Pokemon Scarlet and Violet may be games perhaps best suited for children, but there's no doubt that many of those who grew up on Pokemon still obsess over the franchise and play every game that is released. Even though Pokemon Scarlet and Violet kick off gen 9, it's easy for many fans to remember good things and bad things about past generations going all the way back to Pokemon Red and Blue.
For example, the rival in Pokemon Gold and Silver hitting the player outside the lab is easy to remember, as well as the various encounters with Team Magma and Team Aqua in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. However, perhaps the franchise has never topped Mindy's cruel joke in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, and now fans may have some sort of recompense in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
As many no doubt remember, there is an NPC named Mindy in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl hat offers to trade their Haunter for a Medicham. For those who didn't have any friends to trade with, this offer was a godsend because Haunter can only evolve into Gengar via trade. Completing the trade seems like a win-win, until the Haunter doesn't evolve. This is because Pokemon Diamond and Pearl's Mindy gave her Haunter an Everstone to stop evolution and will laugh at and mock the player after completing the trade. The cruel joke saw many hate Mindy, so much so that there is still a subreddit dedicated to her dubbed r/F*ckMindy.
Because of Mindy, finding out there is an NPC offering a Haunter for trade in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is an emotional journey. It may not be that serious, but if Game Freak pulled out another Everstone joke, Mindy's haters would no doubt go wild. Instead, Game Freak finally made up for the cruel joke...if 16 years later. Players can find this NPC in Levinicia, where she offers to trade her Haunter for a Pinurchin. Once players received this Haunter, nicknamed Hauntikins, it will evolve into Gengar, undoing years of psychic damage done to fans of the franchise by Mindy.
Having a Gengar in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet nicknamed Hauntikins may not be on many fans' wish lists for this generation, but it's much better than an unevolved Haunted from Mindy. In fact, this NPC seems to be quickly proving popular among Mindy's naysayers, with some dubbing her the Anti-Mindy.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
Source: Reddit (via GamesRadar+)