It has been a good year for the Nintendo Switch. The hybrid console received critically acclaimed exclusives like Pikmin 4, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Super Mario RPG. Recently, Nintendo revealed the top 30 most downloaded games on Japan's eShop in 2023.

The list doesn't come with too many surprises, although if you haven't been paying attention, it may be unexpected to see Pikmin 4 clinching third place. It didn't cause too much of a splash in the West, but Famitsu lists reveal t?hat it has been selling well in Japa??n. It may also be a shock to see that Tears of the Kingdom isn't in the number one spot?? and sits in second place in??stead.

That's because Suika Game takes first place, a game that has accumulated over 5 million downloads worldwide. The whole top 30 list looks like this:

1. Suika Game
2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
3. Pikmin 4
4. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
5. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
7. Splatoon 3
8. Overcooked 2
9. Super Mario RPG
10. Fire Emblem Engage
11. Monster Hunter Rise
12. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
13. Pokémon Violet
14. Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 2
15. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
16. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
17. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
18. Minecraft
19. Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 1
20. Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
21. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
22. Human: Fall Flat
23. Persona 4 Golden
24. Among Us
25. Momotaro Dentetsu World: Chikyuu wa Kibou de Mawatteru
26. Pikmin 2
27. Pokémon Scarlet
28. Nintendo Switch Sports
29. Pikmin 1
30. Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa mo Teiban

The usual suspects also make an appearance. Pokemon has Pokemon Violet at number thirteen while Scarlet sits at number twenty-seven. The indomitable Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sits in sixth place and Super Mario Bros. Wonder appears nearby in fourth place.

Next year has the potential to be another phenomenal year for Nintendo. Princess Peach: Showtime! arrives in March, and you can also look forward to Tomb Raider I-III Remastered and Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

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The Pokémon Company has announced via Twitter that an epilogue for The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero will be released on January 11, 2024.

As someone who didn’t buy the DLC because I didn’t quite finish Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the trailer tells me less than nothing. Which makes sense! It’s an epilo??gue, after all, so it would be easy to spoil things about the ending. Speaking of which, here are the requirements to access the new epilogue content:

-Complete a certain postgame event in Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet.

-Complete the main stories of The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk.

The post suggests ?that the epilogue takes place in Kitakami and it’s a “new adventure,�but not much besides that.

As I said, I didn’t play any of the DLC. Timothy “Windchime�Monbleau did just recently and sounded like he had the last vestiges of optimism forcibly sucked from his soul. I welcome him to th??e void. There is plenty of room. I really don’t know how else to describe his critique of the expansion. If you want to know what it looks like when the lights go out in a human heart, it's a worthwhile read.

However, if you have different thoughts on The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, ??you might appreciate having the story tied up in a bow. Heck, maybe Mr. Monbleau will feel better about his agonizing experience with BBQs once it’s all wrapped up. Who can say?

What I do know is that the epilogue of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero will be released on January 11, 2024. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are availab??le on Switch. You’ll also need the DLC to access the epilogue.

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Let’s get the obvious talking point out of the way: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet are divisive games. Generation IX has caught a lot of heat for its glitches and lack of polish, but despite that, I personally have still had fun with these games. So someone like me should love The Indigo Disk, right?

Let me explain: here at Destructoid, we’ve played hot potato with Pokémon review duties. CJ Andriessen and Eric Van Allen reviewed Pokémon Violet and Scarlet respectively, each arriving at the same �/10�score. And later, the impeccable Chris Carter took the reins on the first DLC pack, The Teal Mask, who concluded that it wasn’t as good as The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and also gave a 6/10.

We’re not necessarily bound to each other’s scores as an outlet, but sometimes things just line up that way. And for that reason, I really wanted to throw my own take in on Gener?ation IX before we move on to whatever GameFreak has lined up next.

With The Indigo Disk, I expected to give these Pokémon games a day in the sun and maybe even give a slightly more generous score. After all, this second DLC clearly offers more than The Teal Mask did. There’s no way that The Indigo Disk could be worse than The Teal Mask, right?

Well, the good news is that, yes, The Indigo Disk absolutely is the superior DLC pack compared to The Teal Mask. It also fumbles in ways that wound up making me feel the most frustrated I’ve ever been with the Pokémon franchise?? to date. It turns out ev??en I have my limits.

Prepare for trouble, and make it double

Early in The Indigo Disk, you’ll learn that Blueberry Academy is full of hardcore trainers who prefer double battles. Seeing as how Pokémon's officially sanctioned competitive? scene focuses ??on double battles, I enjoyed seeing the main game prioritize this format.

The Indigo Disk does a good job pitting you against common strategies in high-level play. For example, more than a few trainers will incorporate support Pokémon into their teams, using stat boosting moves or throwing in a Protect to block your incoming damage. Additionally, enemy trainers aren’t afraid to equip impactful held items on their Pokémon. Think you can just nuke every enemy you see with glass cannons ?like usual? Not if your opponent’s Focus Sash has anything to say about it.

Level the playing field

As our own Chris “Master Trainer�Carter mentioned in his review of The Teal Mask, Pokémon DLC has a leveling issue. And while The Indigo Disk fares better than its predecessor here, it suffers from the same problem. Wild Pokémon are level 60ish, boss battles are level 70ish, and the postgame breaks into level 80ish content.

Unfortunately, the dedicated Pokémon fanbase most interested in DLC most likely has a max level team already. And while battles against the Elite Four fare decently, that’s only a single digit number of battles that stand out. I can understand balancing ?the DLC in a way that’s accessible to people who didn’t do any postgame grinding. But ideally, the DLC should offer ways to please both crowds.

Throw out the BBQ

Despite the endless quest potential inherent to an open world Pokémon game, Blueberry Quests largely consist of aimlessly walking around, taking pictures of Pokémon, catching a Pokémon of a certain type, and making TMs and sandwiches. One might think these quests will escalate in complexity as you go, but�nope. It is seriously just a rotation of generic open-world busywork that starts repeating almost immediately. And once again, this system is where The Indigo Disk puts all its cards.

