Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, released on November 18, 2022, for the Nintendo Switch, mark the ninth generation of the mainline Pokémon role-playing game series. Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, these games are the first true open-world RPGs in the franchise's history. Set in the Iberian-inspired Paldea region, the games break from tradition by offering three distinct storylines that players can tackle in any order, a first for the series. Directed by Shigeru Ohmori, who previously helmed Pokémon Sun and Moon and Pokémon Sword and Shield, the games introduce over 120 new Pokémon, including the time-displaced Paradox Pokémon, and the Terastal phenomenon, which allows Pokémon to transform into a special Tera Type during battle.

The games were announced in February 2022 and launched to massive commercial success, selling over 10 million copies in their first three days, making them Nintendo's fastest-selling games at launch. By December 2025, global sales had surpassed 28 million. Critical reception was mixed: reviewers praised the narrative ambition and the open-world design but criticized widespread technical performance issues, including frame rate drops and graphical glitches. A free update for the Nintendo Switch 2, released on June 5, 2025, significantly improved visuals and performance. The games also received a two-part DLC expansion, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, with The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk released in September and December 2023, followed by an epilogue, Mochi Mayhem, in January 2024. [edit]

The player character, a student at Naranja Academy (Scarlet) or Uva Academy (Violet), embarks on a journey across the Paldea region. Paldea is a vast, Spain-inspired land with mountains, lakes, deserts, and bustling cities. The game presents three independent storylines that can be pursued in any order. Victory Road is the classic gym challenge: players battle eight gym leaders, then the Elite Four and Champion. Starfall Street has the player confronting Team Star, a group of school dropouts who have established five bases across the region. Path of Legends involves helping the legendary Pokémon Koraidon (Scarlet) or Miraidon (Violet) by defeating five Titan Pokémon to obtain Herba Mystica, which will heal the injured partner Pokémon of the student Arven.

Throughout these quests, the player is joined by three main companions: Nemona, a battle-obsessed rival who serves as the champion-ranked student council president; Penny, a shy but brilliant hacker who secretly works to dismantle Team Star; and Arven, a stoic student who seeks the Herba Mystica to cure his ailing partner. The legendary Koraidon or Miraidon serves as the player's mount, allowing traversal across the open world via running, swimming, climbing, and gliding, a revolutionary mechanic for the series.

The games introduce the Terastal phenomenon, a battle mechanic that lets Pokémon transform into a special Tera Type, altering their elemental typing and adding strategic depth. Players can encounter wild Pokémon in the overworld, participate in Tera Raid Battles with up to three other players online, and collect materials to craft TMs for Pokémon moves. The central mystery revolves around Area Zero, a massive crater at the center of Paldea, which is off-limits to the public. As the player progresses, the three storylines gradually converge, hinting at secrets about the Paradox Pokémon, ancient and futuristic forms of existing Pokémon that appear in specific locations, and the true nature of the Terastal energy that permeates the region.

The open-world design allows players to explore Paldea's nine distinct provinces freely, with no loading screens between areas. The game also features a fully integrated online multiplayer system where up to four players can explore the world together. The player's choices and the order in which they tackle the storylines affect the pacing of the narrative, but all paths eventually lead to the heart of Paldea's mystery.[edit]