Many fanmade regional variant designs continue to be popular among members of the Pokemon community online, and a couple of artists working on an upcoming fan game have shared a glimpse at a few of their own regional forms for a variety of Pokemon, including Mareep, Volcarona, Torkoal, and more. The popularity of custom regional variant designs has exploded across many social media sites for much of this year, with countless fans offering their own interpretations of what new designs the next core-series Pokemon title may offer.

Fans new to the world of Pokemon may quickly find themselves confused by the many different types, forms, and variants of Pokemon that can be found throughout the series. It's not too rare to find a fair amount of confusion stemming from the existence of regional variant Pokemon, which have been present throughout the core-series Pokemon titles since the Gen 7 games. These regional variants present alternate versions of existing Pokemon that have developed different appearances, abilities, and types as a result of their environment. Raticate presents a simple example, with the Normal-type Kantonian Raticate that fans have been accustomed to since Gen 1 sporting a more blonde-colored fur compared to the largely nocturnal Normal and Dark-type Alolan Raticate.

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While many fans have more recently drawn up designs for potential Kalosian regional Pokemon variants, a couple of fan artists have revealed a selection of their own regional variant designs that are set to make an appearance in an upcoming Pokemon fan game, Pokemon Rosen. These fantastic designs offer a ton of details, with this batch of artwork showing off unofficial regional forms for Mareep, Solosis, Koffing, Scraggy, Torkoal, Klawf, Wobbuffet, and Volcarona. Each of these designs is complete with its own custom category designations, alternate types, and potential abilities, while also boasting detailed Pokedex entries that describe their behaviors.

How Regional Variants Have Had a Big Impact on Modern Pokemon Games

Regional variant Pokemon have boasted an even stronger presence in many of the more recent official Pokemon games, with the acclaimed Pokemon Legends: Arceus demonstrating how regional variants could breathe new life into a selection of fan-favorite Pokemon to help offer a new perspective on an otherwise classic region. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet also introduced a variety of new regional variants that call the Paldea region home, though the Gen 9 games also brought in a similar but ultimately distinct variety of convergent Pokemon species, along with the ecosystem of Paradox Pokemon that inhabit the Great Crater of Paldea.

In anticipation of the upcoming Pokemon Legends: Z-A, which was first revealed earlier this year on Pokemon Day, many creative fans have gone wild making new regional variant designs that they hope to see when they return to the Kalos region next year. Unfortunately, details on the next big Pokemon title remain extremely slim, and while players haven't yet gotten a look at any of the new Pokemon the game might introduce, they can certainly look forward to the return of Mega Pokemon when Pokemon Legends: Z-A releases sometime next year.

Pokemon

Pokemon is a franchise that needs no introduction. One of the most successful media empires in history, Pokemon spans games, television, films, manga, merchandise, music, and more.

Created by

Satoshi Tajiri