblestones.
Cobalt Coastlands
Hisui’s eastern coast is a run of beaches, lagoons, islands and sea caves. Deadwood Haunt draws Ghost Pokémon at night, Veilstone Cape juts out to sea, and the volcano on Firespit Island hides Molten Arena and, deep inside, the Lava Dome Sanctum. Basculegion, the ride Pokémon that carries the player across water, lives here. Many Legendary and Mythical Pokémon wait in its corners, and much of the area later becomes eastern Sinnoh, including Sunyshore City, Sendoff Spring and the Pokémon League.
Pokémon of note: Hisuian Arcanine (Noble), Basculegion (ride Pokémon), Heatran (Lava Dome Sanctum), Manaphy and Phione (Seaside Hollow), Giratina (Turnback Cave), Thundurus. Items: Flame Plate, Splash Plate, Ball of Mud (Lava Dome Sanctum).
Coronet Highlands
At the centre of Hisui, the Coronet Highlands climb the slopes of Mount Coronet, with Highlands, Mountain and Summit Camps on the way up. Sneasler, the climbing ride Pokémon, is found here, as are the Wayward Cave, the Celestica Ruins and Moonview Arena, the crater home of Lord Electrode and Hisuian Voltorb. A special magnetic field lets Magneton and Nosepass evolve here without a Thunder Stone, and Gible roam the rocky slopes. Through the Stone Portal beneath Cloudcap Pass, the Temple of Sinnoh crowns the peak.
Pokémon of note: Hisuian Electrode (Noble), Sneasler (ride Pokémon), Cresselia (Moonview Arena), Darkrai (Clamberclaw Cliffs, at night), Gible and Garchomp, Magnezone and Probopass. Items: Zap Plate, Toxic Plate, Star Piece, Dusk and Dawn Stones.
Alabaster Icelands
Hisui’s frozen north is the last area to open. Snowfields, glaciers and frozen falls stretch towards Lake Acuity, while the Pearl Clan’s settlement clings to cliffs below Snowpoint Temple. Lord Avalugg holds Icepeak Arena and favours the Eternal Ice atop the glacier known as Avalugg’s Legacy, and Hisuian Braviary, the gliding ride Pokémon, is earned at the temple. Burmy that battle here take the Trash Cloak, and Hisuian Zorua and Sneasel roam the snow. The area later becomes northern Sinnoh, around Lake Acuity, Route 217 and Snowpoint City.
Pokémon of note: Hisuian Avalugg (Noble), Hisuian Braviary (ride Pokémon), Uxie (Lake Acuity), Regigigas (Snowpoint Temple), Tornadus, Alpha Froslass (Ice Column Chamber). Items: Icicle Plate, Sky Plate, Ice Rock (Icepeak Cavern), Ice Stone.
Temple of Sinnoh
Built to honour Arceus on the peak of Mount Coronet, the Temple of Sinnoh can only be reached through the Stone Portal tunnel beneath Cloudcap Pass. Statues of the ancient hero’s Pokémon line its entrance and Arceus-like motifs decorate its stonework. The story’s climax plays out here: Kamado’s last stand, the capture of Dialga or Palkia and the Origin Forme battle that wrecks the building. After the credits, Volo reveals himself here, and the Azure Flute later opens a stairway to the Hall of Origin. The ruins become the Spear Pillar of modern Sinnoh.
Pokémon of note: Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Arceus (Hall of Origin). Items: Time and Space Balms, Spooky Plate, Azure Flute.
Lakes Verity, Valor & Acuity
Hisui’s three great lakes each have a cavern at their heart, said to house a guardian. Lake Verity lies in the Obsidian Fieldlands, Lake Valor in the Crimson Mirelands and Lake Acuity, at the end of Glacier Terrace, in the Alabaster Icelands. After the player’s banishment, Cogita sends them to the lakes for the Trials of the Lakes, where Mesprit, Azelf and Uxie set tests, each guarded by a powerful alpha in its cavern. The materials they grant become the Red Chain. After the credits the player returns to catch all three at level 70 and claim a Plate.
Pokémon of note: Mesprit (Lake Verity), Azelf (Lake Valor), Uxie (Lake Acuity), Hisuian Zoroark, Hisuian Goodra and Overqwil (cavern alphas). Items: Mesprit’s Plume, Azelf’s Fang, Uxie’s Claw, Draco Plate.
Ancient Retreat
Cogita lives alone at the Ancient Retreat, a small riverside clearing in north-eastern Hisui reached by a narrow path through rocky hills and a rough plank bridge. She tends garden plots, and a workbench and storage box sit outside her house. After Kamado banishes the player, Volo leads them here, and Cyllene’s Abra teleports in so that the player can still use the Jubilife pastures. Volo runs a temporary shop here for a while, and Cogita gives out the lake trials and, after the credits, the hunt for the Plates.
Pokémon of note: Abra (Cyllene’s messenger), Enamorus (Cogita’s travelling companion), Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf (subjects of her trials). Items: Pixie Plate, Reveal Glass.