Oh yeah, Area Zero

And as far as that core story goes, it�exists. I’m not going to pretend like I expect literary excellence from a Pokémon game. That said, Scarlet & Violet tried this weird thing where it presented generally likable and endearing characters. Nemona, Penny, and especially Arven turned into a great party of friends, and seeing how the final story arc of the base gam?e unfolded made me really want to see more of this world and cast.

So you can understand how ?disappointed I feel that both DLC packs have little to do with the core games.

Missed opportunities

Pokémon has such a rich foundation that could be taken in so many different directions. What's more, there's clearly a market hungry for that. Take one look at YouTube, and you’ll find challenge runs of classic Pokémon games with millions of views. Fans are eager for creative ways to play Pokémon. So why does the official DLC offer “take a picture of a swimming Pokémon?�/p>

There are so many possibilities to explore with Pokémon, yet The Indigo Disk does precious little to get creative. Imagine if the two DLC packs were combined into one standalone adventure that was balanced around training and leveling the new Pokémon? Or what if the DLC centered around a roguelike experience where you never knew which Pokémon you’d use each run? I’m not saying those are good ideas, but they are ideas. I’d rathe??r see a swing and a miss than the busywork we hav?e now.

It's more Pokemon

I’d understand if, by this point, you think I completely hate The Indigo Disk. But despite all these misgivings, I did have some fun with this DLC. Exploring the new Terarium and catching Pokémon put a smile on my face, and those battles where everything really clicked were fun to play. I do still think Scarlet & Violet are enjoyable, and neither DLC pack necessarily changes that. Heck, if I was ??feeling generous, I’d say the focus on double battles here is a step in the right direction.

However, at this point, I’m so tired of seeing Pokémon “take a step in the right direction� As a reminder, this is the highest grossing multimedia franchise in the ??entire world. Yet this is at least the second generation in a row that’s left me hoping the team will get it right next time. As it is, Pokémon Legends Arceus was a huge “step in the right direction,�but Scarlet & Violet learned precious little from it. DLC like The Indigo Disk could have rounded out the base games in areas they originally lacked in. Instead, it’s just more. An influx of sheer content, as if we’ll forget Pokémon even exists ??if we don’t have something shoved in front of our faces every year.

In the past, all this stuff might have bothered me less. But Pokémon's longevity has made it one of the main ways I can connect with my younger family members. Seeing even them wonder why Scarlet & Violet perform like they’re hanging by a thread on the Switch over a year later is inexcusable to me. And with how much The Indigo Disk tees up a Generation V remake, I’m honestly dreading how hard Unova will get butchered at this rate. I’d love to be proven wrong, but at this point?, I’m not really counting on it

The Indigo Disk is more Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, for better or for worse. If you’re still deep into Generation IX, you’ll at least get mileage out of exploring the new areas and seeing the new Pokémon and TMs. But beyond that, The Indigo Disk neither offers a compelling challenge for longtime fans nor a chill grind for more casual fans. Players can at least take solace in that this second half of the DLC is generally better than the first. But for those frustrated by the rushed yearly cycle of Pokémon games, The Indigo Disk will only reaffirm your misgivings.

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Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: The Indigo Disk is nearly here, and with it will (presumably) come the end of Pokemon’s 9^th generation. That said, judging from the final trailer for the DLC that launched today, it appears Game Freak is hoping to end these contentious games with a bang.

There’s a lot to unpack in this four minute long trailer. It opens by returning to Area Zero, the namesake of the DLC bundle and the highlight of the core games. But rather than get into any plot details of what this abyss of Paradox Pokemon contains, we instead get a montage showing both returning gym leaders and new faces alike. Additionally, the trailer shows a lot of legendary Pokemon from previous generations. Like a lot. We got the legendary birds. We got the legendary dogs/cats/gerbils. There are even some horses. Just a whole group of world-ending animals.

Here comes the BBQ

Beyond these teases, the trailer shows off The Indigo Disk's new systems. The big headliner here is the Blueberry Quests system, which the game abbreviates to “BBQs� I swear I’m not making that up. The official Pokemon Scarlet & Violet website clarifies that BBQs?? are a Battle ?Pass-style quest system that rewards a unique currency called BP.

With BP, you can buy new things at your school’s store and cafeteria. You can even customize the Academy a bit with them. There are also some group quests that you can do with friends, which should hopefully reinvigorate the underutilized Union Circle system. It looks you'll need BP to encounter those aforementioned legendary Pokemon too, s?o I hope you're hungry for BBQs.

Control Pokemon with the Synchro Machine

We also see a bit of the new Synchro Machine in action, which lets players play as their Pokemon. That’s right, you can now achieve your dream of a Pokemon game in which Lechonk is the main character. I don’t want to hype this feature too much, since we don’t kno??w much about this system just yet. You can indeed fight other Pokemon and play with friends in this form, but we still don’t know if this is just a gimmick feature or not.

I think kids will love this, though. I hope t?he Synchro Machine is at leas??t polished enough to make my niece smile.

You can fly in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet now

The wrap things up, we see the final major feature of The Indigo Disk: flight. In the base games, Koraidon and Miraidon could eventually glide, but you could only stay airborne for so long. However, exploring the world of The Indigo Disk will unlock full-on flight, letting you see Paldea in a new light. The trailer specifically shows a flying minigame that tasks players with soaring through rings, clearly an homage to the legendary classic Superman 64.

I do have to say that flying makes me a bit nervous. I mean, airplanes do make me nervous, but I’m talking in-game. Pokemon Scarlet & Violet aren’t�uh�very technically sound, so I don’t know how useful this feature is with the current state of the game’s draw distance. Also, after players figured out how to go to space in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, fly?ing just doesn’t excite me as much as it might have. I’ll certainly reserve judgement for the final product though.

A more promising DLC than the first pack.

