5 Classic Pokémon Features That Need A Comeback In Gen 10’s Winds & Waves

After years of speculation and rumors, Pokémon Winds and Waves, the 10th Generation of core games, have finally been confirmed by Nintendo. The new pair of titles will be set in a tropical archipelago, based on what has been revealed so far, and as always, there will be new and returning Pokémon to battle and catch. For now, Nintendo has only presented the Pikachu variants and the starters in Pokémon Winds and Waves as the new creatures.

However, the company has also teased several of the returning Pokémon in Winds and Waves through the first teaser trailer for the Gen 10 games; a total of 45, for now. While creatures are always at the forefront of new games, as they should be, there is also a lot of discussion around how these games will play and the features that players will be able to take advantage of.

For example, there are talks about the potential combat style in Gen 10. After the real-time battle system was introduced with Legends: Z-A, which is considered a core game in the series, there was speculation that the first Gen 10 titles would follow that format. Some rumors indicate that combat in Pokémon Winds and Waves will return to the turn-based system, which may please some veteran players. However, there is much more in terms of gameplay apart from combat, and some systems would do well if they returned.

5

Underwater Gameplay Needs A Glorious Return

The System Has Basically Been Confirmed For Pokémon Winds & Waves

One of the gameplay systems that evidently needs a return in Winds and Waves is underwater exploration and combat. This hasn’t been seen in the past few Generations. In fact, the last time that it was truly featured was in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the remakes for the Gen 3 titles. Underwater gameplay isn’t a staple in the series, but it helped expand the Pokémon regions in which they were featured.

Nintendo and Game Freak have basically confirmed that underwater gameplay will be a thing in the new Gen 10 games. During the announcement trailer, there is a section in which the camera pans into the ocean, showing the submarine life therein. Neither company has explicitly said that players will be able to dive underwater in Pokémon Gen 10 games, but the tease showing what’s underneath doesn’t seem gratuitous, and it stacks with previous leaks.

In the months leading up to the release of Pokémon Winds and Waves at some point in 2027, it’s quite likely that we’ll be able to see more about the underwater exploration in the games. An underwater region on top of the existing map could essentially recreate the feeling provided by Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s underground map, nearly doubling the size of the explorable areas, and offering a whole bunch of new Pokémon to catch.

4

Secret Bases Are Missed

Pokémon Winds & Waves’ Endgame Could Improve With This Feature

While they aren’t essential, Secret Bases were a fun feature in Pokémon games, but weren’t explored too much outside of the Gen 3 and Gen 4 games. In Ruby and Sapphire, and their remakes, Secret Bases played a big role in the side content you could tackle. A lot revolved around obtaining advanced furniture to decorate what would become your little home away from home.

The mechanic made something of a nerfed comeback in Gen 4’s Diamond and Pearl, and their remakes, but the Underground Bases felt off and didn’t have the same feeling of coziness. Decorations weren’t as interactable as they were in Gen 3, and the Underground is one of Gen 4’s weakest links. Overall, they felt like a museum for your accomplishments, as most of the better decorations were statues.

If Secret Bases return with Pokémon Winds and Waves, they would vastly improve the game. Not only is the ability to create your home to your liking a ton of fun, but it also adds more gameplay time as you power through the endgame to gain even better decorations – and with modern platforms’ connectivity, you could, perhaps, even enjoy it in multiplayer.

3

Pokémon Contests Were A Lot Of Secondary Fun

These Activities Could Improve Playtime In Gen 10

Arguably one of the best Pokémon Generations ever, Gen 3 also had another fantastic feature that could make a great comeback in Winds and Waves. As was the case with Secret Bases, Pokémon Contests made a debut in Gen 3 titles and made a comeback in Gen 4 – the same can be said about their remakes. This piece of side content extended the games significantly.

Not only were you able to partake in extra content for the sake of gameplay time, but Contests also provided a different take on how you observe the Pokémon you keep in your company. Being able to showcase their moves and behavior being applied to something outside of combat was truly fun, and participating in these activities also granted extra rewards to seek.

Even though they weren’t used outside of the aforementioned Generations, Pokémon Contests are atemporal and could very well make a glorious return in Winds and Waves. So far, the Gen 10 games are building up to be the most ambitious ones in a while, so having extra features like Pokémon Contests could improve the overall quality. Of course, the activities would need to be improved upon the foundation laid by Gen 3, but it would be delightful to see it return.

2

Wild Goose Chases Gave Relevance To Legendary Pokémon

Roaming Pokémon Need To Return In Gen 10’s Winds & Waves

Another thing I miss from older Pokémon games that could make a comeback and become a permanent addition is the chase for Roaming Legendary Pokémon that would move through the maps as you’d explore. Unless you used an exploit or a trick, you’d be set on a wild goose chase after Pokémon like Raikou, Entei, Suicune, Latios, Latias, and so many others.

This mechanic lasted between Gen 2 and Gen 7, making a comeback with the Galarian Birds in The Crown Tundra DLC for Gen 8’s Sword and Shield. The Forces of Nature trio also appeared in such a manner during Legends: Arceus. In Gen 9, this mechanic was totally absent, but it should be applied to the new open-world format of Winds and Waves.

The chase for Roaming Legendaries gave extra importance to these Pokémon, and while the system could be improved beyond simply reaching them in time, it made the catches feel more special than simply stepping into the den of a Legendary and catching it. Roaming Pokémon represent an extra challenge for players, especially those who Shiny hunt Legendary Pokémon, so this should make a comeback in Gen 10.

1

Big Villains Are Always Better Than Mere Rivals

Pokémon Has Gone Too Family-Friendly Over The Past Generations

Dense and complex narrative arcs were never Pokémon’s strong suits, and that’s entirely okay. However, there’s no denying that its stories were always better when you were working toward dismantling villainous and criminal organizations like Team Rocket, Team Magma, and Team Plasma, all of which had leaders whom you loathed. Over the past few years, the franchise has taken a turn for a more friendly approach.

In Sword and Shield, Team Yell was nothing more than a fan club for Marnie, while Scarlet and Violet’s Team Star is just a conglomerate of scholar rebels. Their appeal is minor, and they don’t add much to the story. However, when a villainous group was involved in the game’s main plot, trying to destroy the world or seize the power of a Legendary (often the latter enabled the former), Pokémon stories thrive.

Considering how rich the ecosystem in the Gen 10 games seems to be, it’d be great to have a clear antagonist trying to destroy it rather than a group of misfits that gets in your way or a weird environmental hazard threatening the region. Preventing the villains and saving the world would push the narrative closer into the Hero’s Journey archetype, and would make the stakes higher than ever in Pokémon Winds and Waves.