In the early days of thePokemonfranchise, generations were happy to set themselves apart simply by introducing huge numbers of new Pokemon that populated a new region. Nowadays, that’s changed slightly. New generations always come with another region, but as Game Freak reduces the Pokedex’s rate of growth, it puts a greater emphasis on experimental mechanics like Mega Evolution and Z-Moves. While Game Freak hasn’t announced anything concrete, it’s all but certain thatPokemon ScarletandVioletwill feature some sort of mechanical gimmick as well. Temporary changes to thePokemongameplay loop are key to keeping the series fresh nowadays, soPokemon ScarletandVioletwill probably stick to that tradition.
One rumor may have already shed light onScarletandViolet’s special feature. According to one well-known leaker,Pokemon ScarletandVioletwill allow players to temporarily add a third type to their Pokemon, opening up doors to all kinds of weakness and resistance rearrangements. Such a mechanic would definitely require careful balancing from Game Freak, but conceptually, it seems like the logical next step for the franchise to take. The last severalPokemongimmicks have all reshaped key traits of Pokemon in major ways, and since Pokemon types haven’t been experimented with yet, they’re probably next in line.
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Pokemon’s History of Generational Mechanics
Ever sincePokemon XandY,Pokemongames have featured temporary mechanics that flip basic Pokemon abilities on their heads.XandYkicked off the tradition with Mega Evolution, which allowed fully evolved Pokemon to temporarily assume another form with even greater power. Mega Evolution not only changed a Pokemon’s appearance, but it could drastically alter the Pokemon’s type as well, like Mega Charizard X’s transformation into a Fire/Dragon type. AlthoughMega Evolution has mostly bowed outof thePokemonfranchise, its refreshing look at the concept of evolution opened the door for many other creative ideas.
In the next generation, Game Freak took a new look at moves.Pokemon SunandMoonintroduced Z-Moves, a type of empowered move that could be used if the player’s Pokemon was holding a certain Z-Crystal. While each Pokemon type had its own generic Z-Move attack, many Pokemon had signature Z-Moves and Z-Crystals with more specific effects; status moves had their own empowered variants as well. The empowered attacks made available by Z-Moves introduced a nice bit of variety toPokemon SunandMoonbattles without the long-term ramifications of an evolution mechanic like Mega Evolution.
Rather than drawing on an entirely new aspect ofPokemonfor its gimmick,Pokemon’s Generation 8 gamescombined the previous two ideas. InPokemon SwordandShield,players can Dynamax their teammates to increase their size and strength, but beyond that, certain Pokemon can Gigantimax. Gigantimaxed Pokemon have access to a special G-Max move that can deal devastating damage; they also have significantly altered appearances and weight, making these forms feel like a cousin of Mega Evolution. While Gigantimaxing is an interesting concept, its introduction means thatPokemon ScarletandVioletcan hardly rely on combining old gimmicks again. Instead, it’ll likely have to break new ground.
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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Possible Gimmick
With moves and Pokemon evolution thoroughly explored over the last three generations, it seems like high time for a newPokemongame totry something new with Pokemon types. Moves and evolution are two of the most important traits of a Pokemon, and Pokemon types seem like the only aspect that are anywhere near as important as them. It only makes sense that type changes are what Game Freak might turn to next to makePokemon ScarletandVioletfeel special.
Although plenty of past moves inPokemonhave allowed players to mess withPokemontypes, there has never been a consistent way to make any given Pokemon have three types at the same time. As entirely uncharted territory, a three-type gimmick has a lot of potential tomakePokemon ScarletandVioletfeel special.ScarletandVioletlikely won’t just feature wild Pokemon with three types, though. Instead,Pokemonhistory suggests that players will once again get a special item that allows them to temporarily modify a Pokemon’s characteristics in battle for a few turns. Whether players need to collect held items for this purpose or whether they can change types at will remains to be seen.
This plausible direction forScarletandVioletis definitely risky, since triple-type Pokemon could be very difficult to balance. A Pokemon that takes eight times the usual damage from an incoming attack due to a three-way type disadvantage is extraordinarily vulnerable, no matter how high level it is. At the same time, certain three-type combos couldcompletely erase a Pokemon’s weaknesses, making them more frustrating than fun to play against. Game Freak would have to explore some ways to keep the three-type gimmick in check, whether that means each Pokemon can only gain certain types or only a select few Pokemon can change their types at all.
Innovating on Pokemon Basics
Regardless of whetherPokemon ScarletandVioletactually feature a triple-type mechanic or not, the spirit of the concept shows a good direction for the game to go in.ScarletandViolet’s gimmick needs to try something thatno otherPokemongame has tried. It just so happens that Pokemon types haven’t been the source of major experimentation just yet, meaning it’s the perfect angle for the new games to take. Game Freak could explore a wealth of type-based options other than three-type combos, like switching out one of a Pokemon’s types on command.
Thankfully, the wait for information aboutScarletandViolet’s key mechanic shouldn’t be too long. Since the games have already been revealed, Game Freak’s next trailer will almost certainlyshow off actualScarletandVioletgameplay, and a new generation’s special mechanic is important enough to show off as soon as possible. Whatever formScarletandViolet’s gimmick takes, Game Freak is sure to use it as a major selling point for the next game. Nintendo may have many other games to advertise in 2022, but considering how importantPokemonis to its brand, it’ll almost certainly makeScarletandVioleta priority, meaning major information releases are bound to come sooner rather than later.
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