Overall, it looks like The Indigo Disk is shaping up to be a decent final chapter for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. I was underwhelmed by The Teal Mask, which was a sentiment shared by our own Chris “Daft Punk�Carter in his review. However, The Indigo Disk already looks way more interesting than what its predecessor offered. This is probably why they bundled the two packs together, much like the approach Sword & Shield took.

I’ve learned to be more skeptical than not when it comes to Pokemon these days, especially with the ridiculously rapid release cycle these games are caught in. But I can’t say I haven’t had fun with Pokemon Scarlet & Violet either, numerous wart?s and all. Here’s hoping for a triumphant conclusion for Generation 9, and hopefully a more sound start for Generation 10 when it’s inevitably announced.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: The Indigo Disk launches on December 14. In the meantime, you can grab an array of new event Pokemon today to celebrate the DLC’s launch.

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It’s been a wild ride following Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, rife with ups and downs. But with the Indigo Disk DLC around the corner, it app?ears Game Freak is hyping up the end of Generation 9. Fittingly, trainers can grab Dialga and Palk?ia in this month's next Tera Raid event.

As many Pokemon fans know, Dialga and Palkia are the cover legendary Pokemon for Pokemon Diamond & Pearl. Perhaps newer fans know these monsters from the more recent Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, but we don’t talk about those games. Eith?er way, these are proper legendary monsters with crazy stats and powerful moves, so they’re well wo?rth grabbing.

Defeat Dialga and Palkia in Tera Raid battles to catch them

Fortunately, you shouldn’t need an optimal team to take on these monsters. Dialga and Palkia will appear as 5-Star encounters, a far cry from the challenging 7-Star events. These will certainly still be tough battles, but as long as you know how to max ?your monster's? stats, you should do okay. ?They’ll also appear with the Dragon Tera Type, so you’ll want to use attacks that at least inflict neutral damage. Fairy-Type Pokemon seem like the obvious answer, but Dialga’s Steel-Type attacks may knock you right out, so be careful.

Pokemon Scarlet players can face Dialga, while Violet players will encounter Palkia. Of course, by helping fr??iends out or searching for online Tera Raids, you can still catch both monsters regardless of which version you play. However, note that you can only catch one of each monster per save file, so your six Dialga dream team will have to remain out of reach for now.

The event will go liv?e today at 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST. It will run until December 21 at 3:59pm PST / 6:59pm EST.

Here are the Mystery Gift codes for Darkrai and shiny Lucario

For those less inclined to work for legendary monsters, you can grab the Generation 4 mythical monster Darkrai right now simply by opening your game. Follow the usual steps to claim a mystery gift and select the "Get with Code/Password" option. From there, enter the code NEWM00N1SC0M1NG​�

That’s “New Moon Is Coming�with zeroes and ones replacing the Os and Is. That’s just a quirk of how entering codes work, you can’t actually use Os or Is when you input codes. This will net you a level 50 Darkrai that knows Dark Pulse, Shadow Ball, Hypnosis, and Dream Eater. Not a terribly exciting moveset, but certainly handy if you happen to be playing the main game before the DLC launches. Darkrai will be available until December 21.

Additionally, you can grab a shiny Lucario by entering the code SH1NYBUDDY. Funny enough, Lucario is actually a lot stronger than Darkrai out of the box! It starts at level 75 and knows Flash Cannon, Aura Sphere, Bullet Punch, and Ice Punch. Not a bad moveset for someone who needs help preparing for the new DLC! Of course, the big appeal is that Lucario is rocking that Yellow and Blue shiny color variant. If you’re a shiny hunter or just don’t have Lucario yet, this is a good pickup. You can get Lucario until January 3.

Game Freak has also revealed that a free Master Ball will?? be available as a mystery gift when the DLC The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 2: The Indigo Disk launches on December 14^th. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC bundle is available ?now in the Nintendo Swi??tch eShop.

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The second half of the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC is officially on the schedule. The Pokémon Company announce??d 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 playe??rs to a much different biome of sorts: the Blueberry Academy, an adva??nced 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 Ind??igo Disk fares when it arrives in December.

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If a new patch adds in a bug, no matter how small, the Pokemon community will find it. This one is a tad bigger than a mere annoyance though, as Pokemon Scarlet & Violet version 2.0.1 (which arrived for the Teal Mask DLC) apparently added in a hardware crash.

So here's how it happens:

• Get to the final battle of the game
• Have Miraidon or Koraidon (the box cover legendaries) in your Pokedex
• Select Pokemon party slots 4-6

As you can see in the above video from Tw??itter user Mattyoukhana_, the bug triggers as soon as you highlight the fourth or sixth party slot. You can move around slots 1-3 all you want, and even swing around the top to the bottom-most entry of your chosen box Pokemon. But once you?? hit the slot above it, boom, crash.

As the community points out in the ensuing discussion, you can sidestep the bug by not hovering over the aforementioned slots, or by just not having a full party. For those of you who steamroll battles with ?just one 'Mon, you probably won't even notice it.

Folks are flabbergasted as to how this can happen, as this was evidently added to the base campaign, and didn't happen in the new DLC zone. But it wouldn't be a Pokemon game without some puzzling bugs. Ideally, this bug will be spread far and wide, and Game Freak will be able to patch it out at some point. I refrained from typing "swiftly patch out," because this is Game Freak we're talking about. We're still months on from the launch of the game, and a lot of performance issues are still lingering.

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Aside from some legendary monsters and surprisingly strong event battles, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet loves pitting players against starter Pokemon from previous generations in Tera Raid battles. And this weekend, it seems like we'll return to that standard with a slight twist. As the next 7-Star Tera Raid event, all Pokemon Scarlet & Violet trainers will face off against His?uian Decidueye.

