Summary
Pokemon ScarletandVioletfeatures time travel and the powerful Paradox Pokemon from the past and future. Unlike many priorPokemongames, players encounter and befriend the Legendary Pokemon early on. This allows players to start forming a bond with the Legendaries quickly.
Most interestingly, the Legendaries can be ridden, making it a breeze to explore Paldea. Gen 10 should not take a step back and return to previous forms of transport, many of which require the use of HMs. Instead, it should take notes fromPokemon ScarletandVioletand have Pokemon that can transport players anywhere.
Riding Legendary Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet
InScarletandViolet, players can ride theLegendary Pokemon Koraidon and Miraidon. The Pokemon are extremely versatile and can ride over water and glide down from heights. At first, the Legendaries can’t do much but as they eat Herba Mystica sandwiches, they gain more abilities. The Pokemon aren’t just for traversing, however, and Koraidon and Miraidon can be used in battle.
Having players ride the Legendary Pokemon was a good move by Game Freak. It gives players the chance to spend time with the Legendary Pokemon, which allows players to bond with them. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for HMs which can be annoying to use, and it eliminates the need for an ‘HM slave,’ which is a relatively weak Pokemon that most HMs are slapped onto. Such a Pokemon is used for getting past obstacles instead of battling.
Transport in Past Pokemon Games
In pastPokemongames, players have been able to get around with various means including rollerblades, bicycles, the Rotom Bike, and Ride Pokemon such as the Tauros fromSunandMoon. These are good ways to get around thedifferentPokemonregions. However, none of them are as good as riding the Legendaries ofScarletandViolet.
Why Gen 10 Shouldn’t Fall Back Into Old Habits
The old mounts and transport methods from past games were fun, but they did come with downsides. They couldn’t glide or climb up mountains, which is something Koraidon and Miraidon can do when they’ve fully powered up. Additionally, the old traversal methods required HMs to get past trees and dark caves. This requireswasting a Pokemon’s move slot on an HMthat isn’t particularly viable in battle.
The next generation ofPokemonneeds to find a way to reuseScarletandViolet’s ability to ride Legendaries, but it has to be done in a smart way that doesn’t feel like a repetition of Gen 9. Going back to old forms of transport would be a bad move, especially after the convenience ofScarletandViolet’s mounts.
ScarletandVioletintroduce an interesting way to get around while switching up the formula of how Legendaries are encountered. The next generation should also feature Legendaries that serve as mounts, but it needs to be done uniquely. Returning to old means of transport would feel too stale. ThenextPokemongame isPokemon Legends: Z-A, and players may see how Game Freak is expanding on the ideas present inScarletandViolet.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you playPokémon ScarletandPokémon Violethosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is “A Treasure Hunt.” Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
