The Pokémon Presents showcase that aired Aug. 18 — the longest live-stream presentation ever shown by The Pokémon Company at a whooping 28 minutes — wasted no time updating fans on progress with the franchise’s upcoming mainline games, “Brilliant Diamond” and “Shining Pearl,” as well as “Pokémon Legends Arceus,” the hotly anticipated “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”-like reimagining of a Pokémon game.

The “Brilliant Diamond” and “Shining Pearl” updates mostly showed off new graphics, with the game sporting a combination of chibi-styled characters for the overworld map and more fleshed out models akin to the “Sword” and “Shield” designs for battles. The showcase also revealed that beloved features such as the Pokémon Underground and Pokémon Contests would be returning. Pokémon Underground is a mining area players can access at any moment outside in the overworld map where players can mine for items, find particular Pokémon and build their own underground base. Pokémon Contests eschew normal battles in favor of dress-up and talent-based competitions. These modes have additional perks as well, like a new method to capturing Pokémon by placing certain statues in your underground bases.

The true star of the show, however, was “Pokémon Legends Arceus,” an open-world game featuring mechanics that fans tired of the typical formula have been begging for. The update showed new gameplay, which included a combination of “Pokémon Go” mechanics with mainline battle mechanics. Players are tasked with completing the very first-ever Pokedex of the Sinnoh region, known as the Hisui region in ancient times, after choosing a starter Pokémon between Cyndaquil, Oshawott and Rowlet. By sneaking up on Pokémon in tall grass and dodging enemy Pokémon attacks (while countering with your own Pokemon’s attacks), players can catch entirely new Pokémon unique to the region.

Yes, in an unexpected twist, the stream revealed that “Arceus” would actually be introducing new Pokémon to the Pokedex, something that’s never been done outside a mainline game before. Pokémon like Hisuian Growlithe and Hisuian Braviary, alternate forms of existing Pokémon, appear alongside new evolutions like Wyrdeer, an evolution of Stantler, and Basculegion, an evolution of Basculin.

The showcase also showed off the new battle mechanics, a hybrid of real-time combat and the traditional turn-based Pokémon combat featuring Pokémon weaknesses and four moves per Pokémon. The new additions feature a new speed system, which features a “Final Fantasy 10”-like queue UI on the side of the screen that shows when Pokémon will act comparative to the Pokémon they’re battling. In this system, players can influence their placement in the queue by selecting “agile style” or “strong style” versions of moves. Agile sacrifices power for moving higher up in the queue.

Finally, the showcase also featured aspects of the game heavily inspired by “Breath of the Wild,” including watercolor graphics, a crafting system in which players combine ingredients found in the overworld map, and multiple transportation options utilizing certain Pokémon like swimming on Basculegion or flying with Hisuian Braviary (on a glider, no less).

This Pokémon Presents also provided updates on the company’s ancillary titles, like “Pokémon Unite,” whose updates will introduce Mamoswine and Sylveon as playable characters. The mobile version of the game releases Sept. 22, with preregistered players receiving an unannounced bonus in-game.

“Pokémon Go,” the mobile AR game that keeps on chugging, is celebrating its five-year anniversary by introducing Galar region Pokémon to the game. “Pokémon Masters EX” is also giving players a 3,000 gem present on its two-year anniversary, as well as providing events including the infamous Team Rocket and its leader, Giovanni.

Finally, “Pokémon Cafe,” a puzzle-based game, has been renamed “Pokémon Cafe Remix” and is getting new Pokémon and dress-up options.

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