While exploring the Hisui region of Pokémon Legends: Arceus on foot is a fantastic way to find new areas in each map, the five newly introduced Ride Pokémon help speed up travel and unlock hidden locations. Ride Pokémon have taken the place of Hidden Machines seen in past games. Similar to the Poké Ride feature of Sun and Moon, these special Pokémon can be summoned at any time, once unlocked, to assist players in surfing, climbing, or flying across the large maps of the Hisui region, without taking up space in a player's party.
Travel took a back seat in the recent Generation Eight games Pokémon Sword and Shield. While players could get a bike to speed up travel and glide across bodies of water, Pokémon were no longer a part of unlocking hidden locations or aiding in puzzles on routes and in caves. While this removed the need for players to burden Pokémon with Hidden Moves, it also greatly reduced the ways they could spend time exploring. However, Pokémon Legends: Arceus includes a streamlined version of past abilities that balances with the large, open-world-inspired maps.
Like HMs, players will have to progress to certain narrative points in Pokémon Legends: Arceus to unlock each ride Pokémon. Each map within Hisui contains a ride Pokémon and their Warden. Once the required actions to befriend the Pokémon have been completed, they will be added to the quick-access menu that can be activated by hitting the "+" on the Nintendo Switch. Ride Pokémon can be toggled while riding or before calling them using the left and right arrows on the direction pad of the left Joy-Con controller. Legends: Arceus has removed the lengthy cutscenes of past Pokémon games when summoning Ride Pokémon, with the player instantly appearing on the desired mount after hitting the button. This seamless transition both streamlines travel and make the use of the Ride Pokémon more immersive.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Ride Pokémon Wyrdeer Speeds Up Travel
The first Ride Pokémon players will encounter while playing Pokémon Legends: Arceus is Wyrdeer. The Hisuian evolution form of Stantler will appear when the player obtains the Celestica Flute in the Obsidian Fieldlands and then agrees to assist the player after the encounter with the Frenzied Lord Kleavor. Once obtained, players can summon Wyrdeer to dash quickly across open spaces and step up rocky terrain that is difficult to scale while on foot. Wyrdeer can also help players make a speedy exit if they end up in a location with high-level wild Pokémon, helping reduce the potential of being knocked out while exploring.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Ursaluna Lets Players Dig For Treasure
The next Ride Pokémon players will encounter in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is Ursaluna. The new, Hisuian evolution of Ursaring has an adorable, grizzly bear appearance. The bipedal stance of Ursaring has been replaced with a more natural four-legged posture, with a round, yellow marking on its forehead resembling a full moon. Ursaluna is unlocked by helping its Warden Calaba in the Crimson Mirelands. The Pokémon has been enraged after being in contact with the Frenzied Lady Lilligant, and the player must defeat it in a battle to help Calaba cure it. After this, the player will be able to play the Celestica Flute to add it to the Ride Pokémon options.
Like Wyrdeer, it can be ridden on flat, open stretches, but it is much slower and it is primarily meant to be used for locating hidden items. To do so, players only need to follow the colored flashes that it will emit when close to something buried.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Basculegion Allows Players To Explore Lakes
Right from the start of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, players will want to get access to the Surf ability. With large bodies of water protecting islands and hidden areas in even the early maps, and no ability to swim, the Ride Pokémon Basculegion is an important asset for players. Basculegion is the Hisuian evolution of the fish Pokémon Basculin. It is unlocked in the third area, the Cobalt Coastlines.
Players must find Basculegion's Warden Iscan at his house along the coast and then embark on a quest to catch a Dusclops. After creating its favorite snack, players will be able to lure Basculegion to them. They can then add it to the ride list and be able to zip along coastlines and over lakes whenever they need to. If a player falls into the water, pressing "A" to summon Basculegion will save them from drowning. Unlike the other Ride Pokémon, players can still access their Pokémon and items from Basculegion's back, allowing them to catch and battle while cruising on the waves.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Sneasler Scales Cliffs And Mountains
The fourth Ride Pokémon players will gain access to in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is Sneasler. The evolution of Hisuian Sneasel has long claws on its front and back paws, and a gangly body that allows it to grip to cliffside and scale mountains. Players unlock Sneasler by battling its Warden Ingo in the Coronet Highlands.
Like the main character, Ingo has come from another time, and those who have played Black and White may recognize him as originating from Pokémon's Unova region. After defeating Ingo, players will be able to add Sneasler to the Ride Pokémon options and call on it to scale any rocky surface. This is especially important for those wanting to explore the tall mountains of previous maps.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus' Braviary Lets Players Soar Over Hisui
The last Ride Pokémon players will unlock in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is Hisuian Braviary. The Evolution of Rufflet, Hisuian Braviary will be unlocked after completing a series of puzzles in Alabaster Icelands. Like Baculegion, obtaining Hisuian Braviary is an important asset for players, as it lets them soar across maps at a speed greater than Wyrdeer while avoiding most wild Pokémon below. However, it can be difficult to use, as it isn't possible to fly upward once airborne. This makes riding Braviary most effective when players jump off an already fairly raised height.
While players won't be able to battle with their Ride Pokémon, as they don't actually belong to the player character, it is possible to catch or evolve each of the Pokémon species in the wild. Currently, it isn't known if additional ride Pokémon could be added in potential future DLC for Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but any further ways to explore the Hisui region would likely increase the excitement of traveling through each map.