Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Cyclizar Culture Could Present Another Connection to Kalos

gamerant.com:

Pokemon Scarlet andViolet have had particularly sparse marketing compared to older entries, to the extent that much of the fanbase is relying on alleged leaks to learn more about the Paldea region. While this silence might make it harder for fans to decide whether they should pre-order Scarlet or Violet version, it is ultimately nice to have more surprises three months before launch compared to games like Sun and Moon.

Yet, Game Freak seems to have tipped its hat with the reveal of Cyclizar, a new Dragon/Normal-type Pokemon, at the 2022 World Championships. The trailer was focused on new competitive items, attacks, and abilities, such as Cyclizar's Shed Tail move that combines the effects of Substitute and Baton Pass. In terms of lore, Cyclizar is motorcycle-themed and has apparently been ridden across the Paldea region «since ancient times,» drawing similarities to the Gen 9 box Legendaries Koraidon and Miraidon. Giving Paldea a biker culture beyond the region's Legendary Pokemon could provide another connection to its presumed neighbor, Kalos.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Leaks Are Essentially Game Freak's Marketing

Paldea is based on the Iberian Peninsula, with a familiar regional map shape and architecture like one building that references the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona. A few of the 12 Pokemon revealed so far also back this up, from starters Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly having Spanish terms in their names to the Iberian pig-inspired Lechonk and living Mediterranean olive named Smoliv. How Gen 9 gimmicks like the Terastal phenomenon and temporal themes fit remain to be seen, but there will clearly be a lot of cultural influences similar to Hawai'i and United Kingdom equivalents Alola and Galar.

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