If you’re reading this, then you’ve probably already seen the Pokémon: Winds and Waves trailer with its underwater exploration and probably-important cloud. You’ve marvelled at the tropical setting, sighed with relief at the 2027 release date, and admitted that Gecqua would be a cooler hang than Pombon. Pomeranians are delusional, yappy monsters who believe that they own your apartment. Gecqua is just a stoner with cool contacts and too much eye shadow who wants to order KFC.
If you know more about Winds and Waves than that, then you’ve probably looked up spoilers and will no doubt don a knowing smile as you read my predictions for these highly anticipated Pokémon games.
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My theory, should you choose to accept it, is that Winds and Waves will take a page from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and will thus boast three realms of travel. Harnessing the abilities of various Pokémon, you will traverse not just sea and land, but the sky as well.
The cerulean underwater wonderland revealed in the Winds and Waves trailer is nothing like the Depths of TOTK. It doesn’t seem to mirror the land above it and it gives off a less murdery vibe. It does, however, suggest an aquatic vastness waiting to be discovered. Imagine the underwater routes of Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, but with intricately rendered algae barricades to Whirlpool out of the way, and swarms of schooling Wishiwashi.
This supports the consensus that WaW will lean into open-world magic. We’ll probably have to summon a Pokémon’s Dive ability to launch ourselves under the waves and enter a shimmering universe where TMs, boss-level Pokémon, and (hopefully) environmental puzzles await.
But why stop with Dive? If WaW truly hopes to become the best open-world adventure in the Pokémon franchise (admittedly a low bar to cross), it might encourage other forms of travel. Pokémon’s abilities could become like Link’s Rauru-blessed abilities in TOTK. Your character would be a human prepubescent instead of an elf with a six-pack, and you would use Abras instead of Ascend to Teleport through ceilings, but it could be fun! Is this a wacky idea? Maybe! But I am as delusional as a Pombon and I like to think big.
HMs have been key to surpassing story obstacles and furthering the narrative in past games. In Winds and Waves, a similar arsenal of moves would not just further the narrative but expand the possibilities of exploration. Trick Room instead of Recall could slow down fast-moving objects in the overworld. Psychic instead of Ultrahand could create bridges and dismantle physical barriers. I’m realising that I’ve only listed Psychic-type moves so far, so to avoid a world full of resentful and bleary-eyed Psychic-type ability servants, let’s argue that Magnet Rise or Strength would replace Ultrahand.
Of course, Scarlet and Violet encourage climbing, swimming, and gliding with Koraidon and Miraidon, but a single Pokémon can only do so much before it unionises and demands paid vacation. A proper Pokémon trainer must learn to be a cool boss who knows how to delegate. You get an ability … You get an ability … You get an ability!
Similar to the Specialties in Pokopia, any move could become a tool of exploration in Winds and Waves. These wouldn’t necessarily have to mirror TOTK abilities. Camouflage could hide you from overleveled wild Pokémon. Flamethower could melt down ice barricades. Blizzard could stave off global warming. Solar Beam could replace fossil fuels in all the world’s major cities. I have gone on a tangent.
We haven’t even talked about the sky yet. All of the signs indicate that the environment of Winds and Waves will be less barren than the Coen Brothers-directed open world of Scarlet and Violet. We can also surmise that there will be several large islands in this tropical paradise. But has anyone confirmed that these islands are only on the ground? The Gen 10 games are called Winds and Waves, after all, and to earn that Winds part, these games must take to the skies.
One well-timed Fly could rocket players into the sky, where Gyarados-shaped clouds harbour cottony platforming and colonies of Talonflame. A Bounce could zip you to the next cloud island where an Alpha or the game’s Legendary awaits. The other Legendary, perhaps, lies deep within the Mariana Trench, waiting to be released from a watery cave. There might even be three Legendaries: one in the sea, one in the substrata, one in the sky.
Winds and Waves could take even more inspiration from TOTK if it wanted. What if, like with Koroks, you had to solve actual puzzles to find Gimmighoul instead of walking in circles until you trampled upon their stupid, tiny heads? The majority of Pokémon players are older than ever; we can handle puzzles.
What if you could assemble Pokémon, Power Rangers-style, to create WMDs? Instead of using Ultrahand to build a Boeing prototype out of rotting wood and a fan, you could attach your Pikachus to a Charizard and glide around zapping Drifloon out of the air. Also, the Pokémon series could use more drag queens. Import Great Fairies but make them all Gardevoirs with heavy contouring.
Again, if you already know this is all wrong, then congrats on your omniscience! I only expect a holy trinity of three distinct environments because the formula of TOTK is baked into my brain. Plus, like many other longtime Pokémon fans, I have high hopes for Winds and Waves. We’ve already seen what is possible in open-world engines. We want this series to embrace what is possible and take the franchise to new heights — perhaps literally.
Also, there has to be a reason for that cloud, right?
