• One Pokémon player has lost over 1,000 hours of Pokémon Scarlet gameplay and 20 years of progress after transferring their data to the Nintendo Switch 2
• Redditor ThatOtaku26, and other users, have said their save files for the game are gone after completing the transfer process
• Players are recommending backing up data via the Pokémon Home app before beginning the transfer process

Beware if you're planning on transferring your Pokémon data to the Nintendo Switch 2, because one player has lost hundreds of hours of progress.

According to redditor ThatOtaku26 (via IGN), after going through the process of transferring their original Switch save data for Pokémon Scarlet to the new console, after booting up the game, they found that it was lost.

The user claimed that their save file consisted of over 1,000 hours of gameplay and said that they had also lost over 20 years of data brought over from previous generations of Pokémon games.

"I just got a Switch 2, did the startup and initial data transfer with no issues," said ThatOtaku26 in a now-deleted post. "My Scarlet save file is gone. It loads straight into the language selection and create a character screens. No data on my OLED. Just all gone.

"THERE WAS NO ERROR IN DATA TRANSFER AT ALL," the user added. "IT WENT FINE. ALL MY OTHER POKEMON DATA IS STILL THERE, BUT NOT SCARLET. I had mons from my original GBA up to current on there. Literally 20 years worth of data. There's nothing I can do. I don't even know if i wanna play anymore."

Other users have also been reporting the same issue, with one Redditor explaining that the same issue happened to them when transferring data to the OLED from the original Switch.

"Tears were shed," said Grouchy-Cress-215.

It seems that Pokémon Scarlet isn't the only game being affected, either, with one user claiming they lost all saved data for games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and more.

Another user wrote, "The same thing happened to me but literally all my saved data isn't there anymore like BOTW, TOTK, MK8, Pokémon Sword and Shield, Scarlet and Violet, and so on," said Existing-Possible550. "I literally have to play everything from the start."

Luckily for those who haven't begun the process of transferring their data to the Switch 2, there is a way to safeguard your save files.

According to multiple users in the thread, backing up your data to the Pokémon Home app is vital if you don't want to lose your Pokémon.

"If I get Switch 2 in the future, I will first transfer all my Pokémon to Home before data transferring," said TheJannikku. "I can't imagine how I would if that happened to me."

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I'm so hyped for the Nintendo Switch 2. Like, ridiculously hyped for Nintendo's next console. In fact, I'm so excited for the successor to the Nintendo Switch to launch that I pre-ordered three units: One for myself, one for my fiancée, and one for a friend so we can play Mario Kart World together.

With only a couple more days to go until the Switch 2 release, I've been gearing up for the new hardware launch by consuming every little tidbit of content about the new console possible.

From Mario Kart World to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Breath of the Wild, the hype train has well and truly left the station. Like a kid at Christmas, I can't sleep, I can't eat, and I can't wait to get fully engrossed by Nintendo's world built for 2025.

While I'm incredibly excited for Mario Kart World and experiencing Link's open world adventure in 60fps, there's one game that I'm most excited about, and I never would've thought that would be the case.

You see, I'm a massive Pokémon fan. To put it into context, I've got a Pikachu tattoo on my arm, a Lego Pikachu built out of over 5000 yellow bricks, Pokémon cards everywhere, and physical versions of most of the last 29 years of the franchise.

I've grown up with Pokémon, whether that was Pokémon Yellow, my first ever video game, to experiencing the joy of exploring Kanto after defeating the Johto Elite Four in Pokémon Gold.

I've played every Pokémon game and experienced every Pokémon region. From Kanto to Kalos, Johto to Unova, I've been there, and Pokémon has been with me through many different points of my life.

Every game that is, apart from one. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

It's all about to change...

When Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launched in 2022, my love for Pokémon was at its peak. I was collecting cards almost weekly, was covering Pokémon TCG content for an old website I used to write for, and was playing all my favorite classic games on my Analogue Pocket (a modern-day Game Boy with hardware emulation).

Based on that setting, you'd think I'd have run to the store and bought Pokémon Scarlet and Violet at launch. Instead, the game looked terrible, ran terribly, and just made me crave the classics instead of playing a muddy-looking open-world Pokémon game with a new generation that I wasn't interested in.

Over time, as Scarlet & Violet has made its way into the Pokémon TCG, I've fallen in love with new creatures like Tandemaus and Maushold, as well as new takes on classics like Raging Bolt, Great Tusk, and Iron Thorns.

As I've grown more fond of the new generation 9 Pokémon, I've wanted to play the latest games. Unfortunately, for me, there's no way I can handle low framerates without getting motion sickness, and I don't want to play an ugly-looking open-world that feels empty to explore.

Yesterday, Nintendo showcased a new gameplay trailer for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on the Switch 2 through its Nintendo Today app, and as soon as I saw it, I purchased a copy of Pokémon Violet.

You see, the game now runs at higher resolution, and at what appears to be a locked 60fps, with perfectly smooth gameplay that I've been dreaming of. Best of all, the update is completely free, rather than an extra fee like some other improved versions of original Switch games.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on Switch 2 is the epitome of what makes the new console a must-buy, giving you access to some of the best games of the last decade, but playable with 2025 standards.

Breath of the Wild is one of my favorite video games of all time, yet its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, barely got any playtime in my household. Why? Because when you're playing AAA games on the PS5 Pro and then turning on a choppy mess that just feels awful to play, you quickly stop being able to cope with the difference.

I get motion sick very easily when gaming, and that was the crux of the Nintendo Switch for me, especially in demanding games like Tears of the Kingdom, or badly optimized ones like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware and backwards compatibility, I'm going to get to experience so many new games over the coming weeks. These original Switch games will feel brand-new, creating one of, if not the best, launch lineups we've ever seen.

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• Pokémon Scarlet and Violet had new footage revealed in the Nintendo Today app
• The new footage showcases the game running at 60fps on Nintendo Switch 2
• The image quality is also noticeably much cleaner

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is set to get a free Nintendo Switch 2 update at the console's launch, as previously revealed on Nintendo's official website.

Now, though, Nintendo has finally revealed footage of the game running on Switch 2, via the Nintendo Today mobile app for iOS and Android devices. And it looks absolutely glorious.

While it's only 30 seconds of footage, we get a good mix of battling and traversal out in the game's open world. Not only is it running at a buttery smooth 60fps, but image quality has taken a noticeable step-up. The game simply looks much sharper and cleaner on Switch 2.

If you're unable to download the Nintendo Today app, popular Pokémon fan page Serebii has uploaded the footage to X / Twitter. Though do keep in mind that the website's ungodly compression doesn't do it any favors here.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, representing the series' ninth generation of pocket monsters and originally releasing for the Nintendo Switch in 2022, was heavily criticized at launch. While all the ingredients for a great Pokémon adventure were certainly there, it ran horribly and was riddled with more bugs than Viridian Forest.

Of course, it's not the only game in the series to suffer from being released on underpowered hardware, as Pokémon Sword and Shield and Pokémon Legends Arceus also had their share of performance issues - though certainly not quite to the same extent.

Thankfully, this Nintendo Switch 2 update does seem to put the game in a much better light. It is a shame that Scarlet and Violet had to be rushed out the door the way it was originally, but this will certainly be a nice bonus for folks who have the new console and were looking for a reason to dive back into the game's Spain-inspired setting.

Lastly, it is worth stressing that unlike the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition line-up of games, the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet update is completely free and will simply require players to own the original game either physically or digitally. The update will be available on the Switch 2's launch day of June 5.

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For those of you who haven’t been sitting on the edge of your seat since late October eagerly awaiting the arrival of the following Pokémon TCG set, Paldean Fates, this next installment is an incredibly special expansion releasing today on January 26, 2024. If you’re not already, then you ought to be looking forward to it.

Each year, The Pokémon Company releases a ‘shiny’ set. Like the previous collections of Shining Fates and Hidden Fates, these ‘shiny’ sets include re-prints of standout cards from the previous years and a higher number of secret rares than usual. Paldean Fates is similar to the GX Ultra Shiny and Shiny Star V installments, as it will focus primarily on secret rare shiny cards. So far, we’ve seen shiny versions of Mew, Shinx, Luxio, Luxray, and Gardivoir, but there should be more cards for fans to discover once the set releases. 

If you haven’t kept up with all the stellar series releases this year because, in fairness, there have been a lot, then Paldean Fates is an excellent refresher if you’re looking for a way to get a foot back in the door. You’ll be able to cash in on all the best cards from this year while hunting for some elusive shiny cards, which is the best way to hunt any Pokémon.  

A fair price to pay

Despite spending a lot of time and more money than I’d care to admit collecting premium cards this year, I’m still ecstatic about the release of Paldean Fates. Unfortunately, despite my efforts, I managed to miss some fantastic cards this year. The brilliant Mew sunset Full Art from the anniversary 151 set eluded me, as well as the Charizard ex from Obsidian Flames, so it would make my year if I could get my hands on said shiny Charizard ex and the new Mew secret rare shiny. 

I also can’t stress enough how excited I am to get an entire set of shiny Shinx, Luxio, and Luxray. Even one rare shiny of these iconic Pokémon would be incredible, but to get the complete evolutionary line is mind-blowingly exciting - especially as Luxray is my favorite pocket monster. 

As Paldean Fates was released on December 1, 2023, in Japan, players can get a sneak peek as to what to expect, as well as get a good grasp on the pull rates. As we've seen already, you’ll likely get a special rare shiny or a Full Art in place of one of the three holo or reverse-holo cards at the end of a pack, which is particularly exciting for thrill-seeking card collectors.

But, regardless of how many shiny rares I’ll be able to find in each pack, I won’t rest until all of the shiny Shinx evolutions are tucked safely in my Pokémon binder, along with a shiny Ditto for good measure.  

Budget-friendly 

Pokémon cards aren’t cheap, especially as we’ve recently seen a price hike that raised the base price of a pack. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t still hunt for a great deal. 

If you’re buying Paldean Fates for the first time and think that the promo Mimikyu card is irresistible, then an Elite Trainer Box (ETB) is a decent place to start. Clocking in at around $59.99/ £49.99 ETBs may be an expensive upfront charge, but it includes some fantastic items like coins, sleeves, and a promo card which you can’t get anywhere else. The Paldean Fates ETB will also have nine packs inside, which averages out at $6.66/ £5.55 per pack - only slightly more expensive than getting individual packs at retail price. 

However, if you just want the joy of getting a couple of packs without all the trimmings, then Mini Tins are where all the action’s at. Mini Tins tend to have a retail price of around $8.99/ £8.99 and only include two packs, making it cheaper per pack than getting a full ETB. Plus, since you can’t purchase individual special-release packs, Tins are undeniably the next best thing. 

Other ways you can purchase Paldean Fates include: 

• Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box (only available through preorder at Pokémon Center in the US, Canada, and the UK): Includes 11 Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates booster packs; two copies of an illustration rare-style promo card featuring Mimikyu, with one showcasing the Pokémon Center logo; and various gameplay accessories.  
• Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Elite Trainer Box (available January 26, 2024): Includes nine Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates booster packs, one Shiny illustration rare promo card featuring Mimikyu and various gameplay accessories.
• Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Tech Sticker Collection (available January 26, 2024): Includes three Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates booster packs; one Shiny promo card featuring Fidough, Maschiff, or Greavard; and one large corresponding sticker for personalizing laptops, tablets and other tech devices.
• Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Mini Tin (available February 9, 2024): Includes two Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates booster packs, one sticker sheet, and one art card matching the tin, featuring Maushold, Smoliv, Tinkatink, Finizen, or Flamigo.
• Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Tin (available February 9, 2024): Includes four Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates booster packs and one Shiny Pokémon ex promo card featuring Tera Charizard ex, Great Tusk ex or Iron Treads ex.
• Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Premium Collection (available February 9, 2024): Includes eight Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates booster packs; two Shiny promo cards; one Shiny Pokémon ex promo card featuring Meowscarada ex, Skeledirge ex or Quaquaval ex; one corresponding oversize Shiny Pokémon ex card; and one three-card display.
• Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates Booster Bundle (available February 23, 2024): Includes six Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates booster packs.

If you’re looking for more physical games, then check out the best board games and the best board games for adults. 

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet did a lot right when they launched. With a fully open world and the ability to explore the region freely alongside friends for the first time in the series, on paper, it was the evolution of the franchise that many fans had been wanting for years.

