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 specifica??lly lets players either join each other's groups or form ones of their own.

It's easy enough to set up and use, and we'll also walk you through some common pitfalls we ran into while playing multi??player 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 will giv?e 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 living room.

Secondly, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet multiplayer is not drop-in, drop-out. If someo??ne disconnects, you'll need to make a new group to link it all back. Disconnections won't automatically close the party unless it's the host, 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 w?ild, catch Pokémon with friends, trade, and battle. You can't play the game cooperatively, but you can help each other out and create a more per??sonalized 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 ex??clusive wild Pokémon. This will only work if you are within the vicinity of your friend with a different version. You can't be in two totally different regions of Paldea.

It'll also be a lot easier to link up and take on all the different Tera Raid battles since y??ou'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 a??nd partake in outbreaks to increase your chances of encountering shinies out in the wild. The benefits are shared be??tween 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 Scarlet or Violet, join up with them in a Union Circle to ha?ve a better overall experience. Experiences may vary based on internet quality from all pa??rties.

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

The latest update for Pokemon HOME is adding a Mystery Gift reward system. You know, because we trainers needed more reasons to catch them all. This mec??hanic offers rare Pokemon as prizes to Pokemon players who complete specific goals, and the first one up for grabs is a Shiny Meloetta.

This, to put it plainly, is a big honking deal. Until now, the only way trainers could get themselves a Shiny variant of this elusive Mythical Pokemon was by hacking a fifth-generation or beyond Pokemon game. Thanks to the new Pokemon Home update, however, casual Pokemon players and die-hard ?Shiny Hunters alike can finally add this musical-th?emed 'Mon to their collection without getting gobsmacked by Nintendo's well-loved ban hammer.

How to download Pokemon HOME

If you're one of the many Pokemon players who hasn't created a Pokemon HOME account yet, now's the perfect time to do it. You can download Pokemon HOME onto your smartphone or your Nintendo Switch, and the account-building process is a little different for each system. Let's walk through how to get started on Pokemon HOME.

How to download Pokemon HOME on Nintendo Switch

• Download Pokemon HOME from the Nintendo eShop
• Launch Pokemon HOME from your Switch's Home menu, using whichever Switch account you want to transfer your Pokemon to and from.
• Progress by hitting any button.
• Pick your Language, then hit "Start."
• Read the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice, then agree to it by hitting "Yes."
• When asked if you plan to use Pokémon HOME on your mobile device, select "Yes." If you plan on using Pokemon HOME on mobile, of course.
• If asked if you have linked a Nintendo Account to the mobile version of Pokemon HOME, hit "Yes" or "No," then go through the tutorial

How to download Pokemon Home on a smartphone

• Download Pokemon HOME from your phone's app store.
• Start the app.
• Choose your language, then hit "YES."
• Choose your region and country, then hit "YES."
• Enter your date of birth, then hit "Yes." You can't change this once you've put it in, and certain features of Pokemon HOME are only available to players over the age of sixteen.
• Read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice, then hit "NEXT."
• Review the info that pops up, then hit "I Agree."
• Select "Link your account" to link the same Nintendo Account you're using with Pokemon HOME on Nintendo Switch. The last thing you want is to lose that Shiny Gholdengo you worked so hard to get because of a network error.
• Click "Yes," then follow the on-screen instructions to link an existing Nintendo Account or create a new one.
• Click "Yes," again to confirm the Nintendo Account link and complete the tutorial.

How to get Shiny Melotta from Pokemon HOME

Before you get your Shiny Meloetta from Pokemon HOME, you'll have to complete the Paldea Pokedex, the Kitakami Pokedex, and the Blueberry Pokedexes. These Pokedexes encompass all the Pokemon found in Pokemon: Scarlet & Violet and its two-part The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC. All 843 of them.

Filling in all three Pokedexes is no simple task, especially since Pokemon HOME won't let you put a Pokemon in a Ninth-Gen Dex slot unless you caught it in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Luckily, we have some fantastic guides on where to find some of Paldea's rarer Pokemon. Your hunt will be difficult, b??ut it shouldn't be impossib?le.

Once you've transferred all the Pokemon you need to fill the Pokedexes, you'll be eligible to receive a Shiny Meloetta. Click the "Mystery Gift" option in the app's menu, then hit?? "Search for Gifts." As long as you have a solid inter??net connection, you'll receive a Shiny Meloetta of your very own.

The post How to get a free Shiny Meloetta fro??m Pokemon HOME appeared first on Destructoid.

