The second chapter of the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC is next week on December 14, offering new story content, the return of multiple Legendary Pokemon from previous games, and a slightly terrifying mind-control device called the Synchro Machine. But for me, the highlight change is the reintroduction of a feature that first reared its head nearly a decade ago.
Pokemon Sapphire was the first actual game that was really mine, and as such Gen 3 will always remain first in my heart. Because of that, I didn't hesitate to spend £200 of my student loans on a Nintendo 3DS when the Gen 6 remakes of Sapphire and Ruby came around. While those games could never have matched the idea of the originals that my nostalgia goggles had imprinted on my mind, I thought they were really good, adding new narrative and features alongside the 3D coat of paint.
Now, with a proper open world to work with in the form of Scarlet and Violet, that idea has finally returned. Depending on your choice of game, Koraidon or Miraidon will gain the ability to fly. According to a press release, you'll only be able to get around the sky temporarily at first, but eventually it'll become a permanent feature which will let you fly anywhere you want.
Quite how the not-always-excellent performance of Scarlet and Violet will hold up against your ability to fly everywhere at will remains to be seen, but it's a nice idea that I'm surprised the Pokemon series hasn't made more of. Given the open-world efforts it's been making in its Nintendo Switch era, it's odd to remember that its only real effort to let you explore its world more broadly is from a nine-year-old 3DS remake.
