Summary
As Game Freak learns fromPokemon ScarletandVioletahead of its next generation, one lesson it should focus on has an answer from the unlikely source ofThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Even with the likes ofPokemon Legends: Arceustesting out an open-world approach forPokemon, it’s clear afterScarletandViolet’slaunch that Game Freak needs to revisit the drawing board as it moves toward Gen 10. Yet afterPokemonwas upstaged on the Switch byTears of the Kingdom, Game Freak could capitalize on this comparison and take notes from one flagship series to another.
Though it would be fair to acknowledge thatTears of the Kingdomshares some ofPokemon’sissues, there is still much more theZeldasequel got right thatScarletandVioletdidn’t. Among these was how both games approached designing their puzzles, consideringScarletandViolet’snew Gym Challenges versusTears of the Kingdom’sfamiliar shrines. Since the former seemed to struggle betweenPokemon’s new open-world design and older mechanics,Tears of the Kingdomcould provide the inspiration Game Freak needs to ensure gyms succeed in Gen 10 and beyond.
RELATED:Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is Quickly Becoming the New Pokemon
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Gym Tests Faced Challenges Themselves
Pokemon gyms prior toScarletandVioletalways consisted of two parts, one with traditional trainer battles culminating in a gym leader showdown and the other being a puzzle element. The difficulty of the gyms' puzzle side varied both in-game and between generations, such asPokemon’s design scaling with Nintendo’s console advancements leading from the likes of Gen 1’s Saffron City gym warps to Gen 8’s Turffield Wooloo herding. But due to the challengesPokemonfaced with optimization on the Switch, many ofScarletandViolet’s own gyms sufferedas a result, such as Artazon’s Sunflora Hide and Seek or Cortondo’s Olive Role.
Not only didScarletandVioletstruggle with its console performance, but its Gym Tests seemed to have inconsistent difficulties and design behind them. For instance, while Glaseado’s Snow Slope Run took advantage ofScarletandViolet’straversal mechanics and Medali’s secret menu tapped into player ingenuity with a comical twist, other gyms like Montenevera or Alfornada were just standard double battles or simple quick-time events. Despite its tradition-breaking design,ScarletandViolet’s gym puzzlesmissed opportunities on the Switch to potentially go further than any other game in the series.
What Pokemon Can Learn From Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
WhileBreath of the Wildhad already laid out the groundwork with its own shrines,Tears of the Kingdomarguably took things a step further with how Link’s various Ultrahand abilities interacted with one another.Tears of the Kingdom’s relaxed approachto itsshrine puzzles allowed players to find their own solutions using just their wits and the resources available, regardless of how straightforward or complex the shrine actually is. These puzzles balanceTears of the Kingdom’smechanics and abilities with player freedom instead of limiting them to just one intended solution and a scripted outcome.
This is wherePokemoncould learn fromTears of the Kingdom,where puzzle design is informed by player ingenuity and game mechanics.Pokemoncould rethink its approach to gyms, designing puzzles before anything else, such as the gym leader’s characterization or their type specialty. WithPokemon Scarlet and Violetas an example, Cascarrafa’s gym could have followed Glaseado by using the traversal mechanics in a swimming test, while Artazon’s test could have blended its artistic themes with player customization. Ultimately, for Gen 10 and beyond,Pokemonshould look to others likeZeldaas its design catches up with the competition.
