An easy guide to gathering the Poké-squad together

One of the big draws for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the multiplayer. Players can hang out together, fight fearsome Tera Raid battles, or just vibe at a picnic. And the Union Circle is how Pokémon Scarlet and Violet make it all happen.

The Union Circle is the multiplayer hub for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It specifically lets players either jo??in each other's groups or form ones of their own.

It's easy enough to set u?p and use, and we'll also walk you through some common pitfalls we ran into while playing multiplayer ourselves.

How to use the Union Circle in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

The Union Circle is accessible through both the Pokémon Centers dotted around the map or through your in-game Poké Portal. I've usually opted to go for the physical monitors on the sides of the Centers since you can fast-travel to one and there are a decent number. Just look for the big yellow circle and monitor, and hit the A button to access it.

[caption id="attachment_350910" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Once inside, you'll see a menu. From here, you can either make a group to invite others to or join another group. Making a group w?ill give you a code made up of letters and numbers to share with friends.

To get the party going, just have them punch it in on their end and connect. Once everyone is in, you can start it up. From here, you'll be in a shared instance of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, able to explore together.

Some tips for setting up multiplayer

First off, make sure you're connected to the internet. The L button is used to connect yourself to the net, and you'll need to be in Online Mode to invite others over from further out than your li??ving room.

Secondly, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet multiplayer is not drop-in, drop-out. If someone disconnects, you'll need to make a new group to link it all back. Di??sconnections won't automatically close the party unless it's the hos??t, though.

[caption id="attachment_626147" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

What can you do in the Union Circle in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

Exploring together literally means you can go out in the wild, catch Pokémon wi??th friends, trade, and battle. You can't play the game cooperatively, but you can help each other ??out and create a more personalized experience.

If you and your friend(s) have different versions of the ninth-generation game (Scarlet or Violet) and join a Union Circle, you can catch the other version's exclusive wild Pokémon. ?This will only work if you are within the vicinity of your friend with a differ?ent version. You can't be in two totally different regions of Paldea.

It'll also be a lot easier to link up and tak??e on all the different Tera Raid battles since you're already in a pre-made group. Players will have their own separate crystals. You'll s??imply have to coordinate these since invites are only sent out if all players are not currently in a cutscene or battle.

[caption id="attachment_626148" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

You can also do picnics and partake in outbreaks to?? increase your chances of encountering shinies out in the wild. The benefits are shared between players, so you can have someone there to help?? out or pitch in to find these super rare Pokémon.

Lastly, you can help your friend(s) locate certain ??items in-game or help physically guide them in finding certain things. You won't share? drops, but this can help newer players get up to speed!

If you do have friends who play or want to play Pokémon Sca??rlet or Violet, join up with them in a Union Circle to have a better overall experience.?? Experiences may vary based on internet quality from all parties.

The post How to use Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Union Circle for multiplayer appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter were both released in 2014 and allowed players to move Pokémon between games. However, it’s been a decade since then??, and things have moved on somew??hat in that time. 

Now, moving Pokémon between current-gen games is remarkably easy thanks to Pokémon Home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t transfer Pokémo?n from previous gens if you’ve still got the software and consoles to hand.

Current status of Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter

Sadly, the ability to download both Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter ended when the Nintendo 3DS store was shut down in March 2023. This mean??s that if you’ve just come into possession of a 3DS and were hoping to utilize the software, you’re out o?f luck. 

However, if you’ve got an old 3DS that already has the software installed or is ready to re-install it in the library, you’ll still be able to use it by following the steps below. When the 3DS Store closed, Pokémon Bank became a free service rather than a subscription service, so you can now transfer as many Pokémon as you like entirely for fr?ee, provided y??ou have the software.

Pokémon Home was released back in 2020, essentially replacing both Bank and Transporter and can work together with the two apps to bring past ge?neration Pokémon into more recen??t games. 

Which Pokémon games are compatible with Bank, Transporter, and Home?

This is whe??re things start to get a little complicated, so you might want to set aside some time if you’re hoping to start moving your Pokémon between games. 

To start with, h?ere’s the full compatibility of all games, including brief details about how the transfer works. Don’t worry, we’ll go more into detail below:

It’s worth noting that games that require the additional use of either Pokémon Bank or Poké Transporter cannot be transferred back to their original games. Pokémon games that were released for the Nintendo Switch and only require the use of Pokémon Home, however, can be transferr??ed back to the??ir original locations.

How to transfer Pokémon using Bank, Transporter, and Home

For ease of reading and for lack of a better idea, let’s break this rather long and convoluted process down into individual steps. If a step doesn’t apply to y??ou, then just skip over it until the information becomes relevant. 

Step one: Third gen to fourth gen

This step applies if you’re transferring Pokémon from any of the followi?ng third gen Game Boy Advance ?games:

• Ruby or Sapphire
• Emerald
• FireRed or LeafGreen

To complete this step, you’ll need to own one of the following fourth gen gam??es on Nintendo DS:

• Diamond or Pearl
• Platinum
• HeartGold or SoulSilver

With two of the aforementioned games at your disposal, you’re ready to transfer Pokémon. This step is actually rather easy, and all you need to do is plug both games into the DS in their respective slots. Then, boot up your chosen fourth-gen game, and you’ll have the option to “Migrate from (insert third-gen game name here).”�?/p>

You’ll be here a while, as you can only transfer six Pokémon at once, but you’ll eventually end up with third-gen Pokémon in your fourth-gen game. To find them, head to the Pal Park, which can be found on Route 221 in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum, or in Fuchsia City in HeartGold or SoulSilver.

Step two: Fourth gen to fifth gen

You’ll need to do this if you’re wanting to get any Pokémon from your fourth-gen game into your fift?h-gen game, including any that you transferred from a t?hird-gen game in the previous step. 

In order to co??mplete this step, you’ll need two Nintendo DS or D?Si consoles and a copy of one of the following games:

• Pokémon Black or White
• Pokémon Black 2 or White 2

Plug your chosen game into one of the DS consoles, and then head to the Poké Transfer Lab on Route 15. Talking to the scientist inside will prompt you to connect anothe??r DS through Wireless Communications. 

On the seco??nd DS, choose “DS Download Play�?from the menu, and then ?you’ll be free to transfer Pokémon. There’s a mini-game involved, and you’ll need to capture the Pokémon you want to transfer, with any that are caught going to your PC Box. 

Step three: Fifth gen into sixth gen using Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter

This is where the first two apps come into play, and things start to get convoluted. You’ll need both Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter installed on your 3DS to proceed.

First, insert the fifth generation game that you’re hoping to transfer Pokémon from into the cartridge slot, then open it up and place any Pokémon you want to transfer into “Box 1�? Poké Transporter will only transf??er Pokémon in this box, so if you’ve got a large collection, you’re going to be here a while. ;

It’s also worth noting that items held by transferred Pokémon will be automatically sent to your bag, but if it’s full, the item will vanish. To avoid losing ?precious items, make sure that you have enough space in your bag for possible new additions. 

Once you’ve got everything prepared, open up the Poké Transporter and select the game you want to transfer from. Confirm your choice, and Poké Transporter will take all of the Pokémon from Box 1 and move them to Pokémon Bank. 

Step four: Sixth or seventh gen Pokémon directly to Pokémon Bank

Once your chosen Pokémon is successfully transferred into your sixth-gen game, things start to get a little easier. Both sixth and seventh-generation games allow you to transfer Pokémon directly into the Pokémon Bank. 

This includes:

• Pokémon X or Y
• Pokémon Omega or Ruby
• Pokémon Alpha Sapphire
• Pokémon Sun or Moon
• Pokémon Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon

To transfer Pokémon from any of these games, all you need to do is insert the cartridge and then open up the Pokémon Bank app. Once that’s open, you can take your time going through your boxes and transferring?? any Pokémon ??you want. 

Step five: Transferring Pokémon from Pokémon Bank to Pokémon Home

To transfer Pokémon between Pokémon Bank and Pokémon Home, you’ll first need to have ??a paid subscription to Pokémon Home, which costs the following:

• Monthly: $2.99 USD
• Quarterly: $4.99 USD
• Annually: $15.99 USD

As long as you have that, you have two choices:

If you used the same Nintendo Account on both devices, you don’t even need to still own your Nintendo 3DS. Download Pokémon Home, login using your Nintendo Account details, and then press the 3DS icon, then select “No Nintendo 3DS�? The app will search for your corresponding Pokémon Bank account and then instantly transfer all of the Pokémon held there into Pokémon Home. 

If you do have your 3DS but used different Nintendo Accounts for each device, things are a little slower but it can still be done. First, make sure that both devices are fully updated, then open the Pokémon Bank app on the 3DS. Find the option to “Move Pokémon to Pokémon Home�?and open up Pokémon Home on the Switch. 

Select the 3DS icon and then “Begin Move,�?giving you a code that you’ll need to enter on the 3DS before allowing you to transfer any or all Pokémon into Pokémon Home. 

Transferring Pokémon using Pokémon Home

Now we’re all up to date, and Nintendo has given us the gift of simplicity. Any game that was released for the Nintendo Switch allows you to transfer Pokémon directly to Pokémon Home. 

As long as you have Pokémon Home installed on the sam?e Switch that?? you use to play the following games, you’ll be able to transfer Pokémon between them:

• Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee! or Pikachu!
• Pokémon Sword or Shield
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl
• Pokémon Legends: Arceus
• Pokémon Scarlet or Violet

Simply open up the Pokémon Home app on your Switch, select “Pokémon,�?and choose the game you want to transfer from. You’ll find all the Pokémon from that game listed and ready to transfer. 
The worst that can happen here is that you may need to update a game before Pokémon Home allows you to transfer Pokémon, but once that’s don??e, it’s as easy?? as moving Pokémon between boxes.