Snowpoint Temple
At the far northern edge of the Alabaster Icelands, above the Pearl Settlement, Snowpoint Temple rises five floors with a basement below. Its layout is close to an inverted version of the temple in modern Sinnoh, and its puzzles turn on stone statues of the legendary giants marked with Rock, Ice and Steel symbols. Hisuian Braviary is won here as a ride Pokémon, and after the credits a sealed door deeper inside leads to Regigigas, which guards a Plate in the basement.
Pokémon of note: Regigigas (level 70), Hisuian Braviary (ride Pokémon), Regirock, Regice and Registeel (statues only; the three are not in the game). Items: Blank Plate, Sky Plate.
Hisui in concept art
Official concept art from the game’s development:
Can I catch them all?
Legends: Arceus’s Hisui Pokédex has 242 entries, and those 242 species are the whole of the game: nothing appears outside the regional Pokédex. There are no versions and no exclusives, so a single copy can catch every one of them, with Shaymin and Darkrai unlocked by save data from other Switch games.
The Hisui Pokédex
The Hisui Pokédex has 242 entries, from Rowlet at number 001 to Darkrai at 242, and every Pokémon in the game is part of it. Rather than a single sighting or capture, each entry is filled through research tasks set by Professor Laventon: catching set numbers, seeing particular moves, feeding, evolving, defeating and so on. Most tasks are worth one research level and some are worth two, and an entry is Complete at research level 10, when its Pokédex entry is revealed. Finishing every task on an entry makes it Perfect. Both Complete and Perfect entries raise the odds of meeting that species as a Shiny. Once Arceus and every non-Mythical species reach research level 10, the player receives the Shiny Charm, which improves Shiny odds further. Research points count towards star rank and top out on screen at 99,999.
Hisuian forms
Sixteen Pokémon take on regional forms in Hisui, most of them with new types, plus the White-Striped Form of Basculin:
Hisuian Growlithe#058
Hisuian Arcanine#059
Hisuian Voltorb#100
Hisuian Electrode#101
Hisuian Typhlosion#157
Hisuian Qwilfish#211
Hisuian Sneasel#215
Hisuian Samurott#503
Hisuian Lilligant#549
Hisuian Zorua#570
Hisuian Zoroark#571
Hisuian Braviary#628
Hisuian Sliggoo#705
Hisuian Goodra#706
Hisuian Avalugg#713
Hisuian Decidueye#724
Seven new species
Six of the seven are new evolutions of older Pokémon, reached only in Hisui by new methods, and Enamorus joins the forces of nature:
Wyrdeer#899
Kleavor#900
Ursaluna#901
Basculegion#902
Sneasler#903
Overqwil#904
Enamorus#905
- Wyrdeer (Normal/Psychic) – evolves from Stantler. Use Psyshield Bash in Agile Style at least 20 times, then level up.
- Kleavor (Bug/Rock) – evolves from Scyther. Expose Scyther to a Black Augurite.
- Ursaluna (Ground/Normal) – evolves from Ursaring. Expose Ursaring to a Peat Block during a full moon.
- Basculegion (Water/Ghost) – evolves from Basculin (White-Striped Form). Lose at least 294 HP to recoil damage without fainting.
- Sneasler (Fighting/Poison) – evolves from Hisuian Sneasel. Expose Hisuian Sneasel to a Razor Claw during the day.
- Overqwil (Dark/Poison) – evolves from Hisuian Qwilfish. Use Barb Barrage in Strong Style at least 20 times.
- Enamorus (Fairy/Flying) – does not evolve. Found in the Crimson Mirelands after Cogita calls it during the request Incarnate Forces of Hisui; it has an Incarnate and a Therian Forme.
Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf
The lake guardians test you before they forge the Red Chain, and after the credits each can be caught at level 70 in its lake’s cavern: Uxie at Lake Acuity, Mesprit at Lake Verity and Azelf at Lake Valor.
What Legends: Arceus adds
- Hisuian forms – Sixteen regional forms, from Growlithe and Voltorb to the final evolutions of all three starters.
- New species – Wyrdeer, Kleavor, Ursaluna, Basculegion, Sneasler, Overqwil and Enamorus.
- Origin Formes – Dialga and Palkia take on Origin Formes for the first time, joining Giratina’s.
- Alpha Pokémon – Oversized, red-eyed wild Pokémon with at least three perfect stats.
Starter Pokémon
Professor Laventon offers three Pokémon from other regions, and each reaches a Hisuian final form:
- Rowlet: Grass/Flying; its final evolution here is Hisuian Decidueye (Grass/Fighting). Evolves through Dartrix. Rowlet, Dartrix and Hisuian Decidueye can also turn up in Coronet Highlands space-time distortions after Mission 18.
- Cyndaquil: Fire; its final evolution here is Hisuian Typhlosion (Fire/Ghost). Evolves through Quilava. Its line appears in Crimson Mirelands space-time distortions once Dialga and Palkia have been caught.
- Oshawott: Water; its final evolution here is Hisuian Samurott (Water/Dark). Evolves through Dewott. Its line appears in Alabaster Icelands space-time distortions once Dialga and Palkia have been caught.