In the Pokemon Prese??nts that premiered August 8, the Pokemon Company announced a new 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 arou??nd 11 minutes in length and follows Ohara, a student at Naranja Academy. Ohara is a flutist who has been asked to crea??te 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 wi??ll 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 t??he stud??ios behind the smash hit SPY x FAMILY. In the Pokemon wo?rld, WIT STUDIO also produced the three-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 available for free via YouTube. That is, presumably, wh?ere the remaining three episodes will be posted.

The post Pokémon: Paldean Winds debuts on YouTube for free appeared first on Destructoid.

The first DLC excursion of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have a release date. Part 1, The Teal?? Mask, arrives?? on September 13, and its follow-up The Indigo Disk arrives in winter 2023.

A trailer shown during today's Pokémon Presents dove into what we can expect from Scarlet and Violet's two-part DLC, both set to arrive this year. The Teal Mask follows two trainers, Carmine and her younger brother Kieran, as we get wrapped up in a festival an??d local folklore.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QiLe4pTHAE

Of course, there are ne?w Pokémon ?to catch. Dipplin is a dipped version of Applin. It looks like some special Pokémon are also tied into the folk tale surrounding the Festival of Masks we can attend.

Perrin, a Pokémon photographer, will also be around to give players missions to snap shots. A racing minigame will also garner Mochi, which lets you train Pokemon as you want. A Roto Stick upgrade also gives players  some new photo mode options. All of that is part of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's The Teal Mask DLC, arriving on September 13.

The BB League awaits

For The Indigo Disk, the second part of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC, the player heads to the Blueberry Academy as an exchange student. Here, you basically ge??t wrapped up in a battle anime plot, as the students seem to like battling in their own BB League.

[caption id="attachment_395423" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via The Pokémon Company/YouTube[/caption]

There's also a new open area with different biomes, new classes to take, and a special trial that will let your Koraidon or Miraidon fly instead of glide. A few other neat features await in The Indigo Disk, including new Pokéball throwing styles and a way to hang o??ut with trainers from?? Paldea.

All of the DLC adventures lead back to where Pokémon Scarlet and Violet concluded in the base game: Are??a Zero. As the entire DLC pack is called The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, it looks like there will be more mysteries to uncover in that deep crater.

Though the base game arrived a bit rough, I'm still interested to see where Game Freak takes the story from here. Area Zero was one of the most interesting parts of Scarlet and Violet, and these two DLC packs seem to be leaning into some strong areas. It'll be interesting to see how these additions com??e togethe?r.

The post Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s first DLC The Teal Mask arrives on September 13 appeared first on Destructoid.

A handful of players have had their files disappear

You might want to be cautious playing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet for the time being. Several players have reported that their Pokemon Scarlet / Violet save files were wiped following the most recent game update, and there isn't a clear cause just yet.

Over on the game's subreddit, as reported by Kotaku, players have been discussing the issue. Reports of the issue are popping up in a thread here??, starting with "at least 5" and climbing?? from there.

"Obviously this is a small number of players overall, but people need to be aware there ??is some level of risk," wrote the original poster. "I lost a 595 hour save file be??cause of this, and so far nothing can be done to recover my save."

Right now, the silver lining is that this issue seems to be affecting a relatively small pocket of the overall Scarlet and Violet ??player ??base. The bad news is that no overt cause has been figured out by those affected yet.

Some report it happening around some of the postcard and Pokemon Go integration, while another user says it happened "right after" purchasing the DLC. While the Go integration is a recurring theme, the outright cause seems unclear, and may not even involve it, as some have reported the issue without connecting to Go or buying the upcoming DLC. Users are currently investigating what the cause is, and trying to reverse-engineer what happened.

We've reached out to Nintendo for comment?? and further information.

Cloud cover

Importantly, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet don't have cloud backup options thr?ough Nintendo Switch Online. There is a separate back-up option, which can be accessed using the button combination X-B-Up. But, as the thread's original poster states, some users are unable to even access the screen where they could do that.

Couple that with Pokemon Home not being active yet for Scarlet and Violet, and it puts those affected by this particular bug in? a bind. E??ven if it's only affecting a few people, I can't imagine how I'd take it if my beautiful Annihilape disappeared into the ether. Hopefully there's a fix on the way for those affected.

The post Some Pokemon Scarlet and Viol??et players report their save files have been lost appeared first on Destructoid.

Dive into the treasure of Area Zero

Today's Pokemon Presents closed with a confirmation of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's DLC rollout. The two-part set of post-launch DLC will arrive later this year, with one in the fall and another in the wi?nter of 2023.