The post How to transfer Pokémon using Pokémon Bank, Transporter??, and Home appeared first on Destructoid.

While Game Freak no doubt has its hands full working on Pokémon Legends ZA, it's had the time to work on another project independent of its iconic monster-catching franchise. Although this one is distinctly smaller-scale, being a free-to-play mobile game titled Pand Land.

Game Freak is not the sole developer on this title, having partnered with another Japanese studio called WonderPlanet, which has primarily worked on other free-to-play mobile games. In a press release shared earlier today (translated by Gematsu), the two studios describe Pand Land as a "casual sailing adventure? RPG... where you become the captain of an expedition team and set out on a journey in search?? of legendary treasure."

At first, it sounded to me like an attempt at aping Rare's hit live-service Sea of Thieves, albeit with a blocky art style reminiscent of Pokémon Quest (how many of you even remember Pokémon Quest?). Upon watching the trailer, though, it's more of a dungeon crawler, with you sailing to and exploring various islands with a top-down perspective. That said, there is a multiplayer component like Sea of Thieves, where you can team up with other players and adventure tog??ether.

The game promises over 400 party members you can recruit, some of which appear to be blocky, colourful animals, while others are human crew members. The trailer also boasts some nice character art you could easily mistake for being from a Pokémon g??ame since they're clea?rly done by the same artists for that series.

Pand Land seems like a cute and harmless enough time, though it's unclear how its monetisation will work, and how much of a grind it can be if you don't want to fork over real money for its microtransactions. I would say you don't have long to wait to try it out, since it's launching on the App Store and the Google Play store on Monday, June 24, but Pand Land is so ??far only scheduled for a Japanese release. There's no mention of it coming to the West, but WonderPlanet has made a couple of its previous mobile games available worldwide so there's a??lways a chance.

This is hardly the first Game Freak title to not be related to Pokémon. In the past, the studio's put out games like RPG Little Town Hero and the free-to-play Pocket Card Jockey. It's also meant to be tea?ming up with Private Division on a n?ew action-adventure game, but considering Take-Two is reportedly shutting down Private Division in its entirety (according to IGN), who knows what's happening with that project.

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The second half of the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC is officially on the schedule. The Pokémon Company ann?ounced that you can catch the Indigo Disk when it's released on December 14.

??The latter half of The Hidden Treasures of Area Zero DLC will be arriving for Nintendo Switch systems on December 14, 2023.? The Indigo Disk takes players to a much different biome of sorts: the Blueberry Academy, an advanced school located in the middle of the ocean.

We've seen a good deal of info about Indigo Disk already, including its battle-focused structure and open area. The Pokémon Company revealed in August that all of the mainline Pokémon series' starters would be in the new zone. However, it wasn't clear if that included Quaxly, Sprigatito, and Fuecoco of Scarlet and Violet.

The first half of The Hidden Treasures of Area Zero, The Teal Mask, arrived for Switch players in September. Our review essentially described the new content as more of the same. There was a new location introduced (Kitakami) in the DLC which offered a campaign of four or five hours. There were additional side quests, a handful of new Pokémon, new outfits, and a few other extras. But no real corrections were made to the core issues that plagued this Pokémon generation since launch.

We'll see how the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet The Indigo Disk far??es when it arrives in December.

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will soon be receiving DLC called The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero to expand the main game. The first half of the DLC is titled The Teal Mask, and it is set to release on September 13 while the second half, titled The Indigo Disk, will be available in Winter.

In the lead-up to the launch of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, a trailer has been released that t??eases a 19thTera Type. Not much has been ?revealed about it, though it has the potential to shake up Pokemon battles.

[caption id="attachment_396558" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Game Freak.[/caption]

Lots to discover in The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero

All we know so far is that the symbol for the new Tera Type is rainbow-colored and features six pentagons surrounding a hexagon. As it currently stands, Terastallizing a Pokemon strengthens moves of the same type. Though it is uncle??ar how the 19th Tera Type works, it does appear that it may be ??related to the new Pokemon Terapagos, which also has a hexagon surrounded by pentagons on its shell.

//youtu.be/0VLPfiX5VJU

The latest trailer primarily focuses on The Indigo Disk. Taking advantage of nostalgia, the upcoming DLC will feature several past Starters, with critters such as Froakie, Piplup, Totodile, and Bulbasaur making an appearance, to name a few. A couple of new Pokemon moves are also showcased in the trailer. Gardevior is seen using Psychic Noise, a harsh attack that deals damage while preventing the target from healing, while Hariyama is seen using Upper Hand which allo?ws it to strike before a target's priority move.

Two new Paradox Pokemon and their moves are also s??howcased. The giraffe-necked Pokemon named Raging Bolt is based on Raikou, and it can learn a new Electric-type move called Thunderclap. Iron Crown is a Paradox Pokemon based on Cobalion, and?? it learns a new move called Tachyon Cutter which is guaranteed to strike twice in a row.

There's more Pokemon on the way beyond the generational DLC

In addition to The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, fans have a few more Pokemon events to look forward to this year. Detective Pikachu Returns launches on October 6, while the animated web series Pokemon: Paldean Winds will debut on September 6.

The post Pokémon teases vague 19th Tera Type for Scarlet ???and Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

Get your Chesnaught while you can

Sometimes, glitches sway in the player's favor, especially when it comes to item duplication insanity. Other times, especially when it comes to Game?? Freak titles, it can be a little less exciting. That w?as definitely the case for the recent Chesnaught glitch, which canceled a 7-star raid event for the first time.

In case you missed it, the "second chance" event was scheduled to run from May 19 through May 21 (in conjunction with the Great Tusk and Iron Treads event). However, hard crashes caused the powers that be to cancel t??he raid and remove it from the game entirely, promising a n?ew release date so folks wouldn't miss out on Chesnaught. That time has now come.

The new date and time for the second chance Chesnaught Pokemon raid

The Pokemon Company has announced that the 7-star Chesnaught raid will return on June 16 9AM JST through June 19 at 8:59AM JST.

It's great that they patched things up, but the amount of glitches and performance issues in these two generational entries is frankly astounding. While it's nice to sit here and assume that Game Freak will get more ?time to fine-tune the next entry, the Pokemon machine? cannot be stopped. There's two DLC expansions on the way, despite the fact that there's more work to be done to smooth the base games out.

One day something will change. But until that day comes, safely assuming that Switch-based Pokemon games will have technica??l issues is kind a tradition at this point.

The post Remember that glitched Chesnaught Pokemon raid? It’s coming back soon appeared first on Destructoid.

No more technical fixes yet

Pokemon has been having...issues lately. Amid the last-second delay of Pokemon Home, and problems with recent raid events, another bug popped up that dealt with private tournaments. Well, the latter just got fixed, at least! This info comes from the official Japanese Pokemon? account, which tweeted out the update details this week:

"Updated ??data (Ver.1.3.1) for 'Pokemon Scarlet Violet' has been distributed. Fixed an issue where unintended behavior occurred in private official tournaments where spe??cific users were invited. We have sent an email to all contestants who were affected."

When will the big bug and performance patch come for Scarlet & Violet

As you can glean from the super small patch notes, this is a minor update that brings the game out of the 1.3.0 era and into 1.3.1. We're still waiting for that big performance patch, but let'??s face it: it may never come, or it might not be sufficient enough to warrant its existence.

In the world of Pokemon, you never quite know what you're going to get with any given release. It's the curse of Game Freak (combined with short production schedules), and it's impacted them ever since bringing the series off of pure handhelds and into the console era of Pokemon.

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Take-Two's label will publish the new IP, codenamed Project Bloom

Game Freak and Private Division are teaming up for a new title. Take-Two's publishing label will work with Game Freak to publish a brand-new title, currently codenamed Project Bloom.

No details are available about the collaboration yet, as it's still in early development and has no confirmed release date. Today's press release states Project Bloom is expected to launch in Take-Two's fiscal yea?r 2026.

Game Freak is well-known for its work on the Pokemon series, as it launched both Pokemon Scarlet / Violet and Pokemon Legends: Arceus last year. Still, it's not only a Poke-studio; Game Freak's also worked on several other games outside the Pokemon franchise, including Pocket Card Jockey and Little Town Hero.

"We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to create new IP that is bold and tonally different from our prior work," said Game Freak director Kota Furushima. "From the beginning, Private Division was the publisher we wanted to work with on our new game. Their track record and global expertise give us all the confidence to create a sweeping new action-adventure game ??that we can’t wait to share more about in the future."

A new project for Game Freak

Private Division, meanwhile, is Take-Two's publishing label that has handled a pretty big variety of games. It published The Outer Worlds when it first launched, and is working with Intercept Games on publishing Kerbal Space Program 2. Private Division also acquired OlliOlli studio Roll7 in 2021.

"Over the past three decades, you’d be hard pressed to find a studio which has released more iconic hits than Game Freak," said Michael Worosz, Chief Strategy Officer at Take-Two Interactive and head of Private Division. "We’re ready to help Game Freak unleash their potential and we’re honored to be the first Western pub?lisher to work alongside this exceptionally talented and proven team to bring a bold new IP to mark??et."

We don't have much to go on, other than the new concept art shared in today's press release and the note that it's an action-adventure title. Still, it'll be interesting to see what Game Freak puts together over the next few years. Meanwhile, Game Freak is also still working on DLC for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

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The mystery Pokemon is related to Terapagos

Earlier this year, we learned that Pokemon Scarlet & Violet would be getting two DLC drops spread across 2023, similar to the last generat??ion. "The Teal Mask" arrives in the fall and "The Indigo Disk"? is coming in the winter; since their initial reveal, we haven't learned much info about the DLC: until recently.

