The Pokémon community has been riding a tidal wave of hype ever since Pokémon Legends Z-A was first revealed, and it's not slowing down anytime soon. Set in the futuristic, transformed cityscape of Lumiose, this ambitious return to Kalos has fans dissecting every pixel of the trailer.
But amid all the excitement of the urban jungle vibes, the neon lights, the Fight Club storyline vibe, and the whispers of Zygarde’s role, one thing stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons: the starters.
When the camera panned down to reveal the three Pokémon players would choose from, fans collectively blinked. Chikorita? Totodile? Tepig? Wait, what?
The reaction was immediate and chaotic. Instead of the usual well-balanced trio from a single region, Pokémon Legends Z-A delivers a trio pulled from two completely different generations: Gen 2’s Chikorita and Totodile, and Gen 5’s Tepig.
The group looks like they met by accident at a bus stop, not by a regional professor's selection. Memes flooded social media within hours. One post saw Cyndaquil (Gen 2 fire starter), crying as his fellow Gen 2 friends are heading towards Kalos with another fire-type Pokemon, while another hilarious post showed Tepig saying "they still haven't noticed I'm not from Johto, but they might be catching on.".
These posts go to show that the community either finds this new trio a funny trifecta or a weird abomination of starters.
Before the reveal, fans were almost certain that the Kalos trio —Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie —would return. After all, we’re back in the beautiful city of Kalos! The math seemed simple. Some even theorized that each Kalos starter might get a long-overdue Mega Evolution to tie into Zygarde's forms.
Others hoped for a brand-new selection altogether or maybe starters from less-celebrated generations, like Unova or Alola, to bring fresh energy. No one expected this oddly nostalgic yet mismatched combo from across regions. It felt like Game Freak was pulling names from a Pokéhat.
And yet, in typical Game Freak fashion, there’s a good chance this trio will make perfect sense in context. Just like in Legends: Arceus, where the seemingly random mix of Cyndaquil, Oshawott, and Rowlet received lore-driven regional forms, Z-A might be cooking something special under the surface.
Maybe this trio ties into the urban ecosystem of new Lumiose, or perhaps Zygarde’s theme of balance and unity plays a key role. It’s also highly likely that while these three are your starting choices, other familiar faces, including the Kalos starters, will still be available elsewhere in the game, much like the hidden Hisuian forms in Arceus.
Ultimately, even with the head-scratching starter lineup, excitement for Pokémon Legends Z-A hasn’t wavered. Fans are already theorizing about potential regional evolutions, new types, or even the long-awaited return of Mega Evolutions.
While the trio of Tepig, Chikorita, and Totodile might not scream "iconic" now, they might end up being legends in their own right. Pokémon Legends Z-A is slated for a 2025 release on the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2.
Until then, trainers will be watching every frame of the trailer, ready for whatever curveball comes next—from bizarre starters to mind-blowing Mega transformations.