The combined name of these packs is "The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero," which will carry some meaning for those who have finished the main campaign of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Both DLC will be playable with the save data you've already got from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, so they're not standalone from the sounds of ?it.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiYSuUoI-dY

Part 1, "The Teal Mask," a??rrives in fall 2023. You'll visit the land of Kitakami as part of a school trip. The adventure will take you beyond the Paldea region, and look to include some festive wear and locales as part of the excursion.

Part 2 arrives in winter 2023, and is dubbed "The Indigo Disk." Here, you'll study as an exchange student at Blueberry Academy. There looks to be some battles to take on here, and both DLC will have some new Pokemo?n to catch as well. This includes the Legendary Pokemon; The Teal Mask will feature Ogrepon, while ?the Indigo Disk highlights Terapagos.

A new horizon

This DLC goes on sale today in the eShop. Purchasing the new packs of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC will net you some new in-game duds today too, as well a??s a Hisuian Zoroark.

While there are still plenty of questions about what these DLC packs will tackle for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and how they'll tie into the mysterious Area Zero, we at least know that more is still on the way for the latest mainline Pokemon. As someone who's enjoyed all the theorycrafting and story discussions around the especially dramatic ending of Scarlet and Violet, I'm very interested in seeing what The Pokemon Company concocts for its post-launch Scarlet and Violet tales.

The post Pokemon Scarlet and Vio?let DLC arrives in two parts late??r this year appeared first on Destructoid.

Some Pokemon news is on the way

We're getting an update ?on what's in s??tore for the Pokemon franchise next week. A new Pokemon Presents stream has been scheduled for Feb. 27, airing at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT.

The show will stream on the Pokemon YouTube channel starting at?? 6 a.m. PT, and will run for roughly 20 minutes.

//twitter.com/Pokemon/status/1628032454295531522

The stream will spotlight "about 20 minutes of exciting Pokemon ne?ws," as part of the Pokemon?? Day 2023 celebration.

Gotta catch 'em all

Speculation on what could be in this Pokemon Presents is easy to center on the most recent entry, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Any potential DLC for the latest Pokemon generation would be interesting to see, and there are a lot of places the series could go after the events and ending of Scarlet and Violet.

A hint of what's ahead could be interesting, though the Pokemon team has been hard at work tuning up Scarlet and Violet after it launched with a number of technical issues.

Still, there are many other places The Pokemon Company could go for additional announcements and reveals. A new spin-off or follow-up to a cult-classic is always a welcome surprise, especially with some of the recent ones the company has put together. Is it too much to hope for Pokemon Conquest to make a comeback?

Add in potential updates to live-service titles like Pokemon Unite, and there's a lot the stream could hold for February 27. No matter what, I'm interested to see what the future holds for Pokemon. Last year was very Poke-heavy, as we got two big entries in the series. And with next week's stream, we might get to see what the road looks like beyond the launch of Scarlet and Violet.

Tune in for the stream on February 27 at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT on the Pokemon YouTube channel here.

The post A new Pokemon Presents is? on the way for February 27 appeared first on Destructoid.

The lizard's glide gets an upgrade

The vast, open world of Paldea is open for exploring. And if fast travel is too slow for you, then this latest Pokemon Scarlet and Violet glitch may be more your speed.

Players have been utilizing a trick that essentially turns your legendary, either Koraidon or Miraidon, into a fighter jet. This speed glitch started gaining popularity recently thanks to Twitter user @yuudainano, though they note that oth??ers discovered it before their post gained traction.

Essentially, the idea is to dash and leap off a high point in Pokemon Scarlet / Violet. (I recommend the highest peak in Paldea, up? in the snowy mountains.) Deploy the glider, then cut it and turn, then red?eploy and whip Miraidon or Koraidon back around in the process.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-WFXkGILkI

It's a bit tricky to get a handle on, and it takes a few repetitions to get going. I've only managed to get it working a couple times. But eventually, as the camera starts to pull back due to your increasing speed, you'll feel it. As players have shown, you can really get flying around Paldea using this Pokemon glitch.

What's the use of this glitch? Well, for one, it makes for some cool movement and flyover options. You can really get a sense of connected Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is as you blast through all the different areas, one after another. Players have also used it to get onto the barren east side of the map, where they t??heorize some potential DLC may take place.