The new generation of the anime (sans Ash) teased another upcoming Pokemon, and it looked to be directly related to (or perhaps an early/chibi form of) Terapagos. Well, the P??okemon Company straight-up confirmed it in a tweet today.

Here's a quick recap of all the info we have so far:

"A newly discovered Pokemon appears in The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero for Pokemon Scarlet or Pokemon Violet! Its splendid aura is reminiscent of the Legendary Pokemon Terapagos, but this Pokemon’s name and true nature are shrouded in mystery. This Pokemon is small in stature and not particularly strong, but when push comes to shove, it can crystallize the energy in its b??ody to form a protective shield. Apparently, it can also assume a dormant state when it feels that its life is in danger by ??pulling its head, limbs, and tail into its shell and making itself look like a jewel."

So we got a full official image of the Pokemon beyond the anime, and we know it's related to Terapagos (one of the new DLC 'mons). It's something! It could be the Mew to the Terapagos' Mewtwo, or it could be unrelated and simply "reminiscent" of the DLC turtle (or something else entirely, as Pokemon has myriad ways to create new 'Dex? entries or accommodate for forms). Either way, it's nice to see another 'mon confirmed that'll eventually be added to the 'Dex far ahead of the fall.

//twitter.com/Pokemon/status/1647948029805182976

The post It’s time for another Pokémon Scarlet & Violet DLC tease appeared first on Destructoid.

More free items are available now

Although the game still could use some cleaning up, Game Freak is doing a decent job of keeping Pokemon Scarlet & Violet events and promos running: even if most of the latter are fairl?y small time. Well, ??there's

Spotted by Japanese Pokemon players via Pokemon Company emails (including this tweet from Twitter? user ShxQ1?83ag88QPe6, who screenshotted the email), these new codes dole out items for the game, and ??can be redeemed once per save file.

New Mystery Gift codes have rolled out in April

Here's a li??st of all the codes and whe??n they expire:

• LEVEL UP (10 Rare Candies, expires on October 2, 2023)
• CATCHBYBALL (Five balls of multiple varieties [Luxury, Quick, Nest, Dive, Dusk, Timer], expires on October 2, 2023)
• REV1VE (Five Rare Candies, expires on October 2, 2023)

I know some folks are kinda bummed that so many of these? item rollouts are duds, but hey, it's something at least!

Also, remember a Palafin distribution is going on

All of these Mystery Gift codes dropped at once, including one for a special Palafin. T?hat co??de is "0C1CV1CT0RGAV1N" if you haven't redeemed it yet.

We have more info on the Palafin itself here.

How to redeem Mystery Gift codes in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

After the treasure hunt starts (read: following your full tour of the academy), you can select the mystery gift option in the main ??X bu??tton menu. Here's how to find the mystery gift menu:

• Press X and select "Poke Portal"
• On the Poke Portal screen, scroll down and find "mystery gift," then select that option
• Select "get with code/password"
• Enter the code(s)

The post New Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Mystery Gift codes are rolling out, and last until October appeared first on Destructoid.

Be on the lookout starting April 14

[Update: The code has officially been unveiled! Input "0C1CV1CT0RGAV1N" into the mystery gift menu of the game to get Palafin in a Cherish Ball. You have through April 17 to claim it!]

We have yet another Pokemon Scarlet & Violet distribution on the horizon, and this one is already technically included in the game: Palafin. As you may know, acquiring Palafin in Scarlet & Violet is done by evolving Finizen at level 38 whi??le using the (online) Union Circle ?system. Some folks haven't done this?? yet (or are unable to), so perhaps this distribution will help!

Here's t??he ?full tweet from the Play Pokemon Twitter account:

"Tune in for?? the 2023 European International Championships live stream starting April 14th for some fantastic #PokemonVG & #PokemonTCG gifts! Learn how to add Palafin to your team roster and Miraido?n ex to your digital Pokémon TCG collection."

The accompanying news article has a bit more info on how it'll actually be distributed, and a confirmation that it's based on competitive Pokemon player Gavin Michael's Palafin:

"Wait for the password to appear during the 2023 EUIC broadcast, ??then go to the Mystery Gift feature in your game and enter the password to receive Gavin Michaels' Palafin—you can even add it to your next competitive team! This password can only be used once per save data."

So that's it! Wait for the?? code to arrive and enter it. Seems easy enough! We'll update you when that time comes. Until then, you can find all the info you need on the Palafin itself below.

Promo Gavin Michaels Palafin info:

Poké Ball: Cherish Ball
Gender: Female
Level: 50
Original Trainer: Gavin
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Zero to Hero
Tera Type: Water
Held Item: Mystic Water
Moves:
Jet Punch
Wave Crash
Haze
Protect

The post Poke??mon Scarlet and Violet has a fre?e Palafin distribution running now appeared first on Destructoid.

It starts on April 14

Whoa, these Pokemon Scarlet & Violet 7-star Tera Raids are flying by! It feels like we just had the second round of Decidueye, but now Typhlosion is making an appearance starting on April 14. At this point, Game Freak is going to add a good portion of the returning DLC roster to the Scarlet and Violet through events. Let?'s dig into the nitty gritty of this particular event.

When does the Typhlosion raid start?

According to the official news post from The Po??kemon Company, these are the times and dates for the Typhlosion raid:

• April 14 at 9AM JST through April 17 at 8:59 JST
• April 21 at 9AM JST through April 24 at 8:59 JST

As usual, you'll have two chances to catch it over two weekends, just in case you're on vacation and forgot your Switch or something. It'll be a ghost Tera Type (plan accordingly), and like other prior Mightiest Mark 7-star raids, you can only catch one per save file. However, you can square off against it an unlimited amou??nt of times while it's up to farm 7-star raid goodies. You'll also have the ability to breed the Typhlosion into a Cyndaquil.

Once Typhlosion arri?ves, we'll have plenty of info and guides to explain how to take it down the fastest; or in many cases, solo i?t offline!

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Is there such a thing as too much Ditto?

The Pokemon Company has officially announced the next Tera Raid event battle following the recent Samurott bout: and it's none other than Ditto.

The loveable blob returns from April 7 through April 10, and will take over many Tera Raid opportunities during that time (provided that you go online). It's a 5-Star raid, which isn't too impressive, and i?t has five max IVs (if you need a Ditto with specific IVs, go for it!). But hey, it's content in the eyes of Game Freak and The Pokemon Company.

If you don't have a Ditto yet (he can be hard to find in the early game), this event will probably be up your alley! If you do have on?e though, there's not much of a reason to pop in ?for a 5-Star raid.

That said, there is another known 7-Star Tera Raid on the way, as Samurott returns to the pair of games from April 7 through April 9. That means you can hatch an Oshawott and grab all sorts of 7-Star raid goodies during that period. Oh, and the DLC is coming too! This should be a pretty lively year for Pokemon once again, especially if you're still fiddling around with Pokemon Legends.

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Are you ready?

Pokemon's ninth generation has taken gamers to Paldea, a region bursting with adventures to embark on and treasures to find. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet differ from prior titles as they offer more freedom than ever; allowing players to complete three separate storylines in whatever order they please. The upcoming DLC, titled The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, will expand the Pokemon journey with new creatures, locations, and mysteries to unrav??e?l.

Thus far, gamers have only received a brief trailer of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, but it ?has already sparked plenty of excitement and anticipation. There is still a bit of a wait ahead, as the first half of the DLC only launches in Spring this year. However, there is plenty you can do in preparation for upcoming adventures.

The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Buying Guide

The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero will be released in two parts. The first half, titled The Teal Mask, is set to release in Spring 2023. In it, players will go on a school trip to Kitakami, which is a region that seems to be heavily inspired by Japan. New Pokemon revealed from the region include Ogerpon, as well as the trio Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti. The second half, titled The Indigo Disk, launches in Winter 2023. It will have gamers traveling to Blueberry Ac??ademy?? as exchange students.

A lot less is known about The Indigo Disk, though Game Freak will surely share more information as the release date draws nearer. Though the two halves will be released separately, they will tell a single, c??ontinuous story.

[caption id="attachment_371500" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Players can pre-order The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero bundle which contains both halves of the DLC, or they can purchase each half separately. However, it should be noted that there are two versions available - one for Pokemon Scarlet, and one for Pokemon Violet. Gamers should ensure they purchase the version that is compatible with the copy they own. Alternatively, for gamers who have yet to experience Paldea, bundles containing Pokemon Scarlet or Violet, and the upcoming DLC, are available on ?the Nintendo eShop.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Post-Game Content

In preparation for The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, it would be best to address all unfinished business in Paldea. Scarlet and Violet pack a surprising amount of post-game content, with some of it granting great rewards. The first thing to do would be to revisit all the Pokemon Gym??s and battle the Gym Leaders once again, though players should be warned that their ??teams will be much stronger this time around. The Team Star bosses are down for a rematch, though players can only battle one boss a day, and there is no Starmobile mechanic.

There is also the Academy Ace Tournament, which has players taking on various characters in tough battles. It is also useful to speak to all the teachers, especially Ms. Raifort, as she wil?l talk about the Treasures of Ruin, which will make four shrines visible on the map. Each shrine has eight Ominous Stakes of the same color scattered across the map, and if players can find them, they will gain the chance to battle and catch one of the four Treasures of Ruin legendary Pokemon.

[caption id="attachment_371501" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Lastly, players can do what all Pokemon games have asked them to do and catch 'em all. After completing the Pokedex, biology professor Jacq will reward players with a Shiny Charm which increases the odds of encountering a Shiny Pokemon in the wild. Typically, there's a 1 in 4,096 chance of comi?ng across a Shiny Pokemon, but with a charm, the odds are doubled to 1 in 2,04?8, making it a worthwhile reward for players obsessed with crafting their dream team.

