Highlights

  • Pokemon games are known for their traditions, but some of these traditions have been broken in the past, such as in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
  • Magikarp and Gyarados have been a beloved and iconic part of the series, but it may be time for Gen 10 to give Gyarados a break and break the tradition of including them in every game.
  • Removing Magikarp and Gyarados from Gen 10 could provide a fresh experience for long-time players and encourage team diversity by offering alternatives to Gyarados in mid- and late-game sections.

Pokemon games have plenty of longstanding traditions, some spanning the entire series from the early 1996 Pokemon Red and Green titles all the way to Gen 9 - albeit Pokemon Scarlet and Violet did break many of these franchise-long unwritten rules, and Gen 10 could follow suit. This is because one of the core aspects of the Pokemon formula is that it both stays the same and changes with every new mainline release, which is also why every game has different battle gimmicks that dramatically alter the gameplay loop. Another typical tradition is to feature many returning Pokemon, with Gen 8 and Gen 9 only adding a few hundred instead of all pocket monsters. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Indigo Disk broke a big Togepi tradition, and it may be time Gen 10 does the same for Gyarados.

Arguably one of the most beloved and cherished evolutionary lines in Pokemon games, Magikarp and Gyarados have been a staple of the series for a long time, with the former sparking all sorts of memes and the latter constantly being one of the best critters in Pokemon games' playthroughs. As much as Magikarp can be useless, Gyarados has pretty powerful moves, a good defensive type combo, and it also has access to Intimidate. As one of the few Pokemon to be in every mainline game, it may be time for Gen 10 to give Gyarados a break.

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Pokemon Gen 10 Shouldn't Bring Magikarp and Gyarados Back For The First Time in Almost 30 Years

Every Pokemon Game With Magikarp and Gyarados and How to Get Them

Gyarados has been in every mainline Pokemon game since the series' inception. Every title had at least one way in which players could either get a Magikarp and evolve it into Gyarados or straight-up get the latter as an encounter.

Generations Where Magikarp and Gyarados Appear

How to Get Magikarp

How to Get Gyarados

Pokemon Red, Blue, Yellow

Via Fishing or Surfing

Evolving Magikarp or in Fuchsia City (Yellow only)

Pokemon Gold, Silver, Crystal

Via Fishing or Surfing

Evolving Magikarp, Lake of Rage, or Fuchsia City

Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald

Via Fishing

Evolving Magikarp or in Sootopolis City

Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum

Via Fishing

Evolving Magikarp or Fishing

Pokemon Black, White, Black 2, White 2

Gift on Marvelous Bridge or in Nature Preserve (Black 2 and White 2 only)

Evolving Magikarp or in Nature Preserve (Black 2 and White 2 only)

Pokemon X, Y

Via Fishing or Surfing

Evolving Magikarp, Fishing, and in Friend Safari

Pokemon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon

Via Fishing or Surfing

Evolving Magikarp or Via S.O.S.

Pokemon Sword, Shield

Via Fishing, Surfing, Overworld Encounter, and Max Raid Battles

Evolving Magikarp, Via Fishing, Surfing, Overworld Encounter, and Max Raid Battles

Pokemon Scarlet, Violet

Overworld Encounter or Tera Raid Battles

Evolving Magikarp, Overworld Encounter, or Tera Raid Battles

This trend of Magikarp and Gyarados being in every Pokemon mainline game applies to remakes and spin-offs as well, including:

  • Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen
  • Pokemon Colosseum
  • Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
  • Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
  • Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
  • Pokemon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Eevee!
  • Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
  • Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Why Pokemon Gen 10 Should Cut Magikarp and Gyarados

What follows is that Pokemon Gen 10 games could break this tradition by not featuring Magikarp or Gyarados in any way, not even as Pokemon Home transfers. One could argue that having Magikarp and Gyarados in Gen 10 could be beneficial, but on the other hand, Gyarados' battle prowess tends to reduce team diversity.

On top of that, Gyarados is one of those critters that like Charizard has received favoritism in Pokemon games, even getting a featured shiny form in Gen 2 and a Mega Evolution in Gen 6, as well as having a datamined regional fake line in Gen 9 that was later scrapped. As such, not having Magikarp or Gyarados in Gen 10 could make for a breath of fresh air for long-time players, especially if the games end up providing a valid alternative for mid- and late-game sections where Gyarados can really shine.