And their Hisuian final forms:
Legendary, Mythical and event Pokémon
DialgaTemple of Sinnoh
PalkiaTemple of Sinnoh
GiratinaTurnback Cave
UxieLake Acuity
MespritLake Verity
AzelfLake Valor
HeatranFirespit Island
RegigigasSnowpoint Temple
CresseliaMoonview Arena
TornadusAlabaster Icelands
ThundurusCobalt Coastlands
LandorusObsidian Fieldlands- EnamorusCrimson Mirelands
PhioneSeaside Hollow
ManaphySeaside Hollow
ShayminSword/Shield save
DarkraiBDSP save
ArceusHall of Origin
Dialga – Lv. 65, Temple of Sinnoh, Coronet Highlands. Caught in Mission 17 if the player sided with Adaman; if the player sided with Irida, it is faced in Origin Forme in Mission 18, calmed with balms and caught in the Origin Ball.
Palkia – Lv. 65, Temple of Sinnoh, Coronet Highlands. Caught in Mission 17 if the player sided with Irida; if the player sided with Adaman, it is faced in Origin Forme in Mission 18, calmed with balms and caught in the Origin Ball.
Giratina – Lv. 70, Turnback Cave, Spring Path, Cobalt Coastlands. Request 91, On the Trail of Giratina, available after Mission 26 once Volo and Giratina have been defeated at the Temple of Sinnoh.
Uxie – Lv. 70, Lake Acuity, Alabaster Icelands. Mission 21, The Plate of the Lakes, after the credits. Catching all three lake guardians earns the Draco Plate.
Mesprit – Lv. 70, Lake Verity, Obsidian Fieldlands. Mission 21, The Plate of the Lakes, after the credits.
Azelf – Lv. 70, Lake Valor, Crimson Mirelands. Mission 21, The Plate of the Lakes, after the credits.
Heatran – Lv. 70, Lava Dome Sanctum, Firespit Island, Cobalt Coastlands. Mission 22, The Plate of Firespit Island, after the credits.
Regigigas – Lv. 70, Snowpoint Temple basement, Alabaster Icelands. Mission 24, The Plate of Snowpoint Temple, after the credits; the sealed door opens with the Iron, Icicle and Stone Plates, and catching Regigigas leads to the Blank Plate.
Cresselia – Lv. 70, Moonview Arena, Coronet Highlands. Mission 23, The Plate of Moonview Arena, after the credits.
Tornadus – Lv. 70, Alabaster Icelands, during snowstorms. Request 94, Incarnate Forces of Hisui, from Cogita after Mission 26.
Thundurus – Lv. 70, Cobalt Coastlands, during thunderstorms. Request 94, Incarnate Forces of Hisui, from Cogita after Mission 26.
Landorus – Lv. 70, Ramanas Island, Obsidian Fieldlands. Request 94, Incarnate Forces of Hisui, from Cogita after Mission 26.
Enamorus – Lv. 70, Scarlet Bog, Crimson Mirelands. Request 94: once the Pokédex entries for Tornadus, Thundurus and Landorus are complete, Cogita calls Enamorus; completing its entry earns the Reveal Glass.
Phione – Seaside Hollow, Cobalt Coastlands. Appears alongside Manaphy during Request 66, The Sea’s Legend.
Manaphy – Lv. 50, Seaside Hollow, Cobalt Coastlands. Request 66, The Sea’s Legend, from Professor Laventon: after Mission 10, catch Buizel, Hisuian Qwilfish and Mantyke and reach the fifth star rank.
Shaymin – Lv. 70, Floaro Gardens, Obsidian Fieldlands. Request 92, A Token of Gratitude: finish Mission 18 with Pokémon Sword or Shield save data on the same system.
Darkrai – Lv. 70, Clamberclaw Cliffs, Coronet Highlands, at night. Request 93, The Darksome Nightmare: finish Mission 18 with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl save data on the same system.
Arceus – Lv. 75, Hall of Origin, above the Temple of Sinnoh. Mission 27, The Deified Pokémon: after Mission 26, catch every non-Mythical Pokémon in Hisui (which requires Requests 22, 91 and 94 for Spiritomb, Giratina and the forces of nature), then play the Azure Flute at the temple.
Gift Pokémon
Pokémon you are simply handed:
- Rowlet, Cyndaquil or Oshawott (level 5) – Galaxy Hall, Jubilife Village. Chosen from Professor Laventon’s three Pokémon at the start of the story.
- The two remaining first partners – Laventon’s lab, Galaxy Hall, Jubilife Village. Handed over by Professor Laventon after the main story is complete.
There are no in-game trades in Hisui.
Connectivity
There is no direct link to another game: Pokémon move in and out through Pokémon HOME, and save data from Sword & Shield, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl and Let’s Go on the same Switch unlocks Shaymin, Darkrai and two festival masks.