According to the official Pokemon account on Twitter, the Hisuian Decidueye Tera Raid will utilize the Grass Tera Type. By default it's a Grass/Fighting-Type hybrid, though its movepool has a lot of potential coverage. So while several Pokemon fare well against Grass-Types, you may n??eed to wait until we know its attacks to form an optimal counter. Like past 7-Star raids, this one will feature the Mightiest Mark that gives it the "Unrivaled" title if you catch it, which is a nice perk for hardcore collectors.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Decidueye in a Tera Raid. In fact, the last time we saw this ‘mon in Scarlet & Violet was last March. However, this one is specifically the Hisuian variant from Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

This raid will be available in two date ranges: October 5 at 9:00 a.m. JST / 8:00 p.m. EST to October 9 at 8:59 a.m. JST / 7:59 p.m. EST, and then again on October 12 at 9:00 a.m. JST / 8:00 p.m. EST to October 15 at 8:59 a.m. JST / 7:59 p.m. EST. Whether you challenge Hisuian Decidueye this weeken??d or next weekend, best of luck!

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When we originally reviewed Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, we went with a dual-pronged approach. One person reviewed Scarlet and gave it a 6/10. Another person reviewed Violet and gave it...a 6/10. Do you sense a pattern her??e? The?y had their finger on the pulse of much of the community.

As for me, I enjoyed this latest 'Mon generation a little more than Eric and CJ, even if I was fully cognizant of the rough start (and to be clear, continued existence). The Teal Mask doesn't really move the needle in any significant way. It's more Pokemon S&V, for better and worse.

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: The Teal Mask (Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Game Freak
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: September 13, 2023
MSRP: $34.99 (Season Pass with Teal Mask and Indigo Disk)

Let's go over what yo??u're getting i??n this DLC, so you can immediately size it up:

• A small handful of new Pokemon to capture (Dipplin, Poltchageist, Sinistcha, Munkidori, Okidogi, Fezandipiti, and the "box Pokemon" Ogerpon)
• 102 returning Pokemon to catch
• A new smallish map/region called Kitakami, which the entire DLC takes place in, and you can swap between it and Paldea at will
• A short campaign, some sidequests, outfits, and extras

For most Scarlet & Violet players, whether you ran for the hills and sold your copy already (or were so engrossed that you completed your Paldean 'Dex), you can scan this bulleted list and immediately tell if it's worth shelling ou??t the roughly $17.50 USD it co??sts to jump back in.

Teal Mask is a bit strange because you're primarily buying a new sandbox to play around in. The story is only four or five hours tops (shorter if you're blazing through and have powerful Pokemon), and it kind of just...ends with a tease for the next DLC. The campaign will roughly adapt/scale to the number of badges you've obtained, and I highly recommend that you enter the DLC before you complete the main game.

The catch-22 of this late-to-market DLC is that most of the player base that would be interested in it already have a monster party of level 100 titans at their disposal; which will absolutely crush the 60-70-max level range of foes that Teal Mask offers. That's not ideal! There are several boss fights in this DLC where you can clearly see an intended curveball; but you'd have to bring in weaker Pokemon on purpose to truly enjoy it. Level-scaling is always a tough mechanic to design around, but Game Freak has always struggled with it, Teal Mask included.

A lot of that story centers around two groups: siblings named Carmine and Kieran, and the history of a Pokemon native to the Kitakami region named Ogrepon. Curiously, both of them intersect in a fairly interesting way, and the micro-narrative involving Ogrepon was cute. Carmine and Kieran are going to be as polarizing as pretty much every side character not named Gary in the series, however, so there's that. Hardcore fans are already prepared to set their default expectations to "annoying," but this brother and sister combo can grate, let me tell you.

The part that I really enjoyed was Kitakami itself. Much like the original, I found myself roaming around in full 30-minute spurts and not even realizing it. I would come across a Pokemon I vaguely thought I hadn't captured before constantly, and/or try to trek to the highest mountaintop and dive into the deepest caves to find more quarry. Performance issues aside (which are still very much present), it's a ton of fun to just let loose in a low-stakes world and explore. It's always been one of the key components that drew me to the series since I picked up my copy of Pokemon Red, and Game Fr???eak keeps that streak going with Kitakami.

If anything, I wish there was more to it. There are a few story bits that go into the historical significance of the region, what sets it apart from say, Kanto, and it has some visual flair that looks more impressive than any single portion of Paldea, sans Mesagoza. But if nothing from Scarlet & Violet proper wowed you in any way, I'd keep your expectations in check here. There are a few sidequests, which I won't spoil here, that are fun to discover and work through, too (as we?ll as a selfie stick that should ha??ve been patched into the main game earlier to improve the default photo mode).

That's pretty much all that Teal Mask has to offer. You'll spend about five hours finishing up the story, and 10-15 hours?? cl??eaning up everything else, with a full Kitakami 'Dex. I really hope Indigo Disk brings it, because at present, the current incarnation of the season pass is tough to recommend.

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

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It’s time to jump back into the world of Pokemon with The Teal Mask, the first of two expansions for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. But, one thing to keep in mind when purchasing this expansion pack is that it’s not cross-compatible. This means if you own Pokemon Scarlet and purchase the DLC pack designed for Pokemon Violet, you’ll be? out around $34.99 plus applicable taxes.

It might seem like a silly mistake to make when the eShop color-codes both versions of the DLC. But it’s one that any of us could make if we’re not paying close attention. You may ask why and how the DLC for Pokemon Violet is different from the DLC for Pokemon Scarlet, especially if they’re both called The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. The answer is �exclusive ‘mons.

Each version of the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC come with exclusive monsters to capture. Like the base game, you'll have to trade with someone who owns the opposite version to fully complete your Kitakami pokedex. If you’d like to know the trade codes for the exclusive Pokemon, Destructoid’s Bhernardo Viana has you covered.

What should you do if you buy the wrong version?

So, let’s explore an unfortunate happenstance. What should you do if you accidentally bought the wrong version of the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC? According to the eShop’s return policy, they will not issue refunds for “any digital item including digital games, download content (DLC), subscriptions, and download codes,�which �is pretty definitive.

But, according to users on reddit, Nintendo may allow each account one digital purchase refund. If you call the support line and explain your situation, they might make a one-time exception and refund your purchase so you can swap it out for the correct version. It is still to be determined if this is on?e of those age-old situations born from these?? redditors�uncles' tenure at Nintendo, or if it’s a legitimate policy to allow one refund per account. I say it’s at least worth a shot. 

