ThePokemonfranchise has been able to breathe life into a lot of different regions over the past 25 years. From spin-off games to the core series, fans have been treated to unique locales and complex ecosystems based on Japan, France, and Hawaii. AsPokemonfans get ready for the release ofPokemon Brilliant DiamondandShining Pearlin November, it’s hard not to think about what region the ninth generation will use for inspiration.
While the remakes,Pokemon Legends: Arceus,andPokemon Unitehaven’t taken inspiration from any new real-world locations, there is a perfect place forPokemon’s Gen 9 to use as its foundation. California is a state full of natural wonders, diverse wildlife, and incredible ecosystems. Because the state stretches across a wide array of terrain and folks could visit the beach and go snowboarding the same day, it could also deliver one of the most impressive regions thatPokemonhas used to date.
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California’s Forests
California is home to beautiful landscapes that address several key ecosystems found in pretty much every Pokemon region. For larger forested areas, the Sequoia or Red Wood National Parks could be used. Home to some of the largest and oldest trees on the planet, these locations have beautiful terrain that could house many ofthe Mushroom Pokemonand provide homes for pretty much every grass type that the series has introduced.
On top of this, because California’s forests are so unique, they could also be used as key locations in aPokemongame. A similar style to the way that players eventually encounter Zacian andZamazentacould be used for Legendary or Mythical Pokemon in a Gen 9 game. The lush and grand forests of Red Wood and Sequoia National Parks could easily house the rarest Grass-type Pokemon and highlighting these locations this way could also encourage people in real life to learn about them.
Similarly, a Gen 9 Legendary Trio could use Joshua Tree National Park as a location for another Legendary Pokemon. While the landscape is arider it encompasses both the Mojave and Colorado Deserts and is also home to Yucca trees. These trees could fit an arboraceous motif in a California-inspiredPokemongame that includes Red Woods and Sequoias and also act as home to some ofthe smallest Pokemon.
Hollywood
Alongside these national parks are some key metropolitan areas in the United States. While Hollywood has been hinted at byPokemongames before, notably inPokemon XandY, the real Hollywood could be built on in aPokemongame that uses California as its basis. As part of the greater Los Angeles area, it borders the Pacific Ocean which could be used as a home for an array ofWater-type Pokemon from each generation. Just a bit further south of Hollywood, Huntington Beach has a long history of housing surfing competitions, making it the perfect setting to catch water Pokemon.
The hilly terrain of California would also offer it a view that differs from many of the coastlines thatPokemonfans are used to seeing. The area could provide a great home for Rock, Ground, andSteel-type Pokemonon the shores of a massive body of water.
Similar to the way Hollywood and LA are often portrayed, the Bay Area that includes Oakland and San Francisco could be home to another vibrant community closer to areas that might be based on the Red Wood area. Its agreeable climate in a vibrant city could be similar to Turffield inPokemon SwordandShieldwhile the different parks scattered across the Bay Area could complement the overall location nicely.
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Death Valley and Mt. Whitney
The different forests and cities of California would provide great inspiration for notable parts of aPokemonregion, but two places could be used to juxtapose one another. Similar to how Mount Coronet is key toa mythological event in Gen 4, Death Valley and Mount Whitney could stand out as major geographical locations with story importance. As the lowest and highest points in the United States, they could each act as a major part of aPokemongame’s landscape letting players explore these two extreme locations.
Their jarring differences could also highlight why the ecosystems in a California-inspired region are so diverse. Since the state covers so much terrain but both Death Valley and Mount Whitney are so close to each other their appearance nearly on top of one another would be an incredible sight in-game. This could help to highlight the story and lore of a location stylized after California in a way that feels impactful. A great way to think about this isevery mainPokemongame’s villainhas their own motivation.
Thinking along the lines of Hoenn’s Archie and Maxie, some major events in this region could have led to the creation of these two drastically different parts of the landscape. This doesn’t mean thatPokemon RubyandSapphire’s Legendarieshave to be copied into a futurePokemongame’s story but a similar massive event to Kyogre and Groudon’s struggle could be tapped into. It could provide a great frame for the region and give a narrative foundation that allows for the incredible sight that could be Death Valley and Mount Whitney side-by-side.
Pokemon’s Ninth Generation
While it would be great to see California used as inspiration other regions of the United States have already been used multiple times in the past. Still, there are plenty of possibilities to think about. The addition of moreregional variant Pokemonwould be great and California’s diverse ecosystems could be the perfect place to add more.
On top of this, it’s been a while sincePokemonadded a new Eeveelution to the series. WhileSylveon was recently added toPokemon Unite, it has been two generations since a new member was added to the Eevee family. Two new evolutions could easily be brought into thePokemoncanon through an environment like California’s, which only adds to the reasons it would be a great inspiration for aPokemongame.
