I’m Worried Pokémon Winds And Waves Is Already Making A Major Mistake

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Despite what people might think, I don’t enjoy being critical. I was genuinely thrilled when the trailer for Pokémon Winds and Waves was released during the Pokémon Presents, and I was incredibly excited. I even rewatched it repeatedly, noticing all the small details and wishing I could immediately start playing and exploring its world. But after thinking things over, I’ve started to see some flaws.

It’s impossible to judge how good a game will be based on just a short trailer, and it wouldn’t be fair to try. So, I won’t make any sweeping judgments about Pokémon Winds and Waves, or let my worries about it being similar to previous disappointing games influence my opinion right now. However, there’s one thing about the game’s design that I’m particularly concerned about. I’ve been hoping Game Freak would fix this for years, but it hasn’t improved in over a decade. Pokémon Winds and Waves has the potential to fix the mistakes of past games on the Nintendo Switch, but I’m worried it might stumble at the very end.

Pokémon Winds & Waves World Looks A Little Barren

I was surprised by how much better Pokémon Winds and Waves looks. It’s a huge improvement over previous games, and thankfully, it doesn’t seem to have any major technical issues. I’m really impressed with how Game Freak used the Switch 2’s extra power, and it’s great to see the series recovering after a difficult period. The game also has a more distinct visual style, leaning towards the look of New Pokémon Snap instead of the more basic design of Scarlet and Violet.

While the trailer offers glimpses of the game’s world, it doesn’t really showcase it effectively. It’s not necessarily that we don’t see enough, but the archipelago in Winds and Waves feels surprisingly empty. We do see Pokémon swimming and in the jungle, which gives us an idea of what to expect, but there’s a noticeable lack of people. Even in broader shots, the Pokémon themselves mostly just exist in the environment, rather than actively interacting with it.

The game world feels quite lifeless, even with Pokémon moving around. Towns and settlements appear empty, and Pokémon simply glide or walk back and forth – they don’t seem to do much of anything. This is a bit of a letdown, especially considering how vibrant and lively the world felt in New Pokémon Snap. However, the game isn’t out for another year, and it’s possible Game Freak is focusing on showing off other features, like the water effects and new starter Pokémon, for now.

While the game looks promising, I’m still worried Pokémon Winds and Waves might end up feeling a bit flat, based on past games in the series. I could easily see the characters just standing around instead of actually moving and interacting with the world. And no matter how good the graphics or water effects are, it won’t fix a boring, lifeless environment. I hoped moving away from the Nintendo Switch would lead to improvements, but this first trailer hasn’t eased my concerns that Game Freak might repeat past mistakes.

Pokémon Winds & Waves Has A Chance To Change The Series For Good

As I mentioned earlier, I’m a longtime Pokémon fan and generally optimistic. While I do have some worries about Pokémon Winds and Waves, even based on what little we’ve seen, I really want it to be a great game – just like any dedicated fan. I’ve been playing Pokémon since I was a kid and have invested countless hours in each new release, even when I wasn’t completely satisfied. Winds and Waves is the first game in a long time that’s given me hope that the series can evolve, and I’m eager to see that happen.

For the new Winds and Waves series to really stand out, it needs a world that feels alive and interactive, not just a backdrop for the player. Scarlet and Violet’s open world felt outdated and ultimately became quite dull. Having trainers simply stand around or Pokémon appear in tall grass isn’t a significant improvement over the way regions were designed in older games like those on the Game Boy Advance.

If Pokémon can successfully learn from games like Xenoblade Chronicles, meet basic open-world design standards, and simply feel like a reasonably good game, that’s all most players want. I’ve come to terms with the fact that The Pokémon Company isn’t aiming for groundbreaking innovation like Crimson Desert, and that’s okay. Pokémon doesn’t need to be a technical marvel; its core gameplay is strong enough. However, a lively and interactive world isn’t an extra anymore – it’s a fundamental part of open-world games, and Game Freak needs to deliver on that if they want to continue making them.

With a year still to go before Pokémon Winds and Waves comes out, Game Freak definitely has time to make these improvements. They might even be working on it now, which would mean I’m judging the game too soon! It’s also encouraging to remember that past Pokémon games on the Switch got better technically after the initial trailers. So, there’s still reason to be optimistic. If Winds and Waves features a more lively and interactive world, I believe Pokémon could enter a new, exciting phase, where it feels like anything is possible. Only time will tell, but I’m hoping for the best.

Wondering if Pokémon Winds and Waves will feature a vast, interactive open world? Share your thoughts and discuss it with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-20 20:14