Pokemon Scarlet & Violet (Nintendo Switch)

Titles	Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet ポケットモンスター スカーレット · バイオレット
Platform	Nintendo Switch – Game Card and Nintendo eShop download; a free update improves the games on Switch 2
Developer	Game Freak
Publisher	The Pokémon Company (Japan) / Nintendo (elsewhere)
Director	Shigeru Ohmori
Producers	Akira Kinashi, Toyokazu Nonaka, Takanori Sowa and Kenji Endo
Composers	Minako Adachi, Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Hiromitsu Maeba, Teruo Taniguchi and Hitomi Sato, with tracks by Toby Fox
Art	Mana Ibe, Mari Shimazaki, James Turner
Players	1; up to 4 together in Union Circle, locally or online (online needs Nintendo Switch Online)
Generation	Generation IX – the Paldea region, modelled on the Iberian Peninsula
Pokémon	120 new species across Generation IX (#906 Sprigatito to #1025 Pecharunt); 400 in the Paldea Pokédex, 200 in the Kitakami Pokédex and 243 in the Blueberry Pokédex
DLC	The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero: The Teal Mask (13 September 2023) and The Indigo Disk (14 December 2023), with the free epilogue Mochi Mayhem from 11 January 2024
Languages	Japanese, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese
Predecessor	Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Successor	Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, October 2025)
Released	18 November 2022 worldwide – Japan, North America, Europe, Australia and South Korea on the same day
Rating	CERO A · ESRB E (Everyone) · PEGI 7 · PG (Australia)
Bundles	The Double Pack with both games (18 November 2022); the Nintendo Switch – OLED Model Scarlet & Violet Edition (4 November 2022); each game boxed with The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero (3 November 2023)
Sales	28.46 million combined (30 June 2026) – more than 10 million in the first three days

Overview · Quick Answers · Story · Team Star & the Titans · What’s new · Anime · Trading Card Game · After the credits · The DLC · Paldea · Can I catch them all? · Characters · Gyms · Elite Four · Glitches · Videos · Trivia · Legacy · Sales & Reviews · Media

Overview

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are the ninth generation of core Pokémon RPGs, released worldwide on 18 November 2022 for the Nintendo Switch. Developed by Game Freak and directed by Shigeru Ohmori, they were the first fully open-world games in the main series, set in Paldea, a sun-baked region modelled on Spain and Portugal, with the vast Great Crater at its heart.

You play a new student at Naranja Academy in Scarlet or Uva Academy in Violet, and the school’s Treasure Hunt sends you out into Paldea to find your own treasure along three paths in any order: Victory Road, the Gym challenge with your battle-mad neighbour Nemona; the Path of Legends, Arven’s hunt for giant Titan Pokémon and the herbs that might save his dog; and Starfall Street, the campaign against the truant gang Team Star. The three stories meet in The Way Home, a descent into Area Zero to find the Professor.

The big new idea is Terastallisation: once per battle a Pokémon can crystallise and change to its Tera Type, and the same glow marks the Tera Raid Battles scattered across the map. Every Pokémon roams the overworld in plain sight, your partner Koraidon or Miraidon replaces every HM, Let’s Go sends your lead Pokémon into quick auto battles, and up to four friends can share one Paldea in Union Circle.

The games sold more than 10 million copies in their first three days, a record for any Nintendo platform, and 28.46 million by June 2026, but their frame rate and glitches drew heavy criticism. The two-part DLC, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, added Kitakami and Blueberry Academy in 2023, and the Mochi Mayhem epilogue followed in January 2024.

Quick Answers

The questions people ask most about Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, answered first and explained further down the page.

What is the difference between Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, and which should I buy?

The story, map, Gyms and DLC are the same in both. Scarlet has Naranja Academy, Professor Sada, Koraidon and ancient Paradox Pokémon; Violet has Uva Academy, Professor Turo, Miraidon and futuristic Paradox Pokémon. About two dozen species and forms are exclusive to each version, so pick the Legendary and Paradox style you like and trade for the rest. More →

Is Pokémon Scarlet and Violet open world, and in what order can you do the Gyms, Titans and Team Star?

Yes. Paldea is a seamless open world, and the three storylines, Victory Road, Path of Legends and Starfall Street, can be tackled in any order. Levels do not scale to your progress, so difficulty climbs from Katy’s Bug Gym and the Stony Cliff Titan, at around level 15, to the Caph Squad and False Dragon Titan in the mid-50s. More →

What is Terastallisation and how do Tera Raid Battles work?

Terastallisation crystallises a Pokémon once per battle, changing it to its Tera Type and powering up moves of that type. Tera Raids pit up to four trainers against a Terastallised wild Pokémon on a timer: one to five stars during and after the story, six stars after the Academy Ace Tournament, and seven-star events via Poké Portal News. More →

What are Paradox Pokémon?

Paradox Pokémon are versions of familiar species from the distant past or far future, pulled into Paldea by the Professor’s time machine in Area Zero. Scarlet has ancient ones such as Great Tusk, an ancient Donphan, and Roaring Moon; Violet has futuristic ones such as Iron Treads and Iron Valiant. Their Abilities are Protosynthesis or Quark Drive. More →

How many Pokémon are in Scarlet and Violet?

The Paldea Pokédex lists 400 species. The Teal Mask adds the 200-strong Kitakami Pokédex and The Indigo Disk the 243-strong Blueberry Pokédex, with overlap between the three. Generation IX brought 120 new species in all. Not every Pokémon is in the games: only species in their data can be caught or brought in from Pokémon HOME. More →

What is The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC and do you need it?

It is a paid two-part expansion: The Teal Mask (13 September 2023) sends you on a school trip to Kitakami, and The Indigo Disk (14 December 2023) to Blueberry Academy; the Mochi Mayhem epilogue followed on 11 January 2024. It isn’t needed for the main story, but adds new areas, Ogerpon, Terapagos and many returning Pokémon. More →

How do you get the Treasures of Ruin?

Each of the four, Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Ting-Lu and Chi-Yu, is sealed inside a shrine. Find and pull the eight stakes scattered around its part of Paldea, and the shrine opens for a battle with the level 60 Legendary. Ms Raifort’s History classes explain the legend, and all four can be caught in either version. More →

Can Pokémon move between Scarlet and Violet and Pokémon HOME, Legends: Arceus or Legends: Z-A?

Yes for HOME, since 30 May 2023: Pokémon from Legends: Arceus, Sword and Shield and older games can enter SV if the species is in its data, and SV Pokémon can move on to the Generation VIII games where supported. Legends: Z-A joined HOME on 2 April 2026, but anything caught in or moved into Z-A cannot return to SV. More →

How does Scarlet and Violet run, and did the Switch 2 update fix it?

On the original Switch the games are known for unstable frame rates, pop-in and visual glitches, which dominated reviews and prompted an official apology on 1 December 2022. Patches fixed many bugs, but performance stayed uneven. A free Nintendo Switch 2 update in June 2025 improved the frame rate and visuals on the new console. More →

Do Union Circle, Tera Raids and Mystery Gift still work in 2026?

Yes. With a Nintendo Switch Online membership you can still join Union Circles, host or join online Tera Raids, trade and claim Mystery Gifts, and seven-star event raids were still being scheduled in 2026. Official competitive play moved to Pokémon Champions in April 2026, but the games’ own Battle Stadium remains. More →

Plot / Story

Florian or Juliana moves with their mother to Cabo Poco, a tiny seaside village in southern Paldea, on the eve of starting at Naranja Academy (Scarlet) or Uva Academy (Violet). Director Clavell visits in person to hand over a first partner, Sprigatito, Fuecoco or Quaxly, and introduces the girl next door, Nemona, a student-council president and Champion-ranked Trainer who wants a battle straight away. Exploring the coast near Poco Path, the player rescues a weakened Koraidon (Scarlet) or Miraidon (Violet) from a pack of Houndour, and Arven hands over its Poké Ball. Once the player reaches the Academy, Professor Sada (Scarlet) or Professor Turo (Violet), Arven’s parent, asks them to look after it. The creature has lost the strength to battle, but it can still carry its new trainer across the region.

At the Academy in Mesagoza, Clavell launches the Treasure Hunt, an independent study in which every student searches Paldea for their own treasure. Three paths open, to be followed in any order. On Victory Road, Nemona urges the player to earn all eight Gym Badges, each Gym Leader setting a Gym Test before the battle, then pass the Champion Assessment and defeat the Elite Four and Top Champion Geeta. The road ends with Nemona’s own all-out battle in Mesagoza, where she finally meets the equal rival she always wanted.

Path of Legends, Starfall Street and The Way Home

On the Path of Legends, Arven asks for help against five enormous Titan Pokémon, each guarding a Herba Mystica. Sandwiches made with the herbs restore the legendary’s lost abilities one by one, and reveal Arven’s real aim: healing his Mabosstiff, badly hurt long ago. When the dog recovers, Arven challenges the player at the lighthouse lab on Poco Path where he grew up largely alone.

On Starfall Street, a mysterious voice calling itself Cassiopeia recruits the player for Operation Starfall against the five squads of Team Star, a gang of students who stopped attending lessons. A fellow student called Clive, really Clavell in disguise, comes along to help. As each squad base falls, the truth emerges: Team Star began when bullied students banded together and drove their tormentors out, and the affair was then hushed up. Cassiopeia turns out to be Penny, a reclusive classmate who founded the group; after their battle in the schoolyard, Clavell lets Team Star carry on under supervision.

With all three stories complete, the Professor summons the player, Nemona, Arven and Penny for The Way Home, a descent into Area Zero, the forbidden heart of the Great Crater. Passing four Research Stations, the friends learn that the Professor’s time machine has been pulling Paradox Pokémon from the ancient past (Scarlet) or the far future (Violet). At the Zero Lab they discover that the real Professor died protecting Koraidon or Miraidon, and that the voice guiding them is an AI copy built to assist the research. The AI wants the machine shut down to protect Paldea’s ecosystem but is programmed to defend it, so it battles the player with a team of Paradox Pokémon. Its security system then sends a second, more aggressive Koraidon or Miraidon into the fight, and the player’s partner, its battling spirit revived, wins the day. Unable to stop itself restarting the machine, the AI travels through it into the era its creator dreamed of, and the friends climb back to the surface, where the Academy Ace Tournament awaits.

Eighteen things Scarlet & Violet does differently

• The first fully open-world core series games: Paldea is one seamless map divided into four provinces with numbered areas instead of routes.
• Three main storylines, Victory Road, Path of Legends and Starfall Street, can be played in any order before they converge in the finale, The Way Home.
• For the first time in the series, the eight Gyms can be challenged in any order, and opponents’ levels do not scale to the player’s progress.
• Gym Tests replace traditional Gym puzzles: each Gym Leader sets a themed challenge, from rolling a giant olive to racing down a mountain, before the battle.
• Terastallisation is the new battle gimmick, replacing Dynamax; Z-Moves, Max Moves and G-Max Moves cannot be used.
• There are no random encounters: wild Pokémon roam visibly in the overworld, some fleeing, chasing or travelling in groups.
• Let’s Go lets the lead Pokémon walk beside the player and fight wild Pokémon automatically in quick auto battles, with no battle screen.
• Picnics replace Pokémon Camp: the party can relax and be washed, sandwiches give Meal Powers, and Eggs appear in a picnic basket instead of a Day Care or Nursery.
• No HMs, Ride Pagers or Flying Pokémon taxis are needed to explore: Koraidon or Miraidon is a single ride that gains new movement abilities through the Path of Legends.
• TMs are crafted at a TM Machine in Pokémon Centers using League Points and materials dropped by wild Pokémon.
• Union Circle lets up to four players explore the same Paldea together in real time, locally or online.
• The player is a student at an academy with optional classes, exams and teachers, and wears the school uniform throughout, in the same style regardless of gender.
• The Professor differs by version for the first time (Sada in Scarlet, Turo in Violet), and both are linked to the time-travel plot.
• Paradox Pokémon introduce a new category of time-displaced species tied to each version.
• The Elite Four must be faced in a fixed order, the first time in a new, non-remake core game since Generation IV, after a Champion Assessment interview.
• Champion is a rank any qualified Trainer can hold, so Nemona is already a Champion and Geeta is the Top Champion.
• Pokémon Boxes can be opened from the menu anywhere in Paldea, with no need to visit a Pokémon Center.
• Not every Pokémon is included: as in Sword and Shield, only species in the games’ data can be caught or brought in from HOME.

Nemona, Arven and Penny

Nemona always takes the first partner that is strong against yours, and she, Arven and Penny all battle you along their stories. Every battle with the three of them:

• Nemona, battle 1 – Cabo Poco beach, straight after choosing a starter (optional; no black-out on defeat): Quaxly Lv. 5 if you chose Sprigatito, Sprigatito Lv. 5 if you chose Fuecoco, Fuecoco Lv. 5 if you chose Quaxly.
• Nemona, battle 2 – South Province (Area One) (optional): her starter Lv. 8 and Pawmi Lv. 9 (Tera Electric, ace).
• Nemona, battle 3 – outside the player’s third Gym: Rockruff Lv. 21, Pawmi Lv. 21, and Quaxwell Lv. 22 (Tera Water) if you chose Sprigatito, Floragato Lv. 22 (Tera Grass) if you chose Fuecoco, or Crocalor Lv. 22 (Tera Fire) if you chose Quaxly; the starter is her ace.
• Nemona, battle 4 – later in the Gym challenge: Lycanroc Lv. 36, Pawmo Lv. 36, Goomy Lv. 36 and her starter at Lv. 37 (Quaquaval, Meowscarada or Skeledirge, ace).
• Nemona, battle 5 – late in the Gym challenge: Lycanroc Lv. 42, Pawmot Lv. 42, Sliggoo Lv. 42 and her starter at Lv. 43 (ace).
• Nemona, Champion battle – Mesagoza’s central battle court, after the player becomes Champion: Lycanroc Lv. 65, Goodra Lv. 65, Dudunsparce Lv. 65, Orthworm Lv. 65, Pawmot Lv. 65 and Quaquaval, Meowscarada or Skeledirge Lv. 66 (ace).
• Nemona, post-game – Academy Ace Tournament: the same six Pokémon at Lv. 71, with her starter at Lv. 72 (ace); in later tournaments she appears as one of the random opponents.
• Arven, battle 1 – Poco Path (optional): Skwovet Lv. 5.
• Arven, battle 2 – the lighthouse lab on Poco Path, end of the Path of Legends: Greedent Lv. 58, Cloyster Lv. 59, Scovillain Lv. 60, Toedscruel Lv. 61, Garganacl Lv. 62 and Mabosstiff Lv. 63 (Tera Dark, ace).
• Arven, The Way Home – Multi Battle partner in Area Zero (Mabosstiff Lv. 63, Cloyster Lv. 62, Scovillain Lv. 62) against Great Tusk or Iron Treads and then Flutter Mane or Iron Jugulis.
• Penny – Naranja/Uva Academy schoolyard, end of Starfall Street: Umbreon Lv. 62, Vaporeon Lv. 62, Jolteon Lv. 62, Flareon Lv. 62, Leafeon Lv. 62 and Sylveon Lv. 63 (Tera Fairy, ace).