Bonus: Play Pokemon X and Y

Pokemon X and Y are noteworthy entries in the franchise. In addition to being the first titles released on the 3DS, they also never received a third title, which has been the typical release pattern for many generations. This left X and Y feeling incomplete, and it has also fueled recurring rumors that Game Freak will revisit Kalos one day. With Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, these rumors received more fueled, as it appears some clues link Paldea to Kalos.

Most notably, at the center of the map lies Area Zero, initialized as AZ, which happens to be the name of a central character in X and Y. Furthermore, with Paldea being inspired by Spain, it would make sense if Blueberry Academy, the sister school in The Indigo Disk, is set in a neighboring country, perhaps one inspired by France? Regardless of whether Scarlet and Violet's DLC takes a trip to? Kalos, it's always worth it to revisit the?? often-neglected titles, especially in the wake of the closure of the 3DS eShop.

[caption id="attachment_371502" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid.[/caption]

Despite breaking sales records for the franchise, Scarlet and Violet had a rocky launch, as the games were scourged with technical issues and graphical glitches. Updates have addressed some of the problems, though it ?did make for a disappointing launch experience. With the right content, the DLC could be the best way to make it up to fans.

The post Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: How to Prepare for The Hidden Treasure of Area? Zero ??DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

Lechonk rides again

Game Freak and Nintendo are no stranger to Pokemon promos: whether they require you to go to a retail location or not. This newest one unfortunately is the former; and oh, it's also tied to GameStop. Just like the flying Pikachu doled out at the launch of the new generation, this promo Pokemon is also in flight: and it's a pig. Get it?! With April Fools' coming up, you know someone couldn't resist. Yep, it's a flying tera type Lechonk.

If you follow the GameStop link in the announcement tweet, you'll just get a generic "find a GameStop in my area" landing page. But TCG site Pokebeach has more info, noting that the codes will be available in stores on March 31, in an effort to tie it to the Scarlet & Violet new TCG set. Welp, marketing kinda botched that connection! Pokebeach says that there is no purchase necessary for these promo cards (as in the past), which will provi??de a code to download the flying Lechonk.

There's also a separate promo going on featuring the Pokemon TCG, which is potentially linked to a $15?? in-store purchase, as a reverse holo card. I say "potentially" because individual stores might not require said purchase, but that's going to be up to the stores themselves.

Either way, you can get a free Lechonk. M??ayb??e you already have 20.

The post The new Pokémon Scarlet & Violet promo is a flying pig, just in time for April Fools’ appeared first on Destructoid.

The code is ENJOYBATTLE

In addition to semi-regular Tera Raid mix ups and 7-Star raid battles featuring out-of-game guest stars, Game Freak has been shuffling irregular mystery gifts into Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. The newest one involves two TMs (Thunder Wave and Taunt), and just requires a ??quick mystery gift code input.

Thanks to a new promo drop from Nintendo (credit to Profe Turo on Twitter for screenshotting the source), the code "ENJOYBATTLE" is now live for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. The code will run through April 30, 202?3 at 23:59 UTC, so there's plenty of time to redeem it.

//twitter.com/ProfeTuro/s?tatus/1638890191988355074

Here's what's on offer in this March Pokemon Scarlet & Violet mystery gift box:

• TM082 - Thunder Wave
• TM087 - Taunt

Oh hey, you might want to use taunt ??in a 7-star raid battle! Look, I ??know it's not super exciting, but it's something some of you may want to redeem. I'm doing my part!

We have a full br??eakdown on how to access the mystery gift system here. In short, it invo?lves finishing up the tutorial (which requires you to get through the academy portion, after the bout with Arven) to fully unlock the required menu.

Other currently live Pokemon Scarlet and Violet mystery gift codes:

LETSTERA - TM171 - Tera Blast (March 31)

MORESPEED - 10 Carbos items (March 31)

The post PSA: Po?kemon Scarlet and Violet have ?a new mystery gift through April 30 appeared first on Destructoid.

Both the new and returning creatures

Just recently during a Pokemon Day presentation, Game Freak confirmed that there would be not one, but two DLC releases for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, similar to the rollout seen in the last generation. Thanks to some info directly from the game's officia??l site, we have a bi??t more knowledge on what that?? exactly entails.

Of course, the two new legendaries (Ogerpon and Terapagos) are the big reveals, but three new Pokemon have been announced for The Teal Mask (Part 1), including Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti. The latter trio are apparently "beloved by the people of the village as heroes that protected the land of Kitakami in the past," leading them to create "stone statues in their likeness to express the people’s gratitude toward [them]." A group of protectors eh? I like where this is going.

You can f?ind a full list of confirmed Pokemon (both new and old) below.

[gallery link="file" columns="5" size="large" i??ds="366692,366693,366697,366694,366695"]

New Pokemon appearing in the Scarlet & Violet DLC:

• Ogerpon (Part 1: The Teal Mask)
• Okidogi (Part 1: The Teal Mask)
• Munkidori (Part 1: The Teal Mask)
• Fezandipiti (Part 1: The Teal Mask)
• Terapagos (Part 2: The Indigo Disk)

Returning Pokemon in the Scarlet & Violet DLC ("over 230" confirmed):

The Teal Mask

[caption id="attachment_366690" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via The Pokemon Company[/caption]

• Shiftry
• Vikavolt
• Chingling
• Milotic
• Ninetails
• Yanma

The Indigo Disk

[caption id="attachment_366689" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via The Pokemon Company[/caption]

• Metagross
• Espurr
• Zebstrika
• Alcremie
• Dewgong

Are there Pokemon Scarlet & Violet DLC leaks yet?

It's Pokemon, so of course!

There is also a leak of allegedly returning Pokemon, which you can view at your own risk.

The post Here’s a closer look at some of the Pokémon appearing in the Scarlet & Violet DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

There's still more work to be done

A few weeks ago, The Pokemon Company teased a new patch for Scarlet & Violet, which was slated for "the end of February." Well now that date has come and gone, and the full patch notes are now live on Nintendo's official site. Let's run?? through a few of the alterations to the previous patch notes.

Performance is still rough, but you can buy the DLC now

One obvious addition to the patch notes in this final pass is the existence of DLC. While that was kept under lock and key before the Pokemon Day presentation, the cat is out of the bag now, and ??we know that there are two DLC expansions (parts 1 and 2) slated for release in the fall and winter of 202??3.

To that end, the patch added the ability to buy them in-game, and unlock specific bonuses immediately.

The Battle Stadium is open for business

The "Paldea Prologue" competition is underway, as we move further into 2023 and eventually end up at the 2023 Pokemon World Championship in Japan. This addition is only go??ing to impact a small percentage of the fanbase, but it's worth mentioning nonthel??ess.

"Trainers can now enjoy Online Competitions and Friendly Competitions in the Battle Stadium, and entries are now open for an official Online Competition: Paldea Prolo?gue."

Pokemon Go connectivity is a go

In another surprise announcement, Pokemon Go support is live now in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

This support goes both ways, as you can get Vivillon variants in the core games, and a Roaming Form Gimmighoul in Go. Home support is still thankfully slated for "early 2023," and there are no delays to worry ab??out as of this week.

The full February 27, 2023 Version 1.2.0 patch notes (link) [Note: Everything in the "newly added features" heading was added recently]

Thank you for playing the Pokémon series.

On Monday, February 27, we released the version 1.2.0 update for the Nintendo Switch exclusive software titles Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.

With this update, we have added new features, new functionality for Pokémon Boxes, and fixes for bugs that affected game pro?gress, among other updates. We will continue to take your feedback very seriously and t??ake measures to improve your gameplay experience.

Newly Added Features

• The Nintendo eShop page for The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC for the Pokémon Scarlet game or the Pokémon Violet game can now be accessed via the main menu. For more details on The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC, please visit The Pokémon Company.
• Trainers can now enjoy Online Competitions and Friendly Competitions in the Battle Stadium, and entries are now open for an official Online Competition: Paldea Prologue.
• Players can now connect their games to Pokémon GO.

Feature Adjustments

• Additional functionality has been added for Pokémon Boxes:
  • From a Pokémon’s summary, players can now change Pokémon’s nicknames, markings, held items, and mark- or Ribbon-related titles, as well as reorder moves, have Pokémon remember or forget moves, and use TMs.
  • Players can also now swap out held items by pressing the Y Button when in the Held Items view.
  • Players are now able to select All Boxes while moving Pokémon or items in the Party and Boxes view and Held Items view.
  • When in the Battle Team view, Pokémon in your Boxes that are assigned to a Battle Team will now have their icons displayed in a darker hue if those Pokémon are members of the Battle Team that is currently being displayed.
• The News screen will be displayed when you connect to the internet from the main menu, just as it is when connecting to the internet from the Poké Portal.

Bug Fixes

Tera Raid Battles

• A bug could prevent an opposing Tera Pokémon’s HP gauge from visually reflecting damage dealt by certain moves (such as Play Rough) or damage dealt at the same time that certain status conditions are applied, causing the Tera Pokémon’s HP gauge to fluctuate in an unusual manner. This has been fixed.
• A bug that caused all Pokémon on your side to faint at once despite their HP gauges indicating that they still have HP could occur in black crystal Tera Raid Battles against Pokémon with the Mightiest Mark. This has been fixed.
• A bug that temporarily prevented a player from entering any input into the game could occur if a Tera Pokémon took certain actions while the player was choosing the target of their move. This has been fixed.
• Errors could occur when someone connecting to a Tera Raid Battle saw a different Pokémon displayed on their screen than what the host saw. This has been fixed.
• A bug could occur that caused players joining a Tera Raid Battle from the Tera Raid Battles search screen to be brought to a Tera Raid Battle against a Pokémon different from the one they saw displayed. This has been fixed.
• A bug that caused Tera Raid Battle crystals to stop appearing for a set amount of time could occur under certain circumstances. This has been fixed.

