Palworld fans are praising a giant water-type creature called Panthalus, arguing its in-game encounter surpasses similar "legendary" battles in Pokémon games, despite the monster's design clearly echoing Kyogre from Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. Developer Pocketpair added the long-teased Pal in Palworld's recent 1.0 release, and the encounter's scale and spectacle have helped fuel discussion about why the game has proven so popular, even amid ongoing comparisons and controversy over its similarities to Pokémon.

Panthalus is the largest monster in Palworld, so vast that only one can be kept per base, and it battles players at level 70 by unleashing tsunami-like waves that reportedly strain the game's frame rate. Clips of the fight have gone viral, with commenters contrasting its cinematic grandeur favourably against Pokémon's legendary encounters, including newer titles such as Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Not everyone is impressed, however, and some fans feel Pocketpair could refine the encounter further, something the developer may address given Palworld's live-service model. The game is currently available on Mac, PS5, Windows PC via Steam, Xbox One and Xbox Series X.