This year is no less than bliss for Pokémon video game fans, after getting to experience the exciting world of Pokémon Legends: Arceus earlier this year, Nintendo is set to drop another Pokémon title later this year, which acts as a cherry on the top.
Pokémon Generation IX has arrived with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. This much-anticipated Nintendo Switch exclusive is developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and the Pokémon Company.
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are set to become the first installments of Generation IX. Today in this article we will jot down everything we know about the upcoming Nintendo exclusive.
If you’re new to Pokémon, the mainline Pokémon video games are developed by Game Freak. The first game in the series, Pocket Monsters Red and Green, was created by Satoshi Tajiri and Ken Sugimori. The mainline video games are released in generations and each video game has different Pokémon, characters, and stories. The Pokémon franchise stands as the third most successful video game franchise only after Nintendo’s own Mario and Tetris.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Release Date List
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Release Date
The game was released on Nov 18, 2022. This was the first time in the history of the franchise that two mainline series video games would be released worldwide in the same year. Previously we have seen that two main games have been released at least after a gap of a year. This is a big deal and Kudos to Game Freak and Nintendo for getting the job done in this short space of time.
Also Read: Interested in Pokemon games? If yes, then check out our post on some of the Best Pokémon Fan Games to play.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Trailer
The game was announced in February 2022, its announcement trailer was released on The Official Pokémon YouTube channel on Feb 27, 2022.
Since June 2022, there have been steady video uploads on the YouTube channel about the game. Several other videos revealing information about the game have also been uploaded by the Official Pokémon YouTube channel. You can watch the announcement trailer that we have embedded below for you.
Here is the official trailer for the game:
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Storyline
The Paldea region, where the events of the game take place, is heavily inspired by the regions of Portugal and Spain. At the heart of the Paldea region is the largest city named Mesagoza where Uva (in Violet) or Naranja (in Scarlet) Academy is located. If your Spanish is good, you’d know Naranja is Orange and Uva is Grape. After visiting the respective academy, you can continue to choose to progress in any of the three stories (Starfall Street, Path of Legends, Victory Road) that the game offers.
In Starfall Street, you will be up against the rebellious students introduced as the school’s troublemakers, their gang is called the Team Star. The boss of the Team Star is a female character named Mela who trains fire Pokémon.
In Path of Legends, you will be teamed up with Arven, an upperclassman at the academy who will be asking for your help because he’s not good at Pokémon battles. Your primary aim in Path of Legends will be to seek out Herba Mystica and beat a giant Pokémon, Klawf.
Herba Mystica is a rare health-restoring herb found in the game, which apart from being extremely useful for obvious reasons, is also one of the most sought-after items in the game that players can hope to find.
This herb can be found in 5 varieties: Salty, Sour, Sweet, Spicy and Bitter. The best among them is probably the Salty variety as it is the only one that grants the highest boost to the Sparkling Power skill, enhancing the rate at which shiny Pokemon appear in the world.
This herb also acts as one of the key ingredients of the Shiny Hunting Sandwich, a sandwich variety that grants players the Sparkling Power level 3, which consequently increases the chances of players encountering Shiny Pokemons in the world.
This rare herb also gives players the Encounter power, which basically increases their chances of finding specific Pokemon types in-game. Moreover, Herba Mystica also bestows players with Title Power, which is another great skill that makes it easier for players to catch Pokemon with tiles.
In Victory Road, you will have to become the best Pokémon trainer by beating the 8 Gym Leaders. There will be no pre-set order to face the Gym Leaders.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Gameplay Features
Just like Arceus, Scarlet and Violet will also be set in open worlds and players will be free to explore the urban areas, as well as the open wildernesses located on the game’s map, something which wasn’t possible in other previous entries in this series.
Moreover, there will be no borders between the urban lands and the wildernesses found in the game to encourage players to do whatever their heart desires.
The game will introduce us to 112 new Pokemon that will feature three starter Pokémon – grass type Sprigatito, fire type Fuecoco, and water type Quaxly, along with the two legendary Pokémon- Koraidon and Miraidon. More info about the new starter Pokémon and other Pokémon is available on the official website of the game.
The game will introduce a Let’s Go feature, that will allow players to send out a Pokémon in any direction in Paldea as they wish. By doing so, your Pokémon can engage in auto battles with other wild Pokémon and can roam freely in the region of Paldea. While their Pokémon is engaged in auto-battles, players can engage in any other activity they want. If they want to stay by their Pokemon’s side, they can or they can try to look for other items in that region.
In the game, you will be using the legendary Pokémon Koraidon or Miraidon (depending on your version of the game) for traversing the region of Paldea.
The game will also introduce a new feature, known as Terastal Phenomenon. According to the official website of the game, this phenomenon is only found in the Paldea region and makes Pokémon shine and glimmer like gems.
When a Pokémon Terastallizes, a jewel appears over its head and its body starts to glimmer like a cut gemstone. Every Pokémon can TeraStallize and gain special powers. To use this amazing phenomenon you will require a Tera-Orb.