Nemona, the friendly rival

Nemona is the player’s neighbour in Cabo Poco, the Academy’s student-council president and already a Champion-ranked Trainer when the story begins. Bubbly, tireless and obsessed with battling, she squeezes a match into every spare moment and longs for a rival who can truly match her, slipping the odd Spanish word into her speech. Her family is well off: her father sits on the board of the company behind the Rotom Phone. She shadows the player through Victory Road, finally gets her equal in Mesagoza, joins The Way Home into Area Zero and later organises the Academy Ace Tournament.

Koraidon, Miraidon and Area Zero

Koraidon (Scarlet) and Miraidon (Violet) are Paradox Pokémon from the ancient past and far future, cousins of Cyclizar that the Professor brought to the present. The player’s partner is the gentler of two that arrived; it was weakened after a clash with its aggressive counterpart. Area Zero, deep inside the Great Crater of Paldea, is the source of the Terastal phenomenon: its crystals are used to make Tera Orbs. The Professor, inspired since childhood by an expedition journal known as the Scarlet Book or Violet Book, built a time machine in the Zero Lab that kept pulling Paradox Pokémon out of their own eras, threatening Paldea’s ecosystem. After the Professor’s death, an AI copy carried on alone, finally seeking to shut the machine down.

Team Star and the Titans

Team Star is a band of Academy students who have stopped attending lessons and set up five squad bases across Paldea, each run by a boss with a type speciality: Giacomo’s Segin Squad (Dark) in West Province (Area One), Mela’s Schedar Squad (Fire) in East Province (Area One), Atticus’s Navi Squad (Poison) in Tagtree Thicket, and Ortega’s Ruchbah Squad (Fairy) and Eri’s Caph Squad (Fighting) in the far north. Each raid starts with a timed challenge to defeat 30 of the squad’s Pokémon with Let’s Go in ten minutes, after which the boss battles first with their own Pokémon and then with their Starmobile, a Revavroom-powered vehicle. The bosses explain that the group began when bullied students joined forces against their tormentors, and that the episode was later buried. Cassiopeia, who masterminds Operation Starfall, is really Penny, the founder; after her defeat Clavell keeps the bases open as supervised training centres.

Cassiopeia

Penny is a shy, reclusive Academy student in the player’s year, rarely seen in class and never without her Eevee-styled backpack. A gifted programmer, she is secretly Cassiopeia, the big boss of Team Star, a group she founded with other bullied students; even the squad bosses never knew her true identity. Because the team’s code meant a boss only had to step down when defeated, she could not simply disband the group, so she recruits the player for Operation Starfall to beat each boss in turn. Once unmasked, she joins The Way Home and serves out a punishment for hacking the Pokémon League’s LP system through volunteer engineering work.

The Path of Legends and the five Titans

Arven is a gruff but kind-hearted Academy student and the son of Professor Sada (Scarlet) or Professor Turo (Violet). He grew up largely alone at the lighthouse lab on Poco Path while his parent devoted themselves to research, and his closest companion became his Mabosstiff, raised from a Maschiff. When it was badly hurt in Area Zero, no medicine could heal it, so Arven skipped lessons hunting for a cure and learned of the Herba Mystica. A gifted cook who loves sandwiches and picnics, he leads the Path of Legends and faces the hardest truth of all in the Zero Lab.

Every Team Star boss and Titan

Each Team Star raid opens with a ten-minute Let’s Go challenge before the boss battles you, first with their own Pokémon and then from the driver’s seat of their Starmobile. Each Titan is fought twice, the second time with Arven at your side. Team Star first, then the Titans, each in order of strength:

• Giacomo, Segin Squad (Dark)West Province (Area One). Pawniard Lv. 21, then the Segin Starmobile Lv. 20.
• Mela, Schedar Squad (Fire)East Province (Area One). Torkoal Lv. 27, then the Schedar Starmobile Lv. 26.
• Atticus, Navi Squad (Poison)Tagtree Thicket. Skuntank Lv. 32, Muk Lv. 32, Revavroom Lv. 33, then the Navi Starmobile Lv. 32.
• Ortega, Ruchbah Squad (Fairy)North Province (Area Three). Azumarill Lv. 50, Wigglytuff Lv. 50, Dachsbun Lv. 51, then the Ruchbah Starmobile Lv. 50.
• Eri, Caph Squad (Fighting)North Province (Area Two). Toxicroak Lv. 55, Passimian Lv. 55, Lucario Lv. 55, Annihilape Lv. 56, then the Caph Starmobile Lv. 56.
• Stony Cliff Titan KlawfSouth Province (Area Three), level 16. Beating it and eating the Herba Mystica restores Koraidon’s or Miraidon’s dash. After the first battle it retreats to a cave, where the player battles it again with Arven’s Shellder alongside.
• Open Sky Titan BombirdierWest Province (Area One), level 20. Beating it and eating the Herba Mystica restores Koraidon’s or Miraidon’s swimming. Drops boulders as it flies; Arven helps with Nacli in the second battle.
• Lurking Steel Titan OrthwormEast Province (Area Three), level 29. Beating it and eating the Herba Mystica restores Koraidon’s or Miraidon’s high jump. Must be chased through tunnels before the battle; it powers up on Herba Mystica, and Arven helps with Toedscool.
• Quaking Earth Titan Great Tusk / Iron TreadsAsado Desert, level 45. Beating it and eating the Herba Mystica restores Koraidon’s or Miraidon’s gliding. The version-split Titan: a Paradox Pokémon that escaped Area Zero and grew huge on Herba Mystica. Arven helps with Scovillain.
• False Dragon Titan Dondozo and TatsugiriCasseroya Lake, level Dondozo 56 and Tatsugiri 57. Beating it and eating the Herba Mystica restores Koraidon’s or Miraidon’s climbing. A Dondozo swallows an oversized Tatsugiri and fights the player with Arven’s Greedent alongside; once Dondozo falls, Tatsugiri must be battled too. Mabosstiff recovers afterwards.

What’s new in Scarlet & Violet

Scarlet & Violet keeps the Gyms, the rivals and the eight Badges, but almost everything around them is new. The headline changes first, then the fine print:

One open world, three stories

Paldea is a single seamless map with no loading between towns and wilderness: four provinces of numbered areas surround the Great Crater, with landmarks such as Casseroya Lake, Glaseado Mountain and the Asado Desert in between. The Treasure Hunt splits the story into three paths – eight Gyms on Victory Road, five Titans on the Path of Legends and five Team Star bases on Starfall Street – and you can tackle all eighteen in any order. Levels don’t scale, though, so the game quietly suggests a route: the weakest Gym, Titan and base sit closest to Mesagoza, and the toughest wait in the far north.

Terastallisation

Every Pokémon has a Tera Type, usually one of its own types but sometimes a different one. Once per battle, using the Tera Orb, a Pokémon can Terastallise: it gains a crystal crown and its type becomes its Tera Type. It keeps the power bonus for moves of its original types while gaining one for its Tera Type, so a surprise Tera Type can flip a matchup. The Orb must be recharged at a Pokémon Center after use. Tera Shards let players change a Pokémon’s Tera Type, and The Indigo Disk adds the special Stellar type. Medali’s Treasure Eatery can change a Pokémon’s Tera Type in exchange for 50 Tera Shards of the new type.

Tera Raid Battles

Glowing crystals across Paldea hold Tera Raid Battles, in which up to four trainers fight a Terastallised wild Pokémon against a timer. Players can use three cheers to boost or heal the team, while the boss raises a shield that mostly Terastallised attacks can break. One- and two-star raids are available from the start, three and four stars open after three and six Badges, and five stars after the credits. Six-star raids follow the Academy Ace Tournament and ten four- or five-star wins, and seven-star raids are time-limited events through Poké Portal News that award the Mightiest Mark.

Paradox Pokémon

Paradox Pokémon are ancient or future counterparts of existing species, pulled into Area Zero by the Professor’s time machine. Base Scarlet has seven ancient ones: Great Tusk, Scream Tail, Brute Bonnet, Flutter Mane, Slither Wing, Sandy Shocks and Roaring Moon. Base Violet has seven future ones: Iron Treads, Iron Bundle, Iron Hands, Iron Jugulis, Iron Moth, Iron Thorns and Iron Valiant. Walking Wake and Iron Leaves followed through 2023 event raids. Ancient ones have Protosynthesis, powered by harsh sunlight, and future ones Quark Drive, powered by Electric Terrain; Booster Energy triggers either.

Life at the Academy and on the road

Between adventures you are a student: classes in Battle Studies, Biology, History and more can be attended whenever you like, and their exams pay out rewards. Out in the open, Let’s Go sends your lead Pokémon to fight wild Pokémon in instant auto battles, picnics replace camping and turn sandwiches into Meal Powers and Eggs, the TM Machine in every Pokémon Center crafts TMs from materials, and Union Circle lets up to four friends roam the same Paldea together.

In depth: how Scarlet & Violet works

Each of the new systems, with the fine print.

Koraidon and Miraidon as a rideThe player’s Koraidon or Miraidon cannot battle at first, but serves as a mount that replaces HMs and the Ride Pager. Each Herba Mystica sandwich from the Path of Legends restores an ability: a dash after the Stony Cliff Titan, swimming after the Open Sky Titan, a high jump after the Lurking Steel Titan, gliding after the Quaking Earth Titan and climbing walls after the False Dragon Titan. Both legendaries change shape for each mode, and the partner used as a ride cannot be deposited in Pokémon HOME.

Let’s Go and auto battlesPressing the R button sends the lead Pokémon out of its Poké Ball to walk alongside the player, and pointing it at a wild Pokémon starts an auto battle that plays out in seconds without a battle screen. Auto battles are ideal for gathering TM materials and Exp. Points quickly, though they cannot catch anything, and a stronger target can wear the auto-battler down. Team Star’s base raids are built around the feature, asking players to defeat 30 Pokémon within ten minutes using Let’s Go alone.

Picnics, sandwiches and EggsSetting up a picnic almost anywhere lets the party roam, play and be washed, and lays out a table for making sandwiches. Ingredients and condiments stack into sandwiches whose Meal Powers boost egg-laying, catching, encounters of a chosen type, Exp. Points, item drops, Tera Raid rewards or the size of Pokémon met; sandwiches made with rare Herba Mystica can grant Sparkling Power, which raises the chance of Shiny Pokémon. Breeding moves to the picnic too: two compatible Pokémon in the party produce Eggs that appear in the Egg Basket.

The TM MachineTMs are single-use items again, but every Pokémon Center has a TM Machine where they can be crafted repeatedly from League Points and materials dropped by defeated wild Pokémon, such as Mankey Fur or Wooper Slime. Nemona gives the player 5,000 League Points and a first batch of materials at the Los Platos Pokémon Center. New recipes are added whenever a TM is found in the world or won from a Gym Leader or Team Star boss. The base game has 171 TMs, ending with TM171 Tera Blast, and the DLC adds dozens more.

Union Circle co-opThrough the Poké Portal, up to four players can form a Union Circle, locally or online with Nintendo Switch Online, and roam the host’s Paldea together in real time. Everyone can battle and catch wild Pokémon, see each other’s partners and take on Tera Raids side by side. Version-exclusive Pokémon appear in the host’s world, so visiting a friend with the other version is one of the easiest ways to complete the Pokédex. Story events are not shared, so each player progresses through their own adventure.

Academy classesNaranja and Uva Academy offer optional lessons that can be attended at any time: Art with Hassel, Battle Studies with Dendra, Biology with Jacq, History with Raifort, Home Economics with Saguaro, Languages with Salvatore and Mathematics with Tyme. Classes explain mechanics such as type matchups and Terastallisation, and the History lessons cover the legend of the Treasures of Ruin. Midterm and final exams reward the player for paying attention, and getting to know the teachers leads to side stories and to battles against several of them in the Academy Ace Tournament.

Gym TestsEvery Paldean Gym asks challengers to pass a Gym Test before they can battle the leader. The tests are short themed activities: guiding a giant olive to a goal in Cortondo, rounding up ten Sunflora hiding around Artazon, a livestreamed hide-and-seek for Iono in Levincia, an errand and auction bid in Porto Marinada for Kofu, ordering Medali’s secret menu item for Larry, a set of Double Battles before Ryme’s concert, an emotion-matching exercise for Tulip, and a timed run down Glaseado Mountain through a course of gates for Grusha.

The Pokédex and Pokémon following youThe Rotom Phone’s Pokédex app tracks the Paldea Pokédex of 400 species, filled by seeing or catching Pokémon, and Mr Jacq, the biology teacher, hands out rewards as entries pile up; completing the Paldea Pokédex earns the Shiny Charm. Every wild Pokémon is visible in the overworld, with its own habits: some flee, some give chase and some sleep or travel in groups. Using Let’s Go, the lead Pokémon can walk beside the player anywhere, and other players in a Union Circle can see it too.