Co-op play is the main feature that not only enhanced my experience of wandering through the Paldea region for the first time but also continues to play a huge part in its replayability. Generally speaking, I’d argue that it’s what Scarlet and Violet does best. I’ve spent more hours than I can count running around the various locales with my friends, fighting in Tera Raid Battles, and looking for shiny Pokémon (extremely rare, differently colored Pokémon variants) together - and yes, that latter activity has caused arguments in the past. Playing alongside someone with the opposite version of the game to your own even allows you to encounter their version-exclusive Pokémon, rather than having to trade for them. All in all, it’s always made the world feel more alive to adventure together, chatting about the things we’ve found and battles we’ve fought. 

In Scarlet and Violet’s latest downloadable content (DLC), The Indigo Disk, which is the second part of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion, that cooperative element shines brighter than ever before with the addition of Blueberry Quests, or ‘BBQs’. These are simple, randomized quests such as knocking out a certain number of Pokémon, or taking photos of specific things, that can be completed while exploring the DLC area - the Blueberry Academy’s enormous, man-made ‘Terarium’.

 Dream team

Completing BBQs earns Blueberry Points (BP), a currency that can be used to unlock a plethora of new things. That includes decorations for the new League Club Room, buying important items, and even unleashing starter Pokémon (like Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle) into the wild. Needless to say, they’re well worth earning, and it’s a much quicker and enjoyable affair to do so with friends. 

When playing co-op in The Indigo Disk DLC, all your ongoing BBQs are combined into one list, which everyone can contribute to simultaneously. Need to knock out 20 Pokémon with the auto-battle feature? Two people playing at the same time can get that done twice as fast, or, alternatively, one person can focus on that quest while the other completes a different task. Even better, the BP earned is awarded to everyone, regardless of whether they participated in a specific quest. This means you can potentially quadruple your earnings if you play with a full group. 

Playing in a group of two or more also unlocks special Group Quests, which can only be accessed alongside other people. These are more challenging and require you to work together to complete them. For example, you might be tasked with tracking down and catching a mystery Pokémon, figuring out its identity using the different hints you’re all given. Or you might simply have to group up and take a picture together. These earn tons of BP, and are far more exciting than the standard fodder you get when playing alone. It’s incredibly easy to get sucked into completing ‘just one more,’ and their existence has given players a fresh new way to interact in the world together. 

 Taking a turn for the worse

Unfortunately though, The Indigo Disk isn’t without its issues. If you picked up Scarlet or Violet at release, or just happened to exist on the internet around that time, chances are that you’ll know the performance of the games leaves a lot to be desired. Despite the updates that have been rolled out since launch, exploring the Paldea region still isn’t smooth sailing, and things seem even worse in the latest expansion.

Without a doubt, the stuttering and frame drops I’ve experienced here are far more noticeable than they have been in the main region and the other DLC area, Kitakami. This is rather surprising, as, like the previous The Teal Mask expansion, The Indigo Disk’s setting has an entirely different, standalone map. It can’t be wandered into from Paldea or Kitakami, and it’s significantly smaller than Paldea to boot, with far fewer points of interest like buildings and landmarks scattered around it.

Even in the cutscene in which players take in the sights of the Terarium for the first time, I saw what appeared to be the sky randomly flashing on the beach and mountains. Not only that, but as the camera panned over the different biomes, there was noticeable pop-in as the environment slowly loaded in properly. Needless to say, it was hardly a glamorous introduction to the area, and my time actually playing has largely followed suit. 

Sadly, performance issues aren't a new problem for The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion - I noted similar issues when I played through part one, The Teal Mask. Some areas could be a bit laggy, and distant NPCs moved at such a low frame rate that they stuck out horribly. As an enormous Pokémon fan, it’s disheartening to see that these issues persist in Scarlet and Violet, over a year on from the launch of the base games. 

With this latest expansion, I believe more strongly than ever before that these are the best Pokémon games to play with friends, and for the most part, a dip in your frame rate isn’t going to stop that. However, I sincerely hope that by the time the next game rolls around, we won’t have to look for that diamond in the rough. 

If you love Pokémon, be sure to check out our ranking of the best Pokémon games to see where your favorite sits. You can check out more fantastic games to play on Nintendo Switch with our roundup of the best Nintendo Switch games.

Just when you thought that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion had wrapped up, it’s been revealed that an epilogue for its story will be playable from next month. 

To be exact, the epilogue is set to release on January 11 at 9am ET / 6am PT / 2pm GMT (or January 12 at 1am AEDT) so there’s not too long to wait for it. In a short teaser trailer posted to Twitter, The Pokémon Company confirmed that in order to access it, players must complete “a certain postgame event in Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet” as well as the main stories of both The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk DLC. 

As for what the epilogue will consist of, very few details have been revealed. It’ll take place in Kitakami - the region that The Teal Mask DLC was set in, and from the trailer, we can see that fan-favorite characters from the base game, Penny, Nemona, and Arven will be there. Otherwise, the end of the trailer lingers on the silhouette of the Pokémon trainer shown on the signboards found around Kitakami, but it's not known if this is a hint as to what the epilogue will touch on. 

For those unfamiliar, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion released in two parts - the first being The Teal Mask, and the second being The Indigo Disk, which launched recently on December 14. The Indigo Disk takes place in the Blueberry Academy in the Unova region, and allows players to explore a huge underwater ‘Terarium’ filled with a wide variety of Pokémon to fight and catch. That includes all of the previous starter Pokémon, like Bulbasaur, Piplup and Cyndaquil. 

If you’re a Pokémon fan, be sure to check out our ranking of the very best Pokémon games. You can find more fantastic games on Nintendo Switch with our list of the best Nintendo Switch games.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s second wave of DLC, The Indigo Disk, released today (December 14), and although it’s generating a lot of excitement online, players are also warning others that the new 'Synchro Machine' feature could cause you to miss out on capturing ultra-rare shiny Pokémon.

For those unfamiliar, a shiny Pokémon is an exceedingly uncommon, sparkly variation of a Pokémon with an alternate color palette. They’re no stronger than the regular monsters, but their rarity (in Scarlet and Violet, the base odds of finding one are 1 in 4096) makes them incredibly exciting finds. And hey, who doesn’t want a silver Eevee or golden Magikarp?

In Scarlet and Violet, shiny Pokémon appear in the world just like any other creature - players just have to keep their eyes peeled if they want to capture them - but one feature that’s always flagged if one of the sparkly fellas is on the screen is the auto-battle function. If players send out their own Pokémon to fight everything on the field, they’ll refuse to knock out any shinies, allowing you to catch them safely. 

That same idea, however, has seemingly not been applied to the Synchro Machine feature in The Indigo Disk. In the latest expansion, players can use the Synchro Machine to wander the world as their own Pokémon, fighting others and exploring as they please. It’s a brilliant idea, but unlucky players have already taken to social media to note that it is possible to encounter shinies in this mode, and if you do, you can defeat them if you’re not paying attention or get too close to them. Moreover, even if you do notice in time, others have reported that ending the synchronization often places the player too far away from the shiny in question, causing it to despawn. 

“WARNING FOR SHINY HUNTERS. [In] synchro mode - your Pokémon WILL DEFEAT SHINIES. Just learned this the hard way. I didn’t notice it was shiny until I saw the gray eyes, and if you get close to a Pokémon, you’ll fight it,” Twitter user @shinyycatherine posted. 

Another user reported finding a shiny Scyther, which despawned when they exited the mode: “Unfortunately I couldn't get Scyther to stay close enough and he disappeared,” @HiksBR wrote. 

This same despawning issue was flagged by @XenoMods, who shared a clip of them encountering a shiny Tyrogue, which they were unable to catch.

Needless to say, anyone worried about missing out on these particularly rare encounters might want to exercise caution when using the Synchro Machine, as it’s not currently known if this shiny-catching issue might be patched out in a future update.

If you love Pokémon, be sure to check out our ranking of every generation in our best Pokémon games list. You can also find more fantastic games to play on Nintendo Switch with our recommendations for the best Nintendo Switch games.

The Pokémon Company has confirmed the release date for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s second wave of DLC, The Indigo Disk. Part Two of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion will launch on December 14.

The Indigo Disk is set to continue directly on from the events of Part One: The Teal Mask (which fans will know ended on a bit of a cliffhanger). It will take place in a new location called the Blueberry Academy, found in the Unova region (the region first introduced in Pokémon Black and White).

We don’t know a great deal about The Indigo Disk’s story, but it was previously revealed that all of the previous starter Pokémon - from Bulbasaur to Grookey - will all be available in the DLC. Alongside other returning Pokémon like Metagross and Alcremie, players can expect to see brand new additions like the Legendary Pokémon Terapagos and the new evolution for Duraladon, named Archaludon.

In case you’ve not already purchased Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s DLC, it’s not possible to buy one wave without the other - they must be purchased via the combined expansion, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. Part 1: The Teal Mask was released on September 13 and is set in the new region of Kitakami. It centers around the Legendary Pokémon Ogerpon and introduces characters like Kieran and Carmine, who play a central role in the DLC's story.

A tweet from Nintendo of America has also confirmed that, unlike The Teal Mask DLC, players need to have completed the main story of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in order to start The Indigo Disk. So, if you’ve not already done so, be sure to wrap everything up ahead of its launch. 

In the meantime, if you’re on the lookout for more games to play, be sure to take a look at our roundup of the best Nintendo Switch games. You can also keep up with the rest of this year’s releases with our list of upcoming games.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are undeniably flawed games. No matter how much you claim to love the series, it’s hard to argue that there’s not something wrong when players start falling through the map, finding Pokémon lodged in walls, and lagging so badly that you could probably count the frame rate on one hand.

Despite this, Pokémon Violet was one of my favorite games of 2022. Being able to challenge the gyms, Team Star bases, and Titan Pokémon in any order was freeing, and like Legends: Arceus and the Let’s Go games, being able to see wild Pokémon populating the world made the region feel alive. Not only that but Scarlet and Violet are the first main-series Pokémon games to include co-op play - a feature which I used extensively with my friends as we embarked on our journeys through Paldea.

Ultimately, playing Pokémon Violet felt like I was finally playing the Pokémon game I’d been dreaming of since I was a kid - albeit a version that was a bit rough around the edges. Dare I say it, the current ninth-generation titles are two of the most fun games in the series to date, and with the release of the first part of the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC, The Teal Mask, my thoughts on this matter have only been solidified further, regardless of the fact that it does very little to fix the base game’s glaring problems.

Upon stepping foot into the expansion’s new area of Kitakami, I was immediately enchanted. Filling out my Pokédex and hunting for rare shiny Pokémon (sparkly variants of Pokémon with different color palettes) have always been my favorite things to do in these games, and so simply having more to catch was exciting from the get-go. With seven totally new additions (including Polchageist and Dipplin) and 102 returning from previous generations, there are plenty of new friends to add to your team (and Boxes). I’ve already spent far too much time looking for twinkling versions of the newbies, and I regret nothing.

 Flawed fun 

The DLC is home to some of the prettiest locations we’ve seen in Scarlet and Violet, too. While they’re still far from the best-looking games on Nintendo Switch, the Crystal Pool is particularly pleasing to the eyes, Mossui Town and its surrounding areas feel vibrant and lived in, and Kitakami Hall looks lovely under the moonlight during the Festival of Masks. 

Speaking of the Festival of Masks, the new story is wholly enjoyable. Without getting into spoilers, the characters - namely Kieran and Carmine - are charming, and each has compelling development arcs over the course of the short but sweet five-hour plot. It wraps up on a genuinely fascinating cliffhanger, which is set to be resolved with the release of the second half of the expansion, The Indigo Disk, later this year.

That’s more or less all the DLC offers in terms of new things, though. It truly is just more Scarlet and Violet, for better or worse. 

Slopes in Kitakami are just as problematic as they are in Paldea when it comes to battling - depending on the camera angle, you can sometimes see through the floor during battles, which is far from ideal. Some parts of the expansion can be very laggy on occasion, and distant NPCs and Pokémon move at such low frame rates that they stick out like sore thumbs. 

