Nintendo fans are not a patient lot, it is known — but for anyone that can't quite wait until January 28th, when Pokémon Legends: Arceus comes out, then perhaps you can satisfy your needs with this fan-made replica that's entirely based on the trailers!

Except, well, you can't actually play it, because Avatar Nick — the creator — wisely wanted to avoid the inevitable legal trouble. But you can still appreciate the craftsmanship that went into this fan creation, from the rideable Gyarados to the ability to hang-glide, just like in the trailer. You can even catch Pokémon and make them fight!

Arceus Legends
Image: AvatarNick

"The game took about 2 and a half weeks to make," said Nick in an email. Him and his brother worked on it together, using Unity and the C# programming language to create the game, and a ton of Pokémon assets that had been ripped from the 3DS games, including their models and the animations. Even with these shortcuts, it took the pair most of August to finish, "working very aggressively in all of my and my brother's spare time," according to Nick.

But there are some elements that Nick took a wild guess at, like the battle with Arceus at Spear Pillar. It was shown off in the trailer for the (real) game that trainers would occasionally take damage themselves, if they weren't careful — a new move for the series, which has historically been all about solving your arguments with animal combat — and the Arceus battle that Avatar Nick imagined is a little bit more like a Dark Souls boss battle as a result.

When we asked what features Nick was hoping for in the full game, it was exactly that: "I really want there to be some sort of legendary boss battle!" We're not sure we're ready to get our arses kicked by an angry Snorlax, but we're down to find out.

Braviary
Image: AvatarNick

But you might be thinking — if this guy can code, 3D model, rig, and animate all of this, why doesn't he just make his own game?

"I am," says Nick with a wink. "More will be announced in time."

If you're interested in what Avatar Nick can make when he's not limited by the realm of Pokémon, keep an eye on his YouTube channel, where he's also made Breath of the Wild 2 (so Nintendo doesn't have to, apparently) as well as other well-known games like Minecraft and Ocarina of Time.

What do you think of Avatar Nick's remake? Are there elements you'd like to see in the final game? Let us know in the comments.

[source reddit.com]