There is one feature that I hope receives a much-needed improvement in Pokémon Legends: Z-A after its implementation in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Although the Pokémon franchise does typically improve on past features with each new entry, this isn't aways the case. In the case of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet specifically, the last core games arguably represented a setback for this popular modern Pokémon feature, something that disappointed many people.

The Pokémon games constantly experiment with new functions, although the reactions to said features may not always be particularly enthusiastic. It is worth noting that features that Generation 10 could remove which would arguably improve the next core titles through their absence. Crucially, however, Legends: Z-A will also be able to directly improve on its predecessors by correcting their own mistakes.

Legends: Z-A Could Provide Improved Trainer Customization

Customization Should Be Much More Expansive In The Next Pokémon Game

Trainer customization has proved to be a valuable addition to Pokémon games, allowing protagonists to far better reflect an individual person. Of course, a player character does not need to resemble the person behind it, but in any case myself and many others have greatly appreciated the ability to create a unique look while playing these games. This includes both altering a protagonist's physical appearance from the baseline avatars and having them wear a wide variety of clothing, which in turn gives rise to countless possibilities.

Legends: Z-A could offer the largest range of customization options yet, especially if speculation over it being a game created for the Switch 2 proves accurate given the console's improved specifications. Naturally, this is an exciting prospect; it is easy to see the game offering more choice in of clothing and accessories than prior titles, and perhaps even entirely new customization options as well. One clear example of the latter would be alternative Key Stone accessories in addition to the standard Mega Rings that can already be seen in promotional material.

In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, special Mega Bracelets are used by the protagonists when taking part in Pokémon Contest Spectaculars (specifically, Brendan's Mega Cuff and May's Mega Charm), but these are not wearable during regular gameplay.

It should be noted that there has not been any official reveal of trainer customization in promotional material for Pokémon Legends: Z-A so far, and as such its inclusion in the game is technically only speculative. However, given how popular the feature has proven to be, and the fact that it has become ubiquitous to the franchise ever since its introduction, it would be strange for the next title to remove customization entirely. Furthermore, previous Pokémon titles have already clearly demonstrated that more extensive customization is a better path for the franchise to take.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Customization Was Disappointing

The School Uniform Gimmick Drastically Limited Every Player's Individual Style

In direct contrast to the wide range of clothing offered in most Pokémon games with customization features, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's outfits are notably lacking in variety. This is primarily due to the fact that the player character must always wear some variant of school uniform, with the exception of them instead wearing the festival outfit introduced in The Teal Mask. While this decision does fit the games' concept of the protagonist attending Paldea's Academy as a pupil, it also harshly limits the possibilities for self-expression in Scarlet and Violet.

Because the player character must always wear a uniform, this means that what clothing options do exist serve more to accent a singular style than contribute to something more unique. Of course, it is still possible to have countless unique trainers created through the available options, even if they are less extensive. But in the end, without the ability to wear clothing like shirts, pants, and dresses, this was ultimately a clear step backward from Pokémon Sword and Shield and Legends: Arceus, and I was far from alone in being disappointed by this.

Trainer Customization Is Particularly Significant For Kalos

The Feature's Origins Are Rooted In The Region Containing Lumiose City

The possibility of Pokémon Legends: Z-A restoring this feature to its fullest extent would be especially poetic due to its setting. Kalos is itself inextricably linked to character customization in Pokémon because Pokémon X and Y were the first games to offer clothing and other customization options. This itself reflects the importance of fashion in real-life French culture. Therefore, it would be extremely fitting for Pokémon Legends: Z-A to include an incredible variety of clothing and other style options, following in the footsteps of both X and Y and all three games' shared inspiring culture.

Character customization has given the Pokémon games a far stronger sense of individuality, which meshes perfectly with how strongly the franchise values people connecting with each other. The stripped-back implementation of the feature in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet quickly proved to be an unpopular decision, despite the clear internal logic it followed. However, Pokémon Legends: Z-A could easily reverse this change when it releases later this year, and perhaps even build trainer customization up into a bigger feature than ever before.