Local and online trades are arranged at Simona’s Trading Post in Jubilife; there are no link battles. Mystery Gift has delivered item codes, such as the Pokémon Day 2022 code for 30 each of Ultra, Gigaton and Jet Balls, which expired on 31 March 2022. Lost & Found, which passes dropped satchels between players and pays Merit Points, needs an internet connection and Nintendo Switch Online. Pokémon HOME support arrived with version 2.0.0 on 18 May 2022. Only Hisui Pokédex species can be sent in (no other regional forms, apart from Alolan Vulpix and Ninetales), and arrivals keep their four latest level-up moves. From HOME, Hisui Pokémon can move on to Sword and Shield, BDSP, Scarlet and Violet and Legends: Z-A where supported, though anything moved into Legends: Z-A cannot return. Save data from Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! unlocks Pikachu and Eevee masks, from Sword and Shield a Shaymin outfit and Request 92, and from BDSP an outfit and Request 93. On Nintendo Switch 2 the game runs as it does on the original Switch.
Characters
Hisui’s people, many of them ancestors in spirit of the Sinnoh cast. Volo is covered with the story above, Kamado and the clan leaders with the Galaxy Team.
Rei
Rei and Akari are the two player characters, and whichever one is chosen becomes the hero of Hisui. After hearing Arceus’s voice in a void, the player falls through the rift in the sky onto Prelude Beach with only the Arc Phone, is found by Professor Laventon and joins the Survey Corps. The character not picked appears as a fellow Survey Corps member who coaches the newcomer through the entrance test, passes on crafting recipes for Potions and Stealth Sprays and keeps offering advice. Clothes and hairstyles can be changed in Jubilife Village, and save data from other games unlocks extra outfits.
Akari
Akari is the girl you can play as, and whichever of the two you do not choose becomes your senior in the Survey Corps, guiding you through the entrance test and turning up with advice and requests throughout the story.
Professor Laventon
Professor Laventon is the Survey Corps’ resident researcher, a travelling scholar whose speciality is how Pokémon live, and whose turns of phrase hint that he comes from Galar. He finds the player on Prelude Beach, gets them to recapture his three runaway first partner Pokémon and offers one of them as a partner. He receives the player’s reports at camp, pays them for research and writes the Pokédex entries himself. After the credits he hands over the other two first partners, and he also coined the words ‘scalchop’ and ‘aura’.
Captain Cyllene
Cyllene is Captain of the Survey Corps and the player’s direct superior, raising their star rank as research points come in. Originally from Hoenn, she meets the player at the Wallflower and insists on a test before taking them on. She sends her Abra to help during the player’s exile, is terrified of bugs and gave the massive mass outbreak its name.
Cogita
Cogita lives alone at the Ancient Retreat and knows more of Hisui’s old legends than anyone, claiming descent from the ancient Sinnoh people. She explains the Red Chain, sends the player on the Trials of the Lakes and goes with them to watch the chain being forged. After the credits she points the way to the Plates, gives up the Pixie Plate she had been using as a chopping board and introduces the forces of nature, including her companion Enamorus.
Beni
Beni runs the Wallflower, Jubilife’s eatery, where the player first meets Cyllene and where Sootfoot Roots are bought and sold. He belongs to no corps but comes from the same lost hometown as Kamado, and he is fought as a Galaxy Team trainer on Mount Coronet.
Ingo
Ingo is the Pearl Clan Warden who watches over Sneasler in the Coronet Highlands. He arrived in Hisui through the space-time rift, much as the player did, and is the only Warden who battles with Poké Balls. He takes on the player during Mission 11 and returns after Daybreak as the opponent in the Path of Solitude challenges.
Mai
Mai is the Diamond Clan Warden who looks after Wyrdeer in the Obsidian Fieldlands and helps the player summon ride Pokémon with the Celestica Flute, battling them first. After the Daybreak update, she and her Munchlax lead the investigation into massive mass outbreaks.
The Noble Pokémon
In place of Gyms, Legends: Arceus has five Noble Pokémon, the lords and ladies of each area, all thrown into a frenzy by the rift in the sky. Each is calmed in an arena battle unlike anything in earlier games: you dodge its attacks on foot and throw balms made from its favourite food, sending out your own Pokémon only when it is stunned.
The Noble route – every Noble in story order, with its area, its Warden and the Plate it leaves behind:
- Lord KleavorObsidian Fieldlands · Warden LianBug/Rock · Grandtree ArenaReward: Insect Plate
- Lady LilligantCrimson Mirelands · Warden ArezuGrass/Fighting · Brava ArenaReward: Meadow Plate
- Lord ArcanineCobalt Coastlands · Warden PalinaFire/Rock · Molten Arena, Firespit IslandReward: Flame Plate
- Lord ElectrodeCoronet Highlands · Warden MelliElectric/Grass · Moonview ArenaReward: Zap Plate
- Lord AvaluggAlabaster Icelands · Warden GaericIce/Rock · Icepeak ArenaReward: Icicle Plate
The five Nobles
Obsidian Fieldlands: Lord Kleavor
Lord of the Woods, Kleavor is the first Noble the player faces and the one who sets the pattern for every Noble fight. Like the other Nobles, it descends from a Pokémon that stood with the ancient hero, and the Pearl Clan’s Warden Lian tends to it. Kleavor is also one of the game’s new species, the axe-armed evolution that Scyther reaches only in Hisui by meeting a Black Augurite. The rift’s influence drives it wild, and calming it is the player’s first great service to Hisui.
