Pokemon Winds and Waves Detail Could Hint at One of the Games' Unannounced Features

A fan has spotted a Pokemon Winds and Waves detail that could reveal the game’s traversal mechanic. As the 10th generation in the long-running series, the upcoming games have been the subject of both excitement and questions in equal measure, so theories have been circling long before Game Freak even unveiled the titles. More official information on Pokemon Winds and Waves is sure to come eventually, but in the meantime, fans have gotten to work trying to decode what has been released.

The Pokemon Company officially revealed Winds and Waves on February 27 during its 30th anniversary Pokemon Day showcase. While the trailer mainly focused on Gen 10’s starters and its vast, tropical environment, it was full of little details that fans immediately began to pick apart. Some shots seemed to hint at underwater routes and even a brief glimpse at the rumored Majin battle mechanic, and now someone thinks they’ve discovered another clue to an upcoming gameplay feature.

Pokemon Winds and Waves Starters Lend Credence to Previous Leak About New Evolutions and Gameplay Mechanics

Pokemon Winds and Waves’ reveal of its new starters is making a leak look very plausible, including details about Gen 10 battles and new Pokemon.

Pokemon Winds and Waves May Have Hoverboard-Based Traversal

As spotted by Redditor Visible_Welder5613, Winds and Waves‘ player characters both have what seems to be something like a skateboard strapped to their backpacks, which could be the game’s main traversal system. The detail stands out all the more because Pokemon Winds and Pokemon Waves feature different player outfits depending on the version, but all four designs have this board. While it could just be a callout to the games’ tropical setting, the OP points out that Game Freak often repeats gear between designs when it’s part of a gameplay mechanic, like the Mega Ring in Pokemon X and Y and Legends: Z-A. Visible_Welder5613 theorizes that this board could enable wind and water-based travel, in line with the games’ titles.

Pokemon Winds and Waves Outfit Version Screenshot 3

Earlier leaks could support this theory. Centro Leaks, one of the foremost leakers in the Pokemon space, previously shared an image of Pokemon Gen 10’s ride mechanic, which looked like a hovering scooter. While there are no handlebars on the boards sported by the official Winds and Waves player characters, things could have changed throughout development, or handlebars could appear when the device is in use. The official board design is also suspiciously similar to the leaked scooter, with both having the same Poke Ball-esque logo at their rounded ends.

The OP also mentions how movement and exploration have become increasingly central to Pokemon games in recent entries. Legends: Arceus used different Pokemon as mounts to tie traversal to the players’ relationships with the natural world around them, and Scarlet and Violet let players ride on the box legendaries, making these Pokemon integral to the game throughout the whole narrative. While using a hoverboard to surf on the wind and waves may break the trend of Pokemon mounts, it does tie the travel mechanic to the titles and emphasizes the importance of both the air and the sea in this environment. Other users in the comments also pointed out how the player characters appear to sport wetsuits under their clothes, which further hints at aquatic travel being important.

For now, these theories are just speculation based on small details, so fans shouldn’t take them as gospel. Still, there seems to be a good deal of evidence behind them, especially given previous leaks. The Pokemon Company will likely clear things up at some point before Gen 10’s launch, but it could still be a while fans hear anything new. The games’ reveal trailer announced that Pokemon Winds and Waves won’t come out until 2027, marking the longest gap between Pokemon generations to date, so don’t be surprised if the wait for another trailer is a long one.