Battles

• • Type matchups against Pokémon that have fainted will no longer appear when selecting a move or target during Double Battles.
  • We have fixed a bug in which a Zoroark that had Terastallized and was disguised as another Pokémon via its Illusion Ability could have been identified as a Zoroark by using the Check Target option.
  • We have fixed a bug in which the type matchups of moves targeting a Zoroark that had Terastallized and was disguised as another Pokémon via its Illusion Ability would display based on the type of the Pokémon that Zoroark was disguised as, rather than Zoroark’s Tera Type.
  • We have fixed a bug in which the stats of a Dondozo with a Tatsugiri in its mouth increased when Dondozo used Order Up when the move should have been negated (for example, by an opponent using Protect).
  • We have fixed a bug in which the effects of Destiny Bond failed to activate if a Pokémon Terastallized the turn after using Destiny Bond and then fainted.

allizes after using Destiny Bond and then faints, the effects of Destiny Bond will fail to activate. This is a bug and will b?e fixed.

Other

• We have addressed an issue that made the game prone to forcibly closing at certain locations. As a result of this fix, there may be fewer Pokémon and people displayed in certain towns or in the wild.
• We have fixed a bug in which a Pokémon that is not a part of the Paldea Pokédex was displayed as being registered to the Paldea Pokédex after being obtained through a Link Trade.
• Certain actions prevented the main character’s expressions from changing until the game was closed and reopened. This has been fixed.
• A bug occurred for some players after Ranked Battles Season 1, wherein visiting the Ranked Battles screen immediately after the season’s results had been calculated caused an error right after these players received their rewards. Following this error, players were unable to participate in any further Ranked Battles. This has been fixed.
• We have fixed a bug in which a player may not have received the Master Rank Ribbon if they had registered several Battle Teams but had not used the Battle Team in the first slot when winning Ranked Battles in the Master Ball Tier.
• We have fixed a bug in which a Pokémon you caught may not have listened to your commands in accordance with what is written in the profile app (“Pokémon caught at Lv. XX or below will listen to your commands�? if that Pokémon was Link Traded back to you from another player.
• We have fixed a bug in which new information may not have been added to your Pokédex after you received a Shiny Pokémon or a Pokémon caught by a Trainer who plays in a different language via Surprise Trade if you already had that species registered to your Pokédex.
• Objects such as Poké Balls could have been displayed in certain areas unintentionally. This has been fixed.
• Passersby are no longer displayed during certain battles that take place in towns during the main story.
• A number of other bug fixes have been implemented.

The post Breaking down the new Pokemon Scarlet & Violet patch notes appeared first on Destructoid.

Two more Pokemon enter the fray

The Pokemon Company gave us more details on "what's next" for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, and it involves more Tera Raids. As of today, we'll be able to battle with (and presumably capture) Walking Wake and Iron Leaves, which are classified as new paradox Pokemon. Interestingly, each one is exclusive to a unique version of the game, with the former calling Pokemon Scarlet home, and the latter popping up in Pokemon Violet. It's a departure from the current "everyone can face the same Tera Raids" format, though you should be able to play them across versions online.

You can find all the info we know about them below. As each raid approaches, we'll provide our normal coverage of full stat rundowns, strateg??y guides, and answering the question of whether or not they can be bred.

[caption id="attachment_365775" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

All the details we have on the February 2023-announced Pokemon Scarlet/Violet Tera Raid events

Walking Wake (Water Dragon) - Scarlet

This Pokemon almost looks like a mix between Suicune and another creature, and will sport the water/dragon types. Either of those individually have been popular with seven-star Tera Raids, so folks probably have a? lot of party members ready to take this one on.

Iron Leaves (Grass/Psychic) - Violet

Iron leaves looks a little trickier, as it'll have the grass/psychic types in tow. Its appearance is a bit less unique, and reminds me of a slightly modified Virizion.

The post Pokemon Scarlet & Violet is getting a Tera Raid event with brand new Pokemon appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokemon 2023 hopes and dreams

Welcome back! It’s time for a new episode of the Spot Dodge Podcast exclusively on Destructoid. Topics: Tonight we’ll be talking all about the upcoming Pokemon Presents. Along with that, a war still wages between Sony and Microsoft regarding acquiring Activision-Blizzard. A deal that will have huge ramifications across the industry, even for Nintendo. As Microsoft has signed an agreement with Nintendo to release Call of Duty and other "Xbox games" on Ninte??ndo platfo??rms. So much to talk about!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4?4xNUznQS4&ab_channel=Destruc??toid

There's a high chance we get our first look at the next major Pokemon game during this week's Pokemon Presents. One area I really hope the following games are improved in is the performance. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are still riddled with bugs and performance issues?? which is a shame, as they're great games to their core. Lastly, Pokemon titles ar??e sorely missing from the latest Nintendo Switch Online announcement regarding Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games coming to the service. Tonight on Spot Dodge we'll talk all about Pokemon in 2023.

Spot Do??dge is a weekly Nintendo-focused Podcast here at Destructoid where we dedicate an hour or two to go over the late??st Nintendo news and discuss the games we’re playing. If you’re a fan of Nintendo Switch, RPGs, or having a good time, Spot Dodge will be a great addition to your podcast rotation. So be sure to subscribe!

Spot Dodge is streaming live every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET on Twitch channel. ICYMI: We now have a dedicated Spot Dodge YouTube channel for our archived streams! All future episodes?? will be uploaded there.

Afterward, the show will be available on-demand for audio listeners via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. The live video version will remain on Twitch until  (don’t forget to follow and subscribe). So?? many options!

The post What we want from Pokemon in 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

Someone set up us the Population Bomb

Getting your significant other the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day can feel overwhelming. Some people like chocolates and flowers, others prefer a memorable date night under a starry sky. That said, if your partner ever longingly looked at you and said “actually, I want some mice,�?then?? Game Freak is he??re to affirm your tastes in romantic companions.

From now through Valentine’s Day, Tandemaus will appear as part of blue star Tera Raid encounters in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Unlike past spotlight events, these monsters can range from 1-5 star difficulty depending on your progress through the game. This Po??kemon pair has potential to sport any Tera Type in the game, though five star battles will have a preference towards the Fairy Tera Type. Note that Tandemaus doesn’t have a ton of synergy with the Fairy-Type beyond learning the move Play Rough. But, you know, Fairy Tera Pokemon have a heart above their head, so that counts for something.

All in all, this event is a cute gimmick. It’s not necessarily worth dusting off your save file to experience, but if you’re currently playing Scarlet & Violet, it��s at least worth a look before ?yo??u hit your next objective. Here’s what you can expect.

[caption id="attachment_363173" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

How to beat Tandemaus

Depending on the star level of the fight, Tandemaus�?move pool will change. That said, you should count on it using Grass, Fairy, and Normal-Type attacks.

Unlike past encounters, there ar?en’t many tricky mechanics you’ll have to navigate. Tandemaus will use a shield and clear away debuffs, but that’s it. At four star difficulty or higher, Tandemaus can use Encore to force you to repeat an attack for three turns. This can be inconvenient if it catches you using a move like Belly Drum. Fortunately, it’s easy to ride out the duration of Encore with Cheers before you return to giving these mice a pummeling.

Though Tandemaus knows powerful moves like Population Bomb, it doesn’t have the stats to make it hurt. This i??s, after all, not Tandemaus�?evolutionary form Maushold that once terr?orized the competitive scene. Even my Azumarill had no problem shrugging off Super Effective damage from Bullet Seed. That said, if you really want to hard counter this fight, use a Steel-Type Pokemon. None of Tand?emaus�?attacks will inflict even neutral damage on you, and you’ll dish out Super Effective damage if it’s sporting a Fairy Tera Type.

This event is absolutely doable for casual players, so don’t be afraid to participate. Chances are, online partie?s will steamroll this fight for you. Just remember high difficulty Tera Raids won’t spaw?n until you’ve collected enough Gym Badges, so score whatever Tandemaus you can.

[caption id="attachment_363174" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Is this event worth running?

I mean, a?side from giving the gift of mice to your beloved, this event's appeal will depend on your priorities.

For competitive players, Tandemaus�?evolution Maushold isn’t as prevalent in the competitive scene as it once was. Population Bomb is still strong, yet en?ough counters have formed around this move to make it less reliable. Three star raids and higher have a chance ??of giving Tandemaus the hidden ability Own Tempo. Upon evolution, this will become Technician. This ability is a key piece of what makes Population Bomb so deadly, so if you’re gunning for that move specifically, there may be some value in farming this event.

Otherwise, if you’re building a support-focused Maushold, this event may be a g??ood time to grab one with the Tera Type you desire. For example, a Maushold with the Ghost Tera Type may be used to predict and nullify a Fighting-Type attack that would otherwise nuke it. Tera Shards are still a heck of a grind, so take advantage of this event if you have a specific vision for your dream mouse.

Otherwise, this event drops quite a few rare candi?es in addition to various picnic ingredients. This is a nice change of pace from the usual drop tables, though none of these items are in short supply by the endgame. All in all, if you haven’t found yourself a Tandemaus yet in the game, it’s worthwhile to grab one from this even?t. Even if you don’t have a romantic partner obsessed with rodents.

The post Catch Tandemaus for Valentine’s Day in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

The promo video is region locked, but the codes aren't

In December, The Pokemon Company debuted a YouTube series called "After School Pokemon Research Club," which involved live action skits, and serves as a means for code distribution. While the video series itself ?is region locked to Japan, that hasn't stopped the Pokemon community from distributing the codes th??emselves.