The battle: A level 18 mission. Kleavor charges in straight lines after its eyes flash and can be stunned by luring it into the Grandtree or the arena walls; now and then it whirls its axes in a marked area. Once its frenzy gauge is half gone its wind-ups get shorter. The player throws Forest Balms and can send out a Pokémon to battle it while it is stunned.
Rematch: After the credits, Lian offers a timed level 70 rematch at the arena, paying out Exp. Candy M with an Exp. Candy L bonus for taking no damage.
Kleavor is the only Noble that is a brand-new species rather than a Hisuian form. Its National Pokédex number is 900, and its Hisui Pokédex number is 073. Reward: Insect Plate.
Crimson Mirelands: Lady Lilligant
Lady of the Ridge, Hisuian Lilligant trades the original’s pure Grass typing for Grass/Fighting and fights with powerful, shockwave-raising leaps. She reigns over Brava Arena, north of Cloudpool Ridge in the Crimson Mirelands, the second area the Galaxy Team surveys. Her Warden, Arezu of the Diamond Clan, tried to calm the frenzied Noble on her own before the player arrived, and the newcomer steps in where she could not.
The battle: A level 30 mission. Lilligant leaps and sends out shockwaves on landing, with musical notes showing how many jumps are coming. Dodge enough and she ends with four leaps in a row before stunning herself. In the second half she adds a spinning strike that floods the arena with a green shockwave. Marsh Balms drain her gauge, and a Pokémon can battle her when she is dazed.
Rematch: After the credits, Calaba stands in for Arezu, who has taken up hairdressing in Jubilife, and offers the timed level 70 rematch.
The only female Noble and so the only one titled Lady. Hisuian Lilligant evolves from Petilil and is one of the 16 Hisuian forms. Reward: Meadow Plate.
Cobalt Coastlands: Lord Arcanine
Lord of the Isles, Arcanine rules Firespit Island off the Cobalt Coastlands. The previous lord had died, and the new Lord Arcanine is a Hisuian Growlithe that evolves and falls into frenzy while the player is surveying the coast, which makes this the only Noble to reach its frenzied form during the story. Hisuian Arcanine is Fire/Rock, and the Pearl Clan’s Palina, who took up her post when Irida became leader, watches over it.
The battle: A level 36 mission. Arcanine charges across the arena, leaps to the centre and charges again, then summons five fireballs that warn of an explosion the player cannot dodge; landing balms in time cancels it and stuns him. In the second half he leaves a ring of flames that pins the player in a corner until he is stunned again. Volcano Balms do the work, with a Pokémon battle while he is dazed.
Rematch: After the credits, Palina offers the timed level 70 rematch at Molten Arena.
Arcanine is the only Noble that evolves into its Noble form partway through the story. Hisuian Arcanine also appears in Volo’s final team. Reward: Flame Plate.
Coronet Highlands: Lord Electrode
Lord of the Hollow, Electrode nests in the crater of Moonview Arena on the slopes of Mount Coronet, surrounded by Hisuian Voltorb. Hisuian Electrode is Electric/Grass, and its fight is the busiest of the five because it fills the arena with explosive Voltorb. The Diamond Clan’s Melli watches over it, and once it is calmed only the Alabaster Icelands remain to be surveyed.
The battle: A level 46 mission. Electrode fires homing Thunderbolts and calls down Hisuian Voltorb that explode where they land, with the blast zones marked on the ground. After a few waves it glows white and rolls at the player for a Self-Destruct that stuns it, opening the way for a Pokémon battle. In the second half it adds faster homing Energy Balls. Mountain Balms calm it.
Rematch: After the credits, Melli offers the timed level 70 rematch, with four Exp. Candy M and three Grit Pebbles for a flawless win.
Electrode is the only Noble that summons other Pokémon during its fight, and despite having no gender it still carries the title Lord. Reward: Zap Plate.
Alabaster Icelands: Lord Avalugg
Lord of the Tundra, Avalugg is the last and toughest of the Nobles, a towering Hisuian Ice/Rock Pokémon. It holds Icepeak Arena in the Alabaster Icelands and favours the Eternal Ice that forms atop the glacier called Avalugg’s Legacy. The Pearl Clan’s Gaeric, who trained Irida, is its Warden. Calming it should end the crisis, but instead the rift above Mount Coronet worsens, setting off the player’s banishment.
The battle: A level 56 mission. Avalugg fires zigzagging Ice Balls, raises rows of icicles from front to back, launches four Mountain Gales and then sweeps the arena with a huge Ice Beam before it is stunned and can be battled. In the second half icicles also appear during the Ice Ball volleys, the rows run side to side, Mountain Gale fires six times and extra icicles precede the Ice Beam. Snow Balms calm it.
Rematch: After the credits, a timed level 70 rematch is available at Icepeak Arena, with four Exp. Candy M and three Grit Pebbles for a flawless win.
The final Noble of the main story. Defeating it changes the Alabaster Icelands’ daytime music, and the events that follow lead straight into Kamado’s decision to banish the player. Reward: Icicle Plate.
The final battles
The hardest Trainer battles come at the end of the story and after it: Commander Kamado at the Temple of Sinnoh, the clan leaders Adaman and Irida, and finally Volo, whose team leads straight into a battle with Giratina.
