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Beginner's Guide

Last verified: September 11, 2026

If you’ve just installed Pokémon Xenoverse for the first time, here’s what actually matters before you dive in.

Controls

Xenoverse runs on the Pokémon Essentials engine (RPG Maker XP), so its default controls follow that engine’s standard scheme:

  • Arrow keys — move your character
  • Z or Enter — confirm / interact / advance text
  • X or Escape — cancel / open the pause menu
  • Shift (held) — run, once you’ve unlocked running

If a controller is connected, most Essentials-based games map face buttons to the same confirm/cancel/menu roles — check the in-game options menu to confirm your specific mapping, and see our Troubleshooting guide if inputs aren’t registering.

Starting Out

At the start of the game you’ll choose your protagonist — Kay (male) or Alice (female) — and set off searching for your missing father, Versil, as strange interdimensional activity begins spreading across the Eldiw region.

Choosing your starter

Xenoverse doesn’t use the classic Grass/Fire/Water trio — its three starters are original to this game:

Starter Type
Shyleon Grass / Fairy
Trishout Fire / Sound
Shulong Water / Dragon

There’s no objectively “wrong” pick for a first playthrough — see our full Best Team Guide if you want the type-matchup reasoning behind each. Trishout is worth calling out for new players specifically because it’s your first exposure to the Sound type, a type original to Xenoverse with no direct mainline equivalent — pay attention to how it interacts with other types as you play, since your usual Pokémon type-chart instincts won’t fully cover it yet.

Systems That Are New to Xenoverse

A few mechanics don’t exist in mainline Pokémon games and will trip up experienced players expecting the familiar formula:

  • The Sound type. A Xenoverse-original type. Treat early Sound-type matchups as something to learn by playing rather than assuming from mainline knowledge.
  • PokéWES (Wide Exploration System). Replaces the classic HM-move system for field traversal (cutting obstacles, crossing water, etc.). You won’t need to burden a team member with a permanent HM slot the way older Pokémon games required.
  • Porygon Center. A portable version of a Pokémon Center you can carry with you. For 500 in-game currency, it heals your team and gives you Storage System access even deep inside dungeons — genuinely useful before a long cave or route with no town nearby.
  • Vintage Pokémon. A special rarity category that exists alongside Shiny Pokémon — a second, independent “special find” to watch for.
  • X Species. Mysterious interdimensional Pokémon central to the story — you’ll encounter these narratively as you progress; see the World of Eldiw and Characters pages for what’s been documented so far.

Saving Your Game

Like other Pokémon Essentials games, open the pause menu and select Save — there’s no autosave, so get in the habit of saving before you close the game or attempt something risky (a tough trainer battle, a new dungeon).

Language

Xenoverse supports both English and Italian out of the box — select your language on first launch, or from the options menu if you need to change it later.

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