The open world of Pokémon

Really, though, it's just fun to see Koraidon and Miraidon zip around like they're in Ace Combat. I'm hopeful this one stays in, because the p??ractical usage is pretty low—fast-travel is way easier than trying to take Air Koraidon around over and over—but the possible fun to be had is pretty high.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet only came out last month for the Nintendo Switch. But while Game Freak and Nintendo are working on polishing up the latest mainline Pokemon game, it s?eems there may still be little secrets left to find in this world.

The post Pokémon Sc?arlet and Violet glitch tur?ns your legendary into a jet plane 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 way.)

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 ga??me. All songs using the mel??ody were made by other composers.

//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 to include contributions from Toby Fox. So it's nice t?o 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 t??hen, we'll always ha??ve Area Zero to hold us over.

The post Toby Fox discusses h?is musical contributions to Pokémon Scarlet ??and Violet 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 real?ly is something unique, it's wort?h dissecting and discussing.

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 conclusio??n of Arven's storyline, the pair of you learn that his parent (Sa??da 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 horror?s 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 ess??entially 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 bit. 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 stations on 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 surroundings are completely different, even?? from the main Paldea region you've just l?eft.

In the crater, you ca??n 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 o??f 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 ano??ther time. And in their search, they managed to build a time machine, and started catching Pokemon through it. These experiments soon we??nt 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 yo??u this group to travel with, buildi?ng 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 r?eveal 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 som?e 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, es?sentially. It felt like Game ?Freak utilizing so much of its tech for a focused purpose. Running 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 lets the?? game completely off the hook 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 like. 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.

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 already made up their minds about it after seeing the many clips of its 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 b??ecoming the best Pokémon trainer the Paldea Region has ever seen. I’ve ventu??red 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 been so janky that I cannot in good conscience look past its glaring faults, eve?n 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 bi?llion-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’re free to go in any direction and approach the game o??n 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 around attending a Pokémon academy is a great idea, but th??is isn’t that game, and I just find it odd that Game Freak would choose 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 of ?habit a??nd 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 formula 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 missed 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 soundtrack with some riveting battl??e 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 of 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 wan?t 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 wh??at's there is “good enough for launch.�Will NPCs on a loop walk right through an important 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 encountered 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 should have been rather than what it ended up being??.

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

The post Review: Pokémon Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

When multiplayer clicks in the Paldea region, it's great

We just wrapped our first weekend with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the latest games in the long-running series. It's got a lot of new features, from the open world structure to Tera Types. But I was eager to kick the tires of one major function of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and that's multiplayer.

While the Pokemon series has had multiplayer since Red and Blue, it's been mostly just trading and battling. The Let's Go series might have allowed dual Trainers, but not individual a?vatars brought in from their own games and worl??ds.

In Scarlet and Violet, Game Freak opens the doors for players to form groups and explore the open world together. Up to four Trainers can link up using a room code and play in one instance together, via the Poke Portal and Union Circle.

Right off the bat, I'm already iffy on the room code function. While it's a nice idea to put up a room code and let pals join on you, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's struc??ture is rigid. To group, you need to make the group, and then ??launch. If anyone drops, you'll need to remake the room to add them back. And if the host drops, the group goes up in smoke.

It's not a strong start, but it's something. And once the group gets made, it really ??is fun seeing everyone's avatars load in and join your world.

Pokemon, at least for me, can feel like a surprisingly solitary experience. Battling and trading offer outlets, yes, but not the sort of shared social space interactions you can get in other games. I've organized a few gimmick events for games like Pokemon Legends: Arceus, and there were good times had by all.

But seeing each others' avatars in the world and laughing as we all struck poses, twirled, and clambered atop our legendary motorcycle (or leg-cycle) Pokemon was the first moment I thought Game Freak was onto something. Here is the secret sauce. This might be what sets Scarlet and Violet apart. It would? be, but in a more roundabout way than you'd think.

Fighting a ghost

Someone's first inclination, in this kind of environment, would be to test boundaries. So we immediately set off to challenge some of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's story-based challenges.

The sad news is that the dre??am of watching your friends take on Gym challenges is still just that. We couldn't find a way to actually see our pals taking on the big Gym fights. And that's a bit of a bummer! It would've been spectacular to see those battles happen in-person, letting you cheer on a pal as they tackle a big challenge and emerge victorious.

Similarly, the Titan Pokemon fights don't really let you join in either. A good comparison point is Final Fantasy XIV, or really any MMO. When story starts, the user kind of departs to their own l??ittle slice of the world. They weren't removed from the online group, thankfully, but they were separated in a way that split the connectivity.

Yes, we could watch each other battle wild Pokemon. Our group could also participate in Tera Raid battles together, which we had a blast doing. Seriously, it's not just the best wa??y to grind up XP for your party, but the higher-star Tera Raids are really fun to see.

