Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet have broken the ceiling and have now entered over a thousand Pokemon into this series. Catching every Pokemon was easy back in 1998 when Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue launched in North America. It has been getting harder and harder to be considered a Pokemon Master the longer the series has gone on.
At some point, it seems like Game Freak lost some bets along the way in the Pokemon series. There are some weird-looking creatures in the franchise, like a sentient pair of keys, and Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet are no exception. Let’s analyze the wildest new Pokemon and figure out what went wrong for fun.
8 Tandemaus
Tandemaus are a pair of Normal-type mice that go everywhere together. One has pants on while the other wears a shirt which is odd. The evolution varies in that these two mice can sometimes be joined by one or two new mice to form Maushold.
The Pokedex entry in Pokemon Scarlet paints out how strange this all is. “The two little ones just appeared one day, and the group might be a family of related Pokemon, but nobody knows for sure.” It’s great when games in this series are vague about how evolution works, giving the developers an out if they are ever asked questions.
7 Varoom
Varoom is a Steel/Poison combination Pokemon and is not a Ghost-type. This is weird considering what the Pokedex says in Pokemon Scarlet. “It is said that this Pokemon was born when an unknown poison Pokemon entered and inspirited an engine left at a scrap-processing factory.” Shouldn’t that mean this sentient engine is a Ghost-type then?
Pokemon types in the games can rarely make sense and the evolution for Varoom, Revavroom, is even stranger looking. Players are going to fight it a lot when they take on Team Star.
6 Cyclizar
Cyclizar is a Dragon/Normal Pokemon that looks a lot like the Legendary Pokemon in these two games, Koraidon and Miraidon. All three Pokemon are used for travel and they have half of what looks like wheels under their bodies and yet they don’t use them as wheels.
The Pokemon Violet Pokédex entry states, “It can sprint at over 70 mph while carrying a human and the rider's body heat warms Cyclizar's back and lifts the Pokemon's spirit.” Why design them this way if the wheels aren’t going to be used? Maybe the developers are leaving the door open for future evolutions.
5 Nacli
Nacli is a Rock-type Pokemon that looks like a retro Super Mushroom as it appeared in the NES version of Super Mario Bros. The eyes are pixelated and the way the shapes are chiseled out of the formation makes it look retro. The more it evolves, the more it seems like Minecraft was the inspiration instead. Naclstack is like a stack of blocks while Garganacl, its final form, is like that stack of bricks except with sprouted legs. It’s the most haphazard-looking Pokemon in these two games.
The Pokemon Scarlet Pokedex entry states, “Garganacl will rub its fingertips together and sprinkle injured Pokemon with salt and even severe wounds will promptly heal afterward.” Pokemon Violet’s entry implies Pokemon gather around this final form to lick the salt which is a bit creepy.
4 Bramblin
Bramblin is the answer to an important question that fans have been dying to ask. Has Game Freak run out of ideas? Well, given the fact that this Ghost/Grass Pokemon is just a tumbleweed possessed by a ghost, the answer seems obvious. Pokemon Scarlet’s entry reads, “A soul unable to move on to the afterlife was blown around by the wind until it got tangled up with dried grass and became a Pokemon.”
Brambleghast is its evolution and the only difference is that it has a few more spikes and more clearly visible eyes. Tons of these Pokemon existing imply that a lot of dead people become Pokemon which is beyond wild.
3 Fidough
Fidough is a Fairy-type Pokemon that looks like a pug as if it were made out of bakery buns. “This Pokemon is smooth and moist to the touch, Yeast in Fidough’s breath induces fermentation in the Pokemon’s vicinity.” That’s the Pokedex entry for Pokemon Scarlet, implying that this dog helps out in bakeries.
It doesn’t sound very sanitary to allow an animal to breathe on food that is going to be served to humans. Its evolution, Dachsbun, looks even more like a delicious treat since its body is golden brown to perfection. No Pokedex entry states that people mistakenly ate these Pokemon for sustenance, but surely someone has in this universe.
2 Tauros
Tauros is a Pokemon that was created from the very beginning. It is reintroduced in these games with its Paldean form and instead of being a Normal-type Pokemon, it is now a Fighting-type. Nothing about the “redesign” makes it seem like it is a Fighting-type Pokemon though.
If anything, the black and gray color change are more attuned to Dark-types. There’s nothing interesting of note in either game’s Pokedex entry. Taurus belongs on the list for being a wasted opportunity even with its different Fire and Water forms.
1 Gimmighoul
Gimmighoul is a Ghost-type that comes in two forms. Its main body looks like a gray bug that can exist outside of its chest form. Because it surprises people by luring them in with treasure, the design seems to be inspired by Mimics from Dungeons and Dragons. “This Pokemon was born inside a treasure chest about 1,500 years ago and it sucks the life force out of scoundrels who try to steal the treasure.”
That is the Pokedex entry for it in Pokemon Scarlet, but things get even wilder. If players collect 999 Gimmighoul Coins, it will evolve into Gholdengo. This odd creation is a Steel/Ghost Pokemon that looks like a box of french fries mated with a golden palm tree that secretly wanted to become a cowboy.
Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet was released on November 18, 2022, and is available on Switch.