It has been revealed that Pokémon Legends: Arceus will feature Hisuian Voltorb, which is an Electric/Grass-type version of the classic Pokémon that debuted back in the Kanto region. Speculation regarding Hisuian Voltorb started yesterday when the official Pokémon Legends: Arceus website added exploding Poké Balls, which many saw as a hint that the Pokémon famous for using Explosion and Self-Destruct was coming to the game.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus will feature primitive Poké Balls that are powered by steam, in a departure from the series' iconic red and blue plastic design. This change has raised questions about the classic Voltorb line, as they look just like the classic Poké Ball design. If Poké Balls once had a different design and weren't powered by electricity, then did the Voltorb just suddenly appear one day? It's generally considered more likely that Game Freak wasn't thinking that far ahead when Pokémon Red and Blue were in development, and any anachronisms can easily be ignored, due to the series having an unclear timeline.
It seems that Game Freak had a plan for the Voltorb contradiction the whole time. A new video on The Official Pokémon YouTube Channel has confirmed that Pokémon Legends: Arceus will feature Hisuian Voltorb. There is no word regarding Hisuian Electrode, but it will likely be in the game, based on leaks regarding upcoming Hisuian forms. The Hisuian Voltorb has more angular eyebrows, a hole in the top of its head, and a wooden finish on the lower half of its body.
Watch the trailer on YouTube here.
The most surprising thing about Hisuian Voltorb is its typing. Fans had speculated that Hisuian Voltorb would be Fire/Water-type, to match the steam-powered Poké Balls in the Hisui region. It turns out that Hisuian Voltorb is actually Electric/Grass-type. This will be the second time this type has been featured in the series, with the other one being the Mow form of Rotom. According to the official Pokémon Legends: Arceus website, Hisuian Voltorb's body is filled with seeds, and it fires electricity from the hole in its head. Hisuian Voltorb is known to be excitable and are often kicked out of human settlements, due to their tendency to shock people. The trailer also depicts it using either Explosion or Self-Destruct, keeping with the theme of the original Voltorb.
The Voltorb line has often been ignored when it comes to regional forms, Mega Evolutions, Z-Moves, and Gigantamax forms. It's great to see Game Freak acknowledge the questions raised by the different Poké Ball types and Voltorb's existence. A Pokémon's environment seems to dictate its appearance, so it makes sense that Voltorb changed over time, as Poké Balls became more advanced.
Pokémon Legends Arceus releases for the Nintendo Switch on January 28th, 2022.
Source: The Official Pokémon YouTube Channel/YouTube, Pokémon Legends: Arceus