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In the Pokemon Presen?ts that premiered August 8, the Pokemon Company announced a n?ew animated miniseries set in Paldea entitled Pokemon: Paldean Winds. And now, the first episode of Paldean Winds has been released for free via the official Pokemon channel on YouTube.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyMxQl-PeJE

The episode, which is entitled “Breathe Out,�clocks in at around 11 minutes in length and follows Ohara, a student at Naranja Academy. Ohara is a flutist who has ??been asked to create a video project celebrating the school’s legacy with fellow students Aliquis and Hohma. But, due to a staggering amount of pressure, Ohara journeys to Glaceado Mountain with her loyal Fuecoco companion in search of her treasure.

The series will have a?? total of four episodes and is produced by WIT STUDIO, who eagle-eyed anime fans will recognize as the team behind the first three seasons of? Attack on Titan as well as one of the studios behi??nd the smash hit SPY x FAMILY. In the Pokemon world, WIT STUDIO also produced the t?hree-episode miniseries, Pokemon: Hisuian Snow.

I’d hate to spoil the episode too severely, but given it’s already dubbed into English, we now have official voices for several characters from Scarlet and Violet: Nemona, Arven, and Clavell. Nemona is voiced by Olivia Vidas, Arven by Henry Mason, and Clavell is voiced by Pete Zarustica. In terms of main cast, Ohara is voiced by Cat Protano, Aliquis by Paul Castro Jr., and Hohma by Caroline Spinola.

If you’d like to get on-board the Paldean Winds train while it’s still early, the first episode is avai?labl?e for free via YouTube. That is, presumably, where the remaining three episodes will be posted.

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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 teases a 19thTe??ra 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 pe??ntagons surrounding a hexagon. As it currently stands, Terastallizing a Pokemon strengthens moves of the same type. Though it is unclear 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 allows it to strike before a target's priority move.

Two new Paradox Pokemon and their moves are also showcased. 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.

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While the recent August 2023 Pokemon Presents stream was a disappointment for some, Scarlet & Violet fans at least had a little bit to chew on. Amid the announcement that this generation's first expans?ion was just around the corner, we also got word that Mewtwo would be comi?ng to the ga?me in September via a Tera Raid event. That's neat at least!

Before that actually happens, you can do some extra prep work if you're not ready to go. The good news is that The Pokemon Company is making that easy with an event that's live right now through the next week or so: so even lapsed players can dive in without having to make up for weeks (or months) of lost tim??e.

All the info on the August 9 through August 17 Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Tera Raid event

From now through August 17, you'll be able to catch three Pokemon designed to counter Mewtwo. You can find all of the event info here on the official Japanese Pokemon site.

Here are the three Pokemon you can catch:

• Blissey
• Scizor
• Hydreigon

As you may have noticed fr??om all the fanfare, all three of these will help you take out Mewtwo in some form as part of a larger party. You'll also get stat-raising items, as well as TMs that will help you conquer the psychic-wielding creature.

If you're on vacation or missed out, there's another event on the way

If y??ou missed the first round of the event through August 17, you can still catch the second-chance one that runs from September 1 through September 17. Conveniently, that's when the Mewtwo event is running as well!

The post The nex??t Pokemon Scarlet ??and Violet raid event is designed to help you take down Mewtwo appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet have had an interesting run of Tera Raid events. Until now, most of the 7-Star encounters have revolved around starters from previous games, usually with a strategically picked Tera Type that makes them tricky to take down. But now, with the impending release of DLC for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?, M?ewtwo is here to kick the Tera Raid intensity up a notch.

From September 1 to September 17, Mewtwo will appear as a Tera Raid in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. It will sport the Psychic Tera Type, so needless to say, this thing's Psychic attacks will hit hard. Normally, I would say this means Dark-type Pokemon w??ill prevail. But if there's one thi?ng I know about Tera Raid Pokemon, it's that they love to punish their obvious weaknesses. Aura Sphere will almost certainly appear in Mewtwo's move pool.

To help trainers prepare, Scarlet & Violet will see promotional raids throughout August that drop some key items to strengthen your team. The first encounter will appear from August 9 to August 17, with the second encounter running from August 19 to August 31. We didn't receive specifics about these raids, but I'd expect something similar to a 5-Star Blissey raid. In other ??words, an easy loot piñata for trainers to take down in a minute before claiming rewards.

If you read my older Tera Raid guides, you could probably tell how exhausted I felt after a while. The release schedule just got so fast, and I can only use Annihilape so much b??efore i??t gets stale. However, with legendary Pokemon entering the fray, I might dip into the scene again. This monster harassed me enough in Pokemon Stadium, so I've got a score to settle.

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As we gear up for the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet double-DLC-drops this year, Game Freak and company are doling out more free gifts for the pair of recent mainline games. This time the newest promo involves a dark Tera Type Charizard: and who doesn't love a Charizard?! Especially given that you can't acquire one in Scarlet & Violet through normal gameplay.

Here's how to get the special July 2023 Charizard

We have a full breakdown on how to ??access the mystery gift?????????????????????????? system here. In short, it involves finishing up the tutorial (which requires you to get through the academy portion, after t??he bout with Arven) to fully unlock the r??equired menu.

After you've completed the tutorial, complete th??e following ??steps:

• Press X and select “Poke Portalâ€?/li>
• On the Poke Portal screen, scroll down and find the code option and select it
• Enter the code DARKTERA0006

Here are some details for the July 2023 Charizard in case you need to disce?rn whether o??r not it's worth even booting up the game for:

• Level 50
• Dark Tera Type
• Moves: Crunch, Flare Blitz, Acrobatics, Belly Drum

This promo will run through August 31, 2023, so you have some time. If you're seeking out more information, the original source of this code is straight from The Pokemon Company's site.