Gimmighoul coins and GholdengoGimmighoul comes in two forms: Chest Form, which hides inside treasure chests dotted around Paldea, and Roaming Form, a small ghost that wanders the region carrying a single coin. Defeating Gimmighoul and picking up glinting coins earns Gimmighoul Coins, and a Gimmighoul levelled up with 999 coins in the bag evolves into the Steel/Ghost Gholdengo. From version 1.2.0, players linking Pokémon GO could also send Gimmighoul Coins collected there to their Scarlet or Violet save.

Performance and technical criticismAt launch, reviewers widely criticised the games’ technical state: uneven frame rates, low-detail textures, pop-in, Pokémon and characters clipping through scenery, and a memory leak that makes performance worse the longer a session runs. Version updates fixed specific bugs, such as uncatchable transformed Ditto and Bad Egg raid rewards, and an official apology followed on 1 December 2022, but performance on the original Switch remained uneven. A free update for Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2025 improved resolution and frame rate on the new console.

In the anime and movies

The anime that followed Ash’s twenty-five years, Pokémon Horizons, is built around Scarlet & Violet: its heroes start with the Paldean first partners, Terastallisation is part of everyday battling, and later seasons visit Naranja Academy, Area Zero, Kitakami and Blueberry Academy.

In the anime

Anime seasons which tie in with Scarlet & Violet (Paldea, the Academy, Terapagos and the DLC):

Pokémon Horizons: Season 12023–2024Liko, Roy and Dot partner with Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly, Terastallisation is everywhere, and Liko’s pendant hides a dormant Terapagos that drives the whole story.Season 2: The Search for Laqua2024–2025The heroes join Naranja Academy, take on Paldea’s Gym Leaders and Elite Four, beat Geeta to earn entry to Area Zero and visit Kitakami, where Carmine and Briar make their anime debuts.Season 3: Rising Hope2025–2026The Rising Volt Tacklers train at Blueberry Academy and in the Terarium with Lacey, Drayton, Carmine and Briar, Kieran and the rest of the BB League cameo, and Pecharunt causes havoc with its mochi.

Pokémon: Paldean Winds (2023)A four-part web series by WIT STUDIO, released on the official Pokémon YouTube channels between September and December 2023 (Breathe Out, Breathe In, Take a Breath and Breathe Together). Director Clavell asks three Naranja Academy students, Ohara, Aliquis and Hohma, to make a video for newcomers, and Nemona, Arven, Iono, Ryme and Eri all appear, with Kieran and Carmine glimpsed in the finale.

Paldea in the anime

The Horizons episodes where the games’ places and characters come through most clearly:

• HZ001The Pendant That Starts It All (Part One) – Liko’s pendant – the dormant Terapagos later called Pagogo – sets the series in motion.
• HZ046Welcome to Naranja Academy! – Geeta hands out Tera Orbs, Clavell sets the Gym challenge and Nemona shows the trio around Naranja Academy.
• HZ069Roy is Crocalor, and Crocalor is Roy! – Carmine debuts in Kitakami, battling Friede before revealing where Briar can be found.
• HZ071Encounters at the Crystal Pool – Briar debuts at Kitakami’s Crystal Pool and tells of Heath’s first meeting with Terapagos.
• HZ080Total-lie Awesome Pokémon in Area Zero?! – Having beaten Geeta, the heroes descend into Area Zero with Friede and Briar and meet Paradox Pokémon including Sandy Shocks and Scream Tail.
• HZ115Welcome to Blueberry Academy! – Lacey tours the Terarium with the Rising Volt Tacklers, Roy loses a Double Battle to Nemona and Drayton declines to coach them.
• HZ119Don’t Give Up, Crocalor! – Briar shares her Stellar research and Roy beats Drayton’s Archaludon as Crocalor evolves into Skeledirge; Kieran, Crispin and Amarys debut.
• HZ123Mochi Mayhem! – Pecharunt’s poisoned mochi sets the Brave Olivine’s crew dancing until Diana catches it.

In the Trading Card Game

The Trading Card Game moved into its Scarlet & Violet era with the English Scarlet & Violet expansion on 31 March 2023, a little over four months after the games launched; Japan had begun in January with Scarlet ex and Violet ex. The series brought visible changes: English cards swapped their long-standing yellow frames for silver borders, Pokémon ex came back with a lowercase ‘ex’ and a two-Prize penalty, and Tera Pokémon ex mirrored Terastallisation with crystalline artwork, a changed type and protection from attack damage while on the Bench. Every card also carries a letter regulation mark, starting with G, that decides when it rotates out of Standard play. Paldea’s people turned up as Supporters, from Nemona, Arven and Penny to Iono, Clavell, Jacq, Geeta and Professors Sada and Turo, while the DLC fed later sets: Twilight Masquerade drew on The Teal Mask, Shrouded Fable on the Mochi Mayhem epilogue and Stellar Crown on The Indigo Disk.

The Scarlet & Violet sets

Ten expansions from the Scarlet & Violet Series with the strongest links to Paldea and the DLC, each with its own page on the site:

Scarlet & VioletReleased 31 March 2023The opening set of the series put Koraidon ex and Miraidon ex on its booster wrappers and introduced the Paldean starters, Paldean newcomers such as Spidops ex and Oinkologne ex, and the first Paradox Pokémon ex, Great Tusk ex and Iron Treads ex. Its Supporters read like the Academy register: Nemona, Arven, Penny, Jacq, Katy, Miriam and both professors on Professor’s Research.Paldea EvolvedReleased 9 June 2023Paldea Evolved completed the starter trio’s journey with Meowscarada ex, Skeledirge ex and Quaquaval ex, and brought Tera Pokémon ex to English play through Forretress, Slowking and Dedenne. Chien-Pao ex stood in for the Treasures of Ruin, while the Supporters included streamer and Gym Leader Iono, Director Clavell and Team Star boss Giacomo.Obsidian FlamesReleased 11 August 2023Obsidian Flames was built around a Terastallised Charizard ex whose Tera type is Darkness, a showcase for the way Terastallisation can change a Pokémon’s type in the games. Paldea’s Top Champion Geeta joined the Supporters, and Pawmot ex and Tyranitar ex also featured. Its Japanese source was Ruler of the Black Flame.Paradox RiftReleased 3 November 2023Paradox Rift turned to the Paradox Pokémon of Area Zero, tagging cards as Ancient or Future to echo Scarlet’s past-born and Violet’s future-born creatures. Roaring Moon ex and Iron Valiant ex fronted the set, and the two professors became Supporters: Professor Sada’s Vitality powers up Ancient Pokémon, while Professor Turo’s Scenario lifts a Pokémon back into the hand. It combined Japan’s Ancient Roar and Future Flash.Paldean FatesReleased 26 January 2024Paldean Fates is a special set that revisits Paldea through shiny Pokémon, with a long run of shiny rares alongside new high-rarity art for Academy faces such as Nemona, Arven and Iono, plus a Special Illustration Rare Charizard ex. It is the English counterpart of Japan’s Shiny Treasure ex.Temporal ForcesReleased 22 March 2024Temporal Forces extended the Ancient and Future theme with Walking Wake ex and Iron Leaves ex, the Paradox Pokémon first handed out through Scarlet and Violet’s Tera Raid Battle events, along with Raging Bolt ex and Iron Crown ex, two Paradox Pokémon added with The Indigo Disk. It also brought back ACE SPEC cards, limited to one per deck.Twilight MasqueradeReleased 24 May 2024Twilight Masquerade carried The Teal Mask into the card game. Ogerpon appears as Pokémon ex in each of its four masks, Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex represents Kitakami’s unusual Ursaluna, and the siblings Carmine and Kieran arrived as Supporters. The set was based on Japan’s Transformation Mask.Shrouded FableReleased 2 August 2024Shrouded Fable is the card-game side of the Mochi Mayhem epilogue. Pecharunt ex leads the set, and the Loyal Three, Okidogi, Munkidori and Fezandipiti, become Pokémon ex, reflecting their bond with the poisonous Mythical behind Kitakami’s mochi mischief. It is a smaller expansion drawn from Japan’s Night Wanderer.Stellar CrownReleased 13 September 2024Stellar Crown takes its cue from The Indigo Disk. Terapagos ex is the cover star, the Stellar Tera type reaches the cards, and Blueberry Academy figures appear as Supporters, including BB League Elite Four member Lacey and Briar, the researcher who leads the final expedition into Area Zero. Its Japanese source is Stellar Miracle.Prismatic EvolutionsReleased 17 January 2025Prismatic Evolutions is a special set centred on Eevee and its evolutions, many of them as Tera Pokémon ex, and it reprints Paldea and Blueberry favourites with new art, Teal Mask Ogerpon ex, Terapagos ex, Iron Valiant ex and Kieran among them. Its Japanese equivalent is Terastal Festival ex.

Paldea on the cards

Twelve cards that tie straight back to the games:

Koraidon exScarlet & Violet · 125/198Scarlet’s box Legendary and your ride across Paldea, charging in with its Wild Impact attack.Miraidon exScarlet & Violet · 081/198Violet’s box Legendary, the futuristic counterpart of Koraidon, whose Tandem Unit Ability calls Lightning Pokémon on to the Bench.NemonaScarlet & Violet · 180/198Your battle-mad neighbour and Champion-ranked rival on Victory Road.ArvenScarlet & Violet · 166/198The leader of the Path of Legends; his card fetches an Item and a Pokémon Tool, fitting a boy who always comes prepared.IonoPaldea Evolved · 185/193Levincia’s streaming Gym Leader, whose card shuffles both players’ hands away and redraws by remaining Prize cards.ClavellPaldea Evolved · 177/193The Academy’s Director, who goes undercover as the student Clive during Starfall Street.Professor Sada’s VitalityParadox Rift · 170/182Scarlet’s Professor, whose card powers up Ancient Pokémon, the past-born Paradox Pokémon of Area Zero.Iron Valiant exParadox Rift · 089/182Violet’s future Paradox Pokémon modelled on Gardevoir and Gallade, found in Area Zero.Teal Mask Ogerpon exTwilight Masquerade · 025/167The masked Legendary at the heart of The Teal Mask.CarmineTwilight Masquerade · 145/167Kieran’s sharp-tongued older sister, your guide on the Kitakami school trip.KieranTwilight Masquerade · 154/167The shy boy from Mossui Town who becomes the BB League Champion in The Indigo Disk.Terapagos exStellar Crown · 128/142The Stellar Legendary found in the Area Zero Underdepths at the climax of The Indigo Disk.

Promos tied to the games

The SVP Black Star Promo line began with the Paldea starters in January 2023. Highlights with a Paldea link:

• SVP 001 Sprigatito, SVP 002 Fuecoco and SVP 003 Quaxly: one in each version of the Paldea Collection (January 2023)
• SVP 005 Quaquaval, SVP 006 Pawmot, SVP 007 Hawlucha and SVP 008 Revavroom: Scarlet & Violet Build & Battle Box and Build & Battle Stadium
• SVP 009 Spidops, SVP 010 Espathra, SVP 011 Arcanine and SVP 012 Dondozo: Scarlet & Violet blister packs
• SVP 013 Miraidon: Scarlet & Violet Elite Trainer Box (Miraidon) and its Pokémon Center version
• SVP 014 Koraidon: Scarlet & Violet Elite Trainer Box (Koraidon) and its Pokémon Center version
• SVP 019 Baxcalibur, SVP 020 Tinkaton, SVP 021 Murkrow and SVP 022 Pelipper: Paldea Evolved Build & Battle Box and Stadium
• SVP 023 Smoliv and SVP 025 Tinkatink: Paldea Evolved blister packs
• SVP 028 Miraidon ex and SVP 029 Koraidon ex: Paldea Legends Tins
• SVP 030 Chien-Pao ex: Chien-Pao ex Battle Deck; SVP 031 Tinkaton ex: Tinkaton ex Battle Deck
• SVP 032 Annihilape ex: Annihilape ex Box
• SVP 033 Meowscarada ex, SVP 034 Skeledirge ex and SVP 035 Quaquaval ex: Paldea Partners Tins
• SVP 036 Palafin: Obsidian Flames Build & Battle Box
• SVP 040 Pawmi and SVP 041 Paldean Wooper: Obsidian Flames blister packs
• SVP 057 Chi-Yu and SVP 058 Iron Bundle: Paradox Rift Build & Battle Box
• SVP 065 Scream Tail: Paradox Rift Elite Trainer Box (Roaring Moon); SVP 066 Iron Bundle: Paradox Rift Elite Trainer Box (Iron Valiant)
• SVP 067 Roaring Moon ex: Roaring Moon ex Box; SVP 068 Iron Valiant ex: Iron Valiant ex Box
• SVP 069 Fidough: Paldean Fates Tech Sticker Collections and three-pack blister
• SVP 072 Great Tusk ex and SVP 073 Iron Treads ex: Paldean Fates Tins (Great Tusk ex also in the Great Tusk ex & Iron Treads ex Premium Collection)

Paldea products

Much of the 2023–2024 range was themed on the games:

• Paldea Collection (6 January 2023): released before the first Scarlet & Violet set, each box carrying a foil promo of Sprigatito, Fuecoco or Quaxly
• Scarlet & Violet Elite Trainer Boxes (Koraidon and Miraidon versions), booster packs, Build & Battle Box and Stadium, and blister packs (31 March 2023 range)
• Paldea Friends Mini Tins (5 May 2023): Pikachu, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly and Pawmi designs
• Paldea Legends Tins (9 June 2023): Koraidon ex and Miraidon ex tins
• Chien-Pao ex and Tinkaton ex Battle Decks (14 July 2023)
• Paldea Partners Tins (1 September 2023): Meowscarada ex, Skeledirge ex and Quaquaval ex
• Annihilape ex Box (2023)
• Paradox Rift Elite Trainer Boxes (Roaring Moon and Iron Valiant), Roaring Moon ex Box and Iron Valiant ex Box (late 2023)
• Paldean Fates Tins and the Great Tusk ex & Iron Treads ex Premium Collection (2024)
• Mabosstiff ex Box (23 February 2024)
• Paldea Adventure Chest (1 March 2024)
• Iono Premium Tournament Collection (5 April 2024)
• Paradox Clash Tins (24 May 2024) and Paradox Destinies Tins (6 September 2024)
• Palafin ex Box (21 June 2024)
• Terapagos ex Ultra-Premium Collection (1 November 2024)

After the credits

Once the credits roll after The Way Home, Paldea stays fully open and gains a fresh layer of challenges. Back at the Academy, a visit to Director Clavell’s office sets things moving: Nemona proposes a school-wide battle tournament and Top Champion Geeta offers to organise it, but only once the player has beaten all eight Gym Leaders again at full strength. A second Koraidon (Scarlet) or Miraidon (Violet) waits behind the Zero Lab, five-star raids give way to six-star ones, the Treasures of Ruin can still be tracked down, and finishing the Paldea Pokédex earns a reward from Jacq. Owners of the expansion pass can also carry on into The Indigo Disk, whose story needs the main game completed.

