The mainline Pokemon games are turn-based meaning you navigate a menu to throw pokeballs and use moves, but Legends Arceus is shifting gears. As evident by a new clip, you'll be able to catch Pokemon in real-time.
In the footage, we see the trainer equip a Pokeball. The item's icon in the bottom right has a swap symbol, indicating we'll be able to use far more than we see here. Afterwards, they aim with a crosshair, zooming in slightly, and then lob it at a Bidoof. They enter an animation where the ball clicks a few times before they're caught. You know the one.
There's a little tag in yellow that lets you know if the Pokemon is new to your 'Dex, while your party gains XP as seen on the left-hand side. It's a significant change from what we're used to, but all the core elements that make up catching Pokemon remain the same. If anything, it's a natural evolution of Let's Go's systems.
Legends Arceus is another game set in the Sinnoh region, that spot we just revisited in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. While those two were developed by another studio, Arceus is being handled by Game Freak itself. Still, it's a spin-off, so it's not the beginning of Gen 9. We'll have to wait for whatever comes next for that. Rather, it's a prequel which is fitting given how different it is from the typical formula we've seen since the '90s.
You can explore the world of Sinnoh and catch 'mons to heart's content on January 28, 2022.