The deities of time and space are fought differently: the one you did not catch first bursts out in its Origin Forme and is calmed with balms in a Noble-style battle, and Arceus itself waits in the Hall of Origin.
Kamado, Adaman and Irida, then Volo
Kamado, Commander of the Galaxy Expedition Team
Kamado climbs Mount Coronet set on provoking the Pokémon at the rift himself, and the player must stop him at the temple. His four Pokémon all sit above level 60, with Snorlax the highest. Afterwards he concedes and apologises, hands over Ultra Balls and the Time and Space Balms, and leaves the deities in the player’s care.
Team: Braviary Lv. 61, Golem Lv. 61, Clefable Lv. 61, Snorlax Lv. 62 (ace)
Daybreak adds Path of Tenacity rematches at the training grounds, where his team grows to include Heracross, Ursaluna and Probopass.
Adaman, Leader of the Diamond Clan
Adaman’s late-story battle at Lake Valor is the toughest test he sets in the main story, a long way from the friendly bout in Jubilife where his Leafeon was partnered by an Eevee. His team of Eevee evolutions is built around Leafeon, which is always its highest-level member, backed here by Umbreon and Vaporeon.
Team: Leafeon Lv. 64 (ace), Umbreon Lv. 32, Vaporeon Lv. 32
Daybreak adds a battle at Ginkgo Landing in which the player may use only Origin Forme Dialga, plus Path of Tenacity rematches up to Leafeon Lv. 75.
Irida, Leader of the Pearl Clan
Irida’s late-story battle takes place at her own settlement in the Alabaster Icelands, a long way from the doubtful leader who first tested the player at Grandtree Arena. Glaceon is the highest-level member of every team she uses, and here it is supported by Espeon and Flareon, the counterparts to Adaman’s Umbreon and Vaporeon.
Team: Glaceon Lv. 64 (ace), Espeon Lv. 32, Flareon Lv. 32
Daybreak adds a battle at the Diamond Settlement in which the player may use only Origin Forme Palkia, plus Path of Tenacity rematches up to Glaceon Lv. 75.
Volo, Ginkgo Guild merchant
Volo drops his friendly front once the Plates are nearly gathered, admitting that he and Giratina caused the rift. His team echoes the one Cynthia uses in later Sinnoh, and he saves his single Full Restore for Garchomp. Once his six Pokémon fall, the battle rolls straight on into Giratina, with no Experience given until the end.
Team: Spiritomb Lv. 68, Roserade Lv. 68, Togekiss Lv. 68, Hisuian Arcanine Lv. 68, Lucario Lv. 68, Garchomp Lv. 68 (ace); then Giratina Lv. 70 (Altered Forme, then Origin Forme)
Losing to Giratina means facing Volo’s six Pokémon again. Victory earns the Spooky Plate, and the Azure Flute replaces the Celestica Flute.
Glitches, exploits and oddities
Legends: Arceus shipped with a handful of bugs and exploits; versions 1.0.2, 1.1.0 and 1.1.1 fixed the most serious of them.
Invisible Pokémon duplication
In every version, some Pokémon roaming the overworld or hiding in resource nodes can fail to appear on screen even though they are there. Catching one of these invisible Pokémon can leave its visible twin in place, which the player can then catch as well, so a single encounter yields two Pokémon. The fault has been reported in all versions of the game, and it affects both free-roaming Pokémon and those that burst out of trees and ore deposits when disturbed.
Damage-free fast travel
Opening the map at the exact moment a wild Pokémon’s attack lands, then fast travelling away, cancels the damage the player would have taken. The same timing trick stops the player from drowning when they stray into deep water without a ride Pokémon. Because being overwhelmed in the wild costs items from the satchel and sends the player back to camp, the trick can protect a hard-won haul of materials, although the timing has to be exact. It has been reported in every version of the game and has not been listed among the patched issues.
Repeating a resource-node encounter
Throwing a Poké Ball containing one of the player’s Pokémon at a shaking resource node, such as a tree or ore deposit, makes the hidden Pokémon jump out. If the player then enters a cave or cavern on the same map and waits there for 30 minutes, the same node yields the same Pokémon again on their return. Going back to Jubilife Village in between resets the node and stops the trick from working. The trick has been reported in every version of the game, and it works on any species that hides in trees, ore deposits or other shaking nodes.
Cliffside super speed
Some slopes are too steep to climb, and the player stumbles back down them. If a wild Pokémon hits the player during that stumble, the player can be left moving at greatly increased speed. The effect makes crossing an area much quicker but is hard to control, and it relies on being struck at precisely the wrong moment, so it is more of a curiosity than a dependable shortcut. It has been reported in every version of the game and has not been listed among the patched issues.
Shiny Giratina’s Shadow Force crash
Giratina’s Origin Forme has a special animation for Shadow Force, but that animation was never set up for its Shiny colouring. If a Shiny Origin Forme Giratina uses the move, the game crashes. The fault lies in the presentation rather than the Pokémon itself, so a Shiny Giratina is otherwise safe to use, but its owner should keep Shadow Force out of its moveset while it is in Origin Forme. Anyone hoping for a Shiny Giratina should also save before any battle in which a Shiny might use the move, since the crash discards unsaved progress.