It’s impossible to play without noticing other random issues, too. I was lucky enough to find a random shiny Wooper during my time playing, and after I ran into it to enter the battle, the screen was pretty much entirely taken up by my trainer and her Miraidon rather than the Pokémon fighting. Oh, and after I caught it, one of my team members evolved, and while doing so, merged into the nearby wall in a bizarre fashion (which, admittedly, was very funny). 

For some, these continued performance issues may come as a surprise. After all, Kitakami is a self-contained location that’s much smaller than Paldea, so there’s less for the game to load whenever you’re there. On a technical level, there’s no getting away from the fact that it’s substandard, but for anyone like me who unabashedly loved the experience of Scarlet and Violet in spite of its troubles, The Teal Mask is fun enough to outweigh that. Just don’t expect any negative opinion you hold of the base games to be altered. 

If you love Pokémon, be sure to take a look at our ranking of the best Pokémon games. You can find even more game recommendations on our list of the best Nintendo Switch games. 

Pokémon players have uncovered an incredibly easy way to generate an infinite amount of money in Scarlet and Violet’s new DLC, The Teal Mask, but it takes so long to do that I’m not sure why anyone would actually want to do it. 

In the DLC’s new area, Kitakami, players are able to endlessly purchase Syrupy Apples from an unmanned hut in the Mossfell Confluence. For those unfamiliar, this is the item which is required to evolve the cute lil’ Dragon-type apple Pokémon, Applin, into its fresh-faced second-stage form, Dipplin. 

It makes sense that you’re able to grab as many of these as you want, of course, in case anyone (understandably) wants to create their own army of candy apple dragons. However, as has been pointed out by YouTuber Freezai on Twitter, these evolutionary items actually sell for more than you buy them for. 

Specifically, one Syrupy Apple costs a respectable 500 Pokédollars (for reference, that’s the same cost as five regular Pokéballs). However, if you then take that same Syrupy Apple and sell it at a Poké Mart, you’ll be handed 550 back. Therefore, repeating this will allow you to quite literally print in-game money, and all it takes is a few transactions.

Easy money, right? Well, yes, but this method is also wildly inefficient. Presumably since these weren’t items that the developers expected anyone to be buying in bulk, players can only buy one Syrupy Apple at a time. This means that for each one bought, they’ll have to mash through the same boxes of dialogue, over and over again. Not only that, but a 50 Pokédollar profit really isn’t that much. All in all, it’s a very time-consuming method which doesn’t actually rake in a very large reward.

If your wallet in Scarlet and Violet is looking a little empty, one good way to rack up some more money is by completing Tera Raids, since items like Nuggets are often awarded at the end. These rarer items can be sold for large amounts of cash, and will get you rich much faster than Kitakami’s humble apple treats.

If you love Pokémon, be sure to check out our ranking of the best Pokémon games. For more on the Nintendo Switch, you can read our recommendations for the best Nintendo Switch games.

Today (Wednesday, September 13), the first wave of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC - The Teal Mask expansion - released on Nintendo Switch, and fans have been quick to spot an important line of dialogue which confirms that the second expansion will bring players back to the Unova region, which was first introduced in Pokémon Black and White.

The second expansion - titled The Indigo Disk - is set to release later this year, although it’s not currently known exactly when. What we do know is that it’ll take players to Blueberry Academy - a sister school to both Naranja and Uva Academy. It’s been clarified that this new school is found in Unova.

In The Teal Mask, players are introduced to a fresh-faced character named Briar, a teacher at Blueberry Academy. When introducing her, the player’s homeroom teacher, Jacq, says: “That’s a school in the Unova region, you know. Ms. Briar helps set the curriculum there.”

What isn’t clear at the time of writing is if players will be able to see or visit any of the locations in Unova which were previously included in Pokémon Black, White and their sequels. Blueberry Academy was never mentioned in those games, and it’s already been revealed that “most of this unusual school is located under the ocean”. Therefore, even though it is set in the fan-favorite region from the Nintendo DS era, The Indigo Disk DLC may not make classic Unova explorable.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s 2.0.1 update was also rolled out today, and it introduces a number of new features and quality-of-life improvements to all players, regardless of whether they’ve bought the DLC or not. Some highlights include the option to lock the mini-map to a north-facing position, and the ability to play music while taking photos (which will make your Pokémon respond in different ways). 

Perhaps most importantly, Pokémon icons now load much faster when browsing through your Boxes, improving on an issue which has been affecting players since launch.

For more Pokémon, make sure to take a look at our ranking of the best Pokémon games. You can also check out our recommendations for the best Nintendo Switch games for something different. 

Today, alongside the release of their first wave of DLC, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet received a huge new update, which has rolled out a number of new features and quality of life updates for free - available for all players, regardless of if they’ve bought the DLC or not.

As Nintendo Life reports, a number of changes have been made to the in-game camera app. Photos are now taken using the ‘A’ button rather than the Nintendo Switch capture button, and players can experiment with playing music while taking pictures to see how nearby NPCs and companion Pokémon react, a bit like in New Pokémon Snap. Alongside these changes, players who join others in a Union Circle (co-op) will now be able to share any pictures they take during that given co-op session with each other. 

As for the quality of life improvements, they're pretty significant. First of all, when using TM Machines, you now have the option to only show the moves your Pokémon can learn, so you don’t need to waste time scrolling through TMs that aren't of any use to you. 

Did the constantly rotating mini map ever confuse you while exploring Paldea? If so, you’re in luck, because you can now lock it to be fixed in a north-facing position by opening the full map, and pressing in the right stick twice. Now, it should be much easier to know which direction you’re actually headed in.

Finally, when you have a Pokémon following you in the overworld, it’s now possible to command them to stop moving by pressing in the left stick once. This could prove very useful for taking photos, as I know I’ve personally struggled to get them to stay in the right place before.

The update is rounded off with a number of bug fixes and minor changes - wild Pokémon with the Titan Mark can now respawn if you accidentally knock them out, and the descriptive text for some moves has been corrected. A bug that prevented the Itemfinder Mark from being awarded to a Pokémon has also been ironed out.

Perhaps most excitingly, the patch notes state: “We have made adjustments to the way Pokémon icons are displayed in the Boxes.” From some quick testing, it appears that icons now load in faster than before - players will know that there was previously a significant loading period every time you attempted to flip through your Boxes. This change will hopefully make browsing your captured Pokémon a much smoother affair. 

Be sure to check out our ranking of the best Pokémon games, as well as our recommendations for the best Nintendo Switch games.

Game Freak has announced that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's upcoming DLC will feature a brand-new spooky Pokémon called Poltchageist.

Revealed in a new teaser trailer, Poltchageist is a matcha green tea Pokémon that will be made available in The Teal Mask expansion and be classified as a grass and ghost type.

'The Haunting Tale of Poltchageist' trailer showcases the origins of the spooky tea caddie in a short animated story, explaining how it was passed down through generations. According to the trailer, after being neglected for years the tea caddie transformed on its own to become Poltchageist. The animation shows the Pokémon confronting a woman who accidentally knocks over a teacup and decides to sprinkle some matcha tea over her. 

Poltchageist's eerie abilities allow it to spread matcha onto people, and, after drawing the fumes back in, it can use its powers to draw the life force and strength from people. A bit grim for the whimsical world of Pokémon, no?

Poltchageist is another Pokémon that draws on the "tea" theme and joins others in the grouping such as Polteageist and Sinistea. 

The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 1: The Teal Mask is set to release on September 13 for Nintendo Switch. Part two of the expansion - The Indigo Disk - doesn't have an official launch date but is slated for a winter 2023 release. 

Game Freak recently announced that The Indigo Disk will feature every starter Pokémon from the series' previous titles, including Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Rowlet, Scorbunny, and Mudkip. This marks the first time all 24 starter Pokémon will be featured together in a single game - a real milestone for the series. 

It was also confirmed that The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion will add Pokémon Home compatibility. The new feature will be added with update 3.1.0 - which doesn't have a release date just yet - and will allow players to transfer their newly caught Pokémon through compatible games like Scarlet and Violet and Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Here's our essential guide to the best Pokémon games if you're new to the series, as well as our list of the best RPGs if you're looking for something different. 

Game Freak has confirmed that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion will add Pokémon Home compatibility.

A recent post shared by the official Japanese Pokémon Twitter account (via VGC) has revealed that update 3.1.0 will be released soon and will allow the player to transfer their Pokémon from the DLC to the Home app. 

Pokémon Home is a cloud service that is used to move Pokémon between compatible games - such as Scarlet and Violet and Pokémon Legends: Arceus  - as well as allow trading between players. The update means players of the The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero will be able to transfer their newly caught Pokémon without a problem. 

The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 1: The Teal Mask is set to release on September 13 for Nintendo Switch, and although an official date for the update has yet to be confirmed, it's possible it could arrive with Teal Mask. 

The Indigo Disk - part two of the expansion - is set for a winter 2023 launch and will feature every starter Pokémon from the series' previous titles. Game Freak shared a brand-new trailer during the Pokémon World Championships showcasing a selection of the 24 starters. 

Some Pokémon featured in the trailer included Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Rowlet, Scorbunny, and Mudkip, alongside a teaser for Terastallized versions of Venusaur, as well as Primarina and Blaziken. 

Takato Utsunomiya, The Pokémon Company's chief operating officer, recently shared that the company will be assessing how it will release games in the future, saying that the company is having “more and more conversations” regarding balancing the quality and quantity of its future game releases. 

Both Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Scarlet and Violet were released in 2022 within 10 months of each other, the latter receiving criticism for its overwhelming amount of bugs.

Check out our top picks with our best Pokémon games if you're new to the series. You can also check out our list of the best RPGs too. 

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's upcoming Indigo Disk expansion will feature every starter Pokémon from the series' previous titles. 

During the Pokémon World Championships, Game Freak shared a brand-new trailer showing the second part of its Hidden Treasure of Area Zero expansion, revealing that all 24 previous starter Pokémon will return. 

It looks like players will be able to search and capture these Pokémon in the wilds, as the trailer reads, "Past first partner Pokémon are appearing in spades." Players who have been wishing to play with their favorite starters will once again have the chance (via Eurogamer).

There are plenty of Pokémon to account for, with some notable ones appearing in the trailer being Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Rowlet, Scorbunny, Mudkip, and more. The trailer also shows some gameplay of the player running around catching Pokémon, with one instance showing shiny Terastallized versions of Venusaur, as well as Primarina and Blaziken. 

There's even a small battle sequence to see those versions in action, and the Pokémon Twitter account went further by confirming Mythical Shaymin in a screenshot. 

The addition of every starter Pokémon to Scarlet and Violet makes it the first time players can catch them in the wild, as opposed to obtaining them through Tera Raids, breeding, or trading. However, those who own Scarlet and Violet will still need to buy the DLC to catch them.

There's no official release date for Indigo Disk just yet, but the first half of the expansion - The Teal Mask - will launch on September 13 for Nintendo Switch. 

The Pokémon Company's chief operating officer, Takato Utsunomiya, recently revealed that the company is having “more and more conversations” regarding balancing the quality and quantity of its future game releases. 

There have been plenty of Pokémon games over the years, so check out our top picks with our best Pokémon games guide, with every generation ranked. You can also check out our list of the best RPGs to sink your time into. 

Unveiled at the Pokémon World Championships in Yokohama Japan, the latest Pokémon TCG expansion, entitled Paradox Rift, is set to include Paradox Pokémon as well as the return of the controversial Ace Spec mechanic. The new set is slated for release on November 3 this year.

First debuting in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Paradox Pokémon are permutations of well-known pocket monsters who have emerged either from the Pokémon world's forgotten past or its distant future thanks to time travel shenanigans. These new Pokémon saw some novel twists on a range of fan favorites. Jigglypuff's ancestor, known affectionately as Scream Tail, is an adorable ball of cuteness and rage. In contrast, Iron Valiant, a futuristic take on Gallade, looks like a boss from one of the best Sonic games come to life in the best possible way. 

The reveal came with a teaser trailer that shows off a range of new cards, as well as teasing the return of Ace Spec cards not seen since 2013. For those not in the know, Ace Spec cards are very powerful support cards that are sufficiently impressive that players are only allowed a single copy of any one of them in their deck. 

Ace Spec cards allow the entire game to turn on a dime thanks to a lucky draw, adding a sense of risk and randomness to games that, while pleasing some, may leave others feeling high and dry. 