After some time battling and, of course, taking a bunch of selfies, we parted ways. But we didn't leave the online. We all just slowly trickled off to our own corners, chasing whatever we wanted to do next. And there, somehow, is where Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's multiplayer started to shine for me.

Paldea, connected

On my own, I'm off pursuing a path to a new town. But the whole time in the corner, I'm seeing notifications. Scarlet and Violet lets?? you know when other players in your instance have done something cool, like catch a Pokemon. I can congratulate them, or ask them where they got it and then find them on the map, to go catch one myself. They'll be there waiting, ready to guide me right to the spot.

Maybe someone finds a 3-Star Tera Raid and puts out a ping to the group, to see if anyone else wants to join in. Or in some cases, I'd just?? stum??ble upon a friend battling a wild Pokemon, and I'd stop and watch for a bit. Cheering and jeering in equal measure, of course.

Then someone finds a weird new sandwich ingredient and declares its picnic time, so we take a moment and head to our secret spot. We set up the picnic table and go into creative mode, dumping the worst ingredients possible. This is not about maximizing stats. This is about making something horrible, and watching as our avatars makin??g mouth motions in front?? of a JPG of our collaborative monstrosity.

And that's the weird divide of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Its multiplayer can put a strain on the system at times, taking an experience with performance issues to new places. I'd see my Koraidon occasionally turn into an invisible Koraidon, like Wonder Woman's jet, as I was riding around. Areas that already had some frame troubles, at the very least, ??di?d not benefit from having more players around. I had some unexplained communication errors here and there, and exactly one hard crash.

Stand by me

I don't find myself really caring about the te??chnical issues most of the time, though. Yes, they are stumbling blocks. But there is something about this kind of multiplayer that has really made Pokemon feel new to me in a way it hasn't?? been.

The series has dabbled with different multiplayer options, but this is the first time it's felt so interlinked. It's not just?? sending postcards in the form of Pokemon, or some form of combat. Characters are allowed to exist together, alongside their chosen teams. I can see my pals trot out their whole squad for a picnic, and share a laugh a??t their bizarrely named Pokemon.

That moment, when I was just casually running from one town to another and spotted my pal on the same road, was when it all clicked for me. This, this, was the multiplayer working. We were on opposite corners of the map at various points, playing a solitary game, and then chancing into each other. I've had this happen in Final Fantasy XIV and Destiny, but never in Pokemon. In our small, constructed, grouped instance, I caught a glimpse of the same joy MMOs have brought me. It let me group up with pals and make Snake Eater jokes as we climbed an impossibly-tall ladder.

To use a better example: remember that summer we all got really into Pokemon Go? Where you'd run out the front door and down to your neighborhood park, looking for new mons??ters to catch? Maybe you developed a crew, or had one already. There's an air of discovery, where you can get together and share info. You caught an Eevee over here, they might still be spawning. Oh, there's a Gym! Let's team up and take it for our crew.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet gives a mainline Pokemon game some of those tools to work with, even if they don't click together quite so neatly and accommodate anywhere near as many players as Go or an MMO does. This generation uses multiplayer as a forum for more than trading or dueling. And consequently, I feel more conn?ection to Paldea. It has more than just Pokemon battles and Gyms to do, but places to explore. Sights to ?see. Venues for groups to just co-exist in a virtual social space. It might have some issues and be limited in its player count, but it's a strong step towards something fascinating. And Arceus knows I'll be logging back on tonight.

The post Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s multiplayer has great moments, despite the technical problems appeared first on Destructoid.

Two controllers are faster than one

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are out in the wild, and players have been discovering all kinds of weird glitches and tricks. One in particular involves not just a copy of the new Pokemon, but two controllers too.

As discovered and shared over on Reddit, you can use two controllers to make your Trainer in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet run faster than usual. Others, including myself, have since v??erified th?at it does indeed work.

This seems to really only work in handheld mode, in my experience. And likely best with Pro Controller and attached Joy-Cons as the configuration; the Reddit video uses Joy-Cons, but a Pro and Joy-Con combo felt bette??r to use in my case.

It's a bit finicky to manage, as you have to tilt both sticks at an angle. But it definitely? felt like I was booking it through Paldea when I was doing this.

This could likely get addressed in a future patch, and honestly, it's not too different from just mounting up and rolling out. The novelty of it is especially interesting though. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet players h??ave al??ready discovered means for sequence breaking using "teleports" across gaps. A feature like this might make something like a "No School" run possible.