Several codes have been distributed thus far from the channel, but the most recent bonus is arguably the most impactful: an Ability Capsule. As? a reminder, this relatively expensive item goes for 100,000 Pokecoins at the Chansey Su??pply storefront, and allows Pokemon to swap between their potential abilities: which can be key for taking down tougher raids, or creating certain builds.

One option is to farm them from higher-end raids, but it's a vicious cycle; as you generally need high-end Pokemon for them, and getting Ability Capsules can make that happen. So consider this a little pick me up! Note that this code is live until February 28, so you? ha??ve some time to enter it.

The code for a free Ability Capsule in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

T0KUSE1STUDY

The code READY4RA1D is also available from the same series, which grants players 20,000 League Points (LP) to use. This seco?nd code is live through January 31.

Here’s how to find the mystery gift menu in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet:

• Complete the tutorial all the way up through the start of the treasure hunt (at the academy)
• Press X and select “Poke Portal�?/li>
• On the Poke Portal screen, scroll down and find “mystery gift,�?then select that option
• Select “get via internet�?/li>
• Once you connect, it’ll showcase the “Flying Tera Type Pikachu Gift,�?though any other active mystery gif promotions will show up as well: select it!

Related: Pokemon Scarlet and ??Violet: Can You Breed Ch??arizard? on GameSkinny

The post You can? get a free Ability Capsule in Pokém?on Scarlet and Violet now appeared first on Destructoid.

The first event kicks off on January 27

Did you get your Charizard or Cinderace yet? While those events are in the rear view mirror (hopefully we get info soon on how others can get them in the future), there's another one coming?? up, as per The Pokemon Compan?y. Yep, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet players will be able to catch a special Greninja in January via the Tera Raid mechanic.

Just like the previous Charizard and Cinderace events, the following parameters will apply:

• You can only catch one Greninja per save file (but you can repeat the encounter as many times as you want for rewards)
• It'll be a Poison Tera Type, in a 7-star raid
• The event will take place over the course of two weekends, so if you miss one or aren't ready for 7-Star Tera Raids, you have a second chance
• Like the prior two events, you will likely be able to create eggs for the entire Greninja evolutionary line, starting with Froakie (so while you can only "catch" one, you can keep breeding them, if history repeats itself)

Here are when the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Greninja events start:

• January 27-January 28, 2023
• February 10-February 12, 2023

As a reminder, make sure you prep for 6-star Tera Raids before this date, as you'll need to complete that quest path to unlock 7-star raids. We have a comprehensive guide on how to get that done in a r?easonable amou?nt of time here! While the Charizard and Cinderace events were cutting things a little close for casual players, at this point a lot o??f you are probably at the finish line for high-end raids: you just need to cross it.

The post PSA: Greninja is the latest Pokémon Scarlet & Violet event exclusive, here are all the details appeared first on Destructoid.

It'll run through January 15

A few weeks back, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet players had the opportunity to take down Cinderace in a 7-star Tera Raid?? (Fighting Tera type) and earn the Pokemon for themselves. Just like the Charizard event, there's a second chance weekend.

That second chance kicks off today (right now actually), and will run through January 15. You have roughly two full days to unlock 7-star raids if you haven't already, then locate and take down the Cinder?ace. As a reminder you can only get on??e Cinderace per save file, but you can take the raid on an unlimited amount of times to amass rewards, and you can breed that Cinderace into a Scorbunny.

If you still ??aren't raid-ready, it's currently unknown if this Cinderace will be distributed again in the future. Right now all we have to go with is wording on the Charizard news post (which Cinderace did not get), which technically only applies to Charizard cur?rently: "Charizard may appear again in other events or be encounterable in different ways in the future."

You still have time if you haven't clean up that postgame path to 7-star raids yet! With a strong team you ca??n ge??t it done fairly quickly.

If you need help, we have numerous resources for the Cinderace event, including:

• A f??ull guide on the easiest ways to clear the Cind?erace raid
• How to find the Cinderace raid
• A breakdown of the Cinderace raid rewards a??nd Pokemon stats
• A reminder that the even??t Cinderace is available for breeding

The post PSA: This weekend is your second chance at the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s Cinderace Tera Raid event appeared first on Destructoid.

The big moment is eight minutes in

1000 Pokemon: wow! Well, 1008 to be exact, and we are counting. I've had the phrase "101" embedded in my brain since Pokemon was first released in the '90s, and it's been hard to adjust ever since. When I first heard someone say "there are over 200 Pokemon now in Gold & Silver," I wasn't ready for it. Now time has complet??ely passed me by, and we're at 1008 Pokemon. Just....wow.

You can witness that passage of time in roughly nine minutes by watching the video below, which The Pokemon Company just put up on their official YouTube channel t?oday. Here's a quick primer for the relatively straightforward clip: "Twenty-six years after the release of the original Pokemon games�?em>Pokemon Red Version and Pokemon Green Version in Japan—the number of Pokemon discovered has finally surpassed one thousand! Let’s celebrate the occasion with a look back at some of your favorite?? Pokemon!"

Of course, the big moment here is the "1000th" Pokemon, and that moment comes at roughly eight minu?tes in. From there they move on to the legendaries of the newest Paldea generation, which might be spoilerish somewhat if you haven't? finished the game yet.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa08Y-fhfTI&t

Time marches on, and so does Pokemon

We're at a crossroads for the series, especially with Pokemon Legends getting tons of praise on various "best of" lists, and Scarlet & Violet leaving a lot to be desired, from a good chunk of the fanbase. While the team is no doubt working on the next thing already (and likely some DLC for Scarlet & Violet), it'll be interesting to see the lessons learned from Legends and the Paldea generation, because there are a lot of them to take in.

The post The Pok??émon Company celebrates 1000 Poké??mon with a lengthy tribute video appeared first on Destructoid.

The Undertale creator shares some of his latest musical creations

The latest Pokémon game is out in the wild, and players have been exploring the new region of Paldea. As it so happens, some of the tunes playing while they roam around this Pokémon world were penned by Toby Fox, the creator of Undertale.

Fox announced he'd be working on Scarlet and Violet's soundtrack before the game's release. Now, Fox has shared his exact contributions in a newsletter mailing list that he spun up for fans of Undertale and Deltarune. (Destructoid has received a copy of this because yes, I would like to receive news about Undertale and Deltarune.)

In it, the developer writes that he had the honor of making a few songs for the game. These include the tracks "Tera Raid Battles", the "Academy Ace Tournament", and "Battle! Zero Lab". (Beware of spoilers if you go digging into that last one, by the ??w?ay.)

Fox also composed "Area Zero", which was re-arranged by Pokémon composer Go Ichinose. Fox also apparently wrote a "majestic theme melody" for the song "Academy", which ended up used as a field theme for the game. All songs using the melody were made by other comp?osers.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK20iZfOU1k

Turn up the PokéTunes

I had a sneaking suspicion that certain tunes in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, particularly the ones that play during the endgame section, had t??o include contributions from Toby Fox. So it's nice to have those guesses validated.

This isn't the first time Fox has contributed to a Pokémon game, as Sword and Shield also had tunes from Fox in the soundtrack. But it's nice to see this collaboration continue, and especially see how it's helped shape the sonic direction of Pokémon.

As for Fox's personal projects, Deltarune is still in development. We heard earlier this year that there won't be another chapter in 2022, and Fox confirms as much in his newsletter. There's a lot of minutiae in the update, but it sounds like progress is proceeding apace for Deltarune. Until then, we'll always have Area Zer??o to hold us over.

The post Toby Fox discusses his musical c??ontributions to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

A new band of Pokémon adventurers arrives

With the start of a new Pokemon generation comes a new stage in the long-running animated ser??ies. And it looks like this time, Ash and Pikachu won't be setting out for the new region full of Pokemon.

A new trailer today shows what's next for the animated Pokemon series. It starts by confirming that the final episodes of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series will air over the coming days, specifically the "final chapter" in Ash and Pikachu's story. Looks like a lot of familiar faces will?? be turning up.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_VMGv2kKEI

Then, at the end of the trailer, we see some of the Paldea region Pokemon from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. After a tease of Fuecoco, Quaxley, and Sprigatito, we see the splash art for who we can assume will be the new protagonist of the Pokemon animated series.

The trailer description says that viewers will join two new heroes and the three Paldea starter Pokemon, on a journey through the exciting world of Pokemon. No names for the duo yet.

The champion still remains

Ash and Pikachu recently made real-world headlines by finally winning the Pokemon World Championship in the animated series, cementing Ash's place ??as one of the best. Now, it seems like our intrepid and forever-young protagonist is going to set his sights?? elsewhere, as we pass the torch to a new band of Trainers.

It is bittersweet to see. I certainly haven't followed the animated series closely in some time. But the Pokemon series featuring Ash, Pikachu, Brock, and Misty was always on the television as I was growing up. Seeing Ash finally hang up his hat, so to speak, is a big change but probably as overdue a?s his championship win.

This might get to me tune in for some of the new episodes too, as Paldea is a really cool region with some fascinating history that players dig into near the end of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Here's ho??ping Ash and Pikachu still pop in for a cameo now and? then.

The post The Pokémon animated series i??s sending off Ash and Pikachu appeared first on Destructoid.

Who says you can't go home?

The new generation of Pokemon is out in the wild, and avid trainers have been battling and collecting their way across Paldea. Like with all of the mainline Pokemon games, it takes around 20 hours to see the end credits roll on this adventure. So if you've been playing since launch, you've likely already reached the ending of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Our reviews for the new Pokemon games went live yesterday. But seeing as it's difficult to talk about something so spoiler-laden in a review, we wanted to specifically talk about the ending. Because the final moments of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet really is?? something unique, it's worth dissecting and dis??cussing.