The Gym rematches and the Academy Ace Tournament

The Academy Ace Tournament is Scarlet and Violet’s answer to the Battle Tower: a four-round knockout staged at the Academy, opened only after the eight Gym rematches are cleared. Those rematches can be tackled in any order, and every Gym Leader now fields six Pokémon at levels in the mid-60s to low 70s. The first tournament has a fixed bracket – Arven, then Jacq, then Dendra, with Geeta waiting in the final – while every later run draws its opponents at random from a wider pool of teachers, Elite Four members, Nurse Miriam and Champion Nemona, so it can be replayed indefinitely for prizes such as Mints, Tera Shards, Bottle Caps and Rare Candies. Winning it for the first time prompts Jacq to report tougher Tera Raid Battles, opening the six-star tier. Separately, filling the Paldea Pokédex earns the Shiny Charm from Jacq, which raises the odds of meeting Shiny Pokémon.

• The eight Gym rematches are the gateway to the tournament and can be fought in any order, with teams at roughly levels 65 to 73.
• The first bracket is fixed: Arven (levels 67–68), Instructor Jacq (65–66), Instructor Dendra (65–66) and, in the final, Top Champion Geeta (69–70).
• Later brackets are drawn from a pool that includes Hassel, Dendra, Nurse Miriam, Raifort, Saguaro, Salvatore, Tyme and Nemona.
• Prizes are random; the most common is a random Mint, followed by a bundle of three Tera Shards, with Bottle Caps and the rarer Gold Bottle Cap also possible.
• After The Indigo Disk’s story is finished, tournament opponents rise in level and switch to the stronger teams they use as guests in Blueberry Academy’s League Club Room.
• A first tournament win leads Jacq to flag stronger raids across Paldea – the six-star Tera Raid Battles.

The Treasures of Ruin

Scattered across Paldea are 32 glowing Ominous Black Stakes, eight in each of four colours. Pulling every stake of one colour breaks the seal on one of four shrines, each housing a Treasure of Ruin – Dark-type Legendaries born from cursed relics: Wo-Chien from tablets, Chien-Pao from a broken sword, Ting-Lu from a vessel and Chi-Yu from a set of beads. The stakes can be pulled before the credits, but completing the History course, including both exams, persuades Raifort to mark all four shrines on the map. Each Treasure waits inside at level 60 and can be caught once per save file, and all four had their base stats trimmed by the launch-day patch.

• Purple stakes, found in the South and East Provinces, open the Grasswither Shrine in the south-east of the South Province, home of Wo-Chien (Grass/Dark).
• Yellow stakes, in the West and South Provinces, open the Icerend Shrine in the West Province, home of Chien-Pao (Ice/Dark).
• Green stakes, around Casseroya Lake, Glaseado Mountain and the West Province, open the Groundblight Shrine north of Casseroya Lake, home of Ting-Lu (Ground/Dark).
• Blue stakes, in the North Province, Glaseado Mountain and the north-east, open the Firescourge Shrine in the north-east of the North Province, home of Chi-Yu (Fire/Dark).

Seven-star raids, Mystery Gifts and save-data bonuses

Scarlet and Violet have been fed a steady stream of timed Tera Raid Battle events since November 2022, beginning with an Eevee spotlight. The headline attractions are the seven-star raids in black crystals: each stars a single powerful Pokémon with a fixed Tera type, can be caught only once per save file and carries the Mightiest Mark. The series opened with Charizard in December 2022, worked through the first partners of every generation (Hisuian forms included) and branched out to Mewtwo, Eevee, Paradox Pokémon and pseudo-Legendaries; it was still running in 2026 with Magikarp, Glimmora, Annihilape, Farigiraf and Kingambit. Mystery Gift codes added a Mew in 2023 and a Hisuian Zoroark for expansion buyers, while the Mythical Pecha Berry that unlocks Pecharunt has no end date. Save data from four earlier Switch games unlocks themed Rotom Phone cases rather than Pokémon.

• Seven-star Tera Raid Battles – from December 2022 a run of one-off black-crystal raids, each Pokémon catchable once per save with the Mightiest Mark: Charizard first, then the first partners of every generation (Hisuian forms included), Mewtwo, Eevee, pseudo-Legendaries, Paradox Pokémon and, in summer 2026, Magikarp, Glimmora, Annihilape, Farigiraf and Kingambit.
• Walking Wake and Iron Leaves – the Paradox relatives of Suicune and Virizion arrived in Tera Raid events from 27 February 2023, Walking Wake in Scarlet and Iron Leaves in Violet, with several reruns since.
• Mew – Mystery Gift password GETY0URMEW, 8 August to 18 September 2023 (ended).
• Hisuian Zoroark – a serial code for those who bought The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero before 31 October 2023 (ended).
• Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly with Hidden Abilities – a Pokémon HOME gift for moving a Pokémon from Scarlet & Violet into HOME for the first time.
• Pecharunt – the Mythical Pecha Berry, a Mystery Gift with no end date, unlocks the Mochi Mayhem epilogue.
• Save-data bonuses – Let’s Go, Sword & Shield, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl and Legends: Arceus saves each unlock a Rotom Phone case from a woman by the steps to Mesagoza’s central plaza.

Version updates

Scarlet & Violet were updated ten times after launch, ending with version 4.0.0, the free Nintendo Switch 2 update of June 2025:

• Version 1.0.1 (11 November 2022) – Pre-launch day-one patch needed for online play and Mystery Gift; lowered the base stats of the four Treasures of Ruin, changed TM compatibility for some species and fixed a stake-pulling animation.
• Version 1.1.0 (2 December 2022) – Opened Ranked Battles for Season 1, fixed Elite Four and Top Champion music sometimes failing to play and a Battle Stadium bug; Nintendo announced it alongside an apology for the games’ technical problems.
• Version 1.2.0 (27 February 2023) – Added Walking Wake and Iron Leaves with their signature moves, adjusted Hisuian Zoroark and Kleavor, enabled purchase of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, added Online and Friendly Competitions and a Pokémon GO link, expanded Box management and fixed many Tera Raid and battle bugs.
• Version 1.3.0 (20 April 2023) – Let players who had wrongly received an Egg instead of Walking Wake or Iron Leaves catch them, moved Friendly Competition entry deadlines to the end of each competition and fixed link-battle, Zoroark Illusion/Terastallisation, Pokédex and Pokémon GO pairing bugs.
• Version 1.3.1 (25 May 2023) – Fixed problems with leaving battles and viewing ratings in invite-only online competitions, plus other bugs.
• Version 1.3.2 (29 June 2023) – Adjustments for Live Competitions, a corrected description for the Ability Illuminate and other fixes.
• Version 2.0.1 (13 September 2023) – Added The Teal Mask with its new and returning Pokémon; added a north-locked minimap, camera settings, a wait signal for the lead Pokémon, photo music and Union Circle photo sharing, and a filter on the TM Machine; fixed Itemfinder and Titan respawn issues.
• Version 2.0.2 (12 October 2023) – Fixed NPC trainer victories no longer being recorded after 300 wins (which blocked rewards and progress), a Pokémon HOME issue with special Pokémon from Pokémon GO, and a crash in the final battle when Koraidon or Miraidon was in a full party.
• Version 3.0.0 (14 December 2023) – Added The Indigo Disk and the data for its new Pokémon (including Pecharunt), eased the Ogre Oustin’ minigame and fixed Hospitality and Protosynthesis/Quark Drive interactions with Neutralizing Gas.
• Version 3.0.1 (1 February 2024) – Removed Shieldon from TM223’s recipe; fixed Dragon Cheer lingering after a switch, a freeze when levelling Inkay with items, a soft-lock at the League Club Item Printer, Calyrex losing TM moves after recombining and wild Smeargle using Transform.
• Version 4.0.0 (3 June 2025) – Free update for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch: on Switch 2 the frame-rate cap rises from 30 to 60fps, output reaches 4K docked and 1080p handheld, distant Pokémon look sharper, more Pokémon can appear at once and flying load times drop sharply; required for online play. Still the latest version in October 2026.

The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero

The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero is Scarlet and Violet’s paid expansion pass, revealed and put on sale during the Pokémon Presents of 27 February 2023 for US$34.99, with a separate pass for each version. Instead of a third version, Game Freak delivered two linked parts: The Teal Mask on 13 September 2023 and The Indigo Disk on 14 December 2023, followed by the epilogue Mochi Mayhem, unlocked from 11 January 2024. The Teal Mask opens once the main story’s Treasure Hunt is under way; The Indigo Disk’s story needs the base game and The Teal Mask completed; Mochi Mayhem also needs an Academy Ace Tournament entry and the Mythical Pecha Berry.

The Teal Mask (September 2023)

The first part sends the player on a school trip, arranged by Jacq, to Kitakami – a rural land of rice paddies, apple orchards and folklore far to the east of Paldea – with Blueberry Academy teacher Briar acting as guide. In Mossui Town the player meets two local siblings: prickly Carmine, wary of outsiders, and her shy younger brother Kieran, who idolises the ogre said to haunt Oni Mountain. Signboards tell how the Loyal Three – Okidogi, Munkidori and Fezandipiti – heroically drove the ogre away, but during the Festival of Masks the player and Carmine meet the ‘ogre’ herself, Ogerpon, and learn from the siblings’ grandfather Yukito that the tale is backwards: the three were thieves who stole her masks. Carmine keeps the meeting from Kieran, and when he discovers the truth he steals the Teal Mask, loses to the player at Loyalty Plaza and strikes the Loyal Three’s monument. Revived and swollen to Titan size by mochi, the Loyal Three seize the remaining masks, and the player and Carmine defeat each in turn. Ogerpon then chooses the player, Kieran loses one last battle for her, and the player catches her before the class is called home. The Kitakami Pokédex has 200 entries, and photographer Perrin’s side quest in the Timeless Woods leads to Bloodmoon Ursaluna.

• Ogerpon’s four masks – Teal, Wellspring, Hearthflame and Cornerstone – set her type and Tera type (Grass, Water, Fire and Rock), and her signature move Ivy Cudgel changes with them.
• Okidogi, Munkidori and Fezandipiti share a new Ability, Toxic Chain.
• Perrin’s Timeless Woods quest opens after 150 Pokémon have been caught for the Kitakami Pokédex; Bloodmoon Ursaluna brings the move Blood Moon and the Ability Mind’s Eye.
• Ogre Oustin’ is a co-op berry-collecting minigame ridden on Koraidon or Miraidon; clearing all three difficulty levels earns a Shiny Munchlax.
• The Kitakami Ogre Clan is a set of eight specialist trainers; seven must be beaten before the eighth will battle.
• A poster outside the Treasure Eatery in Medali had shown silhouettes of the Loyal Three since launch, and Pecharunt is partly visible at the edge of Yukito’s picture-story.

The Indigo Disk (December 2023)

Part two moves the action to Blueberry Academy, a battle-mad sister school built largely beneath the sea off Unova, where the player arrives as an exchange student at Carmine’s request. Its showpiece is the Terarium, a vast domed nature reserve split into Savanna, Coastal, Canyon and Polar biomes, where Briar’s Terarium Core makes Terastallisation possible. Kieran, stung by events in Kitakami, has become the school’s ruthless, power-obsessed BB League Champion, presiding over a League Club that battles in doubles. To reach him the player clears an Elite Trial for each of the four Elite Four – Crispin, Amarys, Lacey and Drayton – then defeats Kieran and takes the title. Briar wins permission to explore Area Zero, and Geeta and Rika hand over the Indigo Disk, which sends the Zero Lab’s lift down to the hidden Underdepths, where the group discovers the Stellar Tera type and the slumbering Terapagos. Kieran claims it with a Master Ball and battles the player with it, but pushing Terapagos into its Stellar Form sends it out of control; Kieran and the player finally fight side by side to subdue it, the player catches it and the siblings make peace. The Blueberry Pokédex lists 243 Pokémon, and the update brings the Synchro Machine, Blueberry Quests, the Item Printer and Snacksworth’s returning Legendaries.

• A Stellar-type Terastallised Pokémon gets a one-off power boost the first time it uses a move of each type; in Tera Raid Battles the boost applies every time.
• The Synchro Machine, unlocked by helping Synclaire, lets the player take direct control of a Pokémon and fight wild Pokémon in auto-battle style.
• Blueberry Quests (BBQs) earn Blueberry Points, spent on Elite Trial entry, League Club Room decorations and 3,000-BP biome upgrades that bring first partner Pokémon from earlier regions to the Terarium.
• After the story, Amarys’s help lets Koraidon or Miraidon fly freely, and up to 23 characters can be invited as guests to the League Club Room.
• In the closing scene at Kitakami’s Crystal Pool, Professor Sada (Scarlet) or Turo (Violet) emerges from a mist to see Koraidon or Miraidon once more.
• The part was foreshadowed in the base game: Heath’s sketch of Stellar Form Terapagos appears in the Scarlet Book and Violet Book.