A whole new region

The newest entry in the Pokemon series has had quite a few technical issues, that get a bit more serious than two-controller speeding. Camera clipping, performance hitches, and other technical problems have led to Scarlet and Violet drawing significant criticism towards the state of the series.

All that said, though, a lot of people are playing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Despite ?the hiccups, players seem to be gelling with the new region and open-world approach. Time will tell how this generation is remembered, as Pokemon games are often evaluated and then re-evaluated, over and over, by fans as the years go on. We'll have formal critiques to ??share in the future. And hey, now we can run through them even faster thanks to this new trick.

The post Pokemon Scarlet and Violet ?trick lets you run faster with two controllers appeared first on Destructoid.

A truly ribbiting reveal

A new Pokemon for the Paldea region makes its debut. Bellibolt, the EleFrog Pokemon, will be debuting in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

The new monster-pal for Paldea was teased earlier this week in a video, spotlighting the region's Electric-type Gym Leader Iono. Today, the Leader/influencer/streamer Iono returns to debut just what her partner Pokemon is.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkfN-jyEcrI

Bellibolt is, as you can tell, an Electric-type frog. As Iono notes, those giant bumps on the side of its head are not eyes.

Instead, its actual face is that little smiley face you see in the middle, above its electricity-generating belly. A Bellibolt can expand and contract, generating electricity for? shocking attacks it discharges from those bumps.

Its ability, Electromorphosis, is a new one. When Bellibolt is hit by an attack, it charges up, boosti?ng the power of its next Electric?-type move. Seems like it could be an interesting frontline tank for your Pokemon party.

A new pal in Paldea

Bellibolt is another in a string of reveals for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. We've been gradually meeting more and more of the newcomers over the last few months. Pokemon like Wiglett, Grafaiai, and more are in store.

Plus, we're ??also getting a good look at some of the people living in Paldea too. Iono is the third Gym Leader we've seen so far, and will act as one of several the player will need to topple along Victory Road.

From auto-battling and TM crafting to the glorious lil' buddy called Lechonk, we're getting a pretty good idea of what's ahead for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The new generation of Pokemon games isn't too far off, either.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet go live on Nintendo Switch on November 18, 2022.

The post Bellibolt is a new electric ??frog Pokemon for Scarlet and Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

The Paldea region's Poke-influencer is revealed

Today's Pokemon Scarlet and Violet trailer has premiered, showcasing the debut of a new Gym Leader. Iono is an Electric-type Gym Leader in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, which launches for Nintendo ??Switch on November 18.

The new video cen??tered on Iono and her livestream antics. The Gym Leader is also a streamer? and influencer on the side. As an Electric-type Leader too, her Magnemite hair clips are a pretty cool accessory.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9HAaHc3wnc

The video caps off with a "guess that Pokemon" segment. Iono does a 20 Questions-style game where her viewers ask questions about her partner Pokemon, tryi??ng to deduce which one it might be.

Hints include the Pokemon being squishy, not being Magnemite, and being sluggish with an easy-going vibe. It has two "big ol' bumps on its noggin" that people mistake for eyes, and it is an Electric-type Pokemon. Its body also expands to generate? electricity, and it's cute.

Honestly, I have no clue. My bet would be that this is a tease for a future Paldean-region Pokemon reveal for Scarlet and Violet. Wiglett and Grafaiai were also teased before being fully revealed.

Paths to Pokemon victory

At least we ?now have another Gym Leader to add to the list. We've already seen Ice-type Leader Grusha and Grass-type Leader B??rassius.

These three, alongside the other heads of different Gyms, will make up one of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's storylines. But there are two other ones as well.

On the Path of Legends, for example, you'll go off in search of rare special ingredients. And in another, you take on this generation's antagonistic crew Team Star. From a recent trailer, it seems like that will also be an area where the auto-battle? mechanic will come in handy.

It won't be long until we have to face off against Iono and the other Gym Leaders either, as Pokemon Scarlet and Violet go live on November 18.

The post Here’s Iono, an Electric-type gym leader in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

Get another glimpse of the Paldea region

The next Pokemon generation is just around the corner, and there's still some more info to share on what's in store. The Pokemon Company confirms that more info on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will air on its YouTube channel this week.

A new drop will happen on October 12, tomorrow, at 6 a.m. PT. The video will go live on the official Pokemon YouTube channel then.

//twitter.com/Pokemon/status/1579819355851743233

There isn't an?y indication about how long this particular video will be??, or what content it will cover.

