Games
Legends: Arceus: surveying Hisui before Sinnoh had a name
Legends: Arceus is the 2022 Nintendo Switch game set in Hisui, the Sinnoh region of a distant past, where the player joins the Galaxy Expedition Team to build the region's first Pokédex. It is a single version with no exclusives, and it changes the core loop: Pokémon can be caught without a battle by throwing from cover, each species has research tasks, and progress is counted in survey ranks, not badges. It is sold for Switch and runs on Switch 2, the free Daybreak update of February 2022 downloads as a patch, and Pokémon HOME connects to it.
Legends: Arceus, the main story, the postgame and the Daybreak update. Drafted 8 Nov 2026.
Five areas, five nobles and a rank instead of badges
The base is Jubilife Village, home of the Galaxy Expedition Team. The map is five open areas: the Obsidian Fieldlands, Crimson Mirelands, Cobalt Coastlands, Coronet Highlands and Alabaster Icelands. Each holds a noble Pokémon, a frenzied lord guarded by one of two rival clans, the Diamond Clan and the Pearl Clan. Calming a noble is a boss fight in which the player dodges attacks and throws balms; the five are Kleavor, Lilligant, Arcanine, Electrode and Avalugg, the last four in Hisuian forms. Survey rank rises with research points and gates the level of Pokémon that obey. The story ends at the Temple of Sinnoh on Mount Coronet with the legendaries of time and space.
One version, so trading is for Linking Cords and collectors
There is one version of Legends: Arceus and no exclusives. Every species in the 242-entry Pokédex is obtainable in a single copy. Trade evolutions use an item, the Linking Cord, sold in Jubilife, so Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler and Haunter evolve without another player. Trading still exists over local wireless or online with Nintendo Switch Online, and trading a Pokémon counts toward some research tasks. Shiny Pokémon, alphas and outbreaks differ between saves, which is the main reason players trade. A perfect Pokédex is possible with one copy and no partner.
Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott evolve into Hisuian forms
Professor Laventon offers Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott. Each final form is a Hisuian form with a second type: Hisuian Decidueye is Grass and Fighting, Hisuian Typhlosion Fire and Ghost, and Hisuian Samurott Water and Dark. The first hour is a beach arrival, a meeting with Laventon, and an entrance test in the Obsidian Fieldlands that asks for a few catches. Then comes the uniform, the first missions from Captain Cyllene, the first star rank and the road to the first noble, Kleavor. Catching many of the same species early is useful: research tasks reward repeats.
The postgame ends with Arceus
After the credits, three more quest chains follow. The lake guardians Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf are caught at their lakes. A further story with Volo, the merchant, ends in a battle against him and Giratina. The last request needs every other species in the Pokédex caught, after which the player meets Arceus. Side requests from villagers, about 100 of them, continue after the story and give items and recipes. Research level 10 in every entry is a separate goal; perfect entries need every task.
Catching and research tasks replace the battle loop
Wild Pokémon are on the map. A ball can be thrown at one directly, and an unaware Pokémon hit from behind is easier to catch. Battles start by throwing a party Pokémon instead. Each species has research tasks, such as catch 10, see it use a move, or defeat it with a type; research level 10 completes the entry. Battles show the turn order. Moves can be used in Strong Style, more power and a slower next turn, or Agile Style, the reverse. Alpha Pokémon are larger, red-eyed and higher-level. Space-time distortions spawn rare species and items for a limited time. Abilities, held items and breeding are absent.
The Daybreak update is free and adds massive outbreaks
There is no paid downloadable content. Daybreak, a free update released on 27 February 2022, added massive mass outbreaks across whole areas, a post-story chain about Hisuian origins, and battle rematches with characters. Massive outbreaks are the main source of shiny Pokémon. A copy needs the update downloaded to have Daybreak. The update applies to the base game, and there is nothing extra to buy. An early cartridge runs version 1.0 until the console fetches the patch. Pokémon HOME support followed in 2022, with Legends: Arceus able to send Pokémon to HOME and receive species from its own Pokédex.
Buy it new for Switch; a Switch 2 runs it as well
Legends: Arceus is sold on cartridge and in the Nintendo eShop. It runs on Switch, Switch Lite and Switch 2. It is a good first game for a player who prefers exploring and collecting to turn-based battles, and a poor fit for one who wants competitive play, since its battle system is unique to it. A save on the console gives the Azure Flute in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. A full run to the credits is around 25 hours; a complete Pokédex is much longer.
| Order | Area | Noble | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Obsidian Fieldlands | Kleavor | Bug and Rock |
| 2 | Crimson Mirelands | Lilligant (Hisuian) | Grass and Fighting |
| 3 | Cobalt Coastlands | Arcanine (Hisuian) | Fire and Rock |
| 4 | Coronet Highlands | Electrode (Hisuian) | Electric and Grass |
| 5 | Alabaster Icelands | Avalugg (Hisuian) | Ice and Rock |
5 checks before you act
- Choose Rowlet, Cyndaquil or Oshawott, knowing each ends as a Hisuian form
- Approach from behind and throw before battling, to learn the catch loop
- Catch several of each early species to clear research tasks
- Buy a Linking Cord when a trade evolution is due
- Download the Daybreak update before the postgame
Read next
Sources read for this page
- ReadGame knowledge from memoryundated
- ReadLegends Arceus version-group metadataread 7 Nov 2026
- ReadPokémon HOME: Moveread 8 Nov 2026
- ReadNintendo Australia: Pokémon HOME can now be linked with more Pokémon games (31 May 2022)read 8 Nov 2026
- ReadNintendo Store: Pokémon Legends: Arceusread 8 Nov 2026