[Update: Nintendo has provide??d a new trailer for the event, which also ties into an "Obsidian Flames" trading card game product]

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4-FOvO4ukY

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The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk

Nintendo kicked off their Nintendo Direct today with their cash cow: Pokemon. Specifically, we got a closer look at the setting for both DLC adventures coming to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet later this year.

The Teal Mask will have a feudal Japan theme, as we've seen a good deal of leading into this particular Direct. The Indigo Disk will partially take place at the "Blueberry Academy," which is much more futuristic in nature than the Teal Mask setting. ?"More details are coming in the future," so this is basically a drip feed of footage for now.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0UUtohagU4

As a reminder, Teal Mask is still slated for fall 2023, and Indigo Disk is coming in winter.

Here's the latest info from Nintendo, which is still fai?rly vague beyond the ?visuals in the trailer and the reconfirmation of certain returning Pokemon:

"More Pokemon, places and stories await in this two-part DLC for the Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet games. In this story, you’ll be leaving the Paldea region and delving even deeper into the world of the Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet games. Part 1: The Teal Mask has a planned release date of fall 2023 and Part 2: The Indigo Disk has a planned release date of winter 2023. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC is available for pre-purchase now in Nintendo eShop and in the My Nintendo Sto?re on Nintendo.com."

More events are coming to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet this week

[caption id="attachment_387763" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Nintendo[/caption]

While the DLC is on the horizon, there is something you can do right now. Well, later today, at least!

There's a special Tera Raid event for Chest Form Gimmighoul running from June 21 through July 2, and you can use the password "TREASUREHUNT" for goodies (Nugget x10, Rare Cand?y x10, Friend Ball x1).

The post Nintendo shows off more of the upcoming Pokémon Scarlet & Violet DLC appeared first on Destructoid.

Get your Chesnaught while you can

Sometimes, glitches s?way in the player's favor, especi??ally 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 was 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 the raid and remove it from th??e game entirely, promising a new 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 ?technical 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 c??omes 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 i??ssue where unintended behavior occurred in private official tournaments where specific 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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That means Sobble is in play too

Thanks to an announcement from the official Japanese Pokemon site, we know that the famous water sniper Inteleon is coming to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet as a 7-Star raid event. Inteleon was introduced in Pokemon Sword and Shield as a starter and became one of the most endearing and enduring 'Mons of that generation. The sassy-looking Inteleon has a super unique design, and it even don??s a sniper perch in its Gigantamax form. It was also my starter pick, and I cherish it to this day!

Here's all the info we have on Inteleon's return

• The event will be held from April 28 at 9AM JST through May 1 at 8:59AM JST: with a repeat event echoing from May 5 through May 8 at the same time
• Like prior events, it'll have the Mightiest Mark (a title unique to these raid events)
• It'll sport the Ice Tera Type
• You can only catch one per save file, but you'll be able to fight it an unlimited amount of times for loot

Following in the footsteps of prior events, Sobble and Drizzile are coming to Scarlet & Violet as well

Using the egg-breed method in Scarlet & Violet ?you'll be able to ha?tch a Sobble, which then evolves into Drizzile at level 16 (and Inteleon at 35). So that's technically three new Pokemon that appear in each 7-Star Tera Raid event.

When coupled with all the loot you get (including Ability Patches), that's not a bad reward for your tim??e!

The post An Int??eleon raid event is coming t?o Pokémon Scarlet and Violet soon appeared first on Destructoid.

R0CKANDBAT0N

The Pokemon Company is very sly with a lot of their mainline Pokemon distributions, and we have yet another one that's live now in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. You might be thinking: well, we just got some Mystery Gifts! Well, you're right! You can read all about them?? here, but this one deals with?? two TMS.

Thanks to a new email distribution in Japan (cataloged by Twitter ??users like Makio & JRoses), we have another code: R0CKANDBAT0N.

Here's what you get from the Scarlet & Violet R0CKANDBAT0N code:

• Stealth Rock (TM116)
• Baton Pass (TM132)

Well, it does what it says on the tin! One of the key advantages of taking free TMs via the Mystery Gift system is time saved. If you need to adapt to a 7-Star Tera Raid and swap some abilities around, you won't need to either go to a store and buy the TM yourself and/or you don't need to create it using the TM machine.

Stealth Rock is normally crafted by using 50??00 LP, Rockruff Rock x3, and Rolycoly Coal x3: which is a tad more valuable than ?Baton Pass, which only needs 3000 LP, Eevee Fur x3, and Girafarig Fur x3.

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 button menu. Here’s how to find the mystery gift menu:

• Press X and select “Poke Portalâ€?/li>
• On the Poke Portal screen, scroll down and find “mystery gift,â€?then select that option
• Select “get with code/passwordâ€?/li>
• Enter the code(s)

The post Pokemon Scarlet & Violet releases yet another Mystery Gift code out in the wild appeared first on Destructoid.

Most notably, the egg raid glitch

While the Walking Wake and Iron Leaves raids in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet were supposed to be a big event for everyone, some players were left holding...an egg. As you may have heard, some folks encountered a nasty bug where, instead of the aforementioned Pokemon in question, they caught an egg: and locked themselves out of the privilege of gathering the 'Mons. Thankfully, update 1.3.0 fixes that, amid some other bugs.

Link Battles were a big focus in this patch, as were general battles involving a select few abilities (like Cud Chew) and Zoroark. You also shouldn't have any more trouble lau?nching the game when connecting it to Pokemon Go as of this patch. For those of you hoping for massive framerate/visual overhauls, you'll have to keep waiting (indefinitely?).

You can check out the full patch notes ?below and see if your fix made the cut.

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Version 1.3.0 (Released April 19, 2023 - Full Patch Notes)

Thank you for playing the Pokémon series.

On Wednesday, April 19, we released the version 1.3.0 update for the Nintendo Switch exclusive software titles Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.

Support for Trainers Who Caught an Egg Instead of Walking Wake or Iron Leaves in Tera Raid Battles

Trainers who caught an Egg instead of Walking Wake or Iron Leaves in a Tera Raid Battle before updating to version 1.2.0 of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet were affected by a bug that prevented the?m from catching either of?? these Pokémon.