The BB League

Blueberry Academy’s own League battles in doubles. Each of its four Elite Four sets an Elite Trial before their battle, and each Terastallises their Pokémon into their speciality type; Kieran waits as Champion. All five can be rebattled daily in the League Club Room once the story is over.

Mochi Mayhem (January 2024)

Mochi Mayhem is a short epilogue that reunites the player’s Paldean friends in Kitakami. It begins when a decoration at Peachy’s in Mossui Town prompts a call from Arven; soon he, Nemona and Penny arrive at the player’s house in Cabo Poco, where a letter from Kieran contains tickets for a trip. In Mossui Town the visit turns eerie as Carmine, the grandparents Yukito and Hideko and then the player’s friends start dancing and chanting about mochi, controlled by poisoned treats fired by an unseen Pokémon. With Kieran holding back a crowd of possessed townsfolk, the player defeats a mind-controlled Nemona at Loyalty Plaza and then confronts the culprit: the Mythical Pecharunt, the schemer who manipulated the Loyal Three long ago. Catching it frees everyone, though nobody remembers much of the night.

• It requires The Indigo Disk’s story to be finished (Terapagos caught) and at least one entry in the Academy Ace Tournament.
• Pecharunt is fought at level 88 as a Tera Poison boss with double HP; any Poké Ball is guaranteed to catch it, and it is never Shiny and always has a Timid Nature.
• The battles include three Multi Battles alongside Kieran – against possessed locals, against Yukito and Hideko, and against Arven and Penny – and a solo battle with Nemona, whose team depends on the player’s first partner.
• Afterwards Carmine and Kieran sometimes appear in the League Club Room, and Nemona, Arven and Penny can be invited there.

New Pokémon and returning Legendaries

Fourteen new species arrived with the DLC, along with Bloodmoon Ursaluna, the four Ogerpon masks and the Terastal and Stellar Forms of Terapagos:

• Dipplin (#1011) – Grass/Dragon evolution of Applin, with the signature move Syrup Bomb and Ability Supersweet Syrup.
• Poltchageist (#1012) – Grass/Ghost matcha-bowl Pokémon with the Ability Hospitality.
• Sinistcha (#1013) – Evolution of Poltchageist with the signature move Matcha Gotcha; Carmine’s ace.
• Okidogi (#1014) – Poison/Fighting member of the Loyal Three.
• Munkidori (#1015) – Poison/Psychic member of the Loyal Three.
• Fezandipiti (#1016) – Poison/Fairy member of the Loyal Three.
• Ogerpon (#1017) – Grass-type Legendary mascot of The Teal Mask with four masks and Terastal forms.
• Ursaluna (Bloodmoon) (#901) – New Ground/Normal form found in the Timeless Woods.
• Archaludon (#1018) – Steel/Dragon evolution of Duraludon with the signature move Electro Shot; Drayton’s ace.
• Hydrapple (#1019) – Grass/Dragon evolution of Dipplin with the signature move Fickle Beam; Kieran’s ace.
• Gouging Fire (#1020) – Ancient Paradox Pokémon linked to Entei, signature move Burning Bulwark.
• Raging Bolt (#1021) – Ancient Paradox Pokémon linked to Raikou, signature move Thunderclap.
• Iron Boulder (#1022) – Future Paradox Pokémon linked to Terrakion, signature move Mighty Cleave.
• Iron Crown (#1023) – Future Paradox Pokémon linked to Cobalion, signature move Tachyon Cutter.
• Terapagos (#1024) – Normal-type Legendary mascot with Normal, Terastal and Stellar Forms; the source of the Terastal phenomenon.

Once The Indigo Disk’s story is complete, a snack-obsessed visitor called Snacksworth sets up near the bleachers at Blueberry Academy’s entrance. Every ten solo Blueberry Quests, or one group quest played with others, earns one of his treats, and each lures a returning Legendary to a spot in Paldea. The 25 are Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Raikou, Entei, Suicune, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Latias, Latios, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma, Kubfu, Glastrier and Spectrier; Rayquaza, Kyurem and Necrozma come only from group quests.

Paldea

Paldea is modelled on the Iberian Peninsula: Spanish towns of whitewashed walls and orange groves, a Portuguese-flavoured west coast and place names taken from the kitchen, from Asado to Casseroya. Its capital, Mesagoza, sits at the centre beside the Great Crater, and four provinces wrap around it, from the southern coast where the story begins to the snows of Glaseado Mountain in the north. The DLC adds two more destinations: Kitakami, a Japanese-style land of rice paddies and festivals, and Blueberry Academy, a sister school beneath the sea off Unova.

Where the journey takes you

Sixteen places that define Scarlet & Violet, in roughly the order you reach them.

Cabo Poco & Poco Path

Town

Cabo Poco is the smallest settlement in Paldea, a cluster of houses on the region’s southern coast where the player’s family arrives at the start of the adventure. Nemona lives in the same neighbourhood, and the beach below the cliffs is where she holds her first battle with the player. Poco Path winds inland from the village towards Los Platos, passing the lighthouse that served as the Professor’s lab and was Arven’s lonely childhood home. Nearby, the player rescues Koraidon or Miraidon from a pack of Houndour, and Arven returns to the lighthouse for his final Path of Legends battle.

Pokémon of note: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, Koraidon (Scarlet) / Miraidon (Violet), Houndour, Tarountula. Items: First partner Pokémon from Director Clavell, Koraidon’s or Miraidon’s Poké Ball, handed over by Arven.

Mesagoza & the Academy

City

Mesagoza is Paldea’s largest city, set just south of the Great Crater and built around a broad central plaza and battle court, with shops, cafés and boutiques lining its streets. At the head of the city stands Naranja Academy in Scarlet or Uva Academy in Violet, names taken from the Spanish words for orange and grape. Students attend classes, eat in the cafeteria and rest in their own dorm rooms, while Director Clavell oversees the school. The Treasure Hunt begins here, Penny’s showdown takes place in the schoolyard, Nemona’s Champion battle is held on the city’s central battle court, and the Academy Ace Tournament follows the credits.

Pokémon of note: Mabosstiff (Arven’s partner), Pawmot (Nemona’s partner), Sylveon (Penny’s ace). Items: Rotom Phone cases from save data (Pika-Vee, Ball Guy, Pokétch and Arc Phone cases), Bags, hats and accessories from the city’s boutiques.

Los Platos

Town

Los Platos is a small settlement in South Province (Area One), the first stop on the road from Cabo Poco to Mesagoza. Its name is Spanish for ‘the plates’, in keeping with Paldea’s food-themed place names, and the city of Ciudad Real in central Spain has been suggested as a model. The town has a single Pokémon Center, a Poké Mart and a Sugar-N-Ice cart selling ice cream with Meal Powers. At the Pokémon Center, Nemona hands over 5,000 League Points and a starter set of TM materials, making it a natural place to try the TM Machine. In Pokémon Horizons, it is where Liko parts from her mother before going on to Naranja Academy.

Pokémon of note: Surskit, Lechonk, Pawmi, Hoppip. Items: 5,000 LP plus Mankey Fur, Ralts Dust and Wooper Slime from Nemona, TM085 Rest (behind the bench north of the lake), Paralyze Heal, Antidote.

Cortondo

TownKaty (Bug)

Cortondo, in South Province (Area Two), lives off its olive groves. Its Olive Harvest Festival includes rolling giant olive-shaped balls into a goal, a custom believed to bring a bumper harvest, and the Gym Test is built around it. Many townspeople walk with Bug-type Pokémon in honour of the Gym, and Gym Leader Katy runs Patisserie Soapberry, the bakery she inherited from her family. The town also has an Artisan Bakery, a Deli Cioso and an Every Wich Way for sandwich supplies and Meal Powers. Two Vivillon in the rare Tundra and Continental patterns flutter above the pool east of the patisserie, whose tiles mimic the water of the Generation I games.

Pokémon of note: Smoliv, Teddiursa (Katy’s ace), Nymble, Vivillon (Tundra and Continental patterns), Snom (in-game trade). Items: TM021 Pounce (Gym reward) and the Bug Badge, TM037 Draining Kiss (behind the Gym), Big Root, TM027 Aerial Ace trainers).

Artazon

TownBrassius (Grass)

Artazon spreads across the border of South and East Province and is shaped by the art of its Gym Leader, Brassius, the self-styled Verdant Virtuoso who treats every battle as an artwork. His best-known piece, Surrendering Sunflora, is a group of sad-faced Sunflora statues placed around town; he made it while seriously ill and close to quitting art, until his friend Hassel persuaded him to carry on. Another of his works, The Harvest, adds bright, flower-like sculptures. For the Gym Test, challengers round up ten real Sunflora hiding across Artazon, some of which need to be beaten in battle before they will follow.

Pokémon of note: Sunflora, Sudowoodo (Brassius’s ace), Smoliv, Petilil. Items: TM020 Trailblaze (Gym reward), Grass Badge.

Levincia

CityIono (Electric)

Levincia is a bustling, brightly lit city on the coast of East Province and the home of Iono, the Electric-type Gym Leader and one of Paldea’s most popular streamers. The city’s love of screens and broadcasting shapes its Gym: Iono turns her Gym Test into a livestreamed hide-and-seek that challengers must play in front of her audience, and the Gym battle itself feels like part of the show. Levincia is also home to an in-game trade, where a woman named Blossom swaps her Haunter, nicknamed Hauntikins, for a Pincurchin, giving players an easy route to a trade evolution.

Pokémon of note: Bellibolt, Wattrel, Mismagius (Iono’s ace), Pincurchin, Haunter (in-game trade). Items: TM048 Volt Switch (Gym reward), Electric Badge.

Cascarrafa & the Asado Desert

CityKofu (Water)

Cascarrafa is a West Province city built around tumbling waterfalls and channels, and the base of Kofu, a big-hearted chef who leads the Water-type Gym and once taught Katy to bake. His Gym Test begins with an errand: Kofu has left his wallet in Porto Marinada, and the player must return it and win a bid at the market auction on his behalf. Beyond the city lies the Asado Desert, whose name means roast in Spanish, a sea of sand where the Quaking Earth Titan lurks: Great Tusk in Scarlet, Iron Treads in Violet. In Cascarrafa, a woman named Sue trades a Johtonian Wooper, nicknamed Manchester, for a Paldean one.

Pokémon of note: Crabominable (Kofu’s ace), Veluza, Wugtrio, Wooper (Johtonian form, in-game trade), Great Tusk / Iron Treads. Items: TM022 Chilling Water (Gym reward), Water Badge, Herba Mystica.

Porto Marinada

Town

Porto Marinada is a small port town on the West Province coast whose name blends the Portuguese word for port with ‘marinada’, or marinade, a nod both to Paldea’s culinary place names and to the Portuguese influences found mostly in the west of the region. Its waterfront market is famous for auctions in which rare goods go to the highest bidder, and it plays a starring role in Kofu’s Gym Test: challengers come here to return the chef’s forgotten wallet and then bid for him. With its fishing boats and stalls, it is one of the most atmospheric stops on the western coast.

Pokémon of note: Wiglett, Finizen, Wingull. Items: Kofu’s Wallet (Gym Test key item), Market auction lots.

Medali

TownLarry (Normal)

Medali is a quiet West Province town whose Normal-type Gym is run by Larry, a weary Pokémon League employee who is also a member of the Elite Four. Its Gym Test sends challengers around town gathering clues from locals and Gym trainers to work out the secret menu item at the Treasure Eatery, then order it correctly. The Treasure Eatery’s chef offers another valuable service: for 50 Tera Shards of a type, he will change a Pokémon’s Tera Type, making Medali an essential stop for players building competitive teams.

Pokémon of note: Staraptor (Larry’s ace), Komala, Dudunsparce. Items: TM025 Facade (Gym reward), Normal Badge, Tera Type changes at the Treasure Eatery (50 Tera Shards).

Montenevera & Glaseado Mountain

MountainRyme (Ghost) in Montenevera; Grusha (Ice) on Glaseado Mountain

Glaseado Mountain is Paldea’s highest peak, a frozen massif that dominates the north, and the snowy uplands around it hold two Gyms. Montenevera, a wintry hill town, is home to the Ghost-type Gym of Ryme, a rapper who stages her battles as live performances; her Gym Test is a series of Double Battles in front of a crowd, and her own battle is the only Double Battle among the eight Gyms. Higher up, Grusha, a cool former snowboarder, runs the Ice-type Gym, whose test is a timed ride down the slopes on Koraidon or Miraidon, passing every gate within a minute and a half.

Pokémon of note: Toxtricity (Ryme’s ace), Houndstone, Mimikyu, Altaria (Grusha’s ace), Cetitan, Frigibax. Items: TM114 Shadow Ball (Ryme’s reward), TM124 Ice Spinner (Grusha’s reward), Ghost Badge and Ice Badge.

Alfornada

TownTulip (Psychic)

Alfornada is a secluded town tucked away in Paldea’s hills, which gives its name to the nearby Alfornada Cavern. It is home to the Psychic-type Gym of Tulip, a renowned make-up artist who believes in bringing out each person’s true beauty. Her Gym Test applies that eye to the challenger: an emotion-matching exercise in which the player must express a series of feelings on cue before facing a Gym trainer, repeated before the leader will battle. Because Tulip’s Gym is one of the toughest on the suggested route, with an ace at level 45, most players arrive late in Victory Road.

Pokémon of note: Florges (Tulip’s ace), Farigiraf, Espathra, Gardevoir. Items: TM120 Psychic (Gym reward), Psychic Badge.

Zapapico

TownLurking Steel Titan Orthworm, in nearby East Province (Area Three)

Zapapico is a mining town built among rocky outcrops at the foot of Glaseado Mountain’s Dalizapa Passage, beside East Province (Area Three). A resident explains that it is mostly a town of miners, and its name is the Spanish word for pickaxe; the Spanish towns of Cuenca and Setenil de las Bodegas, with homes set into the rock, have been suggested as models. By the fountain, a resident swaps armour for materials: Auspicious Armor for ten Bronzor Fragments in Scarlet, or Malicious Armor for ten Sinistea Chips in Violet, the items that evolve Charcadet into Armarouge or Ceruledge. The tunnels of the Lurking Steel Titan lie nearby.

