The Pokemon franchise has always done well when it comes to playing around with past ideas in new titles. When Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet release, they likely won’t be any different. Gen 9 will be a great opportunity to try new things, but Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are likely to rehash some past ideas as well. This is generally the case with Pokemon games, and has become more prominent in recent titles by introducing regional forms, allowing a past generation’s Pokemon to have a new feel. Pokemon Legends: Arceus did something similar by revisiting past evolutionary lines for Pokemon, and introducing new evolutions to them alongside regional forms as well.

This isn’t necessarily anything new in itself, as Pokemon Gold and Silver introduced Scyther’s original evolution, Scizor, as well as a handful of other evolutions for different Pokemon. Being as thorough as it felt when Pokemon Legends: Arceus did this is what Pokemon Scarlet and Violet should pay attention to. The new evolutions in Pokemon: Legends Arceus for Scyther, Ursaring, Stantler, and other all feel and look like feasible and sensible ways to add to these Pokemon. With how fast different Pokemon can become obsolete in the competitive scene, finding ways to fit older Pokemon and their evolutions into the spotlight can be incredibly important.

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Candidates for New Evolutions

A normal Kecleon and a Shiny Kecleon standing next to each other in the Pokemon anime

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet could target some older Pokemon that might fit well into the Iberian Peninsula-inspired region of Gen 9. Pokemon like Girafarig, Kecleon, and Sudowoodo could all receive evolutions that play into the region’s aesthetic style and overall strengths. Girafarig, for instance, would complement the fractured mosaic art style that was prominent during Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s announcement at the Pokemon Presents. Its color scheme and design are abstract, but it’s still noticeably inspired by giraffes.

With the different forms and shapes that are part of the many works by Gaudi throughout Barcelona, which Gen 9 appears to pull on, a new Girafarig evolution could be an incredible way to bring the Pokemon into the series modern era. This would also be a perfect opportunity to touch on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s regional inspiration.

The same can be said for Kecleon. The chameleon Pokemon hasn’t been the strongest, but its first appearance in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire made it incredibly interesting. Much like the different wildlife that inhabits the Mediterranean region, Kecleon is amazingly adaptable. Playing with this Pokemon’s inspiration and offering it a new evolution from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s region could show what adaptations it needs so far from Hoenn. For some, this might sound like a goal that just giving Kecleon a regional form could accomplish. However, because the Pokemon has no evolution, it could benefit even more from a second stage being introduced.

Other Pokemon like Sudowoodo, who do have evolutions, could benefit from a third stage being introduced. The baby Pokemon, Bonsly, was a great addition in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, but Sudowoodo feels overdue for a new evolution. Keeping in line with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Spain-inspired region, Sudowoodo could pay homage to the real-world location’s importance to cork harvesting.

It’s a grounded approach to the Pokemon and works based on real-life inspiration similar to Ursaluna, who’s believed to be inspired by the Ussuri brown bear. Real-world inspiration has worked spectacularly well for Pokemon in the past, and being able to add to these classic Pokemon’s evolutionary lines in meaningful ways would be fantastic.

New evolutions for past Pokemon would also provide unique ways for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet to break away in style, but also still feel like a return to form for Pokemon's Gen 9. It draws on the series' strengths when it comes to real-world inspirations, while also being able to address past features and aspects in a way that matches Pokemon's current approach to gameplay and design.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are releasing in late 2022 for Nintendo Switch.

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