Pokemon Azure Horizons & Crimson Horizons

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Pokemon Azure Horizons & Crimson Horizons
Developer(s)	Game Freak
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Platform(s)	Nintendo Switch
Genre(s)	RPG
Mode(s)	Single-Player Story Campaign Multiplayer Online

Pokemon Azure Horizons & Crimson Horizons is a sequel game to Pokemon Red & Blue, set in the Kanto region with an original story taking place roughly 15 years into the future. It aims to expand the scope of the Kanto Region while retaining classic Pokemon gameplay with practical improvements and nearly all previous Pokemon designs present and available for the player to use within the game.

Gameplay

Azure & Crimson Horizons play largely similar to mainstream titles in the Pokemon series of games: The player traverses the world, capturing Pokemon to use in battles to become stronger, defeats gym leaders and other antagonists, and eventually confronts the Elite Four and the Champion to become the most powerful trainer in the Pokemon League. Rather than reinventing the wheel, Azure & Crimson Horizons aims to improve and streamline prior gameplay wherever practical.

Overworld Encounters

Wild Pokemon now entirely inhabit the overworld, meaning that random encounters have been entirely done away with.

• In the open, wild Pokemon will still originate in patches of grass, although in certain caves and in the water, wild Pokemon can appear just about anywhere.
• Wild Pokemon with a golden aura in the overworld have at least one of three special traits: Max IVs in at least one stat, at least one Egg Move, or a Hidden Ability. You can boost your chances of encountering Pokemon with an aura by catching more instances of that Pokemon species, or boost it dramatically by catching only that species of Pokemon multiple times in a row in a Catch Combo.
• Shiny Pokemon will also appear in the overworld.

Streamlined Battle Experience

Changes have been made to streamline or otherwise speed up Pokemon battles. Most of these changes are inactive by default to ensure that new players better understand the battle mechanics of the game, but they can activated in the Settings Menu by toggling the "Streamlined Battles" option.

• Most attack animations are shortened but are more dynamic to compensate.
• Battle text and animations can be sped up by holding the ZL- or ZR-Triggers.
• Burst Moves (the replacement for Z-Moves) do not display the name of the Burst Move on screen when the attack animation begins. In addition, the maximum length of a Burst Move animation is five seconds.
• When a battle is won, the money and any items that the player receives is shown in a new Spoils Popup, which displays as the opponent begins their losing animation and text. Text conveying the player's gains ("<PLAYER> earned $100 for winning the battle!") is not displayed.
• Pokemon will now begin their attack animations as soon as the text announcement of said attack ("RATTATA used TACKLE!") is beginning.
• When stats are affected during a battle (i.e. a move boosts Attack or decreases the opponent's Special Defense), a short animation plays and a brief text popup of the stat change ("ATTACK", "SPECIAL DEFENSE") appears along with arrows indicating how that stat was affected (boosting Attack by one stage will have one arrow pointing up, while decreasing Special Defense by two stages will have two arrows pointing down). Complete text describing the change in stats ("RATTATA'S ATTACK fell!") do not appear.
• When status effects have an effect in battle (a Pokemon cannot attack due to paralysis, received poison damage, etc.), a short animation plays and a brief text popup of that status effect ("PARALYSIS", "POISONED") appears. Complete text describing the status effect's outcome on the battle ("RATTATA is PARALYZED! It can't move!") do not appear.
• Text announcing the commencement or end of weather or terrain effects do appear, but while they are active, icons corresponding to the specific weather or terrain effects currently affecting the battle appear on the battle screen. Further text does not appear.
• If a Pokemon faints in battle, text to that affect will appear as soon as the fainting animation begins.

Pokemon

One of the aims of Azure & Crimson Horizons is to make available in the game as many existing Pokemon designs as practically possible, as well as add new Pokemon deemed practical from a gameplay point of view. Whenever possible, these new Pokemon will be derived from existing designs known to have been created by Creatures Inc., many of them utilizing elements from previously unreleased beta Pokemon.

New Pokemon Lines

The following Pokemon are derived from entirely new evolutionary lines, with no connection to previously-existing evolutionary lines.

Of note are Dex Reward Pokemon, special Pokemon given as prizes by Professor Lillie by filling up pages in the Pokedex. These Pokemon are largely based on beta designs that were conceptualized by Creatures Inc. but never actually implemented into official Pokemon games. Once a player has filled in enough Pokedex entries to be granted a Dex Reward, they may choose one of any of the available Dex Reward Pokemon as a prize.

• Trapox (Poison/Steel)
• Captox (Poison/Steel)
• Luxelope (Normal/Steel)
• Ennaigno, Corrupted Form (Psychic/Dark)
• Ennaigno, Restored Form (Flying/Psychic)
• F-01, Optimal State (Steel/Electric)
• F-01, Damaged State (Steel/Electric)
• Tierryrm (Ground/Bug)
• Rocketrice (Dragon/Fire)
• Demizel (Flying/Dark)
• Voltigre (Electric/Fighting)
• Joyoppa (Fairy/Ghost)
• Orballion (Steel/Psychic)
• Wulfurr (Ice/Normal)

New Pokemon of Existing Lines

New additions to existing Pokemon lines, or at least new monsters related to existing Pokemon lines. These additions are mostly intended to provide evolutionary links to related Pokemon lines, or to provide baseline or regional variants with equivalent evolutionary trees to other lines of that Pokemon.

• Alolan Pichu (Electric)
• Alolan Pikachu (Electric)
• Legendary Pikachu (Electric)
• Legendary Meowth (Normal)
• Alolan Shellder (Water)
• Alolan Cloyster (Water/Steel)
• Raifetch'd (Normal/Flying)
• Alolan Exeggcute (Grass/Dragon)
• Alolan Cubone (Fire/Ground)
• Galarian Koffing (Poison/Fairy)
• Kangaskhid (Normal)
• Master Mime (Psychic/Fairy)
• Galarian Mime Jr. (Psychic/Ice)
• Galarian Master Mime (Psychic/Ice)
• Moobabble (Normal)
• Legendary Eevee (Normal)
• Porygon-D (Normal)
• Thu-Fi-Zer (Electric/Fire/Ice)
• Dobifibod (Dark/Psychic)
• Carousola (Water/Rock)
• Obstagoon (Normal)
• Galarian Obstagoon (Dark/Normal)
• Glowby (Bug)
• Marti (Fighting)
• Dankeyu (Ghost/Fairy)
• Zoltoraptor (Electric)
• Vishoderm (Water)
• Zoltodrac (Dragon/Electric)
• Vishodrac (Dragon/Water)
• Dracosaurus (Dragon)
• Zoltoarct (Ice/Electric)
• Vishoarct (Ice/Water)
• Arctoplesio (Ice)

New Pokemon Forms

New forms of existing Pokemon lines. Mostly intended to help flesh out existing alternative forms of Pokemon or provide alternative means of accessing previously available Mega Evolutions or Gigantamax forms.

• Overgrown Venusaur (Grass/Poison)
• Draco Charizard (Fire/Dragon)
• Blazing Charizard (Fire)
• Citadel Blastoise (Water/Steel)
• Huge Maw Gengar (Ghost/Poison)
• Kangaskhan, Solo Form (Normal)
• Kangaskhan, Maternal Form (Normal)
• Mewtwo, Armored Form (Psychic/Steel)
• Mewtwo, Brutal Form (Psychic/Fighting)
• Mewtwo, Enhanced Form (Psychic)
• Stormy Lugia (Dark/Flying)
• Radiant Ho-oh (Fire/Fairy)
• Castform, Dusty Form (Ground)
• Ascendant Rayquaza (Dragon/Flying)
• Burmy, Shell Cloak (Bug)
• Burmy, Frost Cloak (Bug)
• Burmy, Igneous Cloak (Bug)
• Burmy, Nimbus Cloak (Bug)
• Wormadam, Shell Cloak (Bug/Water)
• Wormadam, Frost Cloak (Bug/Ice)
• Wormadam, Igneous Cloak (Bug/Fire)
• Wormadam, Nimbus Cloak (Bug/Flying)
• Arceus, Genesis Form (Normal)
• Arceus, Omega Form (Normal)
• Complete Kyurem (Dragon)
• Genesect, Primal Form (Bug/Dragon)
• Complete Zygarde (Dragon/Ground)
• Oricorio, Break Style (Ground/Flying)
• Oricorio, Glide Style (Ice/Flying)
• Lycanroc, Twilight Form (Rock)
• Sivally, Confined Form (Normal)
• Tapu Koko, Guardian Form (Electric)
• Tapu Lele, Guardian Form (Psychic)
• Tapu Bulu, Guardian Form (Grass)
• Tapu Fini, Guardian Form (Water)
• Eternatus, Destroyer Form (Poison/Dragon)

New Burst Evolutions

Burst Evolutions are the super-powered forms that can be achieved in Azure & Crimson Horizons, equivalent to Mega Evolutions and Gigantamax forms. Almost all existing Mega Evolutions have been retconned into Burst Evolution designs, as well as most Gigantamax Forms, although some Gigantamax designs have been slightly altered to account for the fact that Burst Evolutions do not increase a Pokemon's size to titanic proportions. There are also a few entirely new Burst Evolutions not derived from existing designs.

• Retconned Mega Evolutions - Mega Venusaur, Mega Charizard Y, Mega Blastoise, Mega Beedrill, Mega Pidgeot, Mega Alakazam, Mega Slowbro, Mega Steelix, Mega Gengar, Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Pinsir, Mega Gyarados, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Ampharos, Mega Scizor, Mega Heracross, Mega Houndoom, Mega Tyranitar, Mega Sceptile, Mega Blaziken, Mega Swampert, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Gallade, Mega Sableye, Mega Mawile, Mega Aggron, Mega Medicham, Mega Manetric, Mega Sharpedo, Mega Camerupt, Mega Altaria, Mega Banette, Mega Absol, Mega Glalie, Mega Salamence, Mega Metagross, Mega Latias, Mega Latios, Mega Lopunny, Mega Garchomp, Mega Lucario, Mega Abomasnow, Mega Audino, Mega Diancie
• Retconned Gigantamax Forms - Gigantamax Butterfree, Gigantamax Machamp, Gigantamax Kingler, Gigantamax Lapras, Gigantamax Snorlax, Gigantamax Garbodor, Gigantamax Melmetal, Gigantamax Corviknight, Gigantamax Orbeetle, Gigantamax Drednaw, Gigantamax Coalossal, Gigantamax Flapple/Appletun, Gigantamax Sandaconda, Gigantamax Toxtricity, Gigantamax Centiskorch, Gigantamax Hatterene, Gigantamax Grimmsnarl, Gigantamax Alcremie, Gigantamax Copperajah, Gigantamax Duraludon
• Burst Legendary Pikachu (Electric)
• Burst Raichu (Electric)
• Burst Alolan Raichu (Electric/Psychic)
• Burst Legendary Meowth (Normal)
• Burst Slowking (Water/Psychic)
• Burst Legendary Eevee (Normal)
• Burst Froslass (Ice/Water)
• Burst Chesnaught (Grass/Fighting)
• Burst Delphox (Fire/Psychic)
• Burst Greninja (Water/Dark)
• Burst Nihilego (Rock/Poison)

Kanto Region

Azure & Crimson Horizons take place in the Kanto region approximately 15 years following the events of Pokemon Red & Blue. The region has changed drastically during this time, with new locations and development altering the region's landscape.

Settlements

Villages, towns, and cities existing in the Kanto region. All of them have a Pokemon gym (some of which aren't opened until the player becomes Champion) or an equivalent.

• Pallet Town (Joey, Normal-type gym leader, Venture Badge)
• Viridian City (Blue, Ground-type gym leader, Earth Badge; 1st intended badge in the game's story)
• Pewter City (Brock, Rock-type gym leader, Pewter Badge; 2nd intended badge in the game's story)
• Mt. Moon Square (Fey, Fairy-type gym leader, Moonbeam Badge)
• Cerulean City (Misty, Water-type gym leader, Cascade Badge; 3rd intended badge in the game's story)
• Isabelline Village (Brodie, Ice-type gym leader, Avalanche Badge)
• Umber Point (Wendy, Flying-type gym leader, Acro Badge)
• Vermilion City (Charleen, Electric-type gym leader, Thunder Badge; 4th intended badge in the game's story)
• Saffron Metropolis (Sabrina, Psychic-type gym leader, Marsh Badge; 6th intended badge in the game's story)
• Celadon City (Erika, Grass-type gym leader, Rainbow Badge)
• Aureolin Heights (Wilfred, Bug-type gym leader, Carapace Badge; 5th intended badge in the game's story)
• Lavender Town (Rosemary, Ghost-type gym leader, Tranquility Badge)
• Cobalt Town (Dustin, Steel-type gym leader, Drill Badge)
• Shadow Town (Rex, Dark-type gym leader, Power Badge)
• Azure Marina (Irawaru, Dragon-type gym leader, Tempest Badge)
• Fuchsia City (Janine, Poison-type gym leader, Soul Badge; 7th intended badge in the game's story)
• Warriors' Plaza (Alfonzo, Entry Attraction Head, Insignia Case)
• New Cinnabar Town (Dr. Fierno, Fire-type gym leader, Volcano Badge; 8th intended badge in the game's story)
• Indigo Base (Ichigo, Fighting-type gym leader, Victory Badge)
• Indigo Plateau (Elite Four Members Bruno, Natalie, Silver, Aza; Champion Clair)

Routes

Pathways within Kanto leading from one town or area of interest to the next. In Azure & Crimson Horizons, routes are named, not numbered.

• Oak Hill (Pallet Town <> Oak Pokemon Lab)
• Pallet Shores (Pallet Town <> Homecoming Sea)
• Pallet Steps (Pallet Town <> Viridian City)
• Ancient Ramparts (Viridian City <> Indigo Base)
• Viridian Fields (Viridian City <> Viridian Forest)
• Pewter Steps (Viridian Forest <> Pewter City)
• Gravel Path (Pewter City <> Old Pewter Mine)
• Shooting Star Canyon (Pewter City <> Mt. Moon)
• Wildflower Valley (Mt. Moon Square <> Honey Hive <> Rapids Rush)