Thundurus battle crash
The battle against Thundurus, which appears in the Cobalt Coastlands during thunderstorms as part of the forces of nature request, has been known to crash the game. As Thundurus is needed for the request that leads to Enamorus, and the Pokédex must be filled before Arceus appears, players are advised to save just before approaching it so that a crash costs as little progress as possible. Thundurus only shows itself in thunderstorms, so a crash can also mean waiting for the right weather to come round again.
Catching Cresselia too early
Cresselia can appear in the wild before its mission, The Plate of Moonview Arena, has been given. If the player catches it early, the game never records the capture for the mission, which can stop the post-game story from moving on. Version 1.1.0 lists a fix for a problem with that mission, but the safest approach is still to leave Cresselia alone until Cogita sends the player to Moonview Arena, where it can be caught at level 70 once the mission is active and the capture will count.
What no longer works
Several early problems were patched out. Version 1.0.2 (8 February 2022) fixed a freeze when picking up a lost satchel offline, Cherrim becoming impossible to catch once it changed form, a missing event in one mission, a bug that let certain Pokémon be obtained twice and a lake guardian appearing again after capture, which could block the last guardian. Version 1.1.0 (27 February 2022) fixed weather getting stuck, a bug involving alpha Pokémon’s starting moves and a problem in The Plate of Moonview Arena. Version 1.1.1 (17 March 2022) fixed the Shiny Charm not being awarded; affected players can now collect it from Professor Laventon in Galaxy Hall.
Videos & media
Trailers for Pokémon Legends: Arceus, from the Hisui reveal to the Daybreak update, in English and Japanese.
The Hisui region trailer shown in the Pokémon Presents of 18 August 2021.
The September 2021 trailer introducing Noble Pokémon and the new species Kleavor.
December 2021 trailer meeting the Diamond and Pearl Clans and other Hisui residents.
The gameplay preview released in January 2022, shortly before launch.
The January 2022 reveal of Hisuian Decidueye, Typhlosion and Samurott.
The Daybreak update trailer from Pokémon Day, 27 February 2022.
The Japanese overview trailer from Nintendo’s official Japanese channel, released in January 2022.
Trivia & facts
- Game Freak spent about three years making the game, starting in autumn 2018, with development running largely alongside Scarlet and Violet.
- It is the first core-series game since Platinum to be released without a partner version, and the first to launch in a single version from the start.
- The Pokédex entries are written in the first person, as Professor Laventon’s own field notes.
- It was the first core game in which Darkrai can be caught outside events, and it also lets players obtain Manaphy, Shaymin and the Red Chain without event distributions or cheats.
- The Japanese title, Pokémon LEGENDS Arceus, drops the full ‘Pocket Monsters’ name used on other core-series titles.
- Hisui is modelled on Hokkaido in the days when it was called Ezo; Jubilife Village echoes early Sapporo, and the Galaxy Team’s headquarters resembles the former Hokkaido Government Office.
Further trivia
- The five areas take their colour names from the colours linked with the Four Symbols of Chinese tradition.
- Pikachu’s old cry returns for the first time in a core game since Black 2 and White 2 (leaving aside Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s optional DS sounds), and Eevee’s for the first time since Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
- Sneasler is the only female ride Pokémon, and Hisuian Braviary is the only ride Pokémon that is a regional form rather than a new evolution.
- Professor Laventon came up with the words ‘scalchop’ and ‘aura’, and Captain Cyllene named the massive mass outbreak.
Legacy
What came after
- Reveal – 26 February 2021. Announced in a Pokémon Presents for the series’ 25th anniversary, alongside Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
- Exploration trailer – 18 August 2021. Focused on exploring Hisui, the story’s background and new Pokémon.
- Kleavor and customisation trailer – 28 September 2021. Showed character customisation, menus, characters and the new Pokémon Kleavor.
- ‘Found footage’ teaser – 19 October 2021. A deliberately corrupted clip whose hidden Pokémon were confirmed on 21 October as Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark.
- Clans trailer – 15 December 2021. Introduced the Diamond and Pearl Clans and their leaders.
- Launch – 28 January 2022. Released worldwide on Nintendo Switch.
- Pokémon GO: Hisuian Voltorb – 30 January 2022. Hisuian Voltorb debuted in Pokémon GO, with Hisuian Electrode following on 18 February 2022.
- Daybreak update (version 1.1.0) – 27 February 2022. Free post-credits update revealed and released on Pokémon Day; the same broadcast announced a Hisui web anime.
- Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl link – 16 March 2022. A Legends: Arceus save in which every story mission is complete unlocks an Azure Flute, added in version 1.3.0, in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, usable after the Hall of Fame and the National Pokédex.
- Version 1.1.1 – 17 March 2022. Shiny Charm fix; the final version of the game.
- Pokémon HOME 2.0.0 – 18 May 2022. Legends: Arceus connected to Pokémon HOME, opening transfers to and from Sword and Shield and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
- Pokémon: Hisuian Snow premiere – 18 May 2022. First of three episodes released on YouTube and Pokémon TV.
