Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have had particularly sparse marketing compared to older entries, to the extent that much of the fanbase is relying on alleged leaks to learn more about the Paldea region. While this silence might make it harder for fans to decide whether they should pre-order Scarlet or Violet version, it is ultimately nice to have more surprises three months before launch compared to games like Sun and Moon.
Yet, Game Freak seems to have tipped its hat with the reveal of Cyclizar, a new Dragon/Normal-type Pokemon, at the 2022 World Championships. The trailer was focused on new competitive items, attacks, and abilities, such as Cyclizar's Shed Tail move that combines the effects of Substitute and Baton Pass. In terms of lore, Cyclizar is motorcycle-themed and has apparently been ridden across the Paldea region "since ancient times," drawing similarities to the Gen 9 box Legendaries Koraidon and Miraidon. Giving Paldea a biker culture beyond the region's Legendary Pokemon could provide another connection to its presumed neighbor, Kalos.
Paldea and Kalos' Real-World Connections
Paldea is based on the Iberian Peninsula, with a familiar regional map shape and architecture like one building that references the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona. A few of the 12 Pokemon revealed so far also back this up, from starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly having Spanish terms in their names to the Iberian pig-inspired Lechonk and living Mediterranean olive named Smoliv. How Gen 9 gimmicks like the Terastal phenomenon and temporal themes fit remain to be seen, but there will clearly be a lot of cultural influences similar to Hawai'i and United Kingdom equivalents Alola and Galar.
Spain and France are neighboring countries in real-world Europe, so it's reasonable to assume Paldea and Kalos from Pokemon X and Y will connect the same way. Game Freak has done so in the past, with the first four Generations having regions based on different parts of Japan that loop together. For example, Kanto and Johto are next to each other, and Johto is connected to Sinnoh through the Sinjoh Ruins. A few surface-level connections can be drawn through revealed information like Terastallization utilizing crystals reminiscent of Kalos' Diancie, and the prevalence of Cyclizar in Paldean culture may be another.
Cyclizar Could Bridge the Gap to Typical Bike Mechanics
Bikes have been a staple of the Pokemon franchise since its earliest entries, with a shop in Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow's Cerulean City offering players a free bicycle if they receive a voucher. This single-seat vehicle acts as a faster means of traveling on foot in almost every game, though players notably don't get one in titles relying on ride Pokemon like Sun, Moon, and Legends: Arceus. Bicycle mechanics change, from Ruby and Sapphire offering a trick-based Acro Bike to Sword and Shield using a Rotom-powered bike, but they have never been a cultural centerpiece.
Scarlet and Violet promise to do away with bikes in favor of riding Koraidon or Miraidon, respectively, around Paldea. These rideable Legendary monsters take on the functionality of multiple allied Pokemon from Legends: Arceus, including scaling walls, crossing water, and gliding. Having this mechanic exist for convenience’s sake might have clashed with the region's design if elements like outdoor Pokemon Centers existed only for players, so having everyone else in Paldea ride Cyclizar (and perhaps other monsters) is smart.
The biking culture in Paldea could also be revealed as inspiration for the people of Kalos. Notably, Cyllage City can be found in the southeast "Coastal" area. Kalos is an athletic region, introducing roller skates so that players could break out of the gridded walking pattern of earlier titles. Cyllage's Gym Leader Grant is a key representative for this athletic culture, being a rock climber and bicyclist - the city's infrastructure is built around bicycle racetracks that stretch across the ocean and up into the cliffs.
Cyllage City is also where Pokemon X and Y hides its Cycle Shop, giving players access to a yellow or green bike to maneuver faster than on roller skates. Spain is located to the southwest of France, and the Paldea region map suggests something is hidden behind clouds to the northeast. Some have speculated that Kalos may return in DLC, and if this connection is real it would make sense to see Cyllage be a hub for the Kalosian bike scene given its relative proximity to a culture of Cyclizar riders.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet release November 18 for Nintendo Switch.