diff --git a/src/battle-scene.ts b/src/battle-scene.ts
index ad0c9d84aba..932bedf2d81 100644
--- a/src/battle-scene.ts
+++ b/src/battle-scene.ts
@@ -392,9 +392,21 @@ export class BattleScene extends SceneBase {
       };
     }
 
-    populateAnims();
+    /**
+     * These moves serve as fallback animations for other moves without loaded animations, and
+     * must be loaded prior to game start.
+     */
+    const defaultMoves = [MoveId.TACKLE, MoveId.TAIL_WHIP, MoveId.FOCUS_ENERGY, MoveId.STRUGGLE];
 
-    await this.initVariantData();
+    await Promise.all([
+      populateAnims(),
+      this.initVariantData(),
+      initCommonAnims().then(() => loadCommonAnimAssets(true)),
+      Promise.all(defaultMoves.map(m => initMoveAnim(m))).then(() => loadMoveAnimAssets(defaultMoves, true)),
+      this.initStarterColors(),
+    ]).catch(reason => {
+      throw new Error(`Unexpected error during BattleScene preLoad!\nReason: ${reason}`);
+    });
   }
 
   create() {
@@ -596,8 +608,6 @@ export class BattleScene extends SceneBase {
 
     this.party = [];
 
-    const loadPokemonAssets = [];
-
     this.arenaPlayer = new ArenaBase(true);
     this.arenaPlayer.setName("arena-player");
     this.arenaPlayerTransition = new ArenaBase(true);
@@ -652,28 +662,15 @@ export class BattleScene extends SceneBase {
 
     this.reset(false, false, true);
 
+    // Initialize UI-related aspects and then start the login phase.
     const ui = new UI();
     this.uiContainer.add(ui);
-
     this.ui = ui;
-
     ui.setup();
 
-    const defaultMoves = [MoveId.TACKLE, MoveId.TAIL_WHIP, MoveId.FOCUS_ENERGY, MoveId.STRUGGLE];
-
-    Promise.all([
-      Promise.all(loadPokemonAssets),
-      initCommonAnims().then(() => loadCommonAnimAssets(true)),
-      Promise.all(
-        [MoveId.TACKLE, MoveId.TAIL_WHIP, MoveId.FOCUS_ENERGY, MoveId.STRUGGLE].map(m => initMoveAnim(m)),
-      ).then(() => loadMoveAnimAssets(defaultMoves, true)),
-      this.initStarterColors(),
-    ]).then(() => {
-      this.phaseManager.pushNew("LoginPhase");
-      this.phaseManager.pushNew("TitlePhase");
-
-      this.phaseManager.shiftPhase();
-    });
+    this.phaseManager.pushNew("LoginPhase");
+    this.phaseManager.pushNew("TitlePhase");
+    this.phaseManager.shiftPhase();
   }
 
   initSession(): void {