That being said, though the trailer does tease the return of Ace Spec cards, no specific examples of the returning mechanic have yet been given. This means that The Pokémon Company may well have some balance-related tweaks to Ace Spec cards that we haven't seen yet. 

Concerns about the state of the game aside, the Paradox Pokémon cards themselves look phenomenal, offering even more of the gorgeous art style for which the Pokémon TCG is so famous. Here at TRG Towers, we can't wait to see what beautiful new cards the upcoming set will bring.

In the meantime, our list of the best Pokémon games is well worth checking out if you're looking for your next fix of virtual pocket monster goodness. Alternatively, if you're in the mood for a different turn-based fix, our list of the best JRPGs will sort you out.

Pokémon Korea was forced to cancel a tournament in response to a creative competitors' protest against the organizer. 

The 2023 TrainersCup, a virtual Pokémon Scarlet and Violet tournament for South Korean players, was canceled after the top four competitors agreed to protest the event in response to “absolute disrespect” shown to players, resulting in their disqualification at the hands of tournament officials.  

In a Tweet, NashVGC shared their side of the story, stating that the top four players of the TrainersCup second ladder tour planned to protest their discontent with Pokémon Korea’s approach to the tournaments by engaging in a Metronome battle on stream.

For those who aren’t in the know, Metronome is a unique attack in Pokémon that causes the monster using it to perform a random attack. In practice, this means that their battle would have been completely random, rather than a showcase of Pokémon excellence as desired by Pokémon Korea. 

Nash and co. organized the protest to highlight “issues within our community” which they firmly place at the feet of the tournament organizer. These include “no irl events, constant problems in the tour system, disregarding younger divisions [and] absurd compensations for the problems they caused.”   

Unfortunately for the protestors, the group was disqualified before the event could take place. Blue, one of the trainers, was disqualified “without telling him why”. Betago, who was brought in to replace Blue, agreed with the three original protestors and joined them in their plans for the metronome battle. 

On June 3, this resulted in all four players being disqualified. According to Nash, Pokémon Korea disqualified them on the grounds of “causing harm to other participants” as well as “other actions that Nintendo… deems inappropriate.” 

It would seem that, while the Pokémon Company is capable of making the best Pokémon games, it still has growing to do when it comes to building healthy relationships with top-level Pokémon trainers. One thing's for sure: after all that drama, I'm in dire need of a nice, long Pokémon Sleep.

Despite enjoying a lot of my time with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, I’ve found myself overwhelmed by the sheer number of new Pokémon any prospective trainer must contend with. From Flamigo to Pawmi, there are well over 100 new pocket monsters in Game Freak’s latest title, taking the total number of critters up to well over 1,000. That’s a lot of imaginary animals. 

In times of crisis, we must turn to the experts. As such, I reached out to a qualified biologist and lifelong Pokémon fan with a Ph.D. in animal morphology. Wishing to remain anonymous for fear that their answers might be too shocking for the Pokémon audience at large, ‘Doctor X’ (as I’ll call them) was willing to sit down with me for a very scientific interview. 

They had a lot more to say about the designs of the new Pokémon as a whole, offering their tips as to what makes a good design and expounding on exactly why it is that Pokémon made from inanimate objects are so very upsetting. And, true to their word, they confirmed, once and for all, the objectively best Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet. So, sit back, relax and get ready for science. 

A Pig's Ear

According to science, the best new Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet is Oinkologne. For those of you who aren’t familiar, Oinkologne is the evolution of the porcine Lechonk. As well as being some sort of adorable pig, Oinkalogne embodies one of the best qualities a Pokémon can have. The best Pokémon are grounded in things that are “reflected in nature”, according to Doctor X. Pokémon are, for want of a better turn of phrase, better than real-life animals, but also build on the qualities that make animals great. 

Doctor X reminisced that when they were “a student still doing Paleontology” there was “a big article on the BBC” complaining that “children could recognize more Pokémon than British species of animal”. This is because Pokémon builds on the “visually distinctive” nature of real-world animals, creating creatures that are “easy to spot”. 

This is where Oinkolonge comes in.

Oinkologne is not only a distinctive and singular improvement on pigs in the real world, but it also offers distinctive and memorable departures from porcine orthodoxy whilst remaining visually grounded. What’s more, Oinkolonge comes in two different flavors depending on its gender, but, unlike the majority of Pokémon, exhibits strong “sexual dimorphism”.

“The females are much lighter in color whereas, with the males, you’ve got a much stronger color,” the good Doctor tells me. What’s key for the doctor, however, is that, in the game, they’re not “classified as separate species” like with the female and male Nidoran in the original Pokémon Red and Blue. Instead, it is simply accepted that Pokémon come in different shapes and sizes as part of a wide, internally consistent fictional ecology.

Animal Kingdom

No amount of lofty scientific qualifications could keep Doctor X from being “entirely distracted by little crowds of Pokémon” as they “displayed herding behavior.” “Pokémon as open world is the best idea”, they continue. “It is fantastic to be able to just look at them running around in their environment and doing things.”  

Even in the “early game”, Scarlet and Violet’s world is populated by “mid-evolution Pokémon surrounded by a little halo of first stage Pokémon”. Oinkolonge and Lechonk are no exception to this rule. By rooting the actions of its Pokémon in real-life animal behavior, developer Game Freak has added something truly novel to the franchise, offering us a brand new layer of immersion.  

The most “interesting thing” about the more modern Pokémon games “is regional forms,” X continues. Regional forms also mirror reality, grounding Pokémon’s ecology in a real-world biological context. In real life, you get “really weird stuff” on islands and other “geographically isolated” areas. In Scarlet and Violet, this causes us to get regional variations on existing Pokémon. Wiglett mirrors the traditional Diglett, while Toadscools mirror the Tentacools of old.

However, Doctor X was keen to impress upon me that Pokémon Sun and Moon delivered far more interesting pocket monster permutations than Scarlet and Violet. While some were taken aback by the extremely long neck of Exeggutor’s Alolan form, X reminds us that “island dwarfism”, as well as “gigantism”, are an evolutionary quirk in self-contained, isolated ecologies. X was impressed by the bolder, more biologically grounded designs of Sun and Moon than by the more conservative efforts in Sword and Shield or Scarlet and Violet.

Diminishing Returns

Indeed, X has been, for the most part, unimpressed with modern Pokémon design. “More recent Pokémon aren’t as coherent or interesting as some much older generations,” says X. “I think they’ve run out of ideas.” It was, after all, bug collecting that inspired Satoshi Tajiri to create Pokémon in the first place. Commitment to a sort of pseudo-naturalism helped make “the original [Pokémon]… amazingly visually distinctive”. 

“There’s only so many ways that you can invent a small cutesy animal,” continues X. Like many Pokémon fans, the doctor is deeply skeptical of Pokémon based on inanimate objects for this exact reason. In the later editions “there’s been much more ‘let’s animate an ice cream cone’,” X laments. By moving toward inanimate objects, Game Freak has undermined the real-world pseudo-biological basis of Pokémon. Doctor X puts it well: “the less said about Kelfki the better”.

That said, this isn’t a new problem for Pokémon. Even though Voltorb, one of the original 150, is “conceptually fabulous”, the fact that it’s “trying to disguise itself as a Pokéball” is “questionable”. In reality, “most animals don’t want to be randomly picked up by a human and run off with” so it seems “counterproductive” in terms of evolution.

While Scarlet and Violet has done a great deal to realize a Pokémon ecology, Doctor X’s analysis raises an important question as to whether or not inventing new pocket monsters is really the best bet for Game Freak. Perhaps it would be better for them to devote more time to giving the existing critters a little more love.

• We also figured out the objectively best starter in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s recent release has fans of the series talking – but not necessarily for the right reasons.

Comb the Twitter feeds of tech-savvy Pokémon trainers, who have already begun their journey in Paldea, and you’ll find a mixed bag of reviews. Among the usual cute Pokémon clips and thoughtful opinions are examples of some of the most outlandish Pokémon bugs ever seen in the 26-year-old series to date – some of which we’ve experienced ourselves. In her Pokémon Scarlet and Violet review, TRG’s Cat Bussell said the games were “replete with framerate drops, performance issues, and more than the occasional bug.”

Luckily for Japanese developer Game Freak, however, many Pokémon fanatics are seeing the funny side of these bugs and glitches – in fact, some are even helpful. From useful hacks to straight-up silliness, we’ve rounded up the most bizarre Pokémon Scarlet and Violet bugs and glitches we’ve spotted online right here for you to enjoy. 

 Pokémon-ster mash 

Playing Pokémon is as easy as riding a bike; if you’ve done it once, you can do it again. But Scarlet and Violet has some players begging the question: what if that bike were invisible?

That’s what Twitter user OoCPokemon shows us in the above clip, where the player is seen moving about on an invisible machine that seems to resemble a bike.

But wait: what if the bike weren’t a bike, but a Legendary Pokémon called Koraidon or Miraidon? And what if you got to drive it through your friend’s bodies (without hurting them, of course) whilst growing an extra five feet like some sort of horrifying, cycle-enthused Slenderman? 

The two glitches above seem to activate when toggling your trusty vehicle-slash-Pokémon friend that accompanies you fresh out the box – Koraidon for Pokémon Scarlet owners, and Miraidon if you’ve picked up Pokémon Violet. Players have found some truly strange glitches when playing in co-op mode, so it’s worth joining forces with a buddy to see what fresh hell your poor, overworked Nintendo Switch conjures up.

Bug-eyed

Oh, and talking of co-op mode, this glitch likely had many players’ eyes wide with shock when they first stumbled upon it. Kocha8164 on Twitter shared this bizarre clip from the game where one of the two characters on the screen appears to have their physical assets totally bugged out, with their eyes popping out of their face as in an old Cartoon Network show. 

It’s both creepy and funny, but we see how this one could get annoying after awhile.

What goes up...

If you were looking for something a bit more on the serious front, however, Twitter user ZullieTheWitch has you covered with this glitch discovery that is is actually helpful.

According to the above clip, you can manipulate the game to let you climb high terrain simply by jumping at a wall and quickly moving backwards. This allows you to totally bypass areas of the map, which isn’t necessarily a great thing if you’re exploring the game for the first time, but will save you lots of time if you need to backtrack at all.

Triple whammy

Finally, this last glitch gives a whole new meaning to the term “air guitar”. Twitter user Kalhan R shared a clip where one of their characters seemed to be experiencing some, er, difficulties with their movement, with their arms and head flailing about comically.

MissingNo-thing

It’s too early to tell if Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will rank highly on the lists of best Pokémon games ever, but just because the game is plagued by a litany of bugs doesn’t mean that it won’t.

We can tell as much from the high ranking of Pokemon Go, which has seen its fair share of bugginess on and off since its 2016 release.

Although widely seen as a negative thing, Pokémon games are notorious for their glitches. The most famous of these has got to be Pokémon Red and Blue’s mysterious case of the 152nd Pokémon, MissingNo. 

This bug created an entirely new Pokémon if the player followed a specific set of instructions, and MissingNo even let you duplicate your items – which is actually another bug in and of itself in Scarlet and Violet.

Despite the bugs, glitches, and other technical issues which are highly indicative of the Switch’s less-than-brawny framework, Scarlet and Violet still raked in the coin after selling over ten million copies in three days.

There’s quite a lot of damage control to do, but if Game Freak can make it up to users who are feeling put out by the bugs whilst still letting us keep that sneaky uphill maneuver, I’d be happy about it.

• Here's the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starter that you should pick.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is no stranger to bugs and glitches. However, the latest issue uncovered by players runs deeper than the occasional texture pop. 

Fans of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's competitive multiplayer have uncovered an alarming fault in the game's PvP Battle Stadium. In short, it looks like every single PvP battle in the stadium uses the same RNG (random number generator) seed when generating randomized outcomes in battle. 

In practical terms, this means players can learn the order of what attacks will hit and miss, and coordinate their moves accordingly. Given the RNG component of Pokémon battles, this is a serious issue for competitive players. For instance: moves with an accuracy of 90% or less seem guaranteed to miss the first time they're used (via Reddit), and so players are learning to avoid them, hoping their opponent uses them first. Players on Twitter also reported similar problems. 

This bug goes beyond the more aesthetic and technical issues in Scarlet and Violet and directly affects the systems at the heart of the Pokémon experience.

