Only one month away from the next iteration of mainline Pokemon games, fans are getting ready to dive headfirst into Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The new pair of titles will bring with them an entirely new continent to explore, new mechanics, new Pokemon to catch, and new characters to cosplay. This week, players got their first look at streamer and Electric Gym Leader Iono, and her bubbly personality instantly made her a favorite across social media. As promised, this morning, fans got their first glimpse at her Pokemon partner.
Meet Bellibolt, an Electric-type frog. The huge and very squishy Pokemon generates his own electricity by expanding and contracting his chunky belly before letting it out through the two big bumps on his head. It also comes with a new ability, Electromorphosis, which will give its next Electric-type attack a damage boost each time it takes a hit.
See Bellibolt’s reveal in the Tweet below!
Iono’s reveal marks the first time that a gym leader has been marketed using voice acting, and while this probably won’t be featured in the gameplay of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it’s already making a splash marketing-wise.
The upcoming titles will be set in the Paldea region, based on the Iberian Peninsula in Europe. Scarlet and Violet will be the first fully open-world titles and will include a number of new game mechanics. The games will introduce Paldean Picnics, in which players will be able to bond with their team of Pokemon by enjoying sandwiches while gazing out at the gorgeous new Paldean landscapes. There’s also a chance that a Pokemon Egg will appear in a player’s picnic basket. Sandwiches are the focus this time again, and making a particularly tasty one will net your team some seriously useful buffs, from higher EXP rates to better catch rates for specific Pokemon types.
Players will also be able to customize their avatars in much more intensive ways. The standard haircuts and colors are nothing particularly new, but Scarlet and Violet will also allow players to alter eye shape, eyelash and eyebrow style, freckles, lip shape, makeup, and much more. Players will also be able to use the Let’s Go command to send a Pokemon off into the field to run errands while you continue on with your adventure. This includes auto-battling wild Pokemon and picking up items, which will almost certainly prove to be a popular feature.
For those on the fence about which of the two new titles to grab, certain Pokemon will be version exclusive. Koraidon, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar, and Stonjourner will only be available in Pokemon Scarlet. Miraidon, Bagon, Shelgon, Salamence, and Eiscue will only be available in Pokemon Violet. This list is expected to grow as we find out more.
Part of the ninth generation of the franchise, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are scheduled to launch on the Nintendo Switch on November 18, 2022.