This bug has been fixed, and Tra??iners who caught such Eggs instead of Walking Wake and Iron Leave?s will now be able to catch these Pokémon.

In addition, the Tera Raid Battle events for these two Pokémon will return around the same time as this game update. Visit this page for details on the Tera Raid Battle events.

Feature Adjustments

A change has been made to the deadline for entries for Friendly Competitions,?? whi??ch are found in the Online Competitions section of the Battle Stadium.

• Before this change: Entries were allowed until the Friendly Competition began.
• After this change: Entries will be allowed until the Friendly Competition ends.

Bug Fixes

Link Battles

• Fixed a bug in Link Battles where selecting Swap in just before the selection timer reached zero could fail to switch in the selected Pokémon and subsequently cause switching â€?and the battle itself â€?to act abnormally.
• Fixed a bug in Link Battles where once the remaining time for the battle was under one minute, it would no longer be displayed where it was supposed to.
• Fixed a bug that occurred in Link Battles where, depending on the move being used at the time a Pokémon fainted, the amount of time a Trainer received to select their next Pokémon was reduced.

Battles

• Fixed a bug where the Cud Chew Ability would trigger again once every two turns after it triggered the first time, contrary to what is written in the Ability description.
• Fixed a bug that occurred when Zoroark Terastallized while using its Illusion Ability to disguise itself as another Pokémon. On the Check Status screen, the Terastallized Zoroark’s type would display as the original type of the Pokémon it had disguised itself as, rather than Zoroark’s Tera Type.
• Fixed a bug that occurred when Zoroark used its Illusion Ability to disguise itself as another Pokémon that had already Terastallized. This bug caused Zoroark’s type on the Check Status screen to incorrectly display as the Tera Type of the Pokémon Zoroark had disguised itself as.
• Fixed a bug in Double Battles with moves that cause stat changes for the Pokémon using the moves. This bug caused the stat changes to incorrectly happen twice if the user hit two opposing Pokémon with the move while an opposing Pokémon was behind a Substitute.

Pokémon GO Connectivity

• Fixed the main issue causing the game to crash on the screen used to pair with a Pokémon GO account.

Other

• Fixed a bug affecting Trainers who received Hisuian Zoroark from the Mystery Gift screen a?s a special early-purchase bonus for The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero for Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet without first having seen Zoroark in their game. This bug caused Zoroark to be incorrectly displayed as registered in these Trainersâ€?Pokédexes.

• Other select bug fixes have been implemented.

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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 generation. "The Teal Mask" arrives in the fall and "The Indigo Disk" is coming in the wint??er; since their initial reveal, we haven't learn??ed 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 Pok??emon 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 Poke??mon 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 body to form a protective shield. Apparently, it can also assume a dormant state when it feels t??hat 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 ac??commodate for forms). Either way, it's nice to see a?nother '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 promo?s running: even if most of the ??latter are fairly small time. Well, there's

Spotted by Japanese Pokemon players via Pokemon Company emails (including this tweet from Twitter ??use??r ShxQ183ag88QPe6??, who screenshotted the email), these new codes dole out items for the gam??e, and can be redeemed once per save file.

New Mystery Gift codes have rolled out in April

Here's a list of all the codes and when?? 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 on?ce, including one for a special Palafin. That code 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 fu??ll tour of the academy), you can select the mystery gift option in the main X button 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 while using the (on??line)?? Union Circle system. Some folks haven't done this yet ??(or are unable to), so perhaps t??his distribution will help!

Here's?? the full tweet from the Play Pokemon Twitter account:

"Tu??ne 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 Miraidon 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' P?alafin—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 Pokemon Scarlet and Vi??olet has a free Palafin distribution running now appeared first on Destructoid.

You have to play three matches in the upcoming competitive event

While Pokemon Scarlet & Violet copies continue to fly off the shelves, we're getting a decent chunk of content rollouts in the form of seven-star raids. But Game Freak and The Pokemon Company also have an overwhelming amount of tiny promo events going on too, including this upcoming opportunity to get a new backpa??ck style.

Announced on the official Japanese Pokemon site,  the powers that be are running a promo for the upcoming Pokémon Japan Championships 2023 (also known as PJCS2023). All you have to do is play three matches and be connected to Pokemon Home.

How to get the Scarlet & Violet Great Ball backpack

The entry period for the event is from April 13 at 9AM JST through April 21 at 8:59AM JST. From there, the event will kickoff directly after from April 21 at 9AM JST through April 24 at 8:59AM JST. Here is a full list of ?Pokemon that you're allowed to enter.

Note that this is a participation reward, so you can play three matches, win or lose,???? and still pick up the bonus. You'll also get 10,000 LP (League Points) for your efforts.

The code will actually be doled out through Pokemon Home, which you can then input in Scarlet & Violet via the Mystery Gift system. Yeah, that's not complicated at all! Maybe one day you can just get the reward directly i?n-game when participating in an onli?ne event instead of jumping through hoops.

The post Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is getting a free promo ??Gre?at Ball backpack 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 grit?ty of this particular event.

When does the Typhlosion raid start?

According to the official news post from The Pokemon ?C??ompany, 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?? amount 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 arrives, we'll have plenty of info and guides to explai??n how to take it ??down the fastest; or in many cases, solo it offline!

The post Cyndaquil/Typhlosion are coming to Pokemon Scarlet & Violet with the next 7-Star raid appeared first on Destructoid.

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 it 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 probab?ly be up your alley! If you do have one though, there's not much of a reason to pop in fo??r 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.

The post The next Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Tera Raid is a 5-Star Ditto appeared first on Destructoid.

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 jour?ney with new creatures, locations, an??d mysteries to unravel.

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. H??owever, 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 hav?e gamers traveling to Blueberry Academy 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 t?he two halves will be released separately, they will tell a?? single, continuous 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 Gyms 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 da??y, and there is no Starmobile mechanic.