System shock

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Nintendo Switch release is riddled with performance issues and bugs, with texture pop in and characters interrupting cutscenes as two of the most noticeable issues. However, this particular problem eclipses choppy animations and framerate issues. This RNG error afflicts the very heart of Pokémon: the battle system. 

Like any of the best RPGs out there, Pokémon lives and dies on its combat mechanics. The tense back and forth of pocket monster combat and the delicate arithmetic that keeps it afloat has been at the very core of the Pokémon experience since the days of Red and Blue. 

Those clutch moments in a Pokémon battle, where we've been pushed to our limit, are what make the games. The familiar alarm sound effect rings out as our pocket pal's health falls into the red. We dig deep, grit our teeth, and go for a last-ditch, risky attack to try and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. In that final moment, we cross our fingers and hope that luck is on our side. 

With a broken RNG seed in its PvP mode, Pokémon simply can't deliver on that experience for competitive players in the same way, and it breaks my heart a little.

Entomophobia

Despite even this newly uncovered problem, Scarlet and Violet remain full of bold and innovative features that push the envelope on Pokémon in a big way. However, it is concerning that the depth and breadth of the bugs affecting the game are sufficiently broad to undermine the core battle system.  

Competitive Pokémon battles have been a staple of the Pokémon fan community since the very beginning of the series. The fact that Game Freak dropped the (Poké)ball here, too, is disappointing because it's possible to release ambitious, open-world titles for the Switch and for them to run elegantly; just look at Xenoblade Chronicles 3 or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. 

By not catching this bug before launch, Game Freak has introduced a flaw into the Pokémon's most important system.

• Pokémon Scarlet and Violet characters deserve voices of their own.

In North East Paldea, there’s a section of forest on an elevated plateau that’s been eluding me for hours now. Despite my attempts at exploration, I simply can’t find a way to get there. After half an hour of tentatively riding around the region below, I’m close to giving up. It’s then that I realize I’ve been a colossal idiot: the sentient motorcycle I’ve been using to travel around the place can glide. 

I’ve been approaching this problem as if I was a 2D sprite in Pokémon Red or Blue, unable to access the forbidden third dimension – until now. I pulled up the map and plotted a course to the snow-covered mountainous region to the North West. If I could get to a high enough point, I could float down to my objective with all the grace and ease of a Drifblim. 

As I reached the top of a nearby snowy mountain, I could see my goal in the distance. Diving off the mountain and asking motorbike-like Miraidon to unfurl its wings for gliding mode, I went for it. As I saw the world below me, I couldn’t help but grin. At last, the greatest triumph of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet became clear to me: I wasn’t just on a by-the-numbers adventure, I was exploring a Pokémon world. In moments, I’d landed at my destination and took in my surroundings. Despite its bugs and flaws, Pokémon Violet had given me a true sense of wonder and adventure. 

Welcome to the playground

The limited, on-rails experience of previous games is entirely dispensed with in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. You can go where you please. You can play it safe, or venture out of your comfort zone to a more dangerous location crawling with higher-level Pokémon. Want to head up a mountain and catch some sort of nonsense bird Pokémon? Want to explore a cave and get beaten up by a Dugtrio? Live the dream.     

Maybe looking to games like Monster Hunter Rise that are filled with believably-behaving fantastical creatures, Game Freak show uses the open world to show Pokémon in their natural habitat. 

Weaker monsters roam in packs, often sticking to a single tougher creature for protection. It’s weirdly fulfilling to watch a group of Makuhita shuffle awkwardly around a nearby Hariyama. It's far more immersive than the on-rails world of Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Variables in the world, like weather and the day/night cycle, affect the types of monster you run into. It forces even a Pokémon veteran like me to replace my callous, calculating arithmetic with a sense of wonder. No longer am I concerned with notions like catching the “optimal” Pokémon. Now, it’s all about the adventure. I capture what I want and roam wherever I desire. It is profoundly liberating and does serious justice to the Pokémon fantasy.

The verge of greatness

Regrettably, almost every compliment I pay to Scarlet and Violet’s open world must be accompanied by an uncomfortable caveat: the game is riddled with bugs and performance issues. Texture popping, animation glitches and input delays seem to be par for the course in Paldea. 

Though far from unplayable, these technical problems are the single most important factor that keeps Scarlet and Violet from realizing its ambitions. For every gorgeous vista I encountered, there was another otherwise great view spoiled by texture popping or janky animations in the distance. It was a bizarre mountaineer’s lottery.

Strangely enough, it’s hard to focus on the gorgeous horizon when, in the corner of your eye, you can see a group of bird Pokémon stuck in eerie animation limbo. Instead of looking out at the serene view, I find myself wondering what exactly those birds did to deserve such a fate.   

Without these issues, however, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet would be the definitive Pokémon experience – head and shoulders above recent entries in the series, and a realization of the promise of the Kanto days. It is heartbreaking and bizarre that a first-party Nintendo Switch title is so riddled with technical holes.

A patch or two would work wonders to transform this flawed gem into something truly pristine. We can only hope that Game Freak and Nintendo are receptive to the needs of their fans. The strides made in Scarlet and Violet are huge, and it would be a shame to see them lost under a crust of technical issues and glitches when, beneath those problems, there is so much to celebrate and enjoy.

• Looking for more great RPGs? Here's a list of the very best on console and PC.

“This doesn’t make any sense”, my brother says. “Why aren’t they talking?”

Despite having been a serious Pokéfan during our childhoods, my brother has been out of the game for nearly a decade. As soon as I got my hands on Pokémon Violet, we sat down in front of the TV, and prepared ourselves for some serious nostalgia.

Despite the choppy framerate, Pokémon Violet is an exercise in prestige; an attempt to realize the dreams of adventure slumbering in the hearts of Nintendo gamers since the mid 90s. However, as the cutscenes roll on, it becomes clear that something is off. My brother’s brow furrows at the characters’ silence. 

He’s right. These well-designed characters greet cutscene after cutscene in eerie quiet, their words punctuated only by Scarlet and Violet’s excellent music. In 2022, it feels wrong. 

In contrast to many previous Pokémon games, these characters often have interesting things to say, too. Without spoiling anything, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet deal with bullying, peer pressure, and even grief. It’s not exactly The Last of Us, but, though developer Game Freak’s storytelling uses simple, broad brush strokes, the colors are no less vibrant and enjoyable. 

However, the step up in storytelling serves to make the lack of voice acting all the more conspicuous. It seems cruel to deny these characters a voice when they have important things to say. This was especially true during Scarlet and Violet’s emotionally charged and rewarding ending. 

Enjoy the silence

While the Nintendo Switch certainly has significant technical limitations, especially when compared to the PS5 of the Xbox Series X, vocal characters isn’t one of them. A huge number of the best Nintendo Switch games have leaned heavily on strong voice acting to help immerse players in the worlds they create. 

Fire Emblem Three Houses, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, and Bayonetta 3 all give their characters distinctive voices. Even Super Mario Odyssey wouldn’t be complete without the plumber’s iconic “wahoo”. 

So why is it that Game Freak keeps its characters mute? The Pokémon themselves have distinctive cries, and have done so since the early days of Pokémon Red and Blue, so don’t their human opposites? It’s unlikely to be a question of budget. The Pokémon Company’s doing rather well for itself and reported record profits this year (via Gamesindustry.biz). They clearly have resources to spare.

Is it a product of time constraints and tight release windows, or simply a stylistic choice? Perhaps Game Freak wanted to evoke the nostalgia of the wordless text boxes that have been with Pokémon titles since the very beginning. Perhaps they want us to invent voices for the characters within their own imaginations.

Seen but not heard

Scarlet and Violet boast excellent character designs. The outfits of almost every named character tell a clear story on their own. Take Katy, Nemona, and Grusha, all pictured above. 

Katy, the bug type Gym Leader dresses in an elegant but unassuming chef’s outfit with a single spider web embroidered on her apron. A tuft of light green hair pokes out of her chef’s hat and she has a small beauty spot on her left cheek. One look at her tells you that she’s a gentle, kind soul who loves baking, but who also possesses a mischievous streak. 

Your rival Nemona, meanwhile, is a consummate jock in her altered school uniform with all its sporty accessories. Lastly, you can tell from a glance at Grusha, the ice type Gym Leader, that he’s withdrawn and secretive but, perhaps, might have a softer side. 

In previous games, these character designs were enough to conjure a unique voice in my mind. However, now that Pokémon has come to my television, it feels silly to have to rely on my imagination in the same way I had to back in the days of the Game Boy. It’s clear that Game Freak pours a huge amount of effort into its character design – an act that only makes their silence all the more jarring when seeing these figures rendered on my TV screen. 

Pokémon and voice acting have gone together since the days of the anime in the 90s. The idea of human beings in the Pokémon world having their own distinctive voices is hardly new. Can we imagine Jessie and James from Team Rocket without their camp, over-the-top monologues? What is protagonist Ash Ketchum without his high-pitched, optimistic tones? 

The Pokémon games are no stranger to borrowing aesthetic inspiration from the anime. Even the Pokéballs in Scarlet and Violet use blue beams of light and iconic sound effects reminiscent of the TV show. Game Freak loses out by not embracing this final element of the anime.

These great characters deserve a voice.

• Looking for more great RPGs? Here's a list of the very best on console and PC.

We’re here: the final battle of the Pokémon League. Champion Geeta stands before me, aloof and ready for battle. I’m nervous. I know that, unlike the more predictable gym leaders with their single-type setups, Geeta will be packing all sorts of different Pokémon. I need to be ready for anything. As the battle begins, the music swells, and we’re ready to go. 

I send out Nigel, my trusty Skeledirge – the fully evolved form of my first Pokémon, Fuecoco. Geeta sends out a ludicrous psychic ostrich of some kind. A sinister Shadow Ball attack sees her Espathra off in a single hit. This establishes a pattern. Moments later, her ice type Avalugg, her steel type Kingambit, and her grass type Gogoat have all been literally and figuratively roasted by the judicious application of Skeledirge’s Torch Song attack. 

The rate at which my crocodile dismantles Geeta’s squad takes me by surprise, if only because this has happened before. By sheer coincidence, Fuecoco and its subsequent evolutions have been just the right type combination to deal with most of the threats that Pokémon Violet had to throw at him. It turns out that Paldea is Fuecoco’s world, and we’re all just living in it. 

Turning up the heat

While Quaxly and Sprigatito have their charms, of all the Scarlet and Violet starters it’s Fuecoco who pulls his weight the most in Game Freak’s latest Pokémon adventure. Simply by virtue of being fire types, Fuecoco and his evolutions spend most of the game being indispensable. In the early game, your adorable little croc can roast the bug and grass type gyms with little issue, helping you get through the precarious early game with relative ease. 

Overall, of the eight main gyms in the game, three can be singularly dismantled by fire-type attacks alone, while two more are vulnerable to the ghost type attacks that become available once your Fuecoco becomes a Skeledirge. Five out of eight isn’t just good; it’s bloodbath territory.

The grass and dark type Meowscarada, Sprigatito’s final form, is only strong against three of the gyms, while poor Quaxly’s fighting and water type evolution, Quaquaval, is only especially effective against a single gym. This means that Skeledirge is more useful in Scarlet and Violet’s gym battles than Meowscarada and Quaquaval combined.

 The best offense

The math also works out in Skeledirge’s favor, too. When playing a new Pokémon title, you won’t necessarily be aware of which new ‘mons correspond to which types. You will, occasionally, get caught short by a Super Effective hit here and there, especially if you go into the game blind. Skeledirge has an impressive defense stat, though, allowing it to shrug off blows that would cause a weaker pocket monster to faint.

Though its Special Defense isn’t anything to write home about, the base stat is still joint highest among the starters’ final evolutions. Plus, with a much larger pool of hit points than either Quaquaval or Meowscarada, Skeledirge is well-prepared to take more than the occasional nasty hit. 

On top of that, this excellent reptile boasts an extremely efficient unique move: Torch Song. As well as being a powerful special attack in its own right, Torch Song also boosts the Special Attack stat of its user, meaning that the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Since Skeledirge is particularly sturdy, chances are you’ll be able to use the attack several times in a row, giving you increasing returns on damage. If you’re lucky, your opponent won’t be able to get a single attack off the ground before you roast them to a crisp. 

