No Charizard in Pokemon Legends: Arceus – But Will It Return?

I‘m sad to confirm that despite being one of the most beloved and iconic Pokemon of all time, you cannot catch Charizard or its pre-evolved forms Charmander or Charmeleon in the new Nintendo Switch title Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

Why Exclude Such a Popular Pokemon?

This shocking omission is due to Game Freak‘s decision not to include the Kanto region starter Pokemon – Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle – at all in the new game. As Legends: Arceus is set in the Hisui region (an early version of Sinnoh) at a time before Pokeballs existed, having trainers already partnered with the iconic starters likely didn‘t fit the historical setting.

While I can understand the logic from a story perspective, as a lifelong Pokemon gamer it is still disappointing to not be able to add the fiery flying lizard we all know and love to my team. Across nearly 30 years of Pokemon games, Charizard has consistently ranked among fans‘ most popular Pokemon according to official polls:

With this degree of enduring fan devotion towards Charizard over multiple generations, one would think Game Freak would ensure its inclusion! So does this mean we‘ve seen the last of it in future games?

Good News – The Flames Will Return!

Thankfully it seems Charizard‘s absence is only temporary, as job listings for upcoming games Pokemon Scarlet/Violet specifically mention utilizing old assets. With how prominent Charizard has been across the anime and past titles, that surely includes our fiery mascot! Analysing patterns around which Pokemon have been excluded in previous Switch games also leads me to believe a triumphant return is imminent:

• 63 Pokemon including Greninja and legends like Hoopa were initially excluded from Sword/Shield but eventually added via DLC.
• Hisuian regional variants were Game Freak reinventing old favorites to surprise players.
• Scarlet/Violet marketing depicts trainers with established partners, indicating a more traditional RPG style where you might again choose Charmander as a starter.

So while Charizard will sit this round out, all signs point to its iconic visage gracing our screens once more. And who knows – maybe we‘ll get a new Galarian or Paldean form! A part Fire/Dragon Charizard variant would certainly be a sight to behold…

Alternative Hisuian Fire Starters

Of course while we eagerly await Charizard‘s comeback, Pokemon Legends still delivers fun fire type starter options in its new setting. Instead of picking Charmander, you can choose the feisty Cyndaquil, who evolves into the powerful eruption-triggering Typhlosion by level 36:

While very similarly specced as an attacker compared to Charizard, Typhlosion misses out on the aerial movepool bonuses. However it‘s still a formidable Pokemon that embodies the Hisuian region‘s spirit well.

I for one can‘t wait to revisit Charizard again soon while enjoying the fresh new adventure of Arceus and its varied Pokemon roster in the meantime! We can expect great things both from nostalgic classics and Pokemon‘s exciting new horizon.

Got any predictions for what iconic species might resurface in Scarlet/Violet? Which old favorites are you hanging out to see again? Let me know in the comments below!