Pokémon Scarlet & Violet – Open World Paldea Adventure (Gen IX)

• Released worldwide on November 18, 2022, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet introduce the Iberian Peninsula‑inspired Paldea region, the series' first true open world accessible from the start.
• Debut the Terastal phenomenon, letting Pokémon change type and gain crystal‑like appearances for new battle strategies.
• Feature three main storylines playable in any order: Victory Road (gym challenge), Path of Legends (Titan Pokémon), and Starfall Street (Team Star battles).
• First in the main series to allow up to four players to explore together in real time, battling, trading, and adventuring without separate modes.

🌍 Open-World Freedom

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet introduce an open-world design, granting Trainers unprecedented freedom to explore the Paldea region and tackle their journey in any order. The games collectively add 103 new Pokémon to the National Dex, including unique regional forms like Paldean Wooper and mysterious Paradox Pokémon (ancient/future variants tied to each version's lore).

🏇 Koraidon and Miraidon: Legendary Mounts

From the start, players ride the Legendary Pokémon, Koraidon (Scarlet) or Miraidon (Violet). These partners transform to enable seamless travel across land, sea, and air, eliminating the need for Hidden Machines (HMs) or separate ride Pokémon.

🏫 The Paldean Academy

The adventure is centered around the region's school: Naranja Academy (Scarlet) or Uva Academy (Violet). This academic setting frames the main quests and character interactions, providing a core theme for the journey.

💎 Terastallization: The Battle Gimmick

Terastallization is Paldea's signature battle mechanic, usable once per battle with a Tera Orb. It transforms a Pokémon into its designated Tera Type, changing its type, weaknesses, and resistances entirely. This allows for powerful strategic shifts, such as eliminating critical weaknesses or surprising opponents.

When Terastallized, moves matching the Tera Type receive a Same-Type Attack Bonus (STAB) boost. If the Tera Type matches an original type, the STAB is supercharged to $\times 2$. Additionally, any matching move with less than 60 base power is boosted to 60 (with some exceptions).

Most Pokémon have a common Tera Type, but rare variants with unique Tera Types can be found in Tera Raid Battles or the wild. Players can also permanently change a Pokémon's Tera Type using 50 Tera Shards of the desired type. The Tera Orb must be recharged at a Pokémon Center after use.

🤝 Multiplayer and Social Features

The Union Circle co-op feature lets Trainers see each other in the overworld, participate in Tera Raid Battles together, and share activities like picnics and group photos, enhancing the shared adventure experience.

⚡ Quality-of-Life Improvements

New features include the 'Let's Go' auto-battle mechanic, which allows a Pokémon to be sent out to fight wild Pokémon and collect items automatically, speeding up training. Players can also access their PC boxes from virtually anywhere for unmatched team management convenience.

🗺️ The Paldea Region

Paldea is a diverse region featuring coasts, snowy mountains, and varied biomes, each hosting unique Pokémon ecosystems. Its mysterious history and the Paradox Pokémon are integral to the main storylines.