Say Hello to Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Best Black and White Easter Egg

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Fans of *Pokemon Legends: Arceus* expected *Pokemon Legends: Z-A* to include nods to past games, and the new title delivers with several hidden Easter eggs. These aren’t limited to references from the Kalos region or Generation 6; players can even find a clever Easter egg in *Pokemon Legends: Z-A*’s Z-A Royale mode that pays tribute to *Pokemon Black and White*.

This Z-A Royale Battle References A Black and White Gym Battle

Okay, so in Z-A Royale, you basically climb the ranks, starting at Z and trying to get all the way up to A. One of the tougher fights is at Rank W – you go up against this guy named Rintaro the Waiter. He’s a pretty challenging trainer, and he likes to battle with these Pokémon:

  • Simisage, Level 24 Grass-type
  • Simisear, Level 24 Fire-type
  • Simipour, Level 24 Water-type

These Pokémon are the evolved forms of the original “Elemental Monkey” trio, which first appeared in the *Pokémon Black and White* games—the fifth generation. In *Black and White*, players first battle the Gym in Striaton City, led by the three brothers Chili, Cilan, and Cress (known as Pod, Dent, and Corn in the Japanese versions of the game).

The triplets each fought a basic form of the elemental monkeys: Chili battled Pansea, Cilan fought Pansage, and Cress faced Panpour. The monkey a trainer battled depended on the weakness of their chosen starter Pokémon. In *Pokémon Black 2 and White 2*, the monkeys had evolved and competed in the World Tournament, wanting to be recognized as individuals instead of always being seen as a group. Cilan also joined Ash Ketchum as a temporary traveling companion in the *Pokémon Black & White* anime series.

Rintaro’s Battle Features Multiple References

Rintaro, a waiter who works with the three elemental monkeys, clearly takes inspiration from the Gym Leaders of Striaton City. His personality and battles are filled with subtle nods to that trio, including:

  • His three Pokemon are Level 24. In Black and White, the triplets’ monkeys were Level 14.
  • Rintaro’s outfit features a white vest, an apron, and a red bow tie. The triplets wore aprons, black vests, and bow ties that matched their Pokemon’s type, with Chili’s being red.
  • The “rin” in “Rintaro” can mean “forest.” Cilan and Cress’s Japanese names also come from locations in the natural world — “rice field” and “lake” respectively.

Rintaro stands out among the Z-A Royale challengers because his design is clearly inspired by characters from other games. He isn’t the only one with connections to existing franchises, though. Z-rank opponent Zach appears to be based on the Trainer class from *Pokemon X and Y*, and F-rank challenger Canari shares similarities in appearance and personality with Iono, a Gym Leader from *Scarlet and Violet*.

It’s a mystery why the creators of *Pokemon Legends: Z-A* highlighted the Striaton Triplets. It could be because Cilan was a well-known companion to Ash Ketchum, or perhaps they just thought a waiter character would be a good fit for the city of Lumiose.

Rintaro is a fun nod to past *Pokemon* games, but he can also be a challenging opponent if you’re not ready. His team of three monkeys doesn’t have any common weaknesses, meaning you’ll need a diverse team to beat them all. He’s just one of many references to the wider *Pokemon* universe hidden throughout Lumiose City in *Pokemon Legends: Z-A*, and players will find plenty more as they play through the story.

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2025-10-17 18:42