Pokemon as a video game franchise has been around a long time. First launching in North America back well over 20 years ago with 1998's Pokemon Red and Blue, the series now boasts nearly two dozen mainline entries, including the upcoming Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Throughout those entries have been numerous changes in the visual appearance of Pokemon, with some iterations turning out better than others. In the case of Magnezone, fans are lauding the improvement in its appearance from Pokemon Legends: Arceus to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
First introduced in the fourth generation of Pokemon, Magnezone is a dual-type Electric/Steel Pokemon. The final evolution of first generation Pokemon Magnemite, Magnezone usually evolved by leveling up in a special magnetic field, save for Pokemon Sword and Shield (and perhaps Pokemon Scarlet and Violet) where Magnezone evolves from Magneton when exposed to a Thunder Stone.
Posted onto a Pokemon Scarlet and Violet forum, a user with the handle of u/Caeluris has two images displayed of Magnezone; one from Pokemon Legends: Arceus, and the other from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The top images are from the former, which show one of Arceus' most powerful Electric Pokemon with a washed-out color scheme, flat-looking body details, and an overall cel-shaded, cartoony appearance. The Scarlet and Violet images on the bottom show a vast improvement. Higher contrast, more three-dimensional details, more realistic lighting and textures gives Magnezone a much crisper appearance, making the Pokemon look better than ever.
Many Pokemon fans seem to agree with the one who uploaded the image, with it receiving well over 1,000 likes within days of posting. Magnezone fortunately isn't the only character getting a new look, as at least one Gen 5 Pokemon is visually improving in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. A recent trailer for the game reveals that Electric-type Eelektross will finally be depicted in its original standing state again. It will mark the first time the Pokemon will be in its original position since its was changed to a floating position in Pokemon X and Y.
Although Pokemon Scarlet and Violet appear to be enhancing the visual appearance of Pokemon character models, not all aspects of newer Pokemon games have been viewed as improvements. The biggest gripe fans have with recent entries is the devolution of Pokemon attack animations. A viral video shows a dramatic decrease in the level of actual movement when executing an attack, going from looking like the actual move to a simple hop. Still, with all the other improvements and features coming to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the title is shaping up to be one of the better entries in the franchise.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet launch November 18, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
