How Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Could Learn From Gen 5's Biggest Controversy
The upcoming Gen 9 Pokémon games, Scarlet and Violet, have many games before them that they can learn from, including Gen 5 and its controversial Regional Pokédex. This feature wasn't popular with every player, but it does have its merits, and Scarlet and Violet could make it work. They're set to release on November 18, so unless there are any unforeseen delays, it should only be a few months before fans find out just what Pokémon they can catch and when.
In Pokémon Black and White, the Regional Pokédex meant that players could only capture Gen 5 Pokémon until it was upgraded to the National Pokédex. This meant that staple Pokémon like Eevee and even the series' mascot Pikachu weren't available until the post-game, after players had defeated Ghetsis. Despite the many new capturable Pokemon these games introduced to the series, players weren't happy about not being able to find their old favorites. Less popular designs like Garbodor or Vanilluxe most certainly didn't help, and neither did Emboar, the series' third Fire/Fighting-Type starter Pokémon in a row. Thankfully, the Regional Pokédex was changed in the sequels, Black 2 and White 2, and Black and White are now looked upon fondly despite their bad first impression.
Scarlet and Violet's full Pokédex is still mostly unknown despite a litany of leaks and rumors, the veracity of which should all be taken with a grain of salt. Most of the new Pokémon that have been officially revealed thus far have become instant favorites, so the thought of those that are still yet to come is an exciting one. If fans fall in love with the region's Pokémon like they have with the likes of Sprigatito and Lechonk, then one of the biggest problems with Gen 5's Regional Pokédex could become a nonissue. Like most everything about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, it's far from a certainty, but it could be a great feature if done right.
What a form of Gen 5's Regional Pokédex for Pokémon SV would look like is tough to say, but hopefully it wouldn't be as rigid. The backlash following the release of Black and White means that it may not be an exact copy, which could be a good thing. Locking out every Pokémon from previous Generations until the post-game - no matter how good the new ones are - could be discouraging. A better way could be introducing the National Pokédex much sooner, or even making it a separate Pokédex available from the start. There's a lot of potential in Pokémon SV bringing back classic features like Black and White's Regional Pokédex as long as they're improved upon and Pokémon doesn't repeat the mistakes of past games.
Thankfully, the trailers and teaser videos that have been released so far indicate that at least some Pokémon from previous Generations will be available fairly early on. Pikachu was shown as a partner for one of the Trainers in the second trailer (via GameSpot) that showcased Scarlet and Violet's four-player multiplayer, and many others such as Fletchinder and Chewtle, have also been revealed. This doesn't eliminate the possibility of a Gen 5-style Regional Pokédex, but it does indicate that there will be a healthy amount of returning Pokémon to balance out the new ones, which bodes well for Scarlet and Violet learning from Gen 5's problems. All of the Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet haven't been confirmed, however, so the ratio of new to classic Pokémon is still unknown.
An upside of a Regional Pokédex in Scarlet and Violet is that it would help make them unique. Even though it's a returning feature, it's one that's been shelved since 2010, so it can still be used to help Gen 9 stand out from past games. Especially because of the Pokémon series' reluctance to change or innovate for so long, almost anything that makes them unique is a positive thing. Another advantage is that it would mean that more new Pokémon are coming. New monsters to capture and battle - and in recent Generations, new forms of old ones - are always exciting, and Gen 5 had a litany to choose from. If Scarlet and Violet follows its example, many new cool monsters could come, including Pokémon with type combos the series is missing such as Ghost/Rock.
Of course, with a great many new Pokémon comes the possibility of bad ones. Every Generation has its share of bad Pokémon designs, and Gen 5 has more than most. Cryoganal, Stunfisk, and Sawk are just a few examples of unpopular designs that may not have come if Black and White had Pokémon from previous Generations to use in their place. It's entirely possible that Scarlet and Violet will have one of the worst Pokémon designs the series has ever seen - or perhaps even more - despite the good ones that have been revealed so far. Quantity over quality may become an issue if Scarlet and Violet requires a vast amount of monsters to fill in a Regional Pokédex, leading to Pokémon designs more hated than Black and White's.
Of course, there are ways of solving the problem of bad Pokémon designs, some of which relate to the rumors surrounding Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Regional variants had not been introduced when Gen 5 was released, so new forms of Pokémon from previous Generations can help fill in gaps that would otherwise be taken by poorly-designed Pokémon like the ones that plagued Black and White. Alternate evolutions and evolutions for Pokémon that didn't have them previously can also achieve the same effect, and indeed many new evolutions have been rumored in recent weeks.
There's also the matter of Terastallizing, Scarlet and Violet's Type Gimmick, which could provide even more additional Pokémon designs. When the new gimmick was revealed, many pre-existing Pokémon from previous games in the franchise were revealed to take advantage of it. With the trailer's promise that every Pokémon in the region is capable of Terastallizing, though, it's not hard to imagine that new Pokémon will be created to interact with the gimmick in strange and unique ways. If Pokémon Scarlet and Violet chooses to use a form of Gen 5's Regional Pokédex, then these could be very good ways to introduce Pokémon designs that are familiar enough to be good but different enough to be fresh and exciting.
Source: GameSpot/YouTube
Source: Screenrant
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