Summary
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Indigo Disk DLChas been available for around two weeks now, and players seem to be discovering new things about it daily. Regarding the sheer quantity of content, it has certainly exceeded what The Teal Mask(the first part of thePokemon Scarlet and VioletDLC) provided the community with. The newestPokemontitles have been controversial releases, but the second and last part of the game’s DLC has given fans hours of extra gameplay beyond just the Paldea region. Despite what’s seemingly available at face value, there are a plethora of unwritten rules to follow to get the ideal Indigo Diskexperience.
Fans of the fifth generation of theseries have been pleased to see thatthe Indigo Disk DLCtakes the player back toPokemon Black and White’s Unova region, set in a school known as the Blueberry Academy. It continues the story introduced in the land of Kitakami during The Teal Mask,as familiar faces such as Kieran, Carmine, Perrin and more make a return.
Come To The Blueberry Academy Prepared For Battle
There’s a heavy emphasis on battling at the Blueberry Academy, and trainers are noticeably stronger here than in Paldea or Kitakami. Furthermore, all battles that take place are double battles. This was quite an unexpected feature, as double battles haven’t been predominantly featured in the series sincePokemon ColosseumandPokemon XD: Gale of Darknesson the Nintendo GameCube. They’re also the official battle format ofthe Pokemon Video Game Championships.
The Perfect Opportunity To Start Playing Competitively
In the past, it has been notoriously difficult for casualPokemonplayers to jump into the competitive scene. This is predominantly due to the individual values (IVs) of a Pokemon caught being fixed. IVs are like the genetic makeup of a Pokemon and dictate how high or low its stats will be. This is essential for competitive play, as it was incredibly tedious to find a perfect pocket monster for the bigger stage. Starting inPokemon Sun and Moon,however, developer Game Freak finally allowed players to maximize stats with the Bottle Cap item, making competitive play immensely more accessible.
Scarlet and Violetintroduced the Terastal phenomenon, a mechanic allowing players to change their Pokemon’s type once per battle. When this gimmick was first unveiled, fans immediately wondered how Tera Types could be changed. It turns out that trainers need to collect 50 Tera Shards of a specific type, which are found predominantly through raids that only reward around two to four per battle. The monotony of preparing a competitively ready team gave tons of veteran players flashbacks of older times. Thankfully, the terrarium in Blueberry Academy is filled with tons of Tera Shards that can simply be found as overworld items.
A Surprise Atop The Terrarium
On that note,a crucial unwritten rule of The Indigo Disklies at the very top of the massive ball that looms over the terrarium. As Koraidon and Miraidon are now able to fly freely thanks to Amarys of the Blueberry Academy’s Elite Four, soaring to the very top of the terrarium will reward players with the following:
A Secret Ending In The Land of Kitakami
Despite the onslaught of criticism thatScarlet and Violetreceived upon release, one aspect of the games that was praised was its rich story. Characters are noticeably more nuanced and developed in these titles, and the themes explored are a little darker than the series is normally known for.
The Teal Mask,which introduces the land of Kitakami, continues the story explored in the base games. The Terastal phenomenon is still deeply examined here, andThe Indigo Diskprovides a satisfying conclusion in which the player catches a certain legendary Pokemon known as The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, the namesake ofScarlet and Violet’sDLC. At the risk of additional spoilers, just know that the Crystal Pool in Kitakami may be worth visiting, even after completing The Indigo Disk.
Perrin Shouldn’t Be Overlooked
Scarlet and Violetintroduced Paradox Pokemon, which resemble past and future relatives of existing Pokemon. The Indigo Disk DLC went further and introduced Paradox Pokemon that parallel the Legendary beasts of Johto forScarlet,and the Swords of Justice of Unova forViolet.Catching these creatures is no easy task, however.
Perrin Returns From Kitakami
First, trainers will need to speak to Perrin, who is located in the terrarium in the Savannah Biome’s Rest Area 1. She will claim to have some information to share, but only once players have at least 200 Pokemonregistered in the Blueberry Pokedex.
She will proceed to show the player two photographs. InScarlet,the photos will contain the figures of Pokemon that look like ancient relatives of Raikou and Entei. InViolet,the photos will contain what seem to be futuristic relatives of Terrakion and Cobalion. Most importantly, it looks as though the Paradox creatures have appeared in Paldea’s Area Zero. They will then be available to battle and catch as soon as players head there.