Pokémon of note: Charcadet, Orthworm, Bronzor, Sinistea. Items: Auspicious Armor (Scarlet) / Malicious Armor (Violet), Steel Tera Shard ×3, Rocky Helmet, Punching Glove.

Casseroya Lake

LakeFalse Dragon Titan Dondozo and Tatsugiri

Casseroya Lake is a vast lake in northern Paldea, fed by Casseroya Falls and dotted with small islands, and its name continues the region’s kitchen theme. It is home to the last Titan of the Path of Legends, the False Dragon Titan: a Dondozo swallows an unusually large Tatsugiri, battles the player and Arven, and then the Tatsugiri itself joins the fight. The Herba Mystica it guards finally restores Koraidon’s or Miraidon’s climbing ability and brings Mabosstiff back to health. The eight stakes that seal the shrine of Ting-Lu, one of the Treasures of Ruin, are scattered around the lake and its surroundings.

Pokémon of note: Dondozo, Tatsugiri, Ting-Lu. Items: Herba Mystica, Ting-Lu’s eight stakes.

Tagtree Thicket

AreaTeam Star Navi Squad (Atticus, Poison)

Tagtree Thicket is a dense, shadowy forest in Paldea’s East Province, and one of the less visited corners of the open world until Starfall Street leads the player there. Hidden among its trees is the base of Team Star’s Navi Squad, run by Atticus, a Poison-type specialist with a flair for drama. Players must first clear the base’s timed Let’s Go challenge, then defeat Atticus’s Skuntank, Muk and Revavroom before facing the squad’s Poison-type Starmobile. Beating him earns TM102 Gunk Shot and a step closer to unmasking Cassiopeia.

Pokémon of note: Skuntank, Muk, Revavroom. Items: TM102 Gunk Shot, Navi Squad Star Badge.

The Pokémon League

Area

The Paldea Pokémon League is the body that runs Gyms, ranks and League Points across the region, and its headquarters is where Victory Road ends. In Paldea, Champion is a rank rather than a single title: once a challenger holds all eight Badges, they sit the Champion Assessment, starting with an interview by Rika, before facing the Elite Four in a fixed order (Rika, Poppy, Larry and Hassel) and finally Top Champion Geeta, who chairs the League. Winning makes the player Champion-ranked, after which Nemona demands her long-awaited battle in Mesagoza.

Pokémon of note: Clodsire (Rika), Tinkaton (Poppy), Flamigo (Larry), Baxcalibur (Hassel), Glimmora (Geeta), Kingambit (Geeta). Items: Champion rank, League Points (LP).

Area Zero & the Zero Lab

Crater

Area Zero lies deep inside the Great Crater of Paldea, a vast hollow at the centre of the region that formed at least a million years ago and cut the land off from the rest of Paldea. The Academy forbids students from entering because of its dangerous terrain and aggressive Pokémon. It is the birthplace of the Terastal phenomenon, its crystals are used to make Tera Orbs, and it teems with Paradox Pokémon found almost nowhere else. Four Research Stations, each with a warp panel, a bed and old journals, mark the way down to the Zero Lab and its time machine. With The Indigo Disk, the lab’s lift reaches the Area Zero Underdepths.

Pokémon of note: Great Tusk / Iron Treads, Flutter Mane / Iron Jugulis, Roaring Moon / Iron Valiant, Koraidon / Miraidon (a second one after the credits). Items: TM171 Tera Blast, Dusk Stone, Shiny Stone, Luxury Ball.

Beyond Paldea

Four sights from the DLC:

Can I catch them all?

Scarlet & Violet’s Paldea Pokédex holds 400 species, and the DLC’s Kitakami and Blueberry Pokédexes bring back hundreds more. As in Sword and Shield, though, not every Pokémon is in the games: species outside their data can’t be caught or transferred in, and stay in Pokémon HOME.

Version exclusives

Version exclusives: each version has 23 species the other can’t catch in the base game, including its Paradox Pokémon, a breed of Paldean Tauros and its box Legendary. Trading, Union Circle or Pokémon HOME fills the gaps.

Charcadet evolves into Armarouge in Scarlet and Ceruledge in Violet through armour traded in Zapapico, but each version can get the other’s armour in Kitakami or by trading, so neither is a true exclusive. The DLC adds further exclusives of its own, including the Indigo Disk Paradox Pokémon.

The Paldea, Kitakami and Blueberry Pokédexes

The Paldea Pokédex holds 400 species, from Sprigatito to Koraidon and Miraidon, and filling it earns the Shiny Charm from Mr Jacq. The DLC adds two more regional lists: the Kitakami Pokédex of 200 species in The Teal Mask and the Blueberry Pokédex of 243 in The Indigo Disk, which bring back many favourites from earlier generations and dozens of Legendaries. Even with both, Scarlet and Violet don’t include every Pokémon, and HOME can only send in species that exist in the games’ data; transferred Pokémon arrive knowing their four most recent level-up moves.

Every base-game Paradox Pokémon

Eight ancient ones in Scarlet and eight future ones in Violet, counting Walking Wake and Iron Leaves, which arrived through Tera Raid events in 2023:

• Great Tusk#984
• Scream Tail#985
• Brute Bonnet#986
• Flutter Mane#987
• Slither Wing#988
• Sandy Shocks#989
• Roaring Moon#1005
• Walking Wake#1009
• Iron Treads#990
• Iron Bundle#991
• Iron Hands#992
• Iron Jugulis#993
• Iron Moth#994
• Iron Thorns#995
• Iron Valiant#1006
• Iron Leaves#1010

Paldean forms

Paldea’s regional forms are few but memorable: Paldean Wooper, a Poison/Ground type that evolves into the new Clodsire, and three breeds of Paldean Tauros – the Fighting-type Combat Breed in both versions, the Fighting/Fire Blaze Breed in Scarlet and the Fighting/Water Aqua Breed in Violet.

• Paldean Wooper#194
• Clodsire#980
• Combat Breed Tauros#128
• Blaze Breed Tauros#128
• Aqua Breed Tauros#128

New species and new evolutions

Generation IX brings 120 new species in all, and the base game introduced the bulk of them, from the first partners and the Legendary Koraidon and Miraidon to Paradox Pokémon and the four Treasures of Ruin. Paldea also has regional forms: Paldean Wooper, a Poison/Ground type that evolves into the new Clodsire, and three breeds of Paldean Tauros (Combat, Blaze and Aqua). Several familiar Pokémon gained brand-new evolutions: Primeape evolves into Annihilape, Girafarig into Farigiraf, Dunsparce into Dudunsparce, and Bisharp into Kingambit. Other standouts include Tinkaton, Palafin, Gholdengo and the Dragon/Ice pseudo-legendary Baxcalibur, while Lechonk, Pawmi, Fidough, Smoliv and Tarountula fill the early routes with new faces.

• Annihilape#979
• Farigiraf#981
• Dudunsparce#982
• Kingambit#983
• Gholdengo#1000
• Baxcalibur#998
• Tinkaton#959
• Palafin#964

What Scarlet & Violet adds

• 105 new species – From Sprigatito (#906) to Iron Leaves (#1010) in the base game and its events, with fifteen more (#1011–1025) in the DLC era.
• Paradox Pokémon – Ancient and future versions of familiar species, split between the versions.
• Paldean forms – Paldean Wooper and three breeds of Paldean Tauros.
• Terastallisation – Any Pokémon can crystallise into its Tera Type once per battle.

Starter Pokémon

Director Clavell brings the three Paldea starters to your door in Cabo Poco, and Nemona always takes the one that beats yours:

• Sprigatito: Grass-type; evolves into Floragato (16), Meowscarada (36). A Grass Cat Pokémon; its final form, Meowscarada, is Grass/Dark and a stage-magician type of fighter.
• Fuecoco: Fire-type; evolves into Crocalor (16), Skeledirge (36). A laid-back Fire Croc Pokémon; its final form, Skeledirge, is Fire/Ghost.
• Quaxly: Water-type; evolves into Quaxwell (16), Quaquaval (36). A tidy Duckling Pokémon; its final form, Quaquaval, is Water/Fighting and dances as it battles.

And their final forms:

Legendary, Mythical and event Pokémon

• KoraidonScarlet
• MiraidonViolet
• Wo-ChienGrasswither Shrine
• Chien-PaoIcerend Shrine
• Ting-LuGroundblight Shrine
• Chi-YuFirescourge Shrine
• OkidogiKitakami
• MunkidoriKitakami
• FezandipitiKitakami
• OgerponThe Teal Mask
• TerapagosThe Indigo Disk
• PecharuntMochi Mayhem
• MewEvent only
• MewtwoEvent only

Koraidon – Lv. 68, Scarlet. Your partner and ride from the first day; after the credits its aggressive counterpart can be battled and caught beside the Zero Lab (level 72).

Miraidon – Lv. 68, Violet. Your partner and ride from the first day; after the credits its aggressive counterpart can be battled and caught beside the Zero Lab (level 72).

Wo-Chien – Lv. 60, Grasswither Shrine. Pull the eight purple stakes in the South and East Provinces to open its shrine in the south-east of the South Province.

Chien-Pao – Lv. 60, Icerend Shrine. Pull the eight yellow stakes in the West and South Provinces to open its shrine in the West Province.

Ting-Lu – Lv. 60, Groundblight Shrine. Pull the eight green stakes around Casseroya Lake, Glaseado Mountain and the West Province to open its shrine north of Casseroya Lake.

Chi-Yu – Lv. 60, Firescourge Shrine. Pull the eight blue stakes in the North Province and around Glaseado Mountain to open its shrine in the north-east.

Okidogi – Kitakami. One of the Loyal Three, caught in Kitakami once The Teal Mask’s story is over.

Munkidori – Kitakami. One of the Loyal Three, caught in Kitakami once The Teal Mask’s story is over.

Fezandipiti – Kitakami. One of the Loyal Three, caught in Kitakami once The Teal Mask’s story is over.

Ogerpon – Kitakami. Chooses you at the end of The Teal Mask; its four masks change its type.

Terapagos – Area Zero. Caught in the Underdepths at the climax of The Indigo Disk.

Pecharunt – Lv. 88, Kitakami. Caught at the end of Mochi Mayhem, unlocked by the Mythical Pecha Berry Mystery Gift.

Mew – Event only. Mystery Gift password GETY0URMEW, August–September 2023.

Mewtwo – Event only. A seven-star Tera Raid event in September 2023.

Gift Pokémon and in-game trades

Pokémon you are simply handed:

• Sprigatito, Fuecoco or Quaxly – Cabo Poco. Director Clavell offers the choice of first partner at the player’s home on the first day.
• Koraidon (Scarlet) / Miraidon (Violet) – Poco Path. After the player rescues it from a pack of Houndour, Arven hands over its Poké Ball; it serves as the player’s ride.

In-game trades: three locals will swap Pokémon, one of them a quick route to a trade evolution:

Connectivity

There is no direct link to another game: Pokémon move in and out through Pokémon HOME, and save data from four earlier Switch games unlocks Rotom Phone cases.

Through the Poké Portal, players can form a Union Circle with up to three friends, trade by Link Trade or Surprise Trade, battle locally or online in the Battle Stadium, host or join online Tera Raid Battles and claim Mystery Gifts; online features need a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Pokémon HOME support arrived on 30 May 2023 with HOME version 3.0.0: species in the game’s data can be brought in from Sword and Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Legends: Arceus and older games via HOME, and SV Pokémon can move on to the Generation VIII games where supported, though the Koraidon or Miraidon used as a ride cannot be deposited. Legends: Z-A joined HOME on 2 April 2026, but Pokémon caught in or moved into Z-A cannot travel back to SV. Save data from Let’s Go, Pikachu!/Eevee!, Sword and Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Legends: Arceus unlocks Rotom Phone cases in Mesagoza, and Pokémon GO has linked via Bluetooth since version 1.2.0. A free update optimises the games for Nintendo Switch 2.

Characters

The Academy’s staff and students, and the DLC’s new faces. Nemona is covered with the story above, Penny and Arven with Team Star and the Titans, and the Gym Leaders and Elite Four further down.

Florian & Juliana

The player, called Florian or Juliana by default, is a transfer student who moves to Cabo Poco with their mother and joins Naranja Academy in Scarlet or Uva Academy in Violet. For the first time in the series, the outfit is the same whichever appearance is chosen: the Academy uniform, available in several seasonal styles and customisable with bags, hats, eyewear, gloves, socks and shoes. Over the Treasure Hunt the player becomes partner to Koraidon or Miraidon, best friend to Nemona, Arven and Penny, a Champion-ranked Trainer, and the one who finally brings the Professor’s story to a close in Area Zero.

Professor Sada & Professor Turo

Professor Sada in Scarlet and Professor Turo in Violet are Arven’s parent and the leading Pokémon researchers of Paldea, obsessed with the ancient past and the far future respectively. Inspired by an old expedition journal, they explored the Great Crater, worked from the Zero Lab deep in Area Zero, developed the Tera Orb and built a time machine that brought Paradox Pokémon, including Koraidon or Miraidon, into the present, at great cost to their family. The real Professor died protecting the gentler Koraidon or Miraidon from its aggressive counterpart. The voice guiding the player is an AI copy that cannot leave Area Zero and wants the machine stopped; it battles the player with a team of Paradox Pokémon before passing through the machine itself.

Director Clavell

Clavell is the director of Naranja Academy or Uva Academy, a polite, softly spoken man who personally hands the player their first partner and launches the Treasure Hunt. Troubled by the Team Star affair, he goes undercover as Clive, a student in disguise, to follow Operation Starfall and heal the player’s Pokémon between raids. Once the truth comes out, he lets Team Star continue, turning its bases into supervised training centres, and he later battles in the Academy Ace Tournament.

