Sneak Peek at Pokemon Generation 9: Starters and More – Revealed!

The newest chapters in the Pokemon main series games are coming to Nintendo soon! Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet will be the new titles of the Gen 9 games, and I can’t wait to get my hands on them.

According to the Pokemon Presents livestream by The Pokemon Company on 27th February, 2022, the next generation games by GameFreak will be out late 2022.

Nobody was expecting a second gaming announcement so soon after the first – Pokemon Legends: Arceus was recently revealed earlier this year.

From what I saw in the trailer, Pokemon Generation 9 is going to be pretty sick. The most exciting part about it is that we now know what Starters to expect – and man, are they cute. Here is a sneak peek at the Generation 9 Pokemon, and what we can expect from them.

Who are the new Starters of Gen 9?

The 3 Starter Pokemon of Generation 9 Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.

The official Pokemon website also gives us more details and descriptions for these brand-new Starters so we can begin choosing who we want to pick when the games come out. I’ve already made my choice.

1. Sprigatito

Type – Grass

Species – Feline – Grass Cat

Height – 0.4 m/1’4”

Weight – 4.1 kg/9 lbs

Special Ability – Overgrow

Sprigatito is the first Starter to be based off a cat, after Litten. We’ve been told that Sprigatito is basically an unpredictable, impulsive, attention-seeking kitten – and it sure looks the part.

Sneak Peek at Pokemon Generation 9: Starters and More – Revealed!
Sprigatito | Source: Fandom

Initially, Nintendo had only released the names for the Starters, and when I heard “Sprigatito”, I immediately imagined a sprig, or a stem, and “spring” of course, which reminded me of how a kitten springs around a room.

So, when the official pictures came out, I was a little proud of how close the Sprigatito in my head was to the actual thing.

What I can’t wait to see is Sprigatito’s evolution. It has a touch of purple in its eyes, which is suspiciously Gengar-ish; this leads me to think that it might be a Grass-Ghost or Grass-Poison-type in the future. I’m already seeing a Mega Sprigatito and a Gigantamax Sprigatito in the gaming future.

2. Fuecoco

Type – Fire

Species – Reptile – Fire Crocodile

Height – 0.4 m/1’4”

Weight – 9.8 kg/21.6 lbs

Special Ability – Blaze

Fuecoco is going to be my pick from the Gen 9 Starters. I’ll tell you why. First of all, Fuecoco is a Fire-type Pokemon, but it’s also a croc, which is semi-aquatic. Maybe we get a Fire-Water-type evolution?

Sneak Peek at Pokemon Generation 9: Starters and More – Revealed!
Fuecoco | Source: Fandom

Additionally, Fuecoco gives me major chill vibes. It’s supposed to be a laid-back Pokemon, who does things at its sweet own pace. I’m thinking it’s not going to be disobedient like Charmeleon, but it does have potential to be a major badass like Charizard.

Fuecoco literally looks like a red chili pepper, so we already know it’s gonna be a tank. But it’s gonna be nonchalant when it burns things down, much like the Ash’s cool kids, Krookodile and Sceptile.

I expect Fuecoco to evolve into nothing less than a fire breathing, water resistant, steel bodied T-rex. Definitely a worthy choice for a Starter, even if you just go by its looks. And who isn’t a fan of the Blaze ability?

3. Quaxly

Type – Water

Species – Aquatic Bird – Duckling

Height – 0.5 m/1’8”

Weight – 6.1 kg/13.4 lbs

Special Ability – Torrent

My heart goes out to Quaxly. It just looks like such a good boy.

Quaxly is the second Water-type Starter to be based on a bird, the first being the adorable Piplup. It is also the fourth avian, the other 3 being Piplup, Torchic, and Rowlet.

Sneak Peek at Pokemon Generation 9: Starters and More – Revealed!
Quaxly | Source: Fandom

This leads me to believe that Quaxly will evolve into a Water-Flying-type Pokemon.

Quaxly has a crest or a hat on its head, not unlike that of a sailor’s hat, very similar to Mario. I think this hat will play into its evolution somehow. Quaxly looks sincere, obedient, and tidy, and I can’t wait to see him in the game.

What region is Pokemon Scarlet and Violet based on?

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is based on Spain. Sprigatito and Fuecoco both have Spanish etymology. The announcement trailer revealed a map in the background similar to the Iberian Peninsula, which is shared by Portugal and Spain.

There was also a church in the stills that resembles the Sagrada Familia, which is in Spain.

Nothing has been confirmed yet, but the location is definitely inspired by South America. The landscape revealed reminded me of Pokemon Sword and Shield, specifically the colorful scenery, the populated cities, the open fields, and the lovely beaches.

I’m hoping Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a true open world adventure, and not just a sprawling overworld with multiple maps like in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

Nintendo says that the new duo will feature richly expressed scenes with towns blending seamlessly into the wilderness. If this borderless boast is true, the in-game exploration is going to be really enjoyable.

We won’t have to wait for new locations to load, since the map will take us through routes that interconnect one area to the other. Apparently, we will be able to use the sky, sea, and land – both forest paths and city streets – to revel in Pokemon awesomeness.

Catching new (and old) Pokemon in their natural habitats and battling them in open zones promises a truly immersive gaming experience.

Which Pokemon are confirmed for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

The “First Look” announcement trailer by the official Pokemon Youtube channel gives a glimpse of a number of familiar faces in addition to the 3 new Gen 9 Starters. These include:

  • Pikachu
  • Meowth
  • Lucario
  • Psyduck
  • Drifloon
  • Magnemite (with a cool metallic gleam)
  • Hoppip
  • Combee
  • Stonjourner
    …and more.

The Mediterranean sweeping vistas already have me thinking that we might get some region-specific Pokemon, much like the Galarian Sirfetch’d and the Alolan Raichu.

Sneak Peek at Pokemon Generation 9: Starters and More – Revealed!
Pikachu, Meowth, Lucario, Psyduck, Drifloon, Magnemite | Source: Fandom

But either way, the variety of biomes in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are definitely going to feature at least some of the old ‘mons from Generations 1-8.

Also, cueing from the Gen 8 Pokemon Sword and Shield, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will also likely feature Legendary Pokemon. The mascots for Sword and Shield were the Legendaries, Zamian and Zamenta.

This open-world Mediterranean gaming extravaganza looks better, graphically, than anything we’ve seen before. Here’s hoping it lives up to our expectations.

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About Pokémon

Pokémon was first released in 1996 and is set up in a world where humans catch monsters and store them in pocket-sized poke-balls.

They are creatures with an affinity to certain elements and some superhuman abilities related to that element.

Revolving around a teenage boy Ash Ketchum, Pokémon takes us through his journey to becoming the most accomplished Pokémon trainer the world has ever seen.

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