Exploring Scarlet and Violet's new region

We've had a number of these info drops pop up over the last few weeks. On October 6, a new trailer dove into the world of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, showing some battle footage and the Terrastal??lize mechanic in practice.

The auto-battle function that's been teased was also shown off. This option lets Pokemon run off and fight their own battles, separate from the trainer. It can be used to pick up items too, and it?? seems like one of this ge??neration's three main story pillars will involve storming a Team Star hideout alongside your Pokemon.

A quiet surprise was the TM Machine, which will let players create TMs using items dropped by Pokemon. This could be a big one for endgame Poke??mon raising and training, as well as helping players adapt to the gyms.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk3Fr9ysPYo

Alongside news like that, we've also seen info about some of the new Pokemon and regional? variants. New faces like Wigglett and Lechonk are already stealing hearts, or terrifying them in the former's case.

All this, alongside legendary mounts that can help you can get around Paldea, sure makes Pokemon Scarlet and Violet look like interesting entries in the mainline Pokemon series. We'll see?? what more the Pokemon team has in store to show off tomorrow.

The post More Pokemon Scarlet and Violet info is on the way??? this week appeared first on Destructoid.

Wiglett wobbles but it won't fall down

A new Pokemon has been revealed for upcoming Switch entries Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and it's a tall, wiggly one. Wiglett ??is a new Pokemon for the Pal??dea region.

Teased today in a new video on the World Pokemon Ecological Society site, Wiglett joins the Paldean lineup. You can sit through the lecture online, which also shows some other regional Pokemon like Paldean Wooper, or just check out the video below via Serebii.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQoVAMGli0E

Now, astute viewers may note that Wiglett sha??res some similarities with longtime Generation 1?? mainstay Diglett. The burrowing Pokemon has a recognizable look, and Wiglett does indeed look a lot like Diglett. The video calls attention to this fact, too.

As it goes on to stress though, this Pokemon is clearly different. It's longer, ?for one. And i?t lives near water, in the sand.

"The form and movements indeed look like Diglett, but they are probably different Poke??????????????????????????mon," the video states. So there you go.

A new region to explore

We've seen a bunch of the new monsters in store for this new mainline Pokemon entry. There's the neon monkey Grafaiai, the absolute perfection of Lechonk, ??and the two new box art Legendary Pokemon. Those two even act as your rideable mounts for the new game, helping you travel ??across the land of Paldea.

The extra travel will help, as there's a lot to do in Scarlet and Violet. There are essentially three main storylines, with one following the usual Gym battle??s and others dealing with different situations in the region.

As for Wiglett, it's an interesting design, if a little unsettling. It looks like Diglett was rolled out like dough. Still, the little mole Pokemon was a fun one to have around in the original generation, and these goofy monsters s??eem fun too??.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet laun?ches for Nintendo Switch on November 18, 2022.

The post Wiglett is one of the? new Pokemon arriving in Scarlet and Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

Say hello to the newest addition to the Paldea region

Following several posts teasing the news, we're seeing the newest addition to the Paldea region. Grafaiai is a new Pokemon debuting in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Grafaiai is categorized as the "Toxic Monkey" Po??kemon. It's naturally a Poison/Normal Type, and is pre??tty tiny.

According to the Pokemon page, Grafaiai is a moody Pokemon with a "fastidious" disposition. It's a bit of a loner, and usually gets caught up in territorial fights with other Po??kemon.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yrrF83tnY0

Grafaiai is nocturnal, and cove??rs its hands in poison to mark ?patterns on trees as part of securing its territory. This poisonous saliva can paralyze Bug Pokemon, which Grafaiai can then collect up. Better keep your Butterfree away from it!

The saliva can change color based on what Grafaiai eats, and becomes concentra??ted when the little guy senses danger. I'm guessing by the name that Grafaiai is based on an Aye-Aye, which also forages for food and has incredibly long fingers.

Another addition to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

This adds to the list of new Pokemon arriving in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Alongside the Pokemon Grafaiai, we've also seen newcomers like Lechonk a??nd Fidough, who both overtook the internet with their adorable designs.

While Grafaiai doesn't seem to have the same ability to accost social media's?? attention, I think it's a ne??at design. And hey, another painter Pokemon to hang out with Smeargle.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are due to arrive on November 18 for the Nintendo Switch, with a host of features in tow. From riding a Legendary Pokemon as a bike to co-op adventures, it certainly seems like a very different Pokemon journey. Hopefully we'll see some more new Pokemon, and maybe even some neat new regional ??variants for Paldea, in the run-up to November.