After terastallizing a Pokémon its Tera-Orb, it will be drained out of its Terastal Energy, hence to use it again, players will be required to recharge it either by touching crystals overflowing with Tera Energy or by visiting the Pokémon Center. The Terastallizing effect lasts till the battle ends.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Additional Features
Some of the new features introduced like the Terastal Phenomenon and “Let’s Go” mechanic have already been discussed. Now let us discuss some other features as well that we will be seeing in the game.
Battle Stadium
In this feature, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet allow you to battle with other trainers from all over the world. Players will also have a chance to enjoy the Ranked Battles again. Previously this mode appeared in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield. Other modes that have also been included in the game are Casual Battles, Online Competitions, and Rental Teams.
- Ranked Battles – This Will allow you to go up against the Pokémon trainees from all over the world.
- Casual Battles – These are the low-stake battles where you battle casually without worrying about winning or losing. The results of these battles are not recorded.
- Online Competitions – These are the competitions where you can battle against the other entrants and see where you stand. Even you can set up competitions or join ones that are set up by others.
- Rental Teams – Use this feature to borrow battle teams by inputting IDs that have been shared online.
Important- You will be required to purchase a Nintendo Switch Online membership to use the Battle Stadium feature.
New Items in the Game
Some Pokémon hand-held items have been introduced that trigger a variety of effects when used. Some of the items that will make our Pokémon more powerful are discussed below-
- Mirror Herb – This item will allow the holder to boost its stats by mirroring its opponent’s stats increase. It can be used only once in a battle.
- Covert Cloak – As the name suggests, this item allows the holder to conceal itself from the opponent.
- Loaded Dice – If a Pokémon uses a multistrike move while holding this item, that move is more likely to hit more times.
Co-Op Multiplayer Mode
A new Union Circle feature is added to the Poké Portal using which up to four players can play alongside each other. One can roam and explore the vast Paldea region with your friends while battling out wild Pokémon.
Trade-In Pokémon
You will also be able to trade Pokémon either with a specific person, using the Link Trade feature, or with any random trainer somewhere in the world by using the Surprise Trade feature.
Character Customization
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will let you fully customize your character. You will be able to change your character’s eye shape, mouth shape, hairstyle, eyebrows, and whatnot to make your character the way you like it.
You will also be able to customize your character’s uniform and get dressed the way you like. The game offers four different types of uniforms so choose the one which you like the most and try out all the different combinations while progressing in the game.
Differences Between the Two Versions (Scarlet and Violet)
While most aspects of the two games are essentially the same, they still differ in others. We have described below the differences between the two versions of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
First up, the key difference is the legendary Pokémon that you will get upon choosing any of the versions of the game. With Scarlet, you will get the legendary Koriadon, which looks like a prehistoric dragon-like creature, and with Violet, you will get the legendary Miraidon which is more of a futuristic lizard Pokémon.
This fact is further strengthened by taking a look at the two Pokémon, while both of the Pokémon are inspired by motorbikes and seem to have tires on their throat and lower body only Miraidon uses them as tires and uses what seems to be energy thrusters for his acceleration, whereas in Koradidon’s body, those things remain motionless and he leaps, like a conventional animal does, for traversing the distance on land.
While in the air, Koraidon uses wings on its head to fly or glide, whereas Miraidon extends its antennae and generates a membrane of energy to glide through the skies.
In water, Koraidon uses its legs to paddle across the water by inflating its front wheel (or throat), and on the other hand, Miraidon uses its thrusters to swim across water.
Another difference between the two versions of the game is the schools that your character will attend. In Scarlet, you will attend Naranja and in Violet, you will attend Uva. There is a significant difference between the emblems of the two schools. The emblem of Naranja has a symbol on it that closely resembles an Orange fruit, while the emblem of Uva is bluish-purple in color and has a bunch of grapes depicted on it.
One more difference that we get to see in the two versions of the game is the uniforms that the characters sport. In Pokémon Scarlet, you will put on a light bluish shirt, an orange tie, orange striped shorts, a blue hat, and black shoes over white tube socks. On the other hand, in Pokémon Violet, you will be wearing a light grey shirt, a purple tie, plain purple shorts, a grey hat, and brown shoes over black tube socks.
Customization is always at your service and you can customize your character easily in the game whenever you like.
Another major difference that you will notice between the two versions of the game is the two Pokémon professors. In Pokémon Scarlet, you will find Professor Sada, and in Pokémon Violet, you will find Professor Turo. Again if your Spanish is good, you will realize that Sada comes from the Spanish word Pasada, meaning past and Turo comes from the Spanish word Futuro, meaning future.
Conclusion
That will be all for this article today regarding the release date of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
Please keep coming back to this article from time to time, as we will keep updating this article with more information about the game. Now that players worldwide have access to it since its release, more new features will be discovered by them.