- Pokémon GO: Hisuian Discoveries – 27 July 2022. Event that brought more Hisuian forms to Pokémon GO, including Hisuian Growlithe, Qwilfish and Sneasel.
- Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles on Netflix – 23 September 2022. The four-part promotional special, edited into one feature, released outside Japan.
- Pokémon Scarlet and Violet – 18 November 2022. Developed in parallel with Legends: Arceus; a Legends: Arceus save unlocks an Arc Phone Case through Rotometry in Mesagoza.
- Pokémon HOME 3.0.0 – 30 May 2023. Scarlet and Violet joined HOME, so Hisuian Pokémon from Legends: Arceus could move to Paldea, arriving in a Strange Ball.
- Legends: Z-A announced – 27 February 2024. The second Legends game was revealed in a Pokémon Day Pokémon Presents.
- Nintendo Switch 2 launch – 5 June 2025. Legends: Arceus runs on Switch 2 through backward compatibility, listed by Nintendo as behaving as it does on Switch; it received no Switch 2 Edition or update.
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A – 16 October 2025. Released on Switch and as a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition; its real-time Rogue Mega Evolution battles are modelled on the Noble battles, and alpha Pokémon and catching without battling return.
- Pokémon HOME 4.0.0 – 2 April 2026. Added Legends: Z-A; Pokémon from Legends: Arceus can be moved there and show a Strange Ball, but anything moved into Z-A cannot return to earlier games.
Where to play Legends: Arceus today
In October 2026 Legends: Arceus is still sold for Nintendo Switch and runs on Nintendo Switch 2 through backward compatibility, where Nintendo lists it as behaving exactly as on the original console; there is no Switch 2 Edition. The final version, 1.1.1, already includes Daybreak. Pokémon HOME still links it with Sword and Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Scarlet and Violet and, since April 2026, Legends: Z-A, the series’ second Legends game.
How Legends: Arceus was made
Legends: Arceus was Game Freak’s boldest reworking of the core series to date. Directed by Kazumasa Iwao, it was in development for about three years from autumn 2018, largely alongside Scarlet and Violet, as the studio explained at CEDEC 2022. Nintendo’s own pitch called it a new kind of grand Pokémon adventure mixing action and exploration with the series’ RPG roots: catching, not battling, became the core loop, wild Pokémon behave more like untamed animals, and Hisui is split into large open areas reached from a single hub. The setting draws on Hokkaido during its early Japanese settlement, and Galaxy Hall closely resembles Hokkaido’s former government office. Revealed on 26 February 2021 together with Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, it launched on 28 January 2022, ten weeks after those remakes, as the first game under the Legends banner. Critics praised the fresh structure but many found the visuals and performance lacking. Scarlet and Violet, built in parallel, took the series fully open world in November 2022, and Legends: Z-A in 2025 brought back alpha Pokémon, catching without battling and real-time battles modelled on the Nobles.
Legends: Arceus in other media
Sales & reviews
Sales figures
Legends: Arceus sold more than 6.5 million copies worldwide in its first week, ahead of the first weeks of both Sword & Shield and Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. In Japan, Famitsu counted about 1.43 million physical copies in the first three days; in the UK it went straight to number one on the boxed chart, and in the US it was the best-selling game of January 2022 on the NPD chart, which left out Nintendo’s digital sales.
By the end of March 2022 it had sold 12.64 million copies, and 14.83 million by 31 March 2023, making it the best-selling single-version Pokémon game at the time.
- 14.83mworldwide, March 2023
- 6.5m+worldwide in the first week
- 1.43mJapan, first three days
- No. 1UK boxed chart, launch week
Review scores
Critics in the main called it a bold new direction for the series, with scores in the low to high 80s on the review aggregators and a 38/40 from Famitsu. Some of the verdicts:
- Nintendo Life’s Jordan Middler gave it 9/10, calling it “one of the greatest Pokémon games ever made”.
- Game Informer’s Brian Shea (8.75/10) said it “charts an exciting new direction for the series”.
- GameSpot’s Steve Watts gave it 8/10 and called it “a significant reimagining of what makes a Pokemon game”.
- Eurogamer’s Chris Tapsell recommended it as “flimsy and compulsive – and exhilaratingly new”.
- IGN’s Rebekah Valentine was more mixed at 7/10, praising how it reinvents catching and battling but finding the world “disappointingly empty, ugly, and at times tedious” in places.
Critics largely welcomed Legends: Arceus as the boldest change to the Pokémon formula in years, and it settled at 83 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic, where 85% of critics recommended it. The catching loop drew the most praise: sneaking through grass, throwing balls by hand and chipping away at research tasks proved hard to put down, and several reviewers ranked it among the best entries in the series. Hisui’s setting, the Galaxy Team’s frontier story and the mystery around Arceus were also well liked, and the reworked battles were generally seen as a fresh twist. The main complaints were about presentation. Many found the open areas sparse and the visuals dated or plain, with IGN calling the world empty and GamesRadar+ saying the graphics let it down. Even so, most saw it as a promising foundation for the series’ future.
Awards and honours:
Media & artwork
Further reading
Other Legends: Arceus links on the site, plus the games and series around it: