How To Trade Pokemon In Pokemon Legends: Arceus

As popular as the "Pokémon" games have been, a common complaint about the series is that it uses the exact same formula over and over again, failing to innovate enough between each generation. Now, several people are already calling "Pokémon Legends: Arceus" one of the best "Pokémon" games of all time because it's changing things up. It has a lot of new gameplay elements that promise to change the series and break free of its stagnation. Critics have praised the game for its open-world exploration as well as a new combat system that makes it feel more immersive, also giving "Arceus" an additional layer of challenge from past titles in the series. The addition of more developed side quests has also expanded the game, giving players options for how quickly they want to run through the main story – and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are plenty of other new features as well.

Trading Pokémon has been a staple of the franchise ever since the very beginning. In fact, there are some Pokémon that can only be obtained through trading. This aspect of the games has changed a lot over the years, however. It seems "Arceus" requires a bit more effort from players wishing to trade their precious Pokémon.

Players aren't able to simply pull up a menu and trade whenever they feel like it in "Arceus." Instead, they need to go to a certain town. According to the official "Pokémon Legends: Arceus" website, "Jubilife Village will serve as the base for your surveying missions. After receiving an assignment or a request and preparing for your next excursion, you'll set out from the village to study one of the various areas of the Hisui region." Most "Pokémon" games have players moving from town to town on a more or less linear path. Giving them a central hub to return to seems like one of the many ways that "Arceus" is breaking the mold.

The website goes on to state that "Jubilife Village boasts a range of useful institutions and services—such as the trading post, where you can trade Pokémon with other players." This seems to be the only location in the game where trading is available. Unfortunately, the site also notes that "a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership is required to enjoy certain features," suggesting that you need a paid membership in order to trade with other players online. You may be able to trade with other players locally without a subscription, however, since that is how it worked in "Pokémon: Sword" and "Shield" (per HowToGeek).