Pokémon Winds & Waves Starters Have Potential to Be Great If They Break Old Habits

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The newest Pokémon games, Pokémon Winds and Waves, have been announced, marking the start of Generation 10! Along with the game reveal came the new starter Pokémon, and fan reactions have been mixed. While opinions on starters are often strong, many players believe their final evolutions will ultimately determine whether they become popular or not.

For a long time, Pokémon games have followed a pattern with their starter Pokémon. Each game features three starters – Fire, Grass, and Water-type – to introduce players to the game’s type matchup system. However, the way these starters evolve has become predictable over the years, with designs across different Pokémon generations starting to feel quite similar.

Pokémon Wind & Waves’ Starters Are A Bit Of A Mixed Bag

The initial Pokémon you encounter in Winds and Waves – the Fire, Water, and Grass-type starters – aren’t particularly unique in their designs. Like many first Pokémon in a new region, they’re based on animals. Pombon, the Fire-type, looks like a fluffy Pomeranian dog. Gecqua, the Water-type, is modeled after a gecko and has a bit of a playful, mischievous look. And Browt, the Grass-type, appears to be a small chick with a determined expression.

Initial reactions to these new Pokémon starters have been mixed, with fans quickly choosing their favorites and sharing opinions online. It’s typical for some starters to be more popular than others, but this generation seems to be generating particularly strong negative reactions towards the less favored choices. The Grass-type and Water-type starters, in particular, haven’t made a strong impression – they’re neither particularly disliked nor beloved.

We don’t yet know what the final evolved forms of these new Pokémon starters will look like, and many fans aren’t thrilled with their current designs. Some have criticized the starters’ simple appearance, particularly how it looks in the 3D graphics of Winds and Waves. With the Switch 2 expected to have significantly improved graphics, some fans are concerned that the starters’ designs might be indicative of the overall visual quality of the Gen 10 Pokémon games.

Gen 10’s Latest Signature Pokémon Are Being Criticized For Being Too Similar To Other Creatures In The Series

These starter Pokémon designs aren’t necessarily bad, but many fans are finding them a little disappointing. Browt looks quite similar to existing bird Pokémon like Starly and Rookidee. Gecqua is another gecko-based starter, feeling a bit too close to Sobble from Pokémon Sword and Shield. And with other fire-type dog Pokémon already around, like Growlithe and Houndour, Pombon doesn’t feel very unique.

While the new evolutions of the Gen 10 starters might set them apart, some fans already feel the Pokémon series is becoming unoriginal. Because Pokémon has been around for so long, designs based on dogs, geckos, and chickens aren’t particularly fresh – we’ve seen similar ideas before. Whether the final evolved forms of these starters will be truly unique remains to be seen.

Re-Hashing Some Tired Tropes Would Make This Generation’s Starters The Worst Yet

Currently, the new starter Pokémon aren’t terrible, just underwhelming. But if the Pokémon Company starts reusing old ideas, the choices in these new games, Scarlet and Violet, could become the most criticized in the series. We’ve already seen a lot of Fire/Fighting-type final evolutions with Pokémon like Blaziken, Infernape, and Emboar, so fans would be upset if Pombon’s final form ended up being another one. If that happens, there’s likely to be a strong negative reaction from the Pokémon community.

Browt could face the same issue as other starters, evolving in a way that feels too similar to Decidueye. Since Gecqua is already being compared to Sobble, copying elements of that Pokémon would lead fans to believe the new generation’s starters lack originality. To avoid criticism, the first Pokémon in Winds and Waves need either unusual type combinations or remarkably inventive designs to truly stand out.

It’s tempting to stick with what’s always worked, but making truly unique Pokémon sometimes means taking chances. For instance, giving Browt a rare Grass/Fire typing could help it stand out and avoid being constantly compared to older Pokémon. Similarly, designing Pombon as a four-legged dog, rather than making it walk on two legs like Pokémon such as Blaziken and Charizard, would make it more distinctive and memorable.

No matter what the starting Pokémon look like, it’s important that all new Pokémon in Generation 10 feel fresh and different from those in previous games. Discovering a new world and unique creatures is a key part of what makes Pokémon Winds and Waves exciting – these games should offer a brand new adventure, not just a trip down memory lane with Pokémon we’ve already seen countless times.

What are your thoughts on the new Pokémon starters in Pokémon Winds and Waves? Share your opinions in the comments below, or discuss them with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-07 19:16