The post New Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Pokemon revealed as G??rafaiai appeared first on Destructoid.

More Toby Fox jams will back Pokemon Trainers' adventures

A new trailer for the next Pokemon entries, Scarlet and Violet, dropped this morning. Alongside the announcement, there was also confirmation that Undertale creator Toby Fox is lending his talents to the Pokemon series soundtrack again.

As confirmed on Twitter by Toby Fox himself, the composer put together the field music for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. "After creating a concept sketch, Game Freak arranged it into many versions that you'll hear throughout the game," Fox wrote. You can even hear a little bit of it in today's trailer.

//twitter.com/tobyfox/status/1532038920183205888

That's not all, either. In a follow-up tweet, Fox confirms that a "f??ew more" of his tracks will appear in the game too. "This time, my?? music is not optional!!!" he writes.

Filled with determination

These contributions aren't Fox's first time working on the Pokemon series. The developer and composer contributed a song for Pokemon Sword and Shield's soundtrack, specifically the theme for the Battle Tower. It's a pretty great track too.

That's not a huge surprise, given Undertale and Deltarune fans will happily tell you that the soundtracks for those games are also stellar. The tunes are so good, people have been trying to get the Pope to hear them. Knowing Fox is on the Scarlet and Violet soundtrack,? and in a pretty substantial way, is ex??citing news.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7AmximCnRg

Fox has also had his work appear in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, after playing Smash with Sakurai no less.

As for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the reception to the trailer seemed pretty positive, especially for newcomer Lechonk.? Which is fair, because Lechonk is a?dorable and perfect.

The new monster-training game debuted a host of new features this morning, including version-specific Professors, the new legendary Pokemon, and a focus on full-on co-op. Between the new generation and Pokemon Legends: Arceus launching earlier this year, it's going to be a Pokemon-filled year in gaming.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will launch on Nov. 18, 2022 for Nintendo Switch.

The post Undertale creator ?Toby Fox is contributing music to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet appeared first on Destructoid.

Everybody loves Lechonk

A new trailer for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet debuted this morning, showing off the new region, professors, and m??ore. One Pokemon has made quite the impact though. The little Hog Pokemon, Lechonk, seems to have taken Pokemon Trainer?? hearts by storm.

One of several new Pokemon shown off in today's trailer for Scarlet and Violet??, Lechonk is a Normal Type ??Pokemon. It can use Aroma Veil and Gluttony, and can use its sense of smell to search out Berries.

As shown on the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet website, Lechonk is timid and fainthearted, but ??also strong. It will charge forward ?if startled, but is also largely built of muscle thanks to its constant search for Berries.

The perfect pig Pokemon

Not long after the trailer went live, social media flooded with mentions of Lechonk. At first glance, it'?s a pretty adorable Pokemon, with an immediately endearing design.

//twitter.c?om/SerebiiNet/status/1531984869848399872

As fans quickly noted, Lechonk is a pretty clever name too. "Lechón" refers to a roasted pig dish which, if this is a Spain-themed region like it seems, is a fun play on words. Though we're hopefully not eating Lechonk like we would Magikarp anytime soon.

Either way, it did not take long for the Lechonk fan club to kick into high gear. Memes immediately started rolling out, reacting to the reveal of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's adorable new addition.

//twitter.com/NezzFinesse??/status/1531989528075980801

//twitter.c??om/THWACKIFY/status/1531986431115251713

And yes, fan art has a??lso been r?olling out pretty fast.

//twitter.com/amberbl??adejones/status/1531991457443155969

//twitter.com/PetiteEchorizon/status/153199509327?9??850497

While all the new Pokemon?? look fantastic (Smoliv and Pawmi are both pretty adorable too), it really does seem l?ike the runaway favorite is Lechonk.

A whole new world

We got some more info about the new region, which doesn't seem to have a name yet, today too. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will have two differ?ent professors, with your particular mentor depending on which version you pick.

Alongside the standard new Pokemon, Game Freak and Nintendo also showcased the two legendaries, Koraidon and Miraidon. They both look like Dragon Types, and it seems like the general aesthetic version difference will be old-world versus new-world. Plus, it seems like the new Pokemon games are going for full-on co-op, which could be rad if it works well. Given the general ups and downs with Nintendo's online multiplayer, I'm on the cautiousl??y optimistic side right now.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet sets off for new horizons on Nintendo ?Switch?? on Nov. 18, 2022.

The post ??Pokemon Scarlet and Violet ne??wcomer Lechonk is already a hit appeared first on Destructoid.