New Pokemon games don't just come with a new region, new moves, and plenty of new pals to battle with. They also come with a new gimmick. And, while we've already seen the likes of Mega Evolutions, Z-Moves, and Dynamaxing, Scarlet & Violet sets itself apart with the introduction of Terastallization.
Terastallization will either change the user's type or boost its original type even more. On top of that, it turns your Pokemon into a gem and places a crown on their head representing their new Tera Type. So let's take a look at every Terastallization and see which one is the most aesthetically pleasing.
18 Fire Doesn't Hold A Candle To Other Tera Types
Most Fire-type Pokemon are associated with giant bursts of flame that can even melt boulders. Instead of the Terastallization capturing that feeling, it settles for being four candles in a candelabra. While this is wonderful for dinner or even a fancy picnic, it doesn't seem like something that would make a Pokemon stronger.
17 Water Terastallization Looks Like A Bad Haircut
Water-type Pokemon are some of the most popular ones out there, so you'd think that it would have an awesome Terastallization. However, that is not the case. It's clear that the designers tried to use a fountain to represent the type since they can be a thing of beauty. Instead, we get something that looks like Sideshow Bob dyed his hair blue.
16 The Bug Tera Type Could Have Been More
It always seems like Bug-type Pokemon get the short end of the stick and that trend continues with its Terastallization. This Tera Type adds two antennae to your Pokemon and... that's about it. There are also tiny fly wings on the side, but they're barely noticeable. It would have been cool to see something with butterfly wings or even a web, but instead it's much too simple.
15 The Grass Is Greener With Other Terastallizations
The Grass Tera Type is an interesting one to judge. Does everything about it scream Grass-type? Yes. But, does it also just look like someone stuck a bunch of flowers on a Pokemon's head? Also yes.
This makes it a bit lackluster. The highlight is easily the bright green leaves at the base. Maybe more could have been with that?
14 The Normal Tera Type Sets The Standard
Terrastallization is essentially the process of your Pokemon becoming one of those diamond trinkets that you find at gift shops - so it makes sense that Normal-type would flat out be a diamond. And it works! It's shiny, fun, and captures the basic nature of Normal-type Pokemon. Basically, every Tera Type is judged by this one.
13 The Fairy Tera Type Is A Bit Extra, But That's The Point
The Fairy Tera Type has a lot going on with a giant pink heart and angel wings coming out the top of it. While that may be off-putting for some, it actually works for the typing. Fairy-type Pokemon are often covered in ribbons and extra pieces of flair that make their type stand out from the others. So, even though this may be a lot for some people, it fits the Fairy type perfectly.
12 Open Your Third Eye With Psychic Terastallization
Oddly, the Psychic Tera Type is the only one that is simply represented by its type symbol. Game Freak could have easily done this with every single typing and no one would have batted an eye. But it works well here since a Psychic Terastallization literally opens the Pokemon's third eye. Simple, but clever.
11 The Electric Tera Type Is A Bright Idea
Electric-type Pokemon are usually recognized by their bright yellow coloring and spiky edges. It's very easy to think of a world where the Electric Tera Type was just a bunch of lightning bolts or a thundercloud.
Instead, we get a light bulb that makes your Pokemon look rather intelligent. It's a cute and clever idea that is perfect for trainers who like to make big-brain plays.
10 The Steel Tera Type Is Easily The Most Brutal
At first, it can seem like the Steel Tera Type isn't visually impressive since it looks like a straight line from the front. However, any angle shows you that it is actually a finely sharpened axe that is plunged into the head of your Pokemon, almost as if it was from a slasher movie. This was a huge risk for the designers to take, and it is much appreciated.
9 The Rock Tera Type Proves The Mind Is A Temple
It could have been so easy to have just made the Rock Tera Type just a big boulder or a mountain and be done with it. Instead, Rock is represented with an ancient Greek-style temple surrounded by cloud-like rocks. This is not only clever, but captures the strength and sturdiness of Rock-type Pokemon.
8 The Flying Tera Type Takes You Back To Pokemon Yellow
One of the best intros in a Pokemon game was in Pokemon Yellow, when Pikachu is seen running, surfing, and flying through the air tied to balloons. The Flying Tera Type is a great callback to that by bringing back the balloons. In fact, Pokemon must have realized this because one of the first Gift Pokemon was a Flying Tera Type Pikachu.
7 Take Flight With The Dragon Tera Type
Dragon-type Pokemon don't have to do much to look really, really cool. And the Dragon Tera Type doesn't have to do much either. It is literally just a dragon head and wings. While this is incredibly awesome, the dragon head may be a bit too much. If it was just the bright red wings without the head sticking out of the middle, it would have been even higher.
6 The Ghost Tera Type Is Spookily Nostalgic
Pokemon games are usually good with nostalgia, and this one does not disappoint with the Ghost Terastallization. This brings back the unidentified ghost sprite from the original Pokemon games. And while it may look a little silly on top of your Pokemon, the wave of memories from Lavender Town's Pokemon Tower is more than worth it.
5 The Poison Tera Type Brings Up Death And Pirates
Poison-types are usually represented by a bubbling liquid or maybe even a gas. Fortunately, Game Freak did not go in this direction for the Poison Tera Type and instead went with the usual label found on poisonous chemicals - a skull and crossbones. Not only does this show how deadly that typing is, but it also invokes thoughts of pirates. And who doesn't love pirates?
4 Ice Terastallization Is Simplistic Perfection
While some of the Terastallizations can be a bit boring, there is something that can be said for simplicity. The best example of this is with the Ice Tera Type where it is simply a bright blue snowflake.
It's beautiful, and it communicates the typing perfectly. Nothing else had to be done, and the designers knew it.
3 The Fighting Tera Type Literally Punches Through Your Pokemon
To represent Fighting-type Pokemon, Game Freak decided to have a fist swirling with energy sit on the top of the Pokemon. It looks like it just got an uppercut through its body. This is absolutely ridiculous, but still works. The orange fist contrasts brilliantly with the blue swirls, making for a memorable look.
2 Even Atlas Wouldn't Shrug Off The Ground Tera Type
Ground could have been many things ranging from a desert to a cliffside, but the designers decided to go even bigger by representing the Ground-typing with the entire planet. What makes it especially interesting is that you can see the different layers including the crust, mantle, and core. This choice adds a ton of color to a typing that is usually represented by brown and dark brown.
1 The Devil's In The Details With The Dark Tera Type
Of all the types, Dark must have been the hardest to represent. How do you personify darkness without going completely black? Well, the designers did it perfectly by making Dark's crown be graffiti. This gives it a completely unique look from every other Tera Type, while still looking evil. That mischievous grin paired with the pinks and purples make for what is easily the best looking Terastallization in Scarlet & Violet.