Matthew Wilcox

The franchise features an incredible variety of antagonists, but one particularly strange detail regarding a group of villains has gone mostly unremarked upon for decades. Although recent titles have tended towards having more individual true villains, a trend that has produced some of ’s most terrifying characters, the traditional «Team» still has a role to play in any given region. However, while all Teams have their own unique aesthetic, one also has a much more subtle, and ironic, quirk visible on close examination.

The Flower Dance is one of the many festivals that can be enjoyed in , and one of the earliest in the calendar. Moreover, those who attend it soon find that it offers some unique opportunities to progress in various areas of the game. With that being said, taking full advantage of the Flower Dance does require some preparation beforehand.

The very first NPC encountered in , White Mask Varré goes on to offer one of the game’s more unusual questlines. Pursuing it not only leads the Tarnished on a blood-soaked path but also grants unusually early access to one of ’s hardest bosses. However, a major aspect of this questline involves a degree of online interaction, which can appear to present a barrier to those who would prefer to remain offline.

Larval Tears are valuable items to have in , and using them wisely can make any playthrough much easier. They can also have a notable impact on New Game Plus playthroughs in particular. However, given that Larval Tears are also quite rare items that are easily missed in , knowing how and when it is best to use them is also very important.

A hidden secret in reveals a piece of lore that connects the game to a much older and less remembered game. is full of Easter eggs that both expand the lore of and connect the game to other aspects of the franchise, some more easily recognized than others. With such an expansive universe to draw on, it can even be surprisingly easy at times to mistake previously established lore for brand-new information.

"" is a side quest in which can be surprisingly tricky to complete. It focuses on Selmie, the titular Duchess of Downhill, who has gone missing amid the regional phenomena affecting Hyrule after the Upheaval. Although ostensibly a relatively short task to complete, the conditions in which Link must operate can make finding Selmie much harder than it may first seem.

It has been the end of an era for the 3DS and Wii U, but the functionality of the Nintendoconsoles’ games may now be better protected than many initially thought. Considering the widespread repercussions, it is easy to see the recent shutdown of online services tied to the consoles as Nintendo destroying the childhood of many people. However, action has been taken to combat the dire effect that this will have on many beloved games, and save them from their fates.

Although the incarnation of Link seen in is certainly one of the most influential in the franchise, an early version of ’s timeline actually magnified his importance even further. As a result of reincarnation, there have been many Links seen throughout , allowing for the series to continually reset the status quo whilst keeping all previous games canon.

Strawberries can be a valuable crop to grow in , but the way they function does raise questions about when it is best to plant their seeds. While ’s 1.6 update does add new crops to the game, pre-existing ones still have an important place on any farm, particularly if the player chooses the Tiller profession. With that in mind, as always in the farming simulator, careful planning is key for those who want to maximize their profits.

One location, the Carian Study Hall, has two versions of itself available to explore, making it stand out amongst the game’s numerous other Dungeons. However, completing one of these maps clearly offers far greater rewards than the other. As a result, despite the striking comparisons between the two dungeon variants, their differences are arguably far more important to consider.

There was actually a race of sentient bird-like people in long before the Rito existed. franchise in its entirety is sprawling, with a multitude of spin-off titles and associated media alongside the main game series. One largely ignored, but interesting aspect of the franchise is an avian race that has had a remarkable effect on the franchise despite its obscurity, and could have an even greater impact in the future.

Blaidd is one of many characters to play an important role in , especially if one chooses to serve Ranni and follow her questline. However, after Ranni’s questline is complete, Blaidd seems to disappear. In reality, however, the half-wolf man can still be found in the Lands Between. Seeking him out at this point then leads to a final encounter with Ranni’s loyal guardian and the ultimate conclusion of his story.

Some moves in actually come with additional effects that are not widely noted in the games, knowledge of which can have an impressive impact on a person’s battling skills and strategy. Battling in games can be remarkably complex at times, with an incredible variety of factors to consider. Despite this, however, it is not always easy to discern all the relevant details, to the point that some features can actually be obscured by the design of the games.

The choice between Fruit Bats and Mushrooms is a compelling one for , with both options offering clear benefits. However, the Farm Cave can only support one of the two, and the upgrade is irreversible, much like ’s choice between the Rancher and Tiller professions. This will have a lasting impact on a farm and the produce people can easily obtain with it, and as such, the decision is worth some careful consideration beforehand.

Some cryptic new information has surfaced regarding ’s level cap. The Galactic War presents endless challenges for everybody, no matter their level of experience, and the state of the galaxy is constantly evolving as well. One of the aspects of the game that has remained consistent so far is its maximum level, but there are indications that this will soon change.

There are some significant implications for the being carried by the announcement of. While a new mobile game was announced alongside the new title for Pokémon Day 2024, no correlation was drawn between the two aspects of the wider franchise. Nevertheless, considering past development patterns, will have a huge impact on the TCG, with one potential change in particular being especially notable.

Information regarding has revealed only the slightest hints of what the game has in store, but it seems that people may be able to have an incredible effect on Lumiose City. The long-awaited next game was a surprising announcement for this year’s Pokémon Day, but nevertheless, one which has quickly captured the imagination of many. Many rumors and theories are circulating over, but the trailer may have foreshadowed more than it appears to at first glance.

Although has received an updated version for the Nintendo 3DS, another form of remake would also be a major hit for the franchise. made popular changes to the iconic title, including improved graphics and various alterations to gameplay features. However, applying some much more radical changes could become the basis of the best remake of all.

While attention turns to ’s upcoming DLC, a detail hiding in plain sight in the base game may have already revealed an important part of ’s lore. is full of hidden lore, but it can sometimes be difficult to recognize the full significance of the information scattered across The Lands Between. This can, and apparently has, led to some notable facts effectively blending in with more generic flavor text.

Between them, ’s two most recent titles, and, have established and maintained a variety of popular gameplay features. However, it may be time to set aside one such staple of the games unless major changes are put into effect to keep the gameplay fresh. The franchise constantly provides new experiences, but this also means that many individual mechanics seldom appear for more than one or two games.

Although has drawn attention for its apparent similarities to, one of the most striking similarities to date is more of an accident than anything else. is still in early access, but the amount of content already included clearly represents the makings of a solid game in its own right. Already a success on PC and Xbox, there have even been rumors that could come to other consoles as well, although there have been no such official announcements yet.

The climax of sees Ganondorf sacrifice his mind in a final attempt to reign supreme, but this isn’t the first time magic has left him without his mind. Throughout his many appearances in as both Ganondorf and Ganon, the King of Evil has found himself in a wide variety of circumstances, but he has always striven to attain power. However, not every scheme to empower him comes without its downsides, as exemplifies.

One of the most frustrating and lethal Pals to deal with in can actually be handled very easily with the right approach. With 137 Pals currently in the game, there is a great deal of variety in how they behave, move, and attack, from being relatively peaceful to very aggressive. That's not even mentioning the powerful Alpha Pals and Tower Bosses in . That said, also enables the use of many strategies to take on even the most dangerous of Pals and survive.

A character in could actually be poised to subvert one of the franchise’s longest traditions. titles feature many recurring elements, from game mechanics to characters and even plot points. However, this isn't to say that the series cannot change even these points of commonality on occasion, and could be setting up one such change.

Pokémon Day, the franchise’s annual celebration, will soon be capturing the minds of people around the world once more. As ’smost exciting annual eventPokémon Day 2024 is expected to bring a slew of new announcements and commemorative surprises, and, as such, is the focus of much speculation. In addition, some aspects of 2024’s lineup have already been confirmed, further increasing the excitement for this highly anticipated event.

The next Generation of games should revive what is arguably the franchise’s best and most elaborate post-game feature. There are plenty of features that ’s Gen 10 could include, both building on the mechanics included in recent releases and introducing entirely new content. But there are also older concepts that the franchise deserves to revisit which could radically improve the next titles.

The next addition to has a chance to make use of a narrative direction which shied away from. The latest entry in the franchise has an impressive story told with a wide array of unique characters. However, also arguably wasted several opportunities, which its successor is now perfectly poised to incorporate into itself.

In , both Princess Zelda and Queen Sonia of ancient Hyrule are revealed to possess Time magic. However, they may not be the only characters in the game to have access to this power. Various forms of magic can be seen wielded in the game, from Riju’s ability to conjure lightning to the healing magic possessed by the foreign Zora Yona. Time magic seems to be a particularly rare variety, but at the same time, it is perhaps not as unique as it may first seem.

Link has gone through many strange transformations in , taking advantage of various types of magic to advance in his quests. However, although all of these changes have been necessary for him to succeed, not all of them have been entirely voluntary; instead, the hero of Hyrule has been cursed to take on different forms on more than one occasion. Moreover, regardless of their (sometimes ironic) utility, it cannot be denied that these transformations and their respective triggers can be very strange.

A conversation in ’s DLC reveals that one character is actually related to one of the series’ major villains. games can be connected in many ways, with recurring NPCs and references to the events of other titles allowing for a coherent timeline of the franchise to be created. These links can be both clear and subtle, and on occasion even lead to some surprising revelations.

A brand new and very real paradox has been introduced to by the events of the DLC. The DLC has introduced several new Paradox Pokémon to the franchise, but a more conceptual contradiction is also clear to see. As a result, feature some undeniable impossibilities in their plot. ’s use of time travel and the resulting Paradox Pokémon makes it clear that the games are far from unfamiliar with the concept of Paradoxes.

Building upon ’s structure with one big change would herald a new era for the franchise. Every new Generation has built upon its predecessors with both mechanical improvements and brand-new features, and Gen 9’s are no different. However, even disregarding the newest games’ infamous glitches, they arguably fall short of their full potential in some respects.

While the lore revealed in does seem to clash with the established timeline, there is an intriguing possibility that the Zonai may not have founded the original Hyrule as the game suggests. Instead, there is a suggestion that the Hyrule ruled over by Rauru and Sonia may actually be a successor to another, even older kingdom. If true, this has the potential to explain some of ’s more puzzling details and has enormous implications for the entire series.

One of the characters introduced in ’s DLC could be an actual criminal going by what is seen of their actions. Despite the range of criminal organizations seen throughout the franchise, more recent titles have moved away from having evil Teams and more towards featuring misunderstood rebels and outcasts (although primary antagonists can still have more threatening intentions). However, it is worth keeping in mind that not every crime gets noticed, as the recent DLC shows.

A newly-discovered method of hunting Shinies in makes the famously rare encounters much easier to find. Although they have no advantage over other Pokémon in actual gameplay, the fact that Shiny Pokémon have a visibly different color palette makes them instant status symbols for many in the community. Having even a single Shiny can be an indicator of both good luck and dedication, and allows both the Pokémon and its trainer to immediately stand out from the rest. As such, any new and effective method for finding these elusive Pokémon is sure to prove popular.

The next games should finally reveal the fate of one popular character. The Generation 10 games offer a perfect opportunity to tie up loose ends from previous games, bringing a conclusion to stories that have so far gone unfinished. One particular character’s personal story has tragically had no resolution so far, which has given one entry in the franchise a slight sense of lingering disappointment.