Spooky, scary crocodile

Skeledirge’s secondary type, ghost, adds a huge amount of utility in battle, giving you a solid answer to tricky ghost and psychic types. Usually, this comes with a downside, since this also makes Skeledirge vulnerable to ghost and dark attacks, the latter of which are surprisingly common. 

Fortunately, there’s an easy fix: Terastelization. This new mechanic allows your Pokémon to change type in the middle of fight and adds a welcome layer of additional complexity to Scarlet and Violet’s battles. Have your Skeledirge Terastelize, and it’ll become a pure fire type, meaning it loses the weaknesses to dark and ghost, while still being able to throw out ghost-type moves. This way, you can have your cake and eat it in battle, especially against matchups with other ghost-type monsters. This is especially useful when challenging Gym Leader Ryme and her ghost Pokémon.

Though I can’t stop you from choosing Sprigatito or Quaxly, it’s clear that Fuecoco is the beginner trainer’s choice. The humble, dorky-looking crocodile will help you blaze a path through the Pokémon League and beyond. Trust me: beneath Fuecoco’s cutesy, unassuming exterior beats the heart of a true champion.

• Looking for more great RPGs? Here's our list of the best titles on consoles and PC.

It's not immediately obvious how to change clothes in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Embarrassingly, I spent twelve hours with the game before figuring it out, so you can be forgiven for not knowing. Read on to learn not only how to open the outfit menu, but where to go to buy your new threads. 

Though Pokémon Scarlet and Violet doesn't allow for quite the same depth of outfit customization as its predecessor, Sword and Shield, it does allow you to significantly personalize your character. Recently released on Nintendo Switch, players all over the world have been enjoying the continent of Paldea. 

However, there are more choices to make than just your Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starter. As you travel across the land, searching far and wide, you'll need to look the part. Read on to find out how to change your outfit, as well as how to get your hands on more sweet threads.  

How to change clothes in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

How to change clothes in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: the outfit menu

The outfit menu is easy to access, but well-hidden. While roaming the world, simply press the left arrow on the left-hand side of your controller or Joy-Con, underneath the analog stick. This will open the outfit menu and will let you choose between a bunch of school uniforms as well as equip any clothes you've already bought. 

Though, for now, you're stuck with the different seasonal uniforms, you can change outfits on the fly and have the ability to change your hat, socks, boots, gloves, glasses, and backpack to suit your aesthetic tastes. Read on to find out where to go to get your hand on some neat accessories. 

How to change clothes in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: clothing stores

Clothing shops are located in Mesagoza, Levincia, and Cascarrafa and come in a variety of different types. Fortunately, these stores are usually color-coded for your convenience and have handy signs outside. 

Stores of the same type offer different items in different locations, so be sure to keep an eye out for new accessories while you're out in Paldea. In addition, shop displays don't correlate to what's actually on sale in stores. This incongruence is definitely worth bearing in mind when you're on a shopping spree.  

General stores

General clothing stores like Rough & Tough, Veracidad, and Seguro Style are a great place to start, usually offering accessories of all kinds to those that have the cash to buy them. They are denoted by a vibrant yellow color. 

Sock Stores

Denoted by the monochrome sock sign pictured above, these stores sell socks and tights – vital for keeping your feet warm in Paldea's colder areas. 

Glasses stores

Enterprising trainers looking for new frames can find them in these blue stores. From sunglasses to horn rimmed spectacles, there's a surprisingly wide selection to choose from. 

Shoe stores

Shoe stores are slightly harder to spot, but usually have a cerulean exterior with a selection of boots and trainers on display. You can track down anything from smart dress shoes to sturdy engineering boots if you know where to look.

Hat stores

No trainer looks the part without a stylish hat. It was true with Ask Ketchum back in the 90s, and it's truer now. Hat shops will often have brown storefronts and an array of headpieces on display in the window. 

Backpack stores

Last, but not least, we come to the backpack stores. It's well-known that Pokémon trainers have to carry a lot of stuff, so why not do it in style? These stores have minimalist brown and gray storefronts. Some of the backpack designs are pretty bold, so don't be afraid to experiment. 

Congratulations, you're now ready to begin your quest for Pokémon fashion dominance. After all, you can't be the very best if you don't look the part.

• Looking for more great games on the Nintendo Switch? Here's our list of the very best.

In the middle of a town square, a fierce Pokémon battle erupts. In the restaurant-filled, foodie’s paradise of Medali city, a young trainer is trying to win the right to face the local gym leader. With a stoic expression, her Hariyama lets loose with a flurry of punches against his hated rival, bringing the foe’s hit points into the red. It’s a dramatic battle, but the young trainer is determined to succeed. 

Then, right at the decisive moment, an aimless local wanders through the battle. All the scene's tension is deflated by his curiously warm smile and relaxed demeanor. The ease of his gait and the gentle twinkle in his eyes suggests a man at ease with himself. Perhaps this man – let’s call him Phil – is on his way to buy groceries or maybe just taking a gentle stroll around town. 

Transfixed by his steady confidence, I watch Phil walk from one end of the screen to the other, the ongoing pocket monster contest completely forgotten as his gentle ambulation plays out. Phil may be having a nice day, but he has ruined Pokémon. 

Building on the open world steps made in Pokémon Sword and Shield and Pokémon Legends Arceus, the world in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the most ambitious yet. Rife with places to explore and Pokémon to catch, you can take a non-linear approach to its main story, which developer Game Freak has divided into three main quest chains.

Unfortunately, as promising as these changes are in themselves, Game Freak dropped the ball in terms of performance and optimization. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are replete with framerate drops, performance issues, and more than the occasional bug. Texture popping is common, and animation speeds will slow to a crawl in all but the most sparsely populated areas. The game is full of magic, wonder, and adventure. It is also full of Phils.

 Travel across the land 

Pokémon has always been about adventure, first and foremost. In this respect, Scarlet and Violet capture a fantasy near and dear to the hearts of Pokémon fans old and new, by giving them the freedom to roam the continent of Paldea to their heart’s content. At their best, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet feel like a playground, making a serious commitment to open-world exploration, which pays off in a big way.

The new “let’s go” feature not only allows you to walk alongside your pocket pals in the game world, but also lets you instruct your buddy to automatically battle nearby wild Pokémon, doing all the hard work for you while you look on. It’s a nice way to gain XP, and stands alongside a myriad of other quality-of-life improvements that Scarlet and Violet bring to the table. These improvements include an auto-heal button in the menu as well as a TM machine, which allows you to tailor your squad’s moves whenever you visit a Pokémon Center.

By opening up the world, you can now wander into areas that are too high level for you, adding a sense of mystery and danger. I often dared myself to venture into high-level areas, just to see what was out there. In one particularly foreboding cave, I steered clear of roving ground types in search of a path to a nearby city. I never knew I could find Dugtrio so frightening. The sense of risk added something profound to the Pokémon experience that I didn’t know was missing.

Battle buddies

The big change to battles in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is Terastelizing – a new feature allowing you to encase your Pokémon in crystal to alter their type mid-battle. It has the potential to radically shake up battles, letting your change your Pokémons’ type on the fly is a huge deal in a game that’s all about type matchups. 

Unfortunately, Scarlet and Violet see the return of the usual grindy one-type-only gym battles where one Pokémon (or even one move) can carry the entire battle for you. As if to salt the wound, Gym Leaders in Scarlet and Violet often use an unorthodox final Pokémon which they proceed to make orthodox by Terastelizing it to the expected type. 

There were hints of how Terastelizing could change the game, like when fighting the Elite Four, the toughest trainers in Paldea, and the opposing Donphan (a ground type Pokémon) threw out a poison attack, wrecking my unsuspecting grass-type. Suffice it to say, my unsuspecting Gogoat doesn’t stand a chance. The challenging mix-up forces me to think on my feet, evoking real Pokémon magic. Though Scarlet and Violet had far more of these dramatic turnabout moments than Sword and Shield, it’s clear that Game Freak is still holding back when it comes to pushing Pokémon’s battle systems to their full potential.

 An entomologist’s nightmare

Regrettably, Scarlet and Violet fail to live up to their potential. The fundamentals of a great game are there, but they feel undercooked. The performance problems are very much the Cufant in the room, and with good reason. Framerates are low, animations are choppy and open-world elements sometimes interact clunkily with each other. For every great battle, gorgeous horizon, and wondrous adventure, you will likely find a bug that’ll undermine your experience. 

These bugs and deficiencies aren’t enough to ruin the experience outright, but they are difficult to ignore. In battles, the camera might clip through the floor, revealing a mess of polygons underneath. Input delays, though uncommon, can spell calamity in battle if you accidentally select the wrong move.

As was the case with gentle, sweet Phil as he gingerly wandered through a heated contest between two deadly super-monsters, these glitches and performance issues are sometimes as amusing as they are frustrating. However, it seems absurd for Nintendo to sign off on a product this riddled with problems. Though these technical issues aren’t enough to rob the game of the joy and whimsy at its heart, they cast a long shadow over the experience.

• Looking for great Nintendo Switch titles? Here's our list of the very best games for the console.

Choosing the best Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starter isn't easy. Each brings something unique to the table, but, in Pokémon tradition, you'll only be able to pick one of these little critters for your adventure across the Paldea region.

Offering a vast open world for you to roam across, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the latest pairing in the Pokémon series for the Nintendo Switch.  Though Pokémon has taken bold new steps into the open-world territory of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, some things very much remain as they were. Among them: the agonizing choice between three cute starter Pokémon of the grass, fire, and water varieties. It's a dilemma as old as the first Pokémon games in the 1990s and remains as tricky now as it was back then. 

To help you make your choice and pick the best Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starter for you, we've broken down the pros and cons of each, as well as their types,  the types of their final evolutions, and their signature moves. You'll be ready to make that big decision in no time.

Best Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starter

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starters: Sprigatito

This feline friend is the best Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starter for cat lovers. As a grass type, Sprigatito is strong against rock, ground, and water. Resistant to electric attacks, this shrubbery crossed with a kitten will serve you well in the mid-game when it comes to type matchups. Its weakness to fire, bug, and flying moves, however, are cause for concern, especially when going up against the bug-type Gym in the early game. 

Sprigatito evolves into Florgato at level 16 and once again into Meowscarada at level 35. Meowscarada is a dark type and grass type, so it is very effective against psychic and ghost types. Meowscarada also learns the special move Flower Trick when it evolves, a powerful physical attack that always hits and always crits. Meowscarada is a fast, physical damage powerhouse in the late game – surprising, given its unassuming basic form. 

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starters: Fuecoco

Fuecoco is a fire type, and my personal choice as best Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starter. I just couldn't say no to that little face. He's especially powerful against grass, bug, ice, and steel opponents, which makes him a great asset in the early game against the bug and grass gyms. That said, he's weak against water, ground, and rock, so he's far from indestructible. 

This gentle little crocodile evolves into Crocalor at level 16 and Skeledirge at level 35. Skeledirge is a fire and ghost-type Pokémon, which makes for some pretty interesting type matchups. As a ghost type, Skeledirge is immune to normal-type attacks and effective against psychic and other ghost types when sticking to ghost moves like Shadow Ball. The ghost gym leader in the late game is particularly tough, so Skeledirge can be a real asset. It also learns Torch Song, a powerful fire attack that improves the special attack stat of the user, making the move even stronger the next time you use it. 

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starters: Quaxly

Quaxly is this generation's water-type offering. And, if you were to poll the community, you may believe it was the best Pokémon Scarlet and Violet starter, but majority opinion is hardly a good measure for these things. 

This charismatic little fellow is already a fan favorite, but will he be yours? As a water type, he's a good bet against fire, ground, and rock-type monsters, but a bad idea against electric or grass monsters. This makes Quaxly less useful in the early battles against the bug, grass, and electric gym leaders, but very handy when traveling through Paldea's numerous caves and quarries – chocked as they are with ground and rock-type Pokémon.

At level 16, Quaxly evolves into Quaxwell, reaching its final form, the fabulous Quauqaval, at level 35. Quauquval becomes a fighting type, in addition to its existing water type. This makes it strong against dark, normal, ice, and steel Pokémon. Without spoiling too much, this makes Quauquval extremely useful in the late game. Quaxly's final form also learns the unique move Aqua Step, a powerful water attack that raises the user's speed stat. It's a great way to dish out damage and stay ahead of the game. 

