Pokémon Winds and Waves' underwater journeys can be a double-edged sword

With almost 5 years between Gen 9 and Gen 10, Pokemon winds and waves are potentially the most impressive games the series has ever seen. First reveal trailer for Pokemon winds and wavesshown during the Pokemon Day 2026 presentation, gave fans a good look at the world they'll be able to explore in Gen 10, along with some of the creatures they can expect to find. The island setting of the Gen 10 games lends itself naturally to the emphasis on water exploration, including the ability to dive beneath the waves to reach new biomes.

Trailer for Pokemon winds and waves introduced several environments for players to explore, including lush jungles and lava-filled caves. However, it's the ocean environments that really stood out, with vastly improved water physics compared to Pokemon Scarlet and Violetand the vibrant marine life revealed to be beneath the waves seems prime real estate for underwater routes to shine. How exciting it can be to go somewhere Pokemon series is largely untapped, fans may want to temper their expectations as underwater routes have the potential to get stale quickly.

Pokemon Winds and Waves has bad news for Switch 1 players

Pokemon fans who have yet to upgrade to Nintendo's latest home console/handheld hybrid may want to do so by 2027.

Pokémon Wind and Wave has a chance to improve on the previous diving mechanic

Waterways in Pokemon the series is notorious for slowing down games due to the potential for any surf tile to trigger a wild encounter. Games like Pokemon Ruby, Sapphireand Emerald are full of waterways connecting cities of the Hoenn region like Mossdeep, Sootopolis, and Pacifidlog Town, and the Gen 3 games have been criticized for over-reliance on water environments. The Hoenn region attempts to break up some water environments with underwater sections that players can access with Dive HM after defeating Mossdeep City Gym.

Any Pokemon game where you can dive underwater

Pokemon Ruby, Sapphireand Emerald
Pokemon Black, White, Black 2and White 2
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire

Diving can only be used outside of battle in Hoenn and Unova, as these regions are the only ones in the series that contain diving locations. The Hoenn games feature some mandatory diving locations, such as the entrance to Sootopolis City and the Seafloor Cavern, where players will encounter Team Aqua or Team Magma as they attempt to awaken Groudon or Kyogre. In the Unova region, the dive locations are optional, but allow players access to the Abyssal Ruins in Undella Bay, which contain plates for Arceus, but no wild Pokémon or trainers.

The underwater paths in Pokémon Wind and Wave will probably get old fast

While Pokemon winds and waves will be the first main series Pokemon games featuring underwater routes for the first time since Gen 6, there's a reason the environment hasn't been a major part of recent generations. The main problem of underwater routes in Pokemon series is similar to the issues with waterways in general: they lack the variety of Pokemon types that other environments don't have to worry about. Water-type Pokemon will largely be the only types of creatures players will be able to find underwater, as only sea creatures can survive there. As a result, players will likely tire of seeing the same types of pets quickly.

Part of the fun when discovering new routes in Pokemon games encounter different mons, each with unexpected types and abilities. However, waterways limit the types of Pokemon players can find, meaning that players who already have a water-type on their team like if they chose Gecqua as their starter in Pokemon winds and wavesthey won't find anything worth adding to their team. Additionally, this also means that players essentially need a party member with a grass or electric attack to deal super-efficient damage with any wild encounter they come across, again limiting their team composition options.

Pokemon confirmed as underwater in winds and waves

Krabby — Water
Corsola — Water/Rock
Wailord — Water
Lumineon – Water
Frillish — Water/Spirit
Tynamo — Electric
Toxapex — poison/water

Pokemon confirmed for Winds and waves shown to live underwater in the trailer, only a few of them have types other than pure water. Corsola, Frillish, and Toxapex offer players a dual-type advantage, but still include Water as one of their types. The only completely unique underwater option is the Tynamo, an electric type that players may want to catch for the powerful Eelektross that it evolves into. However, outside of this unique creature, underwater routes are likely to be repetitive, especially if players already have a Water type on their team.