Although the DLC expansions for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk, have released to generally positive reception, they're still notably missing a major feature from the DLC of the previous generation. As the second Pokémon generation to expand through the release of DLC, rather than a third version along the lines of Emerald or Platinum, Scarlet and Violet have seemingly solidified DLC expansions as the late-generation approach to releasing more content as the franchise moves forward. However, the change hasn't made the franchise any better at retaining its features. 3x2b3p

The severe graphical issues on display in Pokémon Scarlet and Violetshowthe limits of the Switch hardware, especially for those playing in docked mode, suggesting those games were made for the wrong console. The Pokémon franchise has been synonymous with portable gaming since its beginning, but when Nintendo merged its portable and home console lines with the Switch, mainline Pokémon games became console titles. While current-gen Pokémon games still hold up well by portable standards, they are lacking compared to most other major console releases.

Although Pokémon has an incredible variety of creatures filling its world, perhaps some of the most interesting are actually artificial creations. One of the most notable of these is Mewtwo, the genetically-engineered Legendary of Gen 1, but Mewtwo is far from the only such Pokémon to exist. From deliberate design to accidental animation, there are many artificial Pokémon that owe their existence to humans.

Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield had a long run with Crown Zenith wrapping up the series with some of the best cards of the era. This series introduced V, VMAX, and VSTAR cards with a heavy focus on cards surrounding these types of cards, which will be retired at the end of Crown Zenith and no longer be produced. This is the best time to purchase some Sword and Shield cards before Scarlet and Violet take off.

Based on when Pokémon Sword and Shield's DLC was released, when could Pokémon Scarlet and Violetsee its own DLC launched to the public? Scarlet and Violet have proven to be a massive success for the franchise from a gameplay and financial standpoint. Even with the myriad of bugs and issues the game launched with, the success Generation 9 found has shown the ongoing popularity of the series. This success was also hugely important when compared to the somewhat rocky reception Generation 8's Sword and Shield received.

Pokémon Sword and Shield paved the way for Pokémon Scarlet and Violeton the Nintendo Switch, and while Gen 8 brought the mainline Pokémon series to the next-gen console, it kept most of its gameplay and story structures intact. Game Freak has since learned from this misstep with Gen 9. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have revolutionized the series by taking greater advantage of the new hardware with its open-world environment and nonlinear story structure. But even though Gen 9 may have attempted to distance itself from the creative choices made in Gen 8, it has preserved the best change its predecessor brought to the series: gyms.

While most fans play through one or the other, those who have completed both Pokémon Scarlet and Violet noted some key differences in the stories, but the lack of payoff is disappointing as the series’ paired releases still do not do enough to set themselves apart. The adventure in the Paldea region is largely identical between the two games, with players noting the different academy names and key story changes towards the ending. The theme of Scarlet is the past, and Violet’s is the future, but for those expecting a narrative explanation for the divergent worlds, both games failed to meet their expectations.

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet are finally out, and fans are mostly loving it. There will always be issues to point out, but the new generation seems to be an undeniable improvement over its controversial predecessor. Because while Pokémon Sword & Shield featured some welcome changes into an overly-safe franchise, its efforts ultimately left much to be desired.

The next generation of Pokémon games have released, but there are still some tasks that players can accomplish in Pokémon Sword & Shield before moving on. Scarlet and Violet have received overwhelmingly positive reviews, but the technical state of the games may have left many wary of purchasing them right away. However, devoted players can still see Sword and Shield through to the end before making the next step.

The Ultra- Collection focusing on Charizard will be released on October 28th to celebrate Charizard and the Sword & Shield series of the PokémonTCG. This collection contains three amazing cards alongside several other Charizard-centered items, and of course, it includes 16 packs from the Sword & Shield series as well.