Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Oct. 6 Trailer Analysis

(Clears throat) Puns incoming, sorry, not sorry.

Welcome to October and a newsletter for of spooktacular Scarlet and Violet updates. Let's boo this!

It's a Diglett! It's a Piglett! It's... Wiglett?

You may think you're looking at a Paldean Diglett, but in fact, Wiglett is a brand-new, water-type Pokémon recently introduced in Scarlet and Violet. The resemblance to Diglett is uncanny but the Pokemon website makes sure to point out that it's a completely different species of Pokemon. What's more, the entry goes on to say that "It’s still unclear what the rest of its body hidden in the sand is like or how long it might be."

Does this mean we'll have a Dugtrio-like evolution that actually comes all the way out of the ground? A guy can dream.

Everything from the Oct. 6 Scarlet & Violet gameplay walkthrough video

Not gonna lie, for being almost 15 minutes long, this video felt heavy on stuff we'd already seen and heavy on teases (some debate going on if a few background reveals were intentional or not). My guess if we're going to get a few more trickles of info in the next six weeks and a final trailer, with many of the rumored/leaked stuff saved for us to discover in-game. Here's all the officially-announced info from the latest video:

• A Girafarig evolution.

• Picnics (including sandwich-making, a new breeding mechanic? and Pokémon washing).

• TM Crafting

• Plus, a roundup of other features and hints you might have missed.

Introducing Farigiraf

Shout out to Gen 2 Pokemon, who have been absolutely cleaning up in recent games by getting evolutions (Ursaluna, Wyrdeer in PLA). I'm still waiting on Dunsparce to get some love, but Farigiraf is pretty cool, too.

A Normal/Psychic type, it still isn't clear how Girafarig evolves, other than trade evolution, which is unofficially ruled out in the gameplay trailer. Based on an official entry on the Pokemon website, it's confirmed that only Girafarig in the Paldea region evolve into Farigiraf.

Farigiraf also has the potential for one of two new abilities: Cud Chew and Armor Tail:

• Cud Chew: When a Pokémon with this Ability eats a Berry, it will eat it one more time at the end of the next turn.

• ​Armor Tail: It makes opposing Pokémon unable to use priority moves.

A Pic-a-nic basket of features

Taking place of Sword and Shield's camping, Scarlet and Violet introduce us to the wonderful world of picnicking. (Yeah, that's a real verb). Your party Pokemon still join you, as well as either Koraidon or Miraidon who are described as "accompanying you."

Sandwich-making has taken the place of curry, allowing players to choose fillings and condiments, then arrange the 'wich with precision so the masterpiece doesn't fall off and ruin your sub. Sandwiches (boy, this is making me hungry) restore your Pokémon's HP and, depending on the type of sandwich you made, certain types of Pokémon will be easier to catch our your Pokémon gain increased EXP for a short time.

You can also hold picnics with up to three other players and team up to make sandwiches just like high school kids working at Subway. Eat fresh, trainers. Eat fresh.

But here's the real kicker: "when you have picnics with your Pokémon, you may also find a Pokemon Egg." Does this mean breeding is gone in Scarlet and Violet or is this just an additional way to get random eggs? No further info was released in the video, on the official website or the press page.

This announcement has Masuda method (those who use hatching to get shiny Pokémon) shiny hunters and IV breeders everywhere scrambled (pun intended). Does the egg come from two compatible breeding Pokémon in your team? How long do you have to stay in camp/what requirements make eggs appear? Nobody knows.

Oh, and BTW you can wash your Pokémon to recover their HP and improve your bond with them. *Shrugs*

The handy dandy Technical Machine Machine

Last but not least, every Pokémon Center (aka Paldean gas station) will now have a TM Machine that allows trainer to craft TMs based on crafting drops from wild Pokémon (a "Litleo Tuft" is show being collected in the video) and League Points (LP) which "can be obtained as players advance the story or by trading in materials from Pokémon."

Similar to the way TMs worked in Legends Arceus, it seems the strength and variety of TMs you can craft expands as you get further into the game. We're back to them only being good once, but it doesn't appear too difficult to get the crafting items and enough LPs to make multiple copies. TMs are still found as items in the overworld and finding them also unlocks their recipe for the TM Machine.

What else?

Without getting too far into the realm of speculation or potential leaks, here are a few more observations and questions I had while watching the walkthrough:

• A Jigglypuff with golden sparkles is shown in the overworld. When the trainer engages in battle, the Jigglypuff is already in its Terastalized form. This indicates a wild Tera Pokémon outside of raid dens can be identified by the golden sparkles. Quoting the trailer "dealing enough damage to a wild Tera Pokémon causes its Terastalization to come undone." Apparently, you can't catch them until you "break" the Terastalization.

• Confirmation again that any Pokémon can have any of the 18 types as its Tera Type.

• More samples of the "Let's Go" feature, including auto battles and item gathering similar to Legends Arceus

• Faster travel by setting a pin on the map and your legendary ride Pokémon takes you there. Still quite a few questions about the limitations and execution of this mechanic.

• The "Let's Go" feature shown as a challenge when invading the based of Team Star. You've got a time limit to defeat 30 Pokémon.

• When Mela, the fire boss of Team Star is shown again on her giant car, it's still unclear if the car is also a Pokémon or just a tricked-out ride. The trailer deliberately cuts away from this fight and says "you'll have to see how this battle plays out in your own adventure."

• Quite a few new Pokémon, including Rookiedee and Toxel are shown without being announcing the trailer.

• Gym Tests similar to the Sword/Shield Gym Challenges are back, a Sunflora roundup is the example shown.

• Expanded character customization for your head. Clothing seems limited to a few different uniform options and my guess that you can customize your age is all but debunked.

• Three new Pokémon (see screenshot below) were shown, maybe by accident? Looks like a pair of mice, a green parrot and a... mushroom cinderblock? There's also some blurry images from a trainer selfie and in the Team Star came that may be two more new 'mons.

Random Encounters from the Internet Tall Grass

• Check out this video showing how Pokémon cards are designed and printed.

• A Nintendo survey asked fans what games and spin-offs they want in the future.

• Ed Sheeran's collab with The Pokémon Company debuted. The song, "Celestial" will be featured in Scarlet and Violet. Here's the music video.

Obscure Pokémon Fact of the Day (from u/Mx_Toniy_4869)

Until next time,Derek "don't call me Diglett" Siddoway

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