There is also the Academy Ace Tournament, which has players taking on various characters in tough bat??tles. It is also useful to speak to all the teachers, especially Ms. Raifort, as she will 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 Pokem?on.

[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 i?ncreases the o??dds of encountering a Shiny Pokemon in the wild. Typically, there's a 1 in 4,096 chance of coming across a Shiny Pokemon, but with a charm, the odds are doubled to 1 in 2,048, 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?? alwa??ys 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 ha?d a rocky launch, as the games were scourged with technical issues and graphical glitches. Updates have addressed som??e 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 Po??kemon 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 the?re is no purchase necessary for these promo cards (as in the past), which will provide 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. Maybe you alre?ady have 20.

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

Welcome to the final days of Samurott

In case you haven’t heard, Samurott is joining the roster of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet via a 7-Star Tera Raid Battle event. This event will run? from March 31 to April 2, and it will repeat the follow?ing weekend from April 7 to April 9.

One of the most challenging aspects of 7-Star raids is sheer unpredictability. The moveset of any Pokemon can completely change which monster will counter it best, so it’s almost impossible to prepare for an event before it goes live. For example, Samurott is a Water-Type Pokemon with a Bug Tera Type, which means Flying-Type Pokemon should be the best counters. However, if Samurott knows an Ice-Type move, the best Pokemon may be Walking Wake with Flamethrower or a Skill Link Cloyster with Rock Blast.

As unpredictable as raids ?are, you can mini?mize the busywork now so you can challenge Samurott within the first few hours of its debut. Here’s what you should do.

[caption id="attachment_371159" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Step 1: Catch any Pokemon you might use for the raid

We don't know which Pokemon will be meta, but some monsters ?are more likely to ?take the spotlight than others. Sure, you know that Torkoal isn’t likely to be a winner, but there’s a chance Corviknight could be an MVP.

If you’ve already completed your Pokedex, then you have this step on lock. If not, I’d recommend filling your storage with as many different Flying-Type Pokemon as you can. Pokemon that resist W?ater and Bug-Type attacks are also worth consideration. For example, Quaquaval’s Water/Fighting-Type gives it?? comprehensive resistances, and Acrobatics allows it to deal super effective damage in return. You don’t necessarily need to fully build every possible Pokemon, but the more options you have, the better.

It’s worth noting that, typically, raid-ready Pokemon should have a Tera Type matching their primary attack element. Unlike in competitive battling, Teratalization is predominately an offensive boon that can help break a raid Pokemon’s ?shield faster. It??’s okay if your Pokemon has a unique Tera Type, but don’t go out of your way for one.

[caption id="attachment_371160" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Step 2: Stock up on TMs

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet forgoes the tradition of the previous four generations and makes TMs consuma??ble again. This isn’t a particular issue for progressing the main game, as you’ll find plenty of TMs laying around. However, if you’re deep into the postgame or have participated in many 7-Star events, your stash of certain key TMs may be running low.

I highly recommend farming plenty of materials for Reflect and Light Screen. These are fundamental support moves, so you can never own enough of these. Moves that sharply raise or lower stats typically get decent milage too, such as Charm or Iron Defense. Finally, any move that deals damage and lowers a stat can be especially invaluable if you need to play support during a shield phase. Chilling Water has been a mainstay support move for several enco??unters, and it could potentially help here too.

Powerful Flying, Fire, and Rock-Type TMs are all applicable here too as counters to Bug Pokemon. The best moves will obviously vary depending on t??he Pokemon, but I’d recommend having Flamethrower, Rock Blast, and Sunny Day on hand. Otherwise, Iâ€?™d say go through your list of TMs and make sure you have one of each. Even if you don’t need every TM now, you’ll be happy to have them for future 7-Star battles.

[caption id="attachment_371161" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Step 3: Get mad money

Once you decide which Pokemon you’ll want to use, you’ll need to max out their E??Vs and applicable IVs. The fastest way to max EVs is via stat boost items you can buy from Chansey Supply in Mesagoza. The problem here is that these items cost money. Like, a lot of money.

Buying all the EV items you’ll need for one Pokemon will run you around 500,000 Pokedollars. If you need bottlecaps for IVs, those will run you 20,000 Pokedollars each. You’ll also need to account for held items that you might need in a pinch, such as the Assault Vest. 7-Star raids fortunately? drop bottlecaps and EXP candies at a decent rate, but ??????????????????????????either way, you need stacks of cash.

The fastest and easiest way to grind money is by running the Academy Ace Tournament. Lead with a Pokemon holding the Amulet Coin, which will boost your earnings to over 100,000 Pokedollars per tournament. Anyone who preordered the DLC for Scarlet & Violet received a Mystery Gift code for Hisuian Zoroark, who uniquely knows the move Happy Hour. When used, your prize money after a battle will double. This makes Zoroark the ideal lead for running the tournament, especially since it can use U-Turn immediat??ely ?after if its stuck in a bad matchup.

As for a good all-around sweeper for the tournament, I recommend Gholdengo. If you can give it a Steel Tera Type, a max Sp. Atk build with Choice Specs equipped should be able to OHKO any Pokemon you’re up against. Ad?ditionally, you’ll get even more bonus money thanks to Make It Rain’s secondary effect. If you want to spend money to make money, this is how you should do it.

[caption id="attachment_371162" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Step 4: Check for updates

This is mainly for when the event actually goes live, but always make sure you have the most up-to-date version of the game before you go online. The Walking W??ake and Iron Leaves event had a pretty nasty glitch occur if players didn’t update beforehand, so you’ll want to avoid that same fate. This hasn’t been an ?issue for other 7-Star raid events, but you can never be too careful.

There are plenty of battle preparations you can make, b?ut in the end, don’t go overboard covering? every base. Stock up on the things you think you might need, and grab the resources to fully build two or three Pokemon if you plan to farm the event. One-and-done players can wait for solo builds to appear and stick with those to catch Samurott, so feel free to take any angle that keeps your grinding to a minimum.

The post How to prepare for the Samurott Raid Event in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet appeared first on Destructoid.