So, after the jump down, we'll go into a spoiler-filled chat about the last 90 minutes or so of the new Pokemon. Whether you've seen it yourself or just can't resist the curiosity, we will be talking full spoilers. You've been adequately warned.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAQBo9BGRdA

Welcome to Area Zero

After seeing all three main ?storyline paths to their conclusion, the finale ?is made available. Though depending on which path you finished first, you might have figured it out quickly. At the conclusion of Arven's storyline, the pair of you learn that his parent (Sada or Turo, depending on the version) wants Arven and his friend (you) to descend into Area Zero.

The AZ is a deep crater at the center of Paldea. And much like our own AZ, it is a giant canyon with unknown horrors lurking below. The whole game you've been ??told not to go there, so we are obviously ending the game by going there.

Of course, you'll need help. And here's where the routes link up in an interesting way: Nemona and Penny, two pals whose friendship you've garnered over the course of the other storyline paths, join your crew. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet were essentially building the crew for your eventual Poke??-heist the whole t??ime.

A whole new (old) world

It's at this point that Scarlet and Violet shift gears a b??it. Up to this point, it's been an open-world and solitary affair. Run around, catch Pokemon, and tackle the paths in any way you see fit.

Once you've descended to Area Zero, though, you're not alone. Nemona, Penny, and Arven run alongside you as you descend into a vast, open canyon. Your goal is to find different research st??ations o??n the way down, picking up pieces of lore and more info on what happened to the Professor along the way.

It is, simply put, astonishing. It's a Pokemon experience for sure; you're still battling Pokemon and catching them. But the atmosphere and surr??oundings are completely diff?erent, even from the main Paldea region you've just left.

In the crater, ?you can see the strata above and below you. Each level contains a new research station, but also new untold mysteries. Dangerous Pokemon, carrying either futuristic or prehistoric touches to the usual Pokemon you've come to know, wander these areas. They're familiar, but a little off.

?I can't stress enough how much work the music does here. The Area Zero field theme, alongside the battle theme, builds this air of unease and tension. I truly felt like I was walking into a place out of time. This was a land inhabited by wild, dangerous monsters I didn't fully understand.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK0bG9GFI6s

This whole area is filled with Pokemon from either the far past or far-flung future. As it turns out, Sada / Turo's research wasn't on modern Pokemon, but those from another time. And in their search, they managed to bui?ld a time machin?e, and started catching Pokemon through it. These experiments soon went awry, though, and now you need to get down to their lab at the bottom of the crater to fix everything.

A true party

But I wasn't alone in this search. The crew the player builds up across those three paths follows them around, like members of an RPG party. I seriously got some flashbacks to games like the Xenoblade Chronicles series or Final Fantasy XV here.

Every Pokemon game has a party, to be fair. Your Pocket Monster arsenal is its own RPG party. But having a group of Trainers just walking around and chatting about current events or their past feels like new ground for Pokemon. It also calls to attention the glaring lack of voice acting, but that's one of the broader issues in Scarlet and Violet, not just in Area Zero.

This party works so well because it gives you this group to travel with, building up the story as you dig into more lore. And then, when you reach the endpoint of this dive into the abyss, it??'s time for the group battle.

The segment where each member is pitching in to help hold off a horde of past or future Pokemon, flooding in through the Professor's still-active time machine, is fantastic. It's a narrative framing that other studios, like BioWare, have used in the past to amp up the stakes for individual party members during a climactic fight. And here we have it in a Pokemon game, and it's actually working.

The final fight

?Of course, there's the final battle with the (as you have now learned, artificial) Professor Sada or Turo. The reveal that the true professor died years ago and we're attempting to dismantle the last vestiges of their project is one surprise.

But the part of it?? I loved was facing off against unknown Pokemon in their lineup. First off, the image of the Professor dropping Master Balls down from their perch is incredible. And then you're faced with some new creature; in some cases, you have to figure out the typing and weaknesses on the fly. It's a great test of your Trainer abilities up to that point.

It all culminates in your Koraidon or Miraidon taking down their counterpart, with an absolutely fantastic mechanic for putting them into battle in the first place. It's a big, cinematic fight, and Pokemon isn't wholly unaccustomed to those.

The mysterious dungeon

What's fascinating is how it all comes together. This is a Pokemon dungeon, essentially. It felt like Game Freak utilizing so much of its tech for a focused purpose. Ru?nning around on the overworld with friends, seeing ominous and imposing Pokemon silhouettes lurking around corners, and the open-world design letting you look up ?from the bottom and see the levels you've traversed crisscrossing over your head.

It's a frankly fantastic finale, one that managed to assuage some of the negative feelings I had coming in from the previous parts of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. To be clear, I don't think it l??ets the game completely off the ho?ok for its technical issues.

But the last 90 or so minutes of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet lay out an impressive blueprint for what a future single-player game could look lik?e. An adventuring party of Trainers, teaming up to take on big threats in dangerous areas.

Maybe that's a bit more suited to the Legends line than the main Pokemon series. But it's quite a swing to take right before Ed Sheeran plays the game out. And if nothing else, I'm glad Game Freak went for it in those final moments. Even alongside my qualms with large chunks of the game, even ones that affect Area Zero, the finale of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is pretty darn impressive.

The post Let’s talk about the ending of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

Choices were made.

_{[Everyone welcome Sam Arthurs to Destructoid! As you may have noticed, we put out a call for freelancers recently, and Sam answered that call. They have experience writing for several websites, including Gameranx, and they love creepy indie horror games and creepy Metroidvanias, which in fact rule - Chris Carter.]}

Now that we've all been down a Pokémon rabbit hole for over a week, it's natural to contemplate the important questions. Who is the cutest pocket monster of all time? While coming up with this list, I thought long and hard about how to best an??swer this impossible question, and I landed on writing about the objectively cute versus my own odd sense of cuteness.

For example, I think scrawny ??little Salandit has a shifty look about him, and I just want to put him in my pocket. Not everyone would rank him as highly as I would though. Instead, here are 10 Pokémon that I think most of us can agree are adorable.

#10 Cubone

Cubone makes the list for being such a sad baby. It?? seems so hardcore at first, wearing its mother's skull as a helmet and wielding a bone as a weapon. But it's also quick to burst into tears and is considered the "lonely Pokém??on." If that doesn't make you just want to hug it, then I don't know what will.

#9 Pikachu

Pikachu is a star for a reason. This lightn?ing mouse looks cuddly, definitely has a sense of humor, and runs on the cutest little feet. There's also something so special abou??t a wide-eyed, squishy teddy bear with boundaries. Try to hug a Pikachu before it's ready, and you will regret it.

#8 Rockruff

Rockruff is a fluffy rock puppy who just wants to ?play. The way it prances as it walks makes you feel happy that it is happy.  With its folded ears and fluffy tail, it looks sweet and gentle, but Rockruff shows off i?ts scrappy side with a habit of biting and playing rock chicken. It throws the rocks around its neck at the ground and attacks if its opponent flinches. What a good boi!

#7 Dratini

Dratini is a water noodle with big eyes and winglike fins on the side of its head. It's shy,?? often running away when you try to capture it, and it has an adorable coo-ing sound. It sleeps curled up in a small ball on?? the shore. I rest my case.

#6 Rowlet

Rowlet looks very polite with its leaf bowtie. It is a very good listener, turning to face? i??ts trainer while waiting on commands. Rowlet is sleepy during the day, but it finds tight, dark spaces comforting. Don't be surprised if you find one nesting in your bag.

#5 Bidoof

Okay, fine. Bidoof is basically just a cutesy beaver. It is only a foot tall and lives by the water where it constantly gnaws on wood to keep its teeth from growing too long. However, it is in the category of "plump mouse" in the Pokedex, and I can't handle how cute that is. Its abilitie??s are "Simple" and "Unaware," and then you look at this image of a round-faced, bucktoot??hed, fluffy groundhog with small webbed feet. Bidoof is perfect.

#4 Mew

Mew may be powerful and mysterious, but it is also playful and sweet. Whether or not its strange look is cute is debatable, but the way it floats around, spinning and giggling with its h??ands over its mouth is definitely cute. It is kind of cat-like with its mewing sound and tendency to delight in gently pranking people.

#3 Sprigatito

Of the newest generation of starter Pokémon,?? Sprigatito is hands-down the cutest. This grassy-green kitten has big eyes and fluff ??on his neck, face, and tail. He's a happy cat who often purrs and smiles, and there isn't much cuter in this world than a happy cat.

#2 Eevee

Eevee is t??he OG sweetheart Pokémon. Nothing but big ears and fluff, Eevee has so much potential?? to evolve into some lovely and powerful Pokémon, but I wouldn't blame you if you let it stay small and sweet for as long as possible. It loves to be petted and held, so it makes a perfect companion.

#1 Shaymin

According to the Pokedex, Shaymin is only eight inches tall! This grassy hedgehog is innocence incarnate. It can turn polluted land into a lush field of flowers, where it likes to hang out. It we?ars?? a big flower on its head, smiles a lot, and has tiny feet. Don't you just want to scoop it up?

Related: The 10 ??fastest Pokemon in Pokemo??n Scarlet & Violet on Dot Esports

The post The top 10 cutest Pokémon of all time, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

It has been 11 days since the release of Pokémon Violet. Arguably, that’s far too late to even bother reviewing such a high-profile game. After all, more than 10 million people have already purchased it, and millions more have alrea??dy made up their minds about it after seeing the many clips of i?ts bugs and glitches posted across social media. Outside of a few days when I had to avoid getting killed by COVID, I’ve wrapped all my free time over the last week and some change into becoming the best Pokémon trainer the Paldea Region has ever seen. I’ve ventured to the top of the highest mountain and tunneled deep into the earth to see the wonders within.