Congratulations, you now know everything you need to about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's three starter Pokémon. It's time to get out there and choose your favorite – just be sure to let the other two down gently. 

• Looking for more great games on the Nintendo Switch? Here's our list of the very best.

Pokémon needs a renaissance. The pocket monsters themselves are a visual delight, and the intricate choice-driven battle system continues to provide all sorts of meaningful decision points for players. But the series’ formula is beginning to show its age.

Every three years, a new mainstream Pokémon title is released. Game Freak adds new features that tweak and complicate the time-tested core, but the fundamentals don’t change. While Pokémon Sword and Shield added open Wild Areas, Pokémon camps, and the ability to embiggen your monsters with dynamaxing, there were still eight Gym Leaders who slavishly use a single type of Pokémon, a dubious evil team, and a climactic battle with the Pokémon League Champion.  

This formula is long past being stale and is now dangerously moldy. 

I will battle across the land 

Breath of the Wild shows just what can be gained by reinvention. Nintendo returned to the fantasy the classic 2D Zelda games offered and tried to capture that for modern consoles, dispensing with the traditions that didn’t serve its new focus. 

Breath of the Wild was a bold step for Nintendo and presented a vast, rich, and interconnected open world. Pokémon Sword and Shield flirted with this idea by adding the Wild Areas: explorable zones in the middle of the map where players could seek out Pokémon and even rotate the camera. Though a welcome addition to the game, the fact that the Wild Area was literally fenced in from the rest of the world spoke volumes. 

The Wild Areas of Sword and Shield felt like a tacked-on extra, a gentle nod to the idea of open-world play, timid in comparison to Breath of the Wild. A step forward from Red and Blue’s corridors, it was a far cry from the vast horizons of Zelda’s open-world Hyrule. 

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet aim to take this further, making the majority of the map into a Wild Area-style region and giving you legendary pokémon with which you’ll be able to glide, swim and ride across the world. On paper, this seems promising. However, this change is concerning within the context of wider stagnation for Pokémon. 

Searching far and wide 

Reinvention doesn’t mean scrapping what’s good about Pokémon but sweeping away the systems and features that get in the way of its glittering heart. 

After more than 25 years, it’s amazing how well Game Freak’s sophisticated combat holds up. It’s still exciting to pick through your squad in the thick of a battle, finding the perfect counter to the monster you face or, if you fall short, trying to level the playing field with support moves and items.

However, even after all these years, it’s surprising Game Freak rarely gives Pokémon’s combat a chance to shine. 

Are you headed to the Fire gym? Go and catch a couple of water-type pokémon, and you’ll walk it. The gym leaders still field only one type of pokémon, making battles a simple case of stocking up on a single counter type ahead of battle.

The battles that break from this formula show you what Pokémon can be. Raihan, the eighth and final gym leader in Pokémon Sword and Shield, ostensibly specializes in Dragon types but uses a wider variety of Pokemon than you’d expect. He also specifically emphasises using environmental conditions like sandstorms to change the battlefield in his favor. 

I was thrilled when his Torkoal, a fire-type Pokémon, used Solar Beam, a grass-type move, on my water type out of nowhere. In an instant, my Intelion went down like a sack of potatoes in a clutch moment worthy of the Pokémon anime. You see, he’d used Sunny Day a turn earlier to allow his Torkoal to instantly use Solar Beam rather than charge it up like usual. This move set the stage for a phenomenal Pokémon battle that made my inner 12-year-old happy.

The fact that this is the exception, not the rule, speaks volumes about the limits of Pokémon’s worn formula.

The power that's inside

Pokémon Legends Arceus did offer some promising departures in the form of open-world exploration along with a fun and slightly bonkers story. Though it had flaws (especially regarding graphical presentation), it was bold and deeply refreshing and clearly took pains to do justice to the Pokémon fantasy. 

Scarlet and Violet continues to step in the right direction, but it may well be the case that Pokémon needs a break. Every three years, we are treated to a new iteration of the same formula, which, usually boasting interesting quirks, does not offer the revolution that the series sorely needs. 

Perhaps Game Freak should stop tweaking and set their minds to building something new and exceptional. After all, isn’t novelty a big part of what made Pokémon so inspiring in the first place? 

• Looking for some great Switch games in the meantime? Here's our list of the very best. 

Do you want to be the very best, like no one ever was? You're in luck, because Splatoon 3 is giving you a brand new opportunity to do just that in its latest event: a Pokémon themed Splatfest. 

A Splatfest is a special event in Splatoon 3 where you pick one of three teams to join before jumping into a PvP bonanza. Last time, you had to choose between Gear, Food and Fun if stranded on a desert island – a paltry choice compared to what's in store. In the next Splatfest, you'll need to choose between Fire, Water, and Grass type Pokémon. Finally, years of playground arguments will be settled in the inky crucible of splat-based conflict. 

If you're new to the classic Nintendo Switch team-based third-person shooter, this Pokémon Scarlet and Violet tie-in event will give you a great opportunity to get stuck in. Starting November 11 at 4pm PT/ 12am GMT / 10am ACT and finishing on November 13 at the same time, the event is chocked full of special rewards. You'll need to get as much Splatoon 3 Weapons practice as possible if you want to lead your chosen type to victory come November. 

Your real test

There's no denying it: this is a seriously strong contender of the best Splatfest topic of all time. Yes, Rock vs. Scissors vs. Paper was a strong start as Splatoon 3's inaugural Splatfest, and Chaos vs. Order will always be iconic, but it has to be said that Pokémon types make for a truly special Splatfest experience. 

It is telling that the Pokémon starter-type trifecta has been unchanging for all of these years. Though the Splatfest is clearly centered around Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's starters, the old Bulbasaur-Charmander-Squirtle conflict remains as alive and well today as it ever did. These are old battles, fought by old soldiers. 

Troopers who first enlisted as tweens on playgrounds are now adults with full-time jobs. Some are accountants, others are salespeople, and some, Arceus help them, are video game journalists. Despite staring down the barrel of 30, I will climb the hill and declare, boldly, that Bulbasaur is my perfect plant boy, and that grass types are the best.

The fact that Splatoon 3 is tapping into such an old and iconic debate for its second Splatfest speaks to just how the community is doing. Online multiplayer games from Final Fantasy 14 to Overwatch 2 live or die based on the quality of their community engagement. By getting stuck into this kind of contentious and deeply rooted Pokémon debate, Splatoon 3 is showing that it is not only alive but thriving.

• Looking for more great Nintendo Switch games? Check out our list of the very best, right here.

A new trailer for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet just landed, and it's bursting with gameplay details for the upcoming game. 

Due to release November 18 for Nintendo Switch, the launch of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is fast approaching. And with Pokémon Sword and Shield now firmly behind us, we're ready to see what the Pokémon Company has in store for us this time.

The trailer reveals a host of new features, including how Terastallization works and how Pokémon can use the phenomenon to change types mid-battle. We are also treated to glimpses of the TM machine; a must-have for min-maxers out there, as well as the three major storylines available in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: Path of Legends, Victory Road and Starfall Street. 

They also showed off the new Tera Raid battles, which are co-op engagements against a single, especially tough Pokémon, reminiscent of the Dynamax Raids in Sword and Shield. 

The gameplay footage also revealed numerous open-world features, including a "Let's Go" command, which instructs your Pokémon to fight automatically, without requiring micromanagement. They also revealed a world map and "Grunt Battles," where your team face off against multiple Team Star trainers in the open world. 

It's a whole new world we live in

The open-world ambitions of Scarlet and Violet clearly intend to build on the Wild Area of Sword and Shield in a big way. 

It's exciting to see a shift towards open-world exploration in Scarlet and Violet. Judging by the map shown off in the trailer, it looks like the latest pocket monster simulator is meandering in the direction of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. 

Nintendo have clearly learned a thing or two from Pokémon Legends Arceus, not only embracing a greater emphasis on exploration but also allowing battles to take place in the world, rather than in a stylized, instanced arena. Pokémon has always been celebrated for its emphasis on adventure and exploration and it's heartening to see Scarlet and Violet double down. 

The "Let's Go" command could also be a game changer, and clearly comes as a result of the shift towards open-world play. As seen in the trailer, this allows you to sic your Pokémon on targets in the wild, having them automatically battle. 

Obviously, the success of this mechanic will depend a great deal on how organic it feels when used out in the world. At its best, it could potentially signal an end to tedious level grinding, while, at its worst, it could be consigned to the trash heap of forgotten Pokémon gimmicks*.  

However, as heartening as it is to see Pokémon branch out into new territory for the series, I am forced to wonder if open-world mechanics will be a good fit for what is, essentially, a granular turn-based RPG. 

From Assassin's Creed Valhalla to Horizon Forbidden West, a significant tranche of modern video games seem to be committed to recreating the phenomenal open-world experiences of The Witcher 3. Both the Assassin's Creed and Horizon series have done excellent things with the Witcherly formula and make for an excellent experience in their own right.

However, a part of me can't help but wonder if this is dangerous territory for a whimsical turn-based RPG. While Pokémon Legends Arceus did push the envelope in some very cool ways, it would be a shame to see Scarlet and Violet dilute the whimsy and generosity of the traditional pocket monster formula in their pursuit of open-world mechanics. As a Pokémon fan for many, many years, I sincerely hope that my fears are unfounded.

*This is where the Sandwich mini-game is going. Trust me: nobody's playing Pokémon because they want the authentic Subway experience. Sorry, sandwich fans.

• Love RPGs? Why not check out our list of the best RPGs on PC and console.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Legendaries have been revealed, and they’re just as terrifying as they are odd.

The new duo coming in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet was announced in a fresh trailer, showing us what they’ll look like and how they’re used. And used they very much will be. These aren’t your average super rare pocket monsters, but genuinely functional Legendary creatures that look halfway between Frankenstein’s monster and a motorbike.

Named Koraidon and Miraidon, each one can be used as a vehicle, letting you hop on their backs to ride around the game's new Paldea region. Need to zoom across a meadow? Engage “drive mode” and watch as your Legendary pal sprouts a humongous wheel from their chest and, er, crotch. Stick to “sprint mode” if you’d rather move on foot. They can also swim across water, climb mountains, and even produce wings to glide through the air.

Watch them in action in the trailer below.

Legendary companionship

The duo’s design isn’t worlds away from the Legendaries of past pokémon generations. Elegant dragons that stand head and shoulders above the other ‘mons, Koraidon and Miraidon aren’t messing about. But it’s the addition of their locomotive capabilities that make them so strange.

In the context of the wider game, however, they make more sense. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be the first fully-fledged open-world Pokémon title, letting you seamlessly explore its vast world. No more loading screens between towns and the wilderness, you’ll be free to run around wherever.

It looks like Koraidon and Miraidon will act as the gateway to that exploration. They’re essentially all-terrain vehicles capable of navigating every nook and cranny of Paldea. We expect they’re needed to access some areas of the map – like the top of a mountain – and will be all but required to journey from one end of the world to the other.

That might suggest the pair will be available fairly early in the game. While Legendaries are usually unlocked as rewards for completing late-game battles, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet might well give them to you sooner. We’ll know for sure when the game releases on November 18.

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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s open-world region has been revealed in a new trailer.

Paldea will be the main setting of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, taking the creature-catching RPG series to a Spanish-inspired locale for the first time. Set to be a fully open-world region, it will span a range of biomes – from green meadows, to towering peaks, to mountain ranges – as well as several towns.

Expect to find farming villages alongside port towns, and bustling marketplaces on top. The largest city is called Mesagoza, which, according to a press release, is where the game’s two main pokémon training academies – Naranja and Uva – are located. Similar to Pokémon Sword and Shield, you’ll be able to access a map of the region using your character’s Rotom Phone.

Check out the new trailer below to get a feel for the world.

Terastallize to taste

As well as offering a new map and vaguely Iberian architecture to gawk at, Paldea also introduces a new pokémon form. Just as Pokémon Sun and Moon added regional pokémon, and Sword and Shield added the option to inflate your pocket monsters to supersize, Scarlet and Violet will let you “terastallize” any creatures you catch.

You can engage the transformation for any 'mons in Paldea once per battle, enhancing their power and granting them a special ability. Their appearance will change, too, as they shimmer like a crystal and get some very stylish bling popped on their head. To terastallize a pokémon, you’ll need to use a rechargeable Tera Orb. They can be juiced up by finding special crystals throughout the environment or visiting a Pokémon Center.

