Pokémon Legends: Meloetta

Pokémon Legends: Meloetta is a 2023 action role-playing game developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo Switch. Being part of the ninth generation of the Pokémon video game series, it serves as both the spinoff/standalone sequel to Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022) and as a prequel to Pokémon Black and White (2010) and their sequels Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 (2012). The game was first announced during a special Pokémon Direct on December 28, 2022, and was released worldwide on September 20, 2023.

The game follows the protagonist, having been sent back in time by the Mythical Pokémon Meloetta, as they travel through the vast region of Buslibertad, based on New York City during its discovery in 1524. Centered around exploration of the region's fully open-world areas and environments, the game's objective is to aid Meloetta in ending an ongoing civil war led by the Prince of Truths and the Prince of Ideals and soothing the Forces and Nature and Godyurem, referred to by the local Black Tribe and White Tribe as the Original Dragon, while simultaneously setting out to complete the region's very first Pokédex.

Upon its initial release, Pokémon Legends: Meloetta received universal acclaim for its gameplay, graphics, story, themes and influences, and particularly for its originality, with many deeming it the best Pokémon game in years, and was a commercial success, having sold 1.234 billion copies by September 29, 2023. It is set to be nominated for several end of the year video game awards.