The legendary Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have been revealed and they are as terrifying as they are strange.
The new Pokémon duo Scarlet and Violet has been announced in a new trailer (opens in new tab), showing how they will be and how they will be used. And they will be used a lot. These aren’t the usual super rare pocket monsters, but genuinely functional legendary creatures that seem halfway between Frankenstein’s monster and a motorcycle.
Called Koraidon and Miraidon, each can be used as a vehicle, allowing you to hop on its back to roam around the game’s new Paldea region. Need to zoom into a meadow? Activate “driving mode” and watch as your legendary friend sprouts a giant wheel from his chest and, er, groin. Stick to “sprint mode” if you prefer to walk. They can also swim in water, climb mountains and even produce wings to glide through the air.
Watch them in action in the trailer below.
legendary companionship
The duo’s design isn’t too far removed from the Legendaries of past generations of Pokemon. Elegant dragons that stand head and shoulders above the other ‘mons, Koraidon and Miraidon aren’t kidding. But it’s the addition of their locomotive capabilities that make them so weird.
In the context of the wider game, however, they make more sense. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be the first full-fledged open-world Pokémon title, allowing you to seamlessly explore its vast world. No more loading screens between cities and the desert, you’re free to run wherever you want.
It looks like Koraidon and Miraidon will act as the gateway to this exploration. They are essentially all-terrain vehicles capable of navigating every nook and cranny of Paldea. We expect them to be needed to access some areas of the map – such as the top of a mountain – and will be needed to travel from one end of the world to the other.
This might suggest that the pair will be available quite early in the game. While legendaries are usually unlocked as rewards for completing late-game battles, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet can deliver them to you sooner. We’ll know for sure when the game launches on November 18th.