Game Freak Dishes Up Details on Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble

As part of Game Informer’s extensive Pokemon Sword and Shield coverage, the outlet interviewed Shigeru Ohmori and Junichi Masuda of Game Freak to find out a bit more about the game’s three starter Pokemon.

Here’s what they shared, getting us even more hype for the games’ impending November release. 

Grookey, the Party Monkey

Grookey is the happy monkey, the Pokemon Ohmori and Masuda said will probably attract happy people who like to party and have fun. Grookey is intentionally designed as an energetic and happy-looking critter, and Ohmori pointed out the stick on Grookey’s head is actually used to bring new life to the monkey ‘mon’s surroundings.

Ohmori tossed no nuggets for those wanting more info about Grookey’s evolved forms, so we’ll just have to wait until November 15 to find out more.

Sobble, Balance Bringer

It won’t surprise Sobble fans to learn the sad little Water type is actually a first for the Pokemon franchise. It’s the only starter Pokemon to feature a more withdrawn personality; it’s not overly chipper and happy about everything, all the time. That shyness and sadness is something the team believes will attract kind people to this particular starter

Ohmori and Masuda said the goal was to bring balance to the starter line, which has more distinctive personalities than other games in the series, and Sobble in the middle of hyper Scorbunny and happy Grookey was a perfect fit.

Still, there was no information provided about its evolutions, though Ohmori said the way all the starters evolve — and their original forms as well — are closely tied with the Galar region and how the story unfolds.

Scorbunny, God of Chaos

Finally is the Firestarter Scorbunny. As the original reveal video and the bandage on its nose suggest, Scorbunny is meant to be hyper. It’s full of energy and unpredictability.

One day, Ohmori says, you might just wake up to find Scorbunny’s disappeared from its Poke Ball. That means it’s a ‘mon probably best for those with lots of energy who can keep up with the wild rabbit.

We did get a bit of a tease about evolutions with this starter. Ohmori mentioned Scorbunny’s evolutions are exciting and unpredictable as well, taking directions you probably won’t expect.

There’s a lot we still don’t know about Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, even as we edge closer to their release date. However, The Pokemon Company did recently offer a glimpse at some version exclusives: Sirfetch’d for Sword and Galarian Ponyta for Shield.

Stay tuned for more on Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield as it develops, as well as our review of the games come November. 

Source: Gameinformer