As with past mainline Pokémon games, it’s been an adventure with good friends and great little monsters to collect. Unlike in the past, however, my journey through Pokémon Violet has be??en so janky that I cannot in good conscienc??e look past its glaring faults, even if I’m admittedly having a good time with it.

Pokémon Violet (Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: November 18, 2022
MSRP: $59.99

And of course I’m having a good time with it. It’s a Pokémon game. They sell tens of millions of copies for a reason. That tried-and-true Pokémon formula of catching monsters and battling your way through eight gyms, four elite trainers, and one grand champion is still as entertaining today as it was back in the �?0s. Just as the Dragon Quest formula is as well-worn and welcomed today as it was back in the �?0s. But Armor Project would never release a mainline Dragon Quest game as shoddy as this. Whereas it seems The? Pokémon Company has zero?? issues putting out a flagship title for its billion-dollar enterprise despite it being in desperate need of TLC.

It’s also in need of some serious guidance and direction as several elements in Pokémon Violet don’t really fit in with its new, “find your own path�?approach. Taking it a step further than this past January’s vastly superior Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Violet and Pokémon Scarlet are removing the barriers of the franchise’s usual constricting routes in favor of a massive open world. And the Paldea region is huge, with plenty of mountains to climb, caves to explore, and trees to pop in and out of existence. After picking your starter from a trio of cuties (I went with Sprigatito), you’ll set out to the Uva Academy. But don’t worry about sitting in class for too long because mere minutes after finding your dorm room, the entire student body is set out into the world to discover their “treasure.�?Like with Breath of the Wild, once you get past this brief opening that introduces the general gameplay, you’r??e free to go in any direction and approach the game on your terms. With such a level of freedom, I do wonder why the heck would Game Freak choose a school motif for its open-world game.

Let's talk about structure

Schools are famously structured. That’s kind of the whole point of them. And while the Uva Academy does offer courses with new classes being unlocked as you make your way further into the game, it never actually forces you to attend any of them once you get past the introduction. Is there any benefit to going to these classes? Probably. I stopped caring after the art teacher tried to gaslight me into thinking this was a good-looking game. But mostly it’s just an optional activity you’re free to ignore that has zero impact on completing the game’s three main narrative threads. A Pokémon game designed aro??und attending a Pokémon academy is a great idea, but this isn’t that game, and I just find it odd that Game Freak would c??hoose to shackle its near-seamless open world with an institution that is often comically described as a "child prison."

The lack of structure not only makes the school concept irrelevant, but it also screws up that tried-and-true Pokémon formula. Outside of Legends, mainline Pokémon games have always been creatures o??f habit and conformity. This is a franchise that is very set in its ways, and while there have been attempts to shuffle away from its stringent past, your journey to the Elite Four has always been a calculated, linear path. When you remove the barriers from that path and invite players to go about it as they see fit, that old tried-and-true formu??la begins to crumble.

The stories we tell

Once players are given the go-ahead to discover their “treasure,�?they’ll be prompted with three different storylines to follow. Victory Road is your standard defeat eight gym leaders and the Elite Four yarn, Path of Legends sees you hunting massive Pokémon in search of some good herbs, and Starfall Street puts you on a collision course with Team Star. It doesn’t matter which path you choose because you’ll be doing all three at once. You’re told going left or right from the Academy town will determine which path you start on, but it really doesn’t matter. What does matter is nothing changes about the path you “don’t take.�?/p>

So let’s say you head out of Uva Academy to start down Victory Road. If you take that route, you’ll encounter a gym, a giant Pokémon, and a Star Base you’ll defeat all before you reach your second gym. That’s what I did, and after I beat that second gym, I decided to go see what I mi??ssed out on the path not taken. Heading out the other gate of the academy town directed me toward another humongous Pokémon, another Team Star base, and another gym, all of which were between 10 to 15 levels below where my team was at. After steamrolling my way through those three lack-of-challenges, I continued my journey and quickly discovered that while I could tackle this map and these storylines in any order I wanted, there is a set order in which they should be completed programmed into the game. The levels for those storyline-specific tasks do not scale with my team, which did lead to a humorous situation where I got my sixth gym badge from what should have been the final gym leader, only to then have three Pokémon on my team I couldn’t control because they were leveled too high.

I get how this could be appealing. I mean, who doesn’t love decimating the competition using a sextet of overpowered Pokémon? But having a linear order in which things should be done, even if the player doesn’t know that order, really does go against the idea and promise of a Paldea Region “with no set path.�?I can’t say for sure whether level scaling is the right thing to do in this situation. What I can say is Game Freak is going to need to go back to the drawing board if it wants to keep the ol�?gym system alive and relevant for future Pokémon games.

Diamonds in the rough (and there is a lot of rough)

I can also say I enjoyed the new storylines and the characters contained within. I really warmed up to Arven, who you’ll hunt the bigguns with, the further I got into the Path of Legends storyline, and the kooky cast of Team Star are a real bunch of winners. Your requisite rival for the game, Nemona, is as annoying as any past rival, but it is nice to see that, despite the issues this game has and its lack of development resources, the writers were able to craft three storylines that neatly tied into one another for an endgame section that will likely be the source of a lot of debate. The gym leaders are a great bunch too, with Grusha and Larry sitting at the top of my rankings thanks to some excellent localization. And while I’m still in a mood to praise this game, Pokémon Violet has an outstanding soundtr?ack with some riv??eting battle tracks.

The new cast is swell, but I’m not so hot on some of?? the new features. Terastallizing, which allows you to change your Pokémon’s type once in a battle, is heavily featured in the game’s story but not fully explored. It’s a rather tedious process that involves collecting Tera Shards from raids that you can use to change a Pokémon's Tera Type. Each Pokémon’s Tera Type will initially match its standard type (so Sprigatito’s starting Tera Type will be Grass). When you save up enough o?f a certain Tera Shard type, you can visit a single restaurant in the game that’ll let you switch one of your Pokémon’s Tera Type. It’s a lot of work, but if you’re into the competitive scene or plan on hoisting a Pikachu trophy at Pokémon Worlds 2023, I have no doubt it’ll be worth the time invested if you want to keep your opponents on their toes. I just wish the developers made the changing of Tera Type a less exhaustive process.

Far less useful in Violet is the ability to travel along with your Pokémon. Pressing the R button will send your lead ‘mon out into the world with you, free to do battles on their own with critters in the wild. If they’re outmatched, they’ll scurry back to you. It’s a great idea in theory, and the central gameplay conceit behind raiding the bases of Team Star, but it doesn’t work as smoothly as it should, and more often than not, my Pokémon would fail to keep pace with me, fail to attack the group of wild Pokémon I sent them to smash or get stuck on some structure or weird piece of geometry. As good of an idea as it is, it needs a game that's developed far better than Pokémon Violet to meet its potential.

I keep on fallin' through the environment

And that’s because Pokémon Violet is just busted as hell. I’ve seen the videos, you’ve seen the videos, anyone with an internet connection and a Twitter account has seen the videos. Some of the glitches circling the internet are silly and endlessly shareable. That’s the case with a lot of open-world games, whether it’s NPCs in Ubisoft’s latest disaster floating up, up, and away or the double-jointed elbows of the people of Paldea. Sadly, I didn’t get any cool glitches that would have helped me go viral over the extended Thanksgiving weekend. I got the ones that pointed to the fact that Nintendo or The Pokémon Company–whoever is to blame here–had Game Freak put out a game that could best be described as “good enough for launch.�?/p>

Can you catch Pokémon in Pokémon Violet? Yes. But will those Pokémon suddenly disappear from the field? Sometimes, but it’s “good enough for launch.�?Can you battle Pokémon in Pokémon Violet? Absolutely. And will the camera always be in a position that adequately showcases that battle? Heck no, but what's there is “good enough ??for launch.�?Will NPCs on a loop walk right through an importa?nt Pokémon battle because not enough time was given to programming this $60 video game? Of course, and I guess that's "good enough for launch."

Despite all the footage we’ve seen over the past several days, there is nothing fundamentally broken about Pokémon Violet. The game didn’t crash on me (though I have seen claims that it will), and I never e??ncountered instances where assets failed to load. It’s just there is a myriad of issues plaguing this game that are too numerous for a review and too tedious for some SEO-chasing listicle. This is a game that runs, but it doesn’t run well, and that is not something that should ever be said about the biggest JRPG franchise in the world.

How long can they keep coasting on past success?

I know there is a huge debate over whether any criticisms about Pokémon Violet & Scarlet will matter. As stated in the lede, this game has sold more than 10 million copies. Pending any sort of Cyberpunk 2077 post-release nosedive, this duo could be the seventh best-selling game on Nintendo Switch by the end of the fiscal year. Game Freak, the Pokémon Company, and Nintendo probably have no real reason to change how they operate with this franchise because what they’re doing is working, which is ironic because Pokémon Violet barely works.

As I said in the Destructoid Slack to Eric Van Allen, who reviewed the Scarlet version, it’s hard to make a bad Pokémon game because the series' standard gameplay is still so satisfying. But you can make a disappointing one, and that’s exactly what Game Freak did here. Whether it can be blamed on a lack of time, a lack of resources, or a lack of talent within the developer itself, Pokémon Violet is not up to the level where a game of this caliber should be. And while I will gladly continue to fill out my Pokédex until I’ve captured every critter hiding in this world, I’m always going to be left mourning what this game sho??uld have been rather than wh??at it ended up being.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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