In Pokopia, some of the Pokémon look different than we are used to from the main series. Especially the Pikachu, which looks like a ghost, stands out immediately. But what is actually behind the pocket monster?
What new Pokémon are there? In an interview with Famitsu, several responsible developers of Pokopia talk about the special designs. Thanks to the post-apocalypse, Snorlax is covered in moss, and Tangela has developed its own intelligence.
In addition, there is Color Eagle, which fully expresses its artistic side and is full of paint. Even Pikachu, which has only lost some weight in 30 years, looks different. It looks like a ghost in the post-apocalypse. Presumably, there are more Pokémon that we encounter in the story that have a slightly different design.
Unlike certain regional forms, such as those we know from Pokémon Sun & Moon, these pocket monsters have changed their appearance for a different reason.
Pokémon change through loneliness
Why do they look like this? As the developers reveal, they did not think about how to express a Pokémon’s strength through design in Pokopia. Instead, they asked themselves what would happen to the pocket monsters if they lived a leisurely life in a world without humans.
The developers provide two examples:
- Tangela has been thinking alone for so long that it became similar to the professor.
- Pikachu’s colors have faded, and it is only so unhappy and fragile because it has consumed all its energy.
Whether the consumed energy directly points to Pikachu’s death and it being a ghost was not directly answered. However, the developers raved about the design of the yellow mouse, including Kanako Murata, producer of Pokopia:
We were totally thrilled by how Pikachu, which has been one of the most well-known Pokémon figures for 30 years, still enchants us with its charm. We had no idea that it still holds so much cuteness. This makes us aware that there is still so much more to discover in the Pokémon world.
Although Pikachu looks cute, we think the reason is a bit sad. Without human contact, Pikachu loses all its energy and is only a broken version of itself. We hope to be able to bring back its joy of life in the game!
Pokopia has oriented its map towards earlier editions. There are habitats where the pocket monsters can settle. But MeinMMO editor Jasmin wishes for a completely different feature from generation 3 and hopes it will be implemented well: Pokémon Pokopia must implement a feature from Ruby and Sapphire to really become great
