Highlights

  • Pokemon Scarlet and Violet break the tradition of Fossil Pokemon by not introducing any new ones and making them version exclusives.
  • The Indigo Disk DLC allows players to catch overworld forms of Cranidos and Shieldon, which adds inconsistency to the Fossil Pokemon mechanic.
  • In previous games, players could find Fossils or returning Fossil Pokemon, but The Indigo Disk completely eliminates Fossils as items and introduces version exclusivity for the overworld spawns of both Cranidos and Shieldon.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have been sparking multiple conversations online about what the Pokemon formula could truly look like in the future when each modern game changes it and breaks multiple rules regarding what the series can do. Each new release for the past few years has come with incredibly ground-breaking new features, or at least has dramatically changed how some key elements of the franchise operate, such as Pokemon Legends: Arceus making the player character take damage or Pokemon Scarlet and Violet eliminating tall grass encounters in mainline titles. Gen 9's The Indigo Disk is no different, and it keeps experimenting with the Pokemon formula in various ways, but in doing so it broke a big tradition for Fossil Pokemon.

Fossil Pokemon as a concept has been around ever since the very first generation of games, introducing a choice-only item that players could bring back to a laboratory or museum in order for scientists to revive it as new pocket monsters. Not all Fossil Pokemon in the games have been treated equally, and the gimmick as a whole has seen some odd changes in behavior throughout the series. For example, while Gen 1 added two Fossil Pokemon (each with its own evolution), Gen 2 completely scrapped the mechanic and not only it didn't add new Fossils, but it also didn't allow players to get the old ones.

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Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Break 23-Year Togepi Tradition

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Why Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Approach to Fossil Pokemon Makes No Sense

Ever since Gen 2, however, the representation of Fossil Pokemon in the series has been better. Every set of games up to Pokemon Sword and Shield, excluding Gen 7, has added new Fossil pocket monsters for players to catch and collect. Even in the case of Gen 7, although no new Fossil Pokemon were available, players could at least get their hands on most of the previous Fossils in various ways.

Fossil Pokemon in Gen 3 Through 9

However, Gen 9 shook things up once more, and this time in a strange way that makes one wonder where the series is going with Fossil Pokemon as a mechanic. Not only did Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduce no new Fossils, but none of the previous ones were available - much like Gen 2. However, with the release of The Indigo Disk DLC, players are now able to catch overworld forms of two Fossil Pokemon species, namely Cranidos and Shieldon.

On top of that, Fossils as items are nowhere to be found in the game, and Cranidos and Shieldon are Pokemon Scarlet and Violet version exclusives. This approach is wildly inconsistent when compared to past titles, where players could either find Fossils of new Pokemon or at least returning ones, and this has been the case since Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire.

Some Fossils were version exclusives, some were given as Pokemon and not found as actual fossils (such as Aerodactyl in Gen 7), but it has never been the case that a game has scrapped Fossil Pokemon completely only to make them overworld spawns and also version-exclusive content while at it. With The Indigo Disk's version-exclusive Pokemon being very few, Cranidos' and Shieldon's status is even more apparent.

Pokemon Games

Fossil Pokemon Available

Red, Blue, Yellow

Helix Fossil (Omanyte), Dome Fossil (Kabuto), Old Amber (Aerodactyl)

Gold, Silver, Crystal

None

Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald

Root Fossil (Lileep), Claw Fossil (Anorith)

Diamond, Pearl, Platinum

Helix Fossil, Dome Fossil, Old Amber, Root Fossil, Claw Fossil, Skull Fossil (Cranidos), Armor Fossil (Shieldon)

Black, White

Helix Fossil, Dome Fossil, Old Amber, Root Fossil, Claw Fossil, Skull Fossil, Armor Fossil, Cover Fossil (Tirtouga), Plume Fossil (Archen)

X, Y

Helix Fossil, Dome Fossil, Old Amber, Root Fossil, Claw Fossil, Skull Fossil, Armor Fossil, Cover Fossil, Plume Fossil, Jaw Fossil (Tyrunt), Sail Fossil (Amaura)

Sun, Moon

Skull Fossil, Armor Fossil, Cover Fossil, Plume Fossil

Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon

Helix Fossil, Dome Fossil, Old Amber, Root Fossil, Claw Fossil, Skull Fossil, Armor Fossil, Cover Fossil, Plume Fossil, Jaw Fossil, Sail Fossil

Sword, Shield

Bird Fossil, Fish Fossil, Drake Fossil, Dino Fossil - New Pokemon: Dracozolt (Bird + Drake), Dracovish (Fish + Drake), Arctozolt (Bird + Dino), Arctovish (Fish + Dino)