Pokémon Arceus vs. Violet: Which game should you buy?
One thing I love about Pokémon is that it is very consistent in its releases. In the recent decade, we haven’t had to wait too long for a new game, like other game franchises. As far as Pokémon releases go, 2022 was an exciting year for me. I was able to play Legends: Arceus as well as Scarlet and Violet😁.
Depending on who you ask, all three games had their perks. But there is still an ongoing debate about which of them was better. Recently, I got pulled into a debate on whether Legends: Arceus was a better game than Pokémon Violet🤔. It was interesting because, up until then I mostly heard players comparing Arceus with Scarlet. While Scarlet and Violet have many similarities there are significant differences that set them apart.
Seeing as I played all three games, I decided to come up with this article to contribute to the debate😏. Here I will discuss in detail, the comparison between Arceus and Violet based on my first-hand experience. I will also give a final verdict at the end, so make sure you keep reading to understand why.
Pokémon Arceus vs. Violet – How They Compare.
Before we get into the details, take a look at the table below. It summarizes how the two games compare and the differences I’ll be discussing later:
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Features |
Pokémon Legends: Arceus |
Pokémon Violet |
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Game Features |
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Worlds |
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Game Concepts |
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Storyline |
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What are the differences between Pokémon Arceus and Violet?
Although they both belong to the same generation, Legends: Arceus is a completely different game from Pokémon Violet. Therefore, finding the distinction between the two wasn’t so hard. But the real question is, what differences really made the difference?
Well, the following are the distinctions I thought were worth taking note of:
Game Features
Both Legends: Arceus and Violet are among the best 3D Pokémon games we’ve received so far. I especially love the visual style in Arceus that incorporates Japanese strokes and various elements of Japanese history☺️.
But when it comes to the graphics and vibrance, I would have to say that Violet takes the crown👑. For instance, I found the animations in Violet better than in Arceus, and the characters were more expressive than in the latter game. Additionally, Violet allows multiplayer battles which I found wasn’t possible in Arceus.
Even so, Legends: Arceus bugs and glitches were nothing compared to what I experienced in Pokémon Violet. The latter had so many issues that ranged from funny to frustrating. While playing the game, I experienced slow frame rates and pop-ups. Violet even crashed at some point, erasing some of my data😤.
What’s more, I felt like the gliding feature, much like the overall gameplay experience, was much smoother in Arceus than in Violet. In the latter, while gliding on Koraidon, at one point I’m in the air and as soon as I try to descend, I’m nose-diving into the ground.
So, overall, I would say that Arceus had a smoother playthrough with fewer bugs. Even though Violet offered better graphics, it was riddled with bugs. Although understandably, Violet’s open-world concept meant the game came with a lot of content that the Nintendo probably wasn’t as equipped to handle.
Worlds
Pokémon Violet and Legends: Arceus are set in two different regions. While Arceus is set in the old Sinnoh region, previously known as Hisui, Violet is set in the more modern setting of the Paldea region. But that’s not the only thing that differentiates these two worlds.
In Violet, I got an expansive open world, with varied terrain that I could explore at my pace. Arceus on the other hand didn’t quite offer an open world, but it did have large explorable zones. The problem was it didn’t offer me the freedom of exploring these zones at will like in Violet 🙁. Instead, I found the game was more constrained, meaning I could only access different zones at a set pace. And because the region wasn’t a big open map like Violet, I had to warp from one area to the next.
Via Deviant Art. Image source: Pokemon
Therefore, I would have to say, I preferred Violet’s open-world concept. Although the Hisui region had its charm, given its resemblance to Japan in the past era, I enjoyed the freedom of exploration that Violet offered more.
Game Concept
Aside from the different worlds, another area the two games differ is in the main concept that each game follows. Starting with Violet, the game concept is pretty much the same as what you are used to in the other mainline games. It focuses more on battles and includes features like multiplayer battles, which we are already used to. It also improves on the battle mechanics by adding features like auto-battle, which allowed me to go in and out of battles quicker.
In Legends: Arceus, however, the focus shifts bringing a whole new experience to playing Pokémon. Instead of battles, the game’s main concept is exploration and interacting with Pokémon in the wild as well as capturing them. Not only was I able to interact with Pokémon in the wild, but the game also made it easier to capture them😃.
As opposed to having to battle with the Pokemon, in Arceus all I had to do was throw a Pokeball at the Pokémon and that was it. Additionally, I was able to craft my own Pokeballs which was much easier than having to buy them like in previous games.
Personally, I preferred the Legends: Arceus game concept. Being able to interact with Pokémon in the wild and capture them easily was a fresh take from the streamlined battles we are used to in other games in the series. But if you play Pokémon games for the battles then you should go with Violet.
Story
Some players don’t care for the story of most Pokémon games, since it’s mainly the same plot going from one game to another. But both Arceus and Violet are quite different from the usual storyline you are used to.
Starting with Violet, the main story elements like defeating gym leaders and the Elite 4, filling the Pokedex, and becoming Champion remain the same in this game. But unlike in games before the 9th generation, this story is divided into 3 paths which include, Victory Fall, Starfall Street, and Path of Legends. You can follow these paths in whatever order you wish. While that gave the game a replay value, I felt the overall storyline was disjointed and only came together towards the end of the game😕.
On the other hand, Legends: Arceus’s story was a bit different from the usual plot. Aside from being set in the past, its main focus was on capturing Pokémon. The story follows the protagonist as he/she explores the whole of Hisui region, to encounter different Pokémon species and capture them to complete the first-ever Pokedex. As such I found that the Pokedex in Arceus was smaller than in Violet, perhaps to make the goal more obtainable.
While both stories were great, I would have to go with Violet’s story. Even though Arceus’ story was a unique change from the usual plot, there was nothing else left to do after completing the Pokedex. On the other hand, I replayed Violet 3 times picking the story paths in a different order each time, for a new experience.
Final Verdict: So, Which is better? – Pokémon Arceus or Violet?
When I consider what each game has to offer, it’s difficult to make a definite choice. On the one hand, Violet has an open-world concept, bigger Pokedex, and better graphics. But on the other hand, Arceus offers the unique experience of capturing Pokémon in the wild and interacting with the environment.
But simply because Arceus had fewer bugs and glitches that didn’t significantly affect my gameplay experience, I would have to say that Arceus is the better pick of the two. Plus, if you enjoy capturing Pokémon more than battling then Legends: Arceus is definitely the game for you. But if you much rather have the challenge of battling and don’t mind the numerous bugs, then you can always go with Violet.
FAQ Section
Which is more popular Pokémon Arceus or Violet?
Depending on the players you ask, this answer may vary. However, according to Bulbapedia, Legends: Arceus had a much better reception by the press compared to Violet, given that IGN gave the former a 7/10 while the latter got a 6/10. Additionally, according to the site, Metacritic gave Arceus a score of 83% but Scarlet and Violet received 72%.
Is Pokémon Arceus more successful than Pokémon Violet?
If we consider the sales, then no. According to Bulbapedia, in the fiscal year of their release, Arceus only sold 12.64 million copies worldwide, whereas Scarlet and Violet sold a total of 22.1 million copies. It is, however, not clear what percentage of the sales Violet accounts for, and considering Arceus was a single game, it is possible that Arceus was more successful than Violet. But for now, this is not clear.
How many hours does it take to finish Pokémon Arceus and Violet?
If you are focusing on the main objectives, Legends: Arceus will take you an average of 25 hours, while, Violet will take roughly 31 hours to complete. But if you are going to explore every aspect of each game, the Arceus will take about 77 hours, while Violet will take approximately 79 hours.
Which game is longer between Pokémon Arceus and Violet?
Based on how long it will take you to complete the main objectives, Violet is the longer game since you’ll need about 6 extra hours to complete given that it has more content.
Can you replace Pokémon Arceus with Violet?
If you mean playing one game instead of the other then no. Arceus and Violet offer a different gameplay experience. Therefore, playing one over the other will mean you’re missing out on one. You can, however, find a willing player with the opposite game and switch or trade.
Is Pokémon Arceus and Violet the same story?
No. The two games are set in different regions at different times in Pokémon Lore and have different characters.
Which one has a better game between Pokémon Arceus and Violet?
This depends on whether you prefer battling or catching Pokémon. If you prefer the former then Violet would be the better game for you. But if you prefer the latter then go with Legends: Arceus.
To say I am a die-hard fan is the least way to describe my love for Pokémon. I have grown up playing and studying everything there is to know about the game and anything related to it, giving me more than 18 years of as a player. I also have more than 10 years of experience in the gaming industry, creating content on different technology and gaming products. Now, with my experience, I want to share my passion and knowledge of Pokémon with all the other enthusiasts out there to help them learn and grow as they continue to explore this world filled with endless adventure and possibilities. You can read more about me on the about us page.
