Another batch of animals not quite yet Pokémon

The planned article will have to wait yet again. It's a Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise review, and I haven't had as much time to play it as I expected. My cat's still sick, and I've been having a hard time concentrating on anything, really. So instead of a review, here's something a little light-hearted. Also, here are the links to parts one, two and three of this series of articles.


Ask anyone if they know what Pokémon is, and they'll probably say yes. The series has continued to succeed for 13 years now, and a large part of this success is the character design. With Pokémon modeled after rabbits, turtles, frogs, and snakes, it's evident that the folks at Game Freak draw a lot of inspiration from nature's creatures. I wouldn't be surprised if they just thumb through an animal encