5 things Game Freak can explore in next Pokemon mainline title

The Pokemon franchise has been one of the most formulaic franchises to ever reach mainstream attention. However, the developers like to occasionally throw in some interesting features, mechanics, and spin-offs from time to time, giving every type of gamer something to love about the world's highest-grossing media series. As many will know, some of these features become well-loved and requested for a return, while others simply fall flat.

These waves of new and quickly dropped features have left many players yearning for the return of the same, looking to see what Game Freak could do if they just expanded on them just a little more. There have also been some instances in the spin-off titles that would make for great features in the main series.

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5 Interesting Features Game Freak could add in future Pokemon titles

5) Mega Evolution

Mega Charizard X as seen in Origins (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Getting the obvious candidate out of the way early, Mega Evolution is something many fans have been begging to see make a comeback, with many still holding faith that it will reappear in the Scarlet and Violet Expansion. This seemingly small feature gave certain creatures a special temporary evolution during battles.

Towards the end of the sixth generation, hints dropped by Game Freak suggested that they simply ran out of ideas for Mega Evolutions, resulting in the feature never making a comeback. If Game Freak ever feels creative enough to include more Megas to the roster, it may one day reappear in the main series.

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4) Primal Reversion

Primal Kyogre as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Though many fans of the franchise are sure to remember Primal Groudon and Kyogre from Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, many may forget that this was not the first instance of Primal Reversion in the franchise. The sequel to the Mystery Dungeon titles featured Dialga, turning primal as the game's final boss of the main story.

With Primal Dialga not reappearing in the Gen 4 remakes nor Legends: Arceus, many players have given up hope that the process of Primal Reversion will be nothing more than a memory. Many feel that this alternative to Mega Evolution for Legendaries would be a welcomed return in future titles.

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3) Real-Time Capturing

A screenshot from Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Image via Game Freak)

Introduced in the recent Legends: Arceus spin-off title, players could catch creatures right from the overworld without the need for a transitional encounter effect. This small change in battle design saves tons of time, leading to many players loving the introduction of this feature.

However, with the recent release of Scarlet and Violet, real-time capturing was absent, leaving many to crave its return. Seeing how beloved this detail in the battle system truly is, Game Freak may be tempted to bring it back for the tenth generation.

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2) Return of Battle Facilities

The Hoenn Battle Frontier as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Battle Frontiers like the ones seen in the Sinnoh, Hoenn, and Johto regions give players tons of hours of replayable content with many offering different types of special battles and gimmicks to throw into the standard form of gameplay. However, these beloved facilities have yet to make a true return since HeartGold and SoulSilver for the Nintendo DS.

With less-than-impressive variants like the Battle Maison and Galar's Battle Tower, many players have given up on these sorts of entertaining post-games being present in future mainline titles. However, with the theme of the second half of Scarlet and Violet's Expansion, a Battle Frontier could very well be making a comeback.

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1) Shadow Pokemon

The shadow variant of the namesake creature is something more commonly associated with the mobile spin-off these days. However, these types of monsters debuted on the Nintendo GameCube back in 2003. With their return in a more modern title like GO, many feel that the full-blown return of real Shadow Pokemon could be right around the corner.

With the main focus of Game Freak being the Nintendo Switch as of writing, a potential remake of Colosseum or XD: Gale of Darkness would be a real hit with fans looking for some challenging games. Only time will tell if Game Freak ever does anything with these beloved spin-off titles and the variant of creature it introduced.