Unveiling the Controversial Teal Mask DLC in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: Unleashing a New Wave of Adventure!

Highlights

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's base game, as well as The Teal Mask DLC, suffer from a shortage of original Ground-type Pokemon. Instead, the majority of additions are mere variations of already-existing creatures. This deficit of new Ground-types in the ninth generation of Pokemon games underscores the necessity for a more even distribution of types and fresh Pokemon in mainstream games, as exemplified by the leaked details regarding The Indigo Disk.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet faced controversies surrounding their performance and quality, as fans noticed inconsistencies in the representation and treatment of certain types in the Gen 9 games' Pokedex. Notably, the games introduced numerous Grass-type Pokemon, making it the most prevalent type in the entire generation, while other types received much less attention. This issue persists in the Teal Mask DLC, as well as the base game.

Since its release, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Pokedex has expanded significantly, now offering 600 species, with more being transferable to Gen 9 games via Pokemon Home. This includes the highly sought-after Hisuian forms from Legends: Arceus. However, one of the most anticipated aspects of a new mainline game is exploring the Pokedex of the new region and discovering previously unseen creatures, as well as experimenting with their battle potential. The absence of Ground-type creatures, particularly new ones, is a notable flaw in Paldea's design.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Teal Mask Only Have One "New" Ground-Type

In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, there is only one entirely new Ground-type Pokemon, the Legendary Ting-Lu from the Treasures of Ruin. However, this does not mean that the Gen 9 games lack other Ground-types. Instead, the new additions mostly consist of variations or similar versions of existing creatures. For example, Paldean Wooper is a regional form, Clodsire is a new species with strong similarities to Quagsire, and Toedscool and Toedscruel are regional variations that bear a striking resemblance to their Kantonian counterparts. Additionally, Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Sandy Shocks are Paradox Pokemon, each based on Donphan and Magneton, respectively.

Among these eight Pokemon, Ting-Lu stands out as the sole completely original addition. The Teal Mask does little to address the shortage of new Ground-types in Paldea. Although Bloodmoon Ursaluna in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet boasts an appealing design and a fierce nature, it is the only new Ground Pokemon in the DLC and draws inspiration from the original Hisuian Ursaluna found in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

In terms of all-new pocket monsters, Ting-Lu is the only one with a unique design and inspiration that doesn't resemble any existing species in the franchise. Although Pokemon like Bloodmoon Ursaluna and Great Tusk are still unique and formidable in Pokemon VGC, they are actually redesigned versions of existing creatures with different labels. Having a completely new Ground-type Pokemon like The Teal Mask would have greatly improved the representation of this type in Gen 9, especially before The Indigo Disk.

It is highly likely that among the leaked Pokemon for The Indigo Disk, there will only be one new Ground-type creature, and it will also be a Paradox version of an existing species rather than an entirely new one. With Gen 10 on the horizon, both the Gen 9 games and The Teal Mask DLC demonstrate that Game Freak should strive for a more balanced distribution of types and new Pokemon in their mainline games. Unfortunately, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet stand out as exceptions in this regard.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for the Nintendo Switch.