There were Legends: Arceus.
Further speculation has already begun as to the place that Arceus will hold in the Pokémon timeline, alongside what it can bring to the franchise as a whole. With a release date tentatively set in 2022, fans already know that this will be a game unlike anything Game Freak has created before. While its open world and unique gameplay are primary features, audiences are also intrigued by its narrative connections to Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
A Prequel
One aspect of the game that has been confirmed is that it does serve as a prequel of sorts to Diamond and Pearl. It's important to note that the game does indeed take place in the Sinnoh region, where the original Nintendo DS games took place.
This is a huge break from tradition for the company and could actually lead to Based on everything that's been revealed about the game thus far, that's exactly what is happening though.
Building The Pokédex
Some Pokémon have already been revealed for the game and there are already signs that point to the fact that players will have to once again catch them all. Since this is a prequel though, the stakes might be a little bit higher when it comes to researching these wild creatures.
Since it's so early into the history of the Sinnoh region, the standard Pokédex doesn't exist. This means players will be helping to curate this Pokémon archive. Of course, this directly links to Shining Diamond and Brilliant Pearl considering players will be using that very same Pokédex.
The Early History Of The Sinnoh Region
It really should be ed that there was actually a third major title based on the Sinnoh region and Pokémon Platinum. Amongst these three games, a number of details were touched upon about the complex history of Sinnoh.
With Legends: Arceus going back so far in this mythical timeline, a number of elements from the location's rich history will likely be set up in the prequel game. The game does of course boast the title of Legends after all, so no doubt some secrets could be revealed about Sinnoh which then contribute or fill in some narrative gaps of all three original DS games.
Ancestors To The Leads
Lucas and Dawn are the two main playable characters of the original Diamond and Pearl and look to be returning for the Shining and Brilliant remakes. Dawn was a character who became increasingly popular in the anime series as a ing character to Ash and was therefore heavily featuring in the trailer for the remakes.
With Arceus taking place far before the events of Diamond and Pearl an argument could be made for the game to feature ancestors to the original lead characters. It would be a lot of fun to get some further family history on Lucas and Dawn and would only contribute to their desire to fulfill their destinies in the Sinnoh region.
A Brand New Pokémon
Nintendo and Game Freak are not afraid to create original Pokémon, with the franchise getting a brand new generation of these little monsters every few years. It seems reasonable to suggest that Sinnoh might have once had additional Pokémon roaming its landscapes.
Legends: Arceus could very well introduce a brand new set of Pokémon, who have gone into hiding for most of Diamond and Pearl but could be discoverable to attentive players in the Brilliant and Shiny remakes. This could be a really unique way to tie these titles together and add to Sinnoh lore.
Creating The Gym System
Each Region has its own ranked system for those who take part in Pokémon battles. The Sinnoh region boasts its own impressive League, with a range of talented gym leaders and Cynthia at the head of the pyramid as the League Champion.
This system wasn't created overnight though and would have taken years of battles and tournaments before official rankings could be created. The history of these gyms and the origin of the League itself could feature as a part of Legends: Arceus, explaining the system further for players of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Rise Of Team Galactic
Each Pokémon game has to have its own villainous team for the protagonists to do battle with. These conflicts are often driving the key narratives of the major titles in the game series and Team Galactic serves as the threat to Dawn and Lucas.
With their evil plan focusing on the Legendary Pokémon of the region, players must stop their terrorist plot before it comes to fruition. Legends: Arceus might feature its own, much earlier version of Team Galactic, which demonstrates why they settle in Sinnoh in the first place.
Forming The Cities
The Sinnoh Region has some truly memorable cities and locations for players to explore. Indeed, those who had the Nintendo DS will making the trip to Eterna City, Jubilife City, and Twinleaf Town amongst others.
The trailer for Legends: Arceus demonstrates that Sinnoh isn't quite as built up as it is in Diamond and Pearl. Players may be able to visit the younger versions of these famous locations, or maybe even contribute to their development and rise!
Legendary Origins
There's a key trio featured in this video game series, which are said to be the creators of the Sinnoh Region. These dragon-type Pokémon are Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. They feature heavily in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum and are even available for players to catch.
Other Legendary Pokémon such as Mespirit, Uxie, and Azelf have also become synonymous with the Sinnoh region, forming part of its very identity. The origin of these Legendary Pokémon, how they came to create Sinnoh, or why they settled there, would certainly provide a lot of story threads for Legends: Arceus to pull on.
Arceus
Arceus himself was briefly available in Diamond and Pearl as a special event character, but outside of this was almost impossible to get hold of. The limited-time Legendary Pokémon would eventually only be found through the trading circuit.
However, with Arceus being so heavily linked to Sinnoh in the Legends game, it stands to reason that Game Freak and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl developers ILCA may want to bring the character to the remake titles releasing in 2021.