Mr Jacq

Mr Jacq is the Academy’s biology teacher and the player’s homeroom teacher, an easy-going Pokémon enthusiast who looks after the Pokédex app. He rewards the player as Paldea Pokédex entries add up, and hands over the Shiny Charm once the Paldea Pokédex is complete.

Ms Raifort

Ms Raifort teaches History at the Academy and adores Paldea’s ancient legends. Her lessons tell the story of the Treasures of Ruin, four Pokémon brought to Paldea long ago and sealed in shrines, and explain that the stakes binding each shrine are found near it, setting up one of the region’s best side quests.

Mabosstiff

Arven’s Mabosstiff, which he raised from a Maschiff, was badly wounded in Area Zero, and no Potion or Pokémon Center could heal it. Herba Mystica sandwiches from the Path of Legends gradually bring it back, and it becomes the Terastallised Dark-type ace of Arven’s final battle.

Carmine

Kieran’s older sister and a third-year at Blueberry Academy, Carmine greets the player in Mossui Town with open hostility, rooted in fear that outsiders will turn her home into a tourist trap. She hides the Ogerpon encounter to spare her brother’s feelings, then leads the ‘Mask Retrieval Squad’ against the Loyal Three. In The Indigo Disk she recruits the player as an exchange student, hoping their presence will calm Kieran down.

Kieran

A timid first-year from Mossui Town who longs to grow strong enough to step out of his sister’s shadow. Kieran idolises Ogerpon and sees the player as a kindred spirit, so discovering that both Carmine and the player kept secrets from him crushes him. He resurfaces at Blueberry Academy as a harsh, title-obsessed BB League Champion. After the Terapagos crisis he steps away from the rankings and asks to start over as friends.

Briar

A Blueberry Academy teacher descended from Heath, author of the Scarlet Book and Violet Book. Briar owns his original manuscript, whose suppressed pages depict Terapagos, and is determined to clear the discredited explorer’s name. She guides the Kitakami trip, builds the Terarium Core and finally leads the students into Area Zero’s Underdepths, where her eagerness to unlock Terapagos’s Stellar Form nearly ends in disaster. She later apologises and writes a book about the expedition.

Perrin

A professional photographer drawn to Kitakami by a mysterious Pokémon caught on camera in the Timeless Woods. Once the player has registered 150 caught species in the Kitakami Pokédex, Perrin enlists their help, and the hunt through the misty forest ends with Bloodmoon Ursaluna. She later appears on Blueberry Academy’s outsourced staff.

The Gyms

Paldea’s eight Gyms make up Victory Road, and for the first time they can be taken on in any order. Each Leader sets a Gym Test before the battle, and every one of them Terastallises their ace into their speciality type – even when that Pokémon isn’t of that type to begin with.

The suggested route – every Gym from weakest to strongest, with the Leader’s Terastallised ace, a team level to aim for and the TM you win:

1. Bug BadgeKaty · CortondoBug · ace Teddiursa Lv. 15Aim for Lv. 15–18 · TM021 Pounce
2. Grass BadgeBrassius · ArtazonGrass · ace Sudowoodo Lv. 17Aim for Lv. 17–20 · TM020 Trailblaze
3. Electric BadgeIono · LevinciaElectric · ace Mismagius Lv. 24Aim for Lv. 24–27 · TM048 Volt Switch
4. Water BadgeKofu · CascarrafaWater · ace Crabominable Lv. 30Aim for Lv. 30–33 · TM022 Chilling Water
5. Normal BadgeLarry · MedaliNormal · ace Staraptor Lv. 36Aim for Lv. 36–39 · TM025 Facade
6. Ghost BadgeRyme · MonteneveraGhost · ace Toxtricity Lv. 42Aim for Lv. 42–45 · TM114 Shadow Ball
7. Psychic BadgeTulip · AlfornadaPsychic · ace Florges Lv. 45Aim for Lv. 45–48 · TM120 Psychic
8. Ice BadgeGrusha · Glaseado MountainIce · ace Altaria Lv. 48Aim for Lv. 48–51 · TM124 Ice Spinner

The Gym Leaders

Cortondo Gym: Katy

Bug · Cortondo · Bug Badge

Katy is a cheerful patissier who runs Patisserie Soapberry, the bakery she inherited from her family, and who learned her craft from Kofu. She believes that sweets and Bug-type Pokémon are both mightier than their size suggests. Kind and sunny by nature, she turns stern with troublemakers and is ruthless once a battle starts. Because her Gym is the nearest to Mesagoza, Geeta asked her to go easy on new challengers, though she later decides to raise the difficulty.

Team: Nymble Lv. 14, Tarountula Lv. 14, Teddiursa Lv. 15 (Tera Bug, ace)

Rematch: Lokix Lv. 65, Forretress Lv. 65, Spidops Lv. 65, Heracross Lv. 65, Ursaring Lv. 66 (Tera Bug, ace)

Gym Test: Guiding a giant olive across the course and into the goal, inspired by Cortondo’s Olive Harvest Festival. Her ace Teddiursa is a Normal type that Terastallises into Bug, a gentle first lesson in Tera Types; by the rematch it has evolved into Ursaring. Reward: TM021 Pounce.

Artazon Gym: Brassius

Grass · Artazon · Grass Badge

Brassius, the self-styled Verdant Virtuoso, is an avant-garde artist who treats every battle as a work of art and judges challengers on their aesthetic sense. His best-known piece, the downcast Surrendering Sunflora statues around Artazon, came from a time of serious illness when he nearly gave up art, until his friend Hassel, the Academy’s art teacher, urged him on. Always chasing his next project, he draws inspiration from everything around him.

Team: Petilil Lv. 16, Smoliv Lv. 16, Sudowoodo Lv. 17 (Tera Grass, ace)

Rematch: Lilligant Lv. 65, Breloom Lv. 65, Tsareena Lv. 65, Arboliva Lv. 65, Sudowoodo Lv. 66 (Tera Grass, ace)

Gym Test: Finding ten Sunflora hidden around Artazon, some of which must be beaten in battle. His ace Sudowoodo is a Rock-type ‘tree’ that becomes a genuine Grass type when Terastallised; his friend Hassel doubles as the Elite Four’s Dragon-type specialist. Reward: TM020 Trailblaze.

Levincia Gym: Iono

Electric · Levincia · Electric Badge

Iono is a hugely popular streamer whose channel has made her one of Paldea’s biggest celebrities, and she runs Levincia’s Electric-type Gym as an extension of her show. Bubbly and quick-witted, she treats every challenge as content, broadcasting the Gym Test and the battle itself to her audience. Her team mixes Paldea’s new Electric types, Wattrel and the frog-like Bellibolt, with Luxio, and her ace is a Mismagius that surprises unprepared challengers by turning Electric.

Team: Wattrel Lv. 23, Bellibolt Lv. 23, Luxio Lv. 23, Mismagius Lv. 24 (Tera Electric, ace)

Rematch: Kilowattrel Lv. 65, Bellibolt Lv. 65, Electrode Lv. 65, Luxray Lv. 65, Mismagius Lv. 66 (Tera Electric, ace)

Gym Test: A livestreamed hide-and-seek on Iono’s channel, played in front of her viewers. Mismagius keeps its Levitate Ability after Terastallising into an Electric type, so Ground-type moves still cannot touch it; Ghost and Dark moves work before it changes. Reward: TM048 Volt Switch.

Cascarrafa Gym: Kofu

Water · Cascarrafa · Water Badge

Kofu is a larger-than-life chef from Cascarrafa who leads the Water-type Gym and once taught Katy to bake. Passionate and a little scatterbrained, he turns his own forgetfulness into the Gym Test, sending the player off to Porto Marinada to fetch his wallet and then bid for him at the market auction. In battle he leans on Paldea’s new Water types, Veluza and Wugtrio, before bringing out Crabominable.

Team: Veluza Lv. 29, Wugtrio Lv. 29, Crabominable Lv. 30 (Tera Water, ace)

Rematch: Veluza Lv. 65, Pelipper Lv. 65, Wugtrio Lv. 65, Clawitzer Lv. 65, Crabominable Lv. 66 (Tera Water, ace)

Gym Test: Returning Kofu’s forgotten wallet in Porto Marinada and winning an auction bid at the market on his behalf. His ace Crabominable is an Ice/Fighting Pokémon that becomes a pure Water type when Terastallised, so Grass and Electric moves are the best answer. Reward: TM022 Chilling Water.

Medali Gym: Larry

Normal · Medali · Normal Badge

Larry is an unassuming, perpetually tired salaryman who works for the Pokémon League and holds two posts at once: Normal-type Gym Leader in Medali and Flying-type member of the Elite Four. He has little patience for fuss and a fondness for plain, practical things, which suits a Gym Test built around ordering the right dish. His team is low-key but sturdy, and his Staraptor drops its Flying type when Terastallised.

Team: Komala Lv. 35, Dudunsparce Lv. 35, Staraptor Lv. 36 (Tera Normal, ace)

Rematch: Oinkologne Lv. 65, Komala Lv. 65, Braviary Lv. 65, Dudunsparce Lv. 65, Staraptor Lv. 66 (Tera Normal, ace)

Gym Test: Gathering clues around Medali to work out the Treasure Eatery’s secret menu item, then ordering it correctly. The only Paldean Gym Leader who reappears in the Elite Four; Terastallised into pure Normal, Staraptor loses its Flying-type weaknesses but becomes weak to Fighting. Reward: TM025 Facade.

Montenevera Gym: Ryme

Ghost · Montenevera · Ghost Badge

Ryme is a rapper who performs as MC Ryme and brings the energy of a live show to Montenevera’s Ghost-type Gym. Her Gym Test feels like a warm-up act, a run of Double Battles staged before a cheering audience, and her own battle is the only Double Battle among Paldea’s eight Gyms. She pairs spooky classics such as Banette and Mimikyu with Paldea’s Houndstone, and closes with Toxtricity.

Team: Double Battle: Banette Lv. 41, Mimikyu Lv. 41, Houndstone Lv. 41, Toxtricity Lv. 42 (Tera Ghost, ace)

Rematch: Banette Lv. 65, Mimikyu Lv. 65, Spiritomb Lv. 65, Houndstone Lv. 65, Toxtricity Lv. 66 (Tera Ghost, ace)

Gym Test: A series of Double Battles against Gym trainers in front of a crowd. Toxtricity, an Electric/Poison Pokémon, becomes a pure Ghost type when Terastallised, so Normal- and Fighting-type moves stop working against it; Dark and Ghost moves hit hard. Reward: TM114 Shadow Ball.

Alfornada Gym: Tulip

Psychic · Alfornada · Psychic Badge

Tulip is a renowned make-up artist who leads the Psychic-type Gym in Alfornada and believes in bringing out the true beauty in every person and Pokémon. She applies that eye to battling, and her Gym Test asks challengers to show a range of emotions on demand. Her elegant team includes Paldea’s new Farigiraf and Espathra, alongside Gardevoir, and ends with Florges.

Team: Farigiraf Lv. 44, Gardevoir Lv. 44, Espathra Lv. 44, Florges Lv. 45 (Tera Psychic, ace)

Rematch: Farigiraf Lv. 65, Gardevoir Lv. 65, Espathra Lv. 65, Gallade Lv. 65, Florges Lv. 66 (Tera Psychic, ace)

Gym Test: An emotion-matching exercise in which the player expresses a series of feelings on cue, then beats a Gym trainer, repeated twice. Florges, a Fairy type, becomes Psychic when Terastallised, which makes Bug, Ghost and Dark moves the safest way through her ace. Reward: TM120 Psychic.

Glaseado Gym: Grusha

Ice · Glaseado Mountain · Ice Badge

Grusha is a cool, reserved young man and a former snowboarder who leads the Ice-type Gym high on Glaseado Mountain, Paldea’s tallest peak. Calm on the surface but quietly passionate, he has turned his love of the slopes into the Gym Test, a timed downhill run on Koraidon or Miraidon. He is the final Gym Leader on the suggested route, and his team pairs Paldea’s Cetitan with Frosmoth, Beartic and an Altaria ace.

Team: Frosmoth Lv. 47, Beartic Lv. 47, Cetitan Lv. 47, Altaria Lv. 48 (Tera Ice, ace)

Rematch: Frosmoth Lv. 65, Beartic Lv. 65, Cetitan Lv. 65, Weavile Lv. 65, Altaria Lv. 66 (Tera Ice, ace)

Gym Test: A timed run riding Koraidon or Miraidon down Glaseado Mountain through every gate within 1 minute 30 seconds. Altaria, normally Dragon/Flying, turns into a pure Ice type when Terastallised, so Fire, Fighting, Rock and Steel moves become the best options. Reward: TM124 Ice Spinner.

The Elite Four & Top Champion Geeta

Once you hold all eight Badges, the Champion Assessment at the Pokémon League begins with an interview by Rika, before the Elite Four are fought in a fixed order and Top Champion Geeta waits at the end. In Paldea, Champion is a rank rather than a single title, so beating Geeta makes you Champion-ranked alongside Nemona.

Straight afterwards Nemona demands the battle she has waited for all along, on Mesagoza’s central battle court; her team is listed with the rivals above.

Rika, Poppy, Larry and Hassel, then Top Champion Geeta

Rika, Elite Four

Ground · Elite Four · Pokémon League

Rika is the first member of the Elite Four and runs the Champion Assessment interview that every challenger must pass before battling. Relaxed and teasing, she enjoys putting candidates on the spot. Her Ground-type team ends with Clodsire, the Poison/Ground evolution of Paldean Wooper, which Terastallises into a pure Ground type.

Team: Whiscash Lv. 57, Camerupt Lv. 57, Donphan Lv. 57, Dugtrio Lv. 57, Clodsire Lv. 58 (Tera Ground, ace)

Poppy is her young friend and the next member in the fixed order.

Poppy, Elite Four

Steel · Elite Four · Pokémon League

Poppy is a small girl and the second member of the Elite Four, a cheerful, playful child whose Steel-type team hits far harder than her age suggests. Her line-up of Copperajah, Magnezone, Bronzong and Corviknight leads up to her signature partner Tinkaton, Paldea’s hammer-swinging Fairy/Steel Pokémon, which turns into a pure Steel type when she Terastallises it.