Paldea is also special for being the first fully open-world region in a Pokémon game. While Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduced vast environments, they weren’t seamlessly connected, and had to be accessed discretely through a central hub. Scarlet and Violet will change that by blending towns and the wilderness without loading screens or barriers. That’s just one thing we thought it needed to learn from older Pokémon games.

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A brand new Pokémon Scarlet and Violet trailer is here, and with it comes the reveal that you'll be able to catch pocket-sized monsters in four-player co-op for the first time in the series' history.

While we previously saw a four-player battle mode in 2016's Pokémon Sun and Moon, four-player co-op is a first. Being able to run around in an open world with up to three friends, while brawling with Trainers and looking for the next member of your team or pokédex entry sounds amazing. Battling with friends is fun, but the idea of getting to work together in the pokémon world feels like a dream feature.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is shaking things up in more than one way, though. Each version of the game will have its own Professor: Sada or Turo.

Even more exciting, we know that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will release worldwide on November 18th, just a few short months away. Watch the new trailer below:

A bounty of possibilities

A brief look at the new legendary Pokémon is nice, but all I want now is to know how I can collaborate with friends. Hopefully, Nintendo will soon reveal how we can work together to pick up the new starter pokémon. I'm on team cutesy grass-cat, but Fuecoco also has my attention.

I imagine roaming around and dropping into trainer battles is a given, but I wonder about the other possibilities, from duo battles or even quad battles? The sheer madness of eight Pokémon going at it has an appeal all its own, like some sort of all-hands pokébrawl. 

With any luck, Nintendo will let slip more about what the co-op is like so I can start networking with friends about forming our very own Team Rocket.

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If you’ve ever wondered what a platypus- or kangaroo-inspired Pokémon might look like, this Australian fan-created 'Straya' Pokédex will blow your socks off.

Traditionally, Pokémon games draw their inspiration from real-world regions, and with the new upcoming Pokémon Scarlet and Violet games theorized to be based on Spain, one fan has been fantasizing about what an Australian-themed Pokémon world would look like.

Twitter user VivinkArt originally began the project in 2019 – back when Pokémon Sword and Shield were originally announced – and the resulting (and huge!) Straya-region Pokédex took over two years to finish, with VivinkArt finally able to declare it complete in February.

The prospective 'Aussified' titles of VivinkArt’s concept games are 'Pokémon Yeah' and 'Pokémon Nah' – a reference to the phrase 'yeahnah', a common piece of Australian slang that’s usually deployed when you’re disagreeing with someone. 

The designs have been very well received by the gaming community, with thousands of likes and near-universal praise in replies.

The artist has taken iconic Aussie animals and Pokéfied them – and done such a stellar job that it’s easy to forget that it’s all fan art. Even if you aren’t fluent with all the Down Under wildlife, it is easy to recognize iconic creatures such as the grass-type kangaroo and the water-type platypus starters.

That’s not all: Vivink not only created all the Pokémon of the Straya region but designed potential NPCs you’d encounter in your outback adventure, a new region map and beautiful Pokémon-style concept art. There is even beloved crocodile hunter Steve Irwin, taking the role as the Pokémon champion of the Straya region.

Attention to detail

Just like recent Pokémon games have iconic region-exclusive Pokémon, the artists have made region specific Doduos, Delibirds, Porygons with oddly specific Aussie references that might make you giggle.

The Pokémon fan also integrated Aboriginal culture into their concept by creating a legendary Pokémon based on the Rainbow Serpent from indigenous Dreamtime, which the player would theoretically encounter after defeating the four Elders.

The rest of the thread goes into more detail about the various Pokémon they designed, and it’s a worth reading in full to appreciate how much work has gone into the designs. VivinkArt’s Twitter feed also hosts lots of Straya-Pokémon concept art. 

While this is obviously a dream concept, there’s not too long of a wait for the next mainline Pokémon game with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, which are due out in late 2022.

This isn’t VivinkArt first foray into the world of game design. The artist is currently working on a 2D hand-drawn platformer which follows the story of an endangered red panda called Ailuri. You can find out all about the title at Vivink Studios’ website.

• Nintendo's teasing new details about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Nintendo looks to be gearing up to release more details on Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, having launched a new webpage for you to register your interest in the game.

The page is pretty bare right now, but lets you pen your name to the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet mailing list, so you can get your hands on all the latest details for the game as they’re announced.

“Enter your email below to register your interest in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet and receive emails about pre-orders and product news for Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet,” the official Nintendo website says.

It also reaffirms the next installment in the Pokémon series will be an open-world adventure that’s due to release later this year.

What will Nintendo reveal

Announced earlier this year following the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is still a bit of mystery. The next mainline entry in the Pokémon video game series, it’s being pitched as a “new evolutionary step” that will introduce the ninth generation of pocket monsters.

Combining elements of Arceus’s fluid open-world gameplay with the more typical creature-catching components of past Pokémon games, you’ll be able to explore “freely in a richly expressed open world”. That means can transition between towns and wildernesses seamlessly. No more waiting to load up each new area you come across, the exploration sounds as fluid as what you'd find in other sandbox games.

Just how that will play out is yet to be seen, and we’d bet that this new approach to open-world gameplay will be one of the first features Nintendo explores in its future updates. Fans will be keen to know how towns are seamlessly blended with the wider world, and how large that world really is.

From what we’ve seen so far, the world looks fairly expansive. In the Scarlet and Violet announcement trailer, we spotted grasslands, wetlands, cityscapes, deserts, and tropical beaches, so it looks like there are a fair few biomes to discover.

We’ve already had a glimpse at its three new starting pokémon – Sprigatito, Quaxly, and Fuecoco – and a rundown of their abilities, but we’re yet to see any other of the new ‘mons that will be added in Generation Nine. Each generation usually adds around 100 new pocket monsters to catch, so we reckon Nintendo will be drip-feeding them to us for a good long time.

Of course, we’re also waiting for Nintendo to confirm Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's release date. Right now, we only know it’s coming out in late 2022, which probably translates to sometime after August. The launch date of Pokémon Legends: Arceus was announced a good five months before the game was released, so Nintendo may give us a long heads-up.

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There are hints in the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet reveal trailer that Nintendo and developer Game Freak are looking to their past for their new game. The whole reveal is a throwback to the old style of Pokémon trailer, blending the real world and Pokémon worlds. The video opens with a security guard investigating a disturbance at the developer’s offices and discovering a room filled with objects, maps, and drawings pulled from the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet region.

This throwback could well be a sign Game Freak will be returning to an older style of Pokémon game, even while pushing forward with the open-world format introduced in Sword and Shield.

If that is the case, here are four things we think need to make a return in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

Unlock the open-world

Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Wild Areas were the games’ flagship feature. As far back as the N64 days, Pokémon fans had been asking for a full 3D open-world, where they could see pokémon interacting with the world and their trainers. The Wild Areas partially delivered on that promise, but those open environments were carefully controlled. It wasn’t the full open-world fans had been asking for.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus flung the doors open, making the entire game open-world, giving you the ability to trek wherever you desired. Also, we saw new pokémon behaviors - with some straight-up attacking you if it’s in their nature. Touches like that brought so much life to the series we’ve been playing for more than 25 years.

Game Freak should continue down this open-world road in Scarlet and Violet and give us a game where we can freely interact with roaming Pokémon and explore dark caves, sea floors, and villain hideouts in a new way.

Let us explore and give us complex puzzles

Outside of Wild Areas, Sword and Shield felt oddly constrained, with towns like Hammerlocke allowing no room for exploration as you couldn’t leave the main roads. That wasn’t the case in the older Pokémon games; I remember searching the streets of Goldenrod City in Pokémon Gold and Silver, trying to find the bike shop, and discovering the subway where you could battle trainers and get your pokémon groomed.  

Another thing that changed for the worse compared to older Pokémon games are the puzzles; they’ve become easy or non-existent. Sword and Shield featured nothing remotely like navigating the Rocket Hideout in FireRed and LeafGreen. Remember that complex network or floor tiles where one wrong step could send you all the way back to the beginning?

I miss when battles were only one of the challenges you would face in a gym. Plus, with full 3D environments, there are a lot of new opportunities for puzzle designs - just look at Breath of the Wild’s shrines.

Give us an end-game

Game Freak can’t decide if Pokémon should have a post-game or not. And the lack of Battle Frontier or World Tournament is a shame. Battle Frontier opened up after you completed Pokémon Emerald and had loads of differently-themed facilities to challenge you. And we’re not just talking battles, there are trivia tests and matches where the rules are changed - like the one where your Pokémon gets to call the shots on how to fight. In World Tournament, players could participate in different battle styles against prominent trainers from across the series.

Scarlet and Violet already appear to be leaning into the past, take it a step further, Game Freak, and bring back Battle Frontier or World Tournament. Better still: both. Imagine battling Hoenn region Pokémon League champion Steven in a rotation battle using rental Pokemon. Tough fights like that would be the real test of a Pokémon trainer.

Rediscover the sense of the unknown

The Pokémon games have always felt like journeys of discovery, from the very first game where you’re leaving home and finding out what’s hiding in the long grass of Route 1. That’s why when you find things for yourself, like the Old Chateau in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, it’s special and brings life into the game’s world. Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ side quests expand on the characters you meet, making the world richer.

Scarlet and Violet should lean into this. Game Freak, give us optional areas full of secrets and side quests in which we can lose ourselves. I want to pick through a dark ruin in a haunted forest, home to a rare Pokémon that’s been scaring the locals. Bring back the excitement of the unknown from the earlier games.

Pokemon has been around for more than twenty-five years. In that time, the series has grown a lot, often for the better, but Pokémon Scarlet and Violet can still learn from the past. There’s a reason the early Pokémon games are classics.

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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the next mainline game to release in the pocket monster series and will be making its way to Nintendo Switch later this year.

Announced during February’s Pokémon Presents, Scarlet and Violet will introduce the ninth Generation of Pokémon, three new starters, and a new region to explore across an open-world map. It’s under development at Game Freak, the same studio that released Pokémon Legends: Arceus in late January earlier this year.

Nintendo is framing Pokémon Scarlet and Violet as a big advancement in the Pokémon series, describing it as “a new evolutionary step” that will allow you to “explore freely in a richly expressed open world.”

Towns will “blend seamlessly into the wilderness with no borders”, and you’ll get to “see the Pokémon of this region in the skies, in the seas, in the forests, on the streets.”

The game’s three starter Pokémon include the Grass Cat Sprigatito, who has the Overgrow ability and is described as capricious and attention-seeking; the Duckling Quaxly, which Nintendo says is earnest and has the Torrent ability; and the Fire Croc Fuecoco who’s laid back and has the Blaze ability.

You can watch them in all of their incredibly cute glory in the announcement trailer below.

As is tradition with the Pokémon video games, Scarlet and Violet will be largely identical, although the outfit of your Trainer will change depending on which game you’re playing.

Analysis: building on the foundations of Pokémon Legends: Arceus

There are a couple of big takeaways from Nintendo’s reveal of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The first is just how adorable the three new starters are. Quaxly might well take the mantle for the cutest cartoon duck to ever exist, and that’s really saying something given the numerous Disney competitors it’s having to contend with.

But the bigger news is that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be the first fully open-world mainline Pokémon game. No more loading towns or wilderness each time you reach a new area; the wilds of this new region will be seamless and fully explorable, better implementing the feeling of wide-eyed discovery that the Pokémon video games have always tried to capture.

Game Freak already showed just how well Pokémon games can translate to an open-world formula with Pokémon Legends: Arceus. That spin-off title has been repeatedly praised for its level of freedom, which encourages you to explore the world at your pace, and rewards you for curiosity.

But Arceus wasn’t fully open-world. Although its areas were vast and open, they weren't interconnected, and its town served more as a central hub out of which you could explore the segmented areas.

From what Nintendo has said so far, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will go further, giving you an entirely connected world that you can run across from one end to the other. That will open the door to potentially a whole new host of gameplay mechanics, as well as radically changing the pacing of the game. Being able to explore any direction of the map that you choose, rather than being funneled through a linear progression of areas, might introduce a whole new feeling to catching those pocket monsters.

If you can't wait for Scarlet and Violet to hit shelves, get your Pokémon fill with Arceus now.

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