Although battling is the main venture inPokemon Scarlet and Violet, the game needs to introduce other interactive features to entertain players. With new DLC revealed,Pokemon Scarlet and Violethave a chance to amuse players with new additions. The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC is set to provide players new stories, characters, and, potentially, another new battle tournament in the Indigo Disk DLC. As much asPokemonloves its battle tournaments, Game Freak should consider reviving a feature from past games in the Teal Mask DLC for an amusing surprise: Pokemon Musicals.
Pokemon Musicals were an exclusive feature inPokemon Black and White, and they were successors to Pokemon Contests from previous generations. As theUnova Region was based on New York City, Pokemon Musicals represented the Broadway culture in the Pokemon world. However, unlike Pokemon Contests, Pokemon Musicals were lackluster in quality. Game Freak should redeem the disappointing feature in The Teal Mask DLC with a revamped gamemode and visuals.
RELATED:Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s DLC Still Has Time to Introduce One of Legends: Arceus' Best Open World Elements
What Made Pokemon Musicals So Disappointing Compared to Pokemon Contests
Pokemon Musicals were a one-and-done feature exclusive toPokemon Black and Whitelikely because they weren’t appealing enough to appear in future games. The major reasons why Pokemon Musicals were disappointing was because they weren’t nearly as interactive as their predecessor,Sinnoh’s Pokemon Super Contests. The Sinnoh Pokemon Contests consisted of three parts: a Visual Competition, Dance Competition, and Acting Competition, three separate gamemodes that required the player’s creativity, rhythm skills, and strategy to win. Meanwhile, Pokemon Musicals required almost no effort, as players only dress up their Pokemon and occasionally use props.
The SinnohPokemon Contests had more variety than Pokemon Musicalsin both difficulty and types of contests. The four difficulties included Normal, Great, Ultra, and Master ranks and the five different contests were Coolness, Beauty, Cuteness, Cleverness, and Toughness Contests. In contrast, there were only four Pokemon Musicals, and there weren’t any difficulty settings because the players didn’t have to do much besides watch a short cutscene. There were no winners and no rewards for entering a Pokemon Musical, aside from some more props.
What Can the Teal Mask DLC Do With Pokemon Musicals
Pokemon musicals can have an entire new identity inPokemon Scarlet and Violet, as the Teal Mask DLC can have a unique approach with them: traditional Pokemon theater. The Teal Mask DLC takes place in Kitakami, a Japanese inspired region that celebrates an annual festival commemorating folktales andPokemonculture. Since the region is based on traditional Japan, and there are plenty of traditional clothing and masks reminescent of pieces featured inPokemon Legends: Arceus, it would make sense for a sort of traditional Japanese theater performance to be added into the game. It would be fun to witness players' Pokemon dressing up in traditional clothing and masks of different Pokemon while dancing to Japan-inspired music.
A Pokemon Musical Theater gamemode could improve the musicals inPokemon Black and Whiteby making the feature more interactive. One approach to do so would be to turn the Pokemon Theater gamemode into a rhythm game akin to theDance Competition in the Pokemon Super Contests. Players could shake Joy-Cons to the rhythm of the song that plays on stage, or push buttons in a typical rhythm game-fashion.
The Pokemon Musical Theater could appease fans who want more out ofPokemon ScarletandViolet, as the game itself fails to offer several features that made otherPokemongames special. Adding diversity in gameplay would help attract players to the Teal Mask DLC as well as expose players to an enjoyable alternate gamemode. If Game Freak doesn’t remake Pokemon Musicals inPokemon Scarlet and Violet, it should consider a remake in future games.
Pokemon ScarletandVioletare available now on Nintendo Switch.
MORE:Game Freak Shouldn’t Forget Almia When Designing Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Indigo Disk DLC