Team: Copperajah Lv. 58, Magnezone Lv. 58, Bronzong Lv. 58, Corviknight Lv. 58, Tinkaton Lv. 59 (Tera Steel, ace)

Fire- and Ground-type moves are the main answers to her team.

Larry, Elite Four

Flying · Elite Four · Pokémon League

Larry reappears as the third member of the Elite Four, swapping his Gym’s Normal speciality for Flying types and making him the only Paldean Gym Leader to face the player twice on Victory Road. As unflappable as ever, he brings Tropius, Oricorio, Altaria and Staraptor before his ace Flamigo, the Flying/Fighting flamingo that Terastallises into pure Flying.

Team: Tropius Lv. 59, Oricorio Lv. 59, Altaria Lv. 59, Staraptor Lv. 59, Flamigo Lv. 60 (Tera Flying, ace)

After the battle he calls in Hassel, the final member.

Hassel, Elite Four

Dragon · Elite Four · Pokémon League

Hassel is the Academy’s art teacher and the Dragon-type member of the Elite Four, an earnest, emotional man who is moved to tears by passionate battling. His friendship with Brassius helped save the artist’s career. He closes with Baxcalibur, Paldea’s new Dragon/Ice pseudo-legendary, which Terastallises into a pure Dragon type.

Team: Noivern Lv. 60, Haxorus Lv. 60, Dragalge Lv. 60, Flapple Lv. 60, Baxcalibur Lv. 61 (Tera Dragon, ace)

Larry calls him in after their battle; Fairy- and Ice-type moves are the main answers to his team.

Geeta, Top Champion

Mixed · Top Champion · chair of the Paldea Pokémon League

Geeta is the Top Champion of the Paldea League and the chair of the League itself, a composed, demanding figure who oversees the Gyms and assesses every would-be Champion. She faces the player last on Victory Road with a mixed team led by a Glimmora that Terastallises into the Rock type. After the credits, while she helps Nemona set up the Academy Ace Tournament, she asks the player to inspect the eight Gyms by battling every Gym Leader again.

Team: Espathra Lv. 61, Gogoat Lv. 61, Veluza Lv. 61, Avalugg Lv. 61, Kingambit Lv. 61, Glimmora Lv. 62 (Tera Rock, ace)

After the credits she sets you the Gym inspection and meets you in the final of the first Academy Ace Tournament.

Glitches, exploits and oddities

Scarlet & Violet launched with more technical problems than any core game before them. Updates fixed the worst bugs, but some oddities never went away:

Memory leak and performance decay

The best-known technical fault in Scarlet and Violet is a memory leak: the longer the game stays open, the worse it runs. Over a long session, frame rates sink further, Pokémon icons can linger on the minimap and textures misbehave, and in extreme cases the game can crash or corrupt data. Players found that entering Mesagoza, a building, a Gym or Area Zero, or simply restarting the software every so often, partly clears the problem. Despite many patches, it has never been fixed on the original Switch, which is why regular restarts remain sensible advice.

Smeargle cloning glitch

Before version 3.0.1, a wild Smeargle could accidentally copy the player’s own Pokémon. If a wild Smeargle used Sketch to learn Transform and then transformed into one of the player’s party, it took on that Pokémon’s form, and catching it gave the player a duplicate. Because it worked even on otherwise unique Pokémon, players used it to clone Terapagos and Palafin in its Hero Form. Version 3.0.1, released on 31 January 2024, closed the trick, and Smeargle can no longer clone Pokémon in this way.

Uncatchable transformed Ditto

Early in the games’ life, a wild Ditto that had transformed into a Pokémon with an alternate form was impossible to catch: its catch rate was effectively zero, so every Poké Ball failed no matter how weak it was. Because Ditto is prized for breeding, the bug frustrated many players hunting for one with good stats. Version 1.2.0, released on 27 February 2023, fixed the problem by restoring Ditto’s normal catch rate, and transformed Ditto can now be caught like any other wild Pokémon.

Bad Egg raid rewards

During the first Walking Wake and Iron Leaves Tera Raid event, which ran from 27 February to 12 March 2023, players still on version 1.1.0 could receive a Bad Egg instead of the Paradox Pokémon. These broken Eggs could not hatch and could not be traded, leaving a permanent glitched entry in the Boxes. Version 1.3.0 in April 2023 dealt with the cause, but it only partly helped: Bad Eggs that had already been created stayed in players’ saves, so the episode is still visible on some old files.

Tera Raid crystal clipping

Raid crystals are solid objects in the overworld, but a quirk lets players walk inside them. By using Koraidon or Miraidon to jump on top of a crystal, entering the raid and then leaving without the crystal disappearing, the player can end up standing within the crystal’s model. The trick is harmless and mainly a curiosity for screenshot hunters, but it shows how loosely collision works in parts of Paldea. It has not been fixed and still works in current versions.

Swapped Pokémon in multiplayer raids

In online or local Tera Raid Battles, players have reported briefly controlling another participant’s Pokémon instead of their own, complete with that Pokémon’s stats and moves. The swap only lasts for the raid itself, and once the battle ends everything reverts and nobody gains or loses a Pokémon. It is one of several known oddities in multiplayer raids, alongside health bars that differ between players and cheer bonuses that persist after fainting and can stack. None of these has been fixed.

Out-of-bounds spawns and door clipping

Paldea’s open world sometimes places things where players cannot reach them. Wild Pokémon and items can spawn inside walls, trees or rocks, so a rare encounter may be visible but impossible to touch. Some building doors also lack proper collision, letting players slip into small gaps, as with a door near the market in Porto Marinada. Neither problem has been patched, so both can still be seen in the current version of the games, and they are among the clearest signs of how loosely collision is handled across Paldea.

What no longer works

Several notorious bugs were patched out. Version 1.0.1 fixed the type-change problem with Sylveon and missing Shiny sparkles in multiplayer raids. Version 1.1.0 (1 December 2022) fixed looping Elite Four and Champion music and sleeping Pokémon with open eyes. Version 1.2.0 (27 February 2023) fixed uncatchable transformed Ditto, a Destiny Bond and Terastallisation error and Dondozo’s Order Up boost. Version 2.0.1 (12 September 2023) fixed empty player slots in raids. Version 3.0.1 (31 January 2024) removed Smeargle cloning, the Inkay input lock, the uncraftable TM223 in Scarlet and players getting stuck behind the Item Printer.

Videos & media

The reveal and the trailers for Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet and their DLC, in English and Japanese.

The worldwide reveal from Pokémon Day, 27 February 2022, introducing Paldea and the three first partners.

The second trailer, which introduced Koraidon and Miraidon and the November 2022 release date.

A trailer built around the Treasure Hunt and the freedom to explore Paldea your own way.

An invitation to set out across Paldea with Koraidon or Miraidon.

A trailer for the two-part DLC, The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk.

A look ahead to The Indigo Disk and the exchange trip to Blueberry Academy.

A Japanese introduction video on the new features that liven up battles.

Trivia & facts

• Naranja and Uva, the names of the two academies, are the Spanish words for orange and grape.
• Scarlet and Violet are the first core series games with version-exclusive Professors: Sada in Scarlet and Turo in Violet.
• The player’s outfit is the Academy uniform in the same style whichever appearance is chosen, a first for the series.
• Many place names are food words: Asado (roast), Socarrat (the crispy rice at the bottom of a paella pan), Casseroya and Marinada among them; Los Platos means ‘the plates’.

Further trivia

• Paldea draws on the whole Iberian Peninsula, with Spanish culture dominant and Portuguese influences mostly in the west; Area Zero’s internal code name points to Atlantis.
• Undertale creator Toby Fox is among the composers, alongside long-time Game Freak composers Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose and Minako Adachi.
• The tiles of a pool in Cortondo copy the water tiles from the Generation I map.
• The games were revealed on Pokémon Day, 27 February 2022, and their DLC on Pokémon Day a year later.
• Ed Sheeran’s song Celestial, released on 29 September 2022, was made as a tie-in with the games.

Legacy

What came after

• Scarlet and Violet revealed – 27 February 2022. Announced in a Pokémon Day Pokémon Presents as Generation IX.
• Pokémon Presents deep dive – 3 August 2022. Gameplay presentation covering the open world, co-op play and Terastallisation.
• Worldwide launch – 18 November 2022. Released simultaneously around the world on Nintendo Switch.
• Apology and version 1.1.0 – 1 December 2022 (the update went live on 2 December). Nintendo apologised for the technical problems as it announced the first big bug-fix update, and the first seven-star raid, Charizard, began the next day.
• The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero announced – 27 February 2023. Two-part expansion revealed and put on sale; version 1.2.0 added the Pokémon GO link the same day.
• Pokémon HOME support – 30 May 2023 (29 May in the Americas). HOME version 3.0.0 opened two-way transfers with the Generation VIII games.
• Pokémon: Paldean Winds premieres – 6 September 2023. Four-episode web series, announced at the Pokémon Presents of 8 August 2023.
• The Teal Mask – 13 September 2023. Part one of the expansion, set in Kitakami (version 2.0.1).
• Boxed game-and-DLC bundle – 3 November 2023. Physical editions pairing each version with the expansion pass.
• The Indigo Disk – 14 December 2023. Part two, set at Blueberry Academy (version 3.0.0).
• Mochi Mayhem unlocked – 11 January 2024. Epilogue opened by the Mythical Pecha Berry Mystery Gift; Pecharunt becomes the 1,025th species.
• Version 4.0.0 – 3 June 2025. Free Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade with 60fps and higher resolution, ahead of the console’s launch on 5 June 2025.
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A released – 16 October 2025. The next core release after Scarlet and Violet, for Switch and Switch 2.
• Pokémon HOME 4.0.0 – 2 April 2026. Added Legends: Z-A; Pokémon can move from Scarlet and Violet into Z-A but not back.
• Pokémon Champions launches – 8 April 2026. The official competitive (VGC) platform passes from Scarlet and Violet, used since the 2023 season, to Pokémon Champions.

Where to play Scarlet & Violet today

In October 2026 Scarlet and Violet remain on sale for Nintendo Switch and play best on Nintendo Switch 2, where the free version 4.0.0 update lifts the frame-rate cap to 60fps and sharpens the image. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero is still sold on the eShop, Pokémon HOME still links the games both ways with Sword and Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Legends: Arceus, and seven-star raids were still running in summer 2026, although official competitive play has moved to Pokémon Champions.

How Scarlet & Violet was made

Scarlet and Violet were developed by Game Freak under director Shigeru Ohmori, with Nintendo publishing outside Japan and The Pokémon Company in Japan. Work began around the release of Sword and Shield in late 2019, and the games arrived less than ten months after Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The aim was the series’ first core-game map in which towns and wilderness join without boundaries, set in Paldea, a region modelled loosely on the Iberian Peninsula with Spanish-flavoured place names. The art team pursued what they called a ‘real and deformed’ look – more realistic textures paired with stylised characters – while Pokémon models were rebuilt with rigged faces and a tool named PokeSynth generated ambient sound from cries. The 18 November 2022 launch was overshadowed by widely reported frame-rate drops, pop-in and glitches; Nintendo apologised on 1 December 2022 as it announced version 1.1.0, and The Pokémon Company’s leadership later said it would review its release schedule internally. Post-launch content followed the Sword and Shield model of a two-part expansion pass rather than a third version, and the Switch 2 update of 2025 finally delivered 60fps.

Scarlet & Violet in other media

The English and Japanese logos:

Sales & reviews

Sales figures

Scarlet & Violet sold more than 10 million copies worldwide in their first three days (18–20 November 2022), the biggest three-day launch of any software on a Nintendo platform, with about 4.05 million of those in Japan, downloads included. Famitsu counted 2,537,292 boxed copies in Japan in the first three days, and in the UK the games entered the boxed chart at No. 1 as the biggest boxed launch of 2022.

By the end of 2022 they had sold 20.61 million copies, and Nintendo’s count reached 28.46 million by 30 June 2026, ahead of Sword and Shield’s 27.26 million on its list of best-selling Switch games.

• 28.46mworldwide, June 2026
• 10m+worldwide in the first three days
• 2.54mJapan, boxed, first three days
• No. 1UK boxed chart debut

Review scores

Critics loved the freedom of the open world, the three stories and Terastallisation, and almost all of them criticised the frame rate, pop-in and glitches. Some of the verdicts:

• Rebekah Valentine of IGN gave it 6/10 but called the open world “The open-world gameplay of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is a brilliant direction for the future of the franchise”.
• Jake Dekker of GameSpot (8/10): “Pokemon Scarlet & Violet’s open-world approach reinvigorates the long-running series.”
• Brian Shea of Game Informer (8.25/10): “Despite technical shortcomings and some filler content, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are chock-full of meaningful additions”.
• Alana Hagues of Nintendo Life (7/10): “It’s a smaller step than many may have hoped for”.
• Eurogamer’s Lottie Lynn found the ambition “brought low by its lifeless environments and graphics”.
• Kenneth Shepard of Polygon said that “it looks and runs like a middling GameCube game most of the time”.

Reviews were split between admiration for the design and dismay at the execution, leaving both versions with Metacritic scores in the low 70s, among the lowest for a core series game. Critics liked the move to a true open world, the freedom to tackle the three storylines in any order and a warmer, more character-driven story than usual. Terastallisation was widely seen as a clever battle twist, and conveniences such as auto battles also won praise. The technical side drew near-universal criticism: unstable frame rates, pop-in, flat textures, bare environments and frequent glitches, which several reviewers argued showed a game released before it was ready. Famitsu’s 38 out of 40 and strong Japanese reception contrasted with harsher Western scores, while user scores were far lower than critics’.

Awards and honours:

Media & artwork

• Box art & covers for Pokémon Scarlet
• Box art & covers for Pokémon Violet

Further reading

Other Scarlet & Violet links on the site, plus the games and series around it: