Leaked Pokémon Winds and Waves UI Reveals New Critters, Hints at Starter Evolutions

The Pokémon community has been clamoring for news on Game Freak’s upcoming title, Pokémon Winds and Waves, especially after its conspicuous absence from recent Nintendo announcements. While official details remain scarce, a fresh wave of leaks is offering tantalizing glimpses into the game’s features and potential creatures.

UI Leak: A Glimpse Behind the Curtain

The latest leak originates from 4chan and has been circulating among prominent Pokémon leakers like Centro. It showcases a screenshot of what appears to be the new Winds and Waves inventory user interface. While the design is largely consistent with previous iterations, it offers valuable insights into the game’s structure.

Pokemon Winds and Waves' Gecqua, the water-based starter, smiles with its eyes closed.

The fire starter in Pokemon Winds and Waves.

What’s truly captivating about this leak are the Pokémon listed within the UI. Many entries feature generic placeholder art, but two prominently display the iconic Moltres from Pokémon Red and Blue. The text accompanying these icons reads “Gokurakucho,” a term that translates to “bird of paradise.” This suggests either an evolution line for a bird-like Pokémon or the inclusion of multiple bird of paradise-inspired creatures in the game.

pokemon winds and waves starters from behind

Given the vast array of real-world bird species that Game Freak could draw inspiration from, the possibilities are endless. Focusing on Indonesian birds of paradise – a region rumored to be the setting for Winds and Waves – one potential candidate is the Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea rubra). This vibrant bird shares a similar color scheme to Moltres and boasts an almost legendary rarity in real life.

Starter Evolution Riddles: Deciphering the Clues

Beyond the UI leak, another intriguing piece of information has surfaced: a series of riddles purportedly revealing the final stage evolutions for the starter Pokémon – Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua. This leak originates from the same source as the UI screenshot.

While these riddles are open to interpretation, they offer a fun way for fans to speculate about the game’s content. One prevailing theory suggests that Gecqua will evolve into a magical or psychic creature, while Browt might embody the fighting-type archetype.

Pokémon Winds and Waves is slated for release on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027. Until then, fans can continue to dissect these leaks and eagerly await official announcements from Game Freak.