Pokemon Legends: Arceus Shows Why the National Dex Needed to Go

gamerant.com:

Pokemon Legends: Arceus has been impressing fans and critics alike with the vast world of Hisui. The game is full of things for players to do, with tons of requests and, as expected of the Pokemon franchise, creatures to catch. However, the Pokedex in the latest game falls short compared to its predecessors. In 2019, Game Freak revealed that Pokemon Sword and Shield would be the start of future titles not relying on the staple National Dex.

The National Dex has been included in almost every main series game since Pokemon Gold and Silver. In many titles, players can unlock this as a sort of post-game reward, often making new creatures show up and giving players the intimidating challenge of completing the entire Pokedex. Many fans enjoyed being able to bring their favorite creatures back from previous games, but after years of the feature being included, Pokemon Legends: Arceus is one of the first games to go without it and show why this is a positive step.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus — New Pokemon Tier List

Because Pokemon Sword and Shield didn't feature the National Pokedex, they would stick to Pokemon only found in that region, leaving fans unable to transfer some older Pokemon forward. Game Freak was met with plenty of backlash for its decision as players expressed not wanting to play a game without their favorite creatures.

The development team said only including the Pokemon that would fit each title and region was deliberate, and that fans could «hope to play with their favorite Pokemon some other time.» This wasn't enough for many fans, as those who enjoyed having every critter playable in each game continued to try and make their voices heard. Every Pokemon ever released can be stored in Pokemon HOME, but there are