Summary
Pokemongames have plenty of longstanding traditions, some spanning the entire series from the early 1996Pokemon Red and Greentitles all the way to Gen 9 - albeitPokemon Scarlet and Violetdid break many of these franchise-long unwritten rules, and Gen 10 could follow suit. This is because one of the core aspects of thePokemonformula is that it both stays the same and changes with every new mainline release, which is also why every game has different battle gimmicks that dramatically alter the gameplay loop. Another typical tradition is to feature many returning Pokemon, with Gen 8 and Gen 9 only adding a few hundred instead of all pocket monsters.Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Indigo Disk broke a big Togepi tradition, and it may be time Gen 10 does the same for Gyarados.
Arguably one of the most beloved and cherished evolutionary lines inPokemongames, Magikarp and Gyarados have been a staple of the series for a long time, with the former sparking all sorts of memes and the latter constantly being one of the best critters inPokemongames' playthroughs. As much as Magikarp can be useless, Gyarados has pretty powerful moves, a good defensive type combo, and it also has access to Intimidate. As one of the few Pokemon to be in every mainline game, it may be time for Gen 10 to give Gyarados a break.
Pokemon Gen 10 Shouldn’t Bring Magikarp and Gyarados Back For The First Time in Almost 30 Years
Every Pokemon Game With Magikarp and Gyarados and How to Get Them
Gyarados has been in every mainlinePokemongame since the series' inception. Every title had at least one way in which players could either get a Magikarp and evolve it into Gyarados or straight-up get the latter as an encounter.
Generations Where Magikarp and Gyarados Appear
Via Fishing or Surfing
Evolving Magikarp or in Fuchsia City (Yellow only)
Evolving Magikarp, Lake of Rage, or Fuchsia City
Evolving Magikarp or in Sootopolis City
Evolving Magikarp or Fishing
Pokemon Black, White, Black 2, White 2
Gift on Marvelous Bridge or in Nature Preserve (Black 2 and White 2 only)
Evolving Magikarp or in Nature Preserve (Black 2 and White 2 only)
Evolving Magikarp, Fishing, and in Friend Safari
Evolving Magikarp or Via S.O.S.
Pokemon Sword, Shield
Via Fishing, Surfing, Overworld Encounter, and Max Raid Battles
Evolving Magikarp, Via Fishing, Surfing, Overworld Encounter, and Max Raid Battles
Overworld Encounter or Tera Raid Battles
Evolving Magikarp, Overworld Encounter, or Tera Raid Battles
This trend of Magikarp and Gyarados being ineveryPokemonmainline gameapplies to remakes and spin-offs as well, including:
Why Pokemon Gen 10 Should Cut Magikarp and Gyarados
What follows is thatPokemonGen 10 gamescould break this tradition by not featuring Magikarp or Gyarados in any way, not even asPokemon Hometransfers. One could argue that having Magikarp and Gyarados in Gen 10 could be beneficial, but on the other hand, Gyarados' battle prowess tends to reduce team diversity.
On top of that, Gyarados is one of those critters that likeCharizard has received favoritism inPokemongames, even getting a featured shiny form in Gen 2 and a Mega Evolution in Gen 6, as well as having a datamined regional fake line in Gen 9 that was later scrapped. As such, not having Magikarp or Gyarados in Gen 10 could make for a breath of fresh air for long-time players, especially if the games end up providing a valid alternative for mid- and late-game sections where Gyarados can really shine.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you playPokémon ScarletandPokémon Violethosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is “A Treasure Hunt.” Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
