Today, Nintendo held a Pokemon Presents livestream, showing off lots of new information about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and various other Pokemon games. We now have an official name for the new games' region, as well as new story info and plenty more.
What is the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet region called?
Over the last few weeks, lots of new information has been leaking about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and it now looks like a lot of that information was accurate. The new region in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will be called Paldea, and your task in the game will be to explore it, learning about its culture, its people, and its Pokemon. The game will feature three stories running alongside one another. First, you'll be tackling eight gyms to prove yourself as a Pokemon champion, and there will be two other concurrent stories to discover as well. Nintendo is remaining tight-lipped about what those stories are right now, but we'll likely find out more about them soon.
The initiative to get to know Paldea and its people is called "The Treasure Hunt", and it's given to you by Mr. Clavell, the director of the academy in which you enrol at the start of the game. You'll also meet various other Academy staffers, as well as gym leaders, other Pokemon trainers, and plenty more interesting Paldean folk. In a rather unusual twist, exploration will be aided by your game's banner legendary, which is either Koraidon or Miraidon. Not only are these partner Pokemon pretty powerful, but they also double as vehicles; you can use them in Drive Mode to ride along the ground, Aquatic Mode to ride across the water, and Glide Mode to soar through the skies.
What new mechanics and Pokemon will be in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?
As well as the above info about the new region of Paldea, we also got a look at some of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The big new mechanic this time around is called "Terastallization", and it involves covering Pokemon in a crystal sheen, something else that was leaked ahead of the presentation (although we didn't know its official name yet). Terastallizing Pokemon will enhance certain type moves and could even completely change the type of the Pokemon. Each 'mon now has a "Tera type", which will inform what happens when you Terastallize it. Even different 'mons of the same species could have different Tera types; the presentation gave the example of Eevee, which would normally Terastallize into a Normal type, but could also become Grass or Water based on its Tera type. The early purchase bonus for the game is a Pikachu with Tera Type flying and can learn fly.
To this end, you'll also be able to engage in Tera Raid Battles in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, which are kind of like Dynamax Raid Battles in Pokemon Sword and Shield. You and up to three friends will be able to battle special Terastallized versions of Pokemon, then try to catch them when they're weakened. Unusually for the series, you'll be able to take action whenever you like; you won't need to wait for your friends to move first. This should be a good way to pick up some special 'mons while you're on your journey.
We also got a good look at a couple of new Pokemon coming to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Fidough is a rather adorable-looking Fairy type, and it's basically a cross between a donut and a dog who has a yeasty breath. Wooper also has a new regional form (again, leaked prior to the presentation) which sees it coating itself with a poisonous film in order to stave off predators, and the presentation also revealed Cetitan, a massive Pokemon that looks kind of like a spiky land whale. We're certain to get plenty more info about Paldean regional forms as we draw closer to the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet release date.
You'll be able to get your hands on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet when it launches for Nintendo Switch on November 18th. If you've heard the game's distinctive main theme in trailers and you're wondering why it sounds so familiar, you're likely recognizing the style of Undertale composer Toby Fox, who's responsible for creating it. Here's hoping the rest of the game's soundtrack (and, indeed, its gameplay) can come close to Fox's masterpiece later this year.