Alongside the newest Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire trailer, the official Japanese website for the game updated to share some more information about the new flying system. Dubbed “Soaring”, the new in-game flight feature allows players to freely fly across the entirety of Hoenn.

Some interesting additions to the game come with this new ability.

Firstly, there are a number of locations in the game that you can only reach while flying. These spots include awesome vistas like volcanoes, mountain tops, and a bunch of locations out at sea. Remember the abandoned ship on Route 108? More ships will be available to drop in on. They, however, will probably be less abandoned. I’m willing to bet that the islands in Hoenn’s map that were previously inaccessible will be opened up as well.

Secondly, as with surfing in previous installments, there will be Pokemon exclusively found in the sky, while flying.

Game Freak also said that a number of experiences await in the air. Weather and other atmospheric changes can be seen, which is a neat addition, and you can land wherever you please.

Unfortunately, the feature is not available once you get HM 02. The game will require you to have Latios or Latias, as well as an item named the “Infinity Flute”, to gain access to the flying mode. On the plus side, however, Latios / Latias will be added to your team for story reasons this time around, so chasing them down to gain access to it is no longer an issue.

From here on is my own conjecture on this. I’m curious to see what the Niche Gamer Nation thinks on it, too.

The story addition of adding Latios or Latias to your team to gain access to the flying mode is potentially indicative of many, many things to come. First, though, I’m concerned that the game will require you to have Latios / Latias in your active party to use the feature.

I’m hoping this isn’t the case. I know I would be very upset if it was. I generally make a point not to use legendary Pokemon, and I know many players feel the same. Forcing you to have one in your party is rather upsetting.

On the other hand, however, this change could be the start of something awesome. Obviously, anyone who has followed Ruby and Sapphire‘s development knows that the game has been remade basically from the ground up.

Do you guys think that the addition of adding this bit with Latios and Latias could be a small hint at a new story? I mean, I know it’s fairly unlikely, given the character designs basically being newer versions of the older characters, but there’s a bunch of potential tip-offs that lead to this way of thinking.

Obviously, this whole thing with Latios and Latias is new to the storyline in Ruby and Sapphire. And the secrets behind Mega Evolution are said to be expanded upon in this game, which was not part of the originals.

Of course, Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre are basically mega forms of the respective legendaries, but there is easily enough here to have a new story unfold. Especially with the past couple of Pokemon games getting rather ambitious with their storytelling (at least in comparison to older ones).

I could just be spouting nonsense. I’m aware of that. But what do you guys think? Could this be a new storyline, or just an expanded version of the old one? Who knows. I know I’m pretty excited to find out.

Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are coming on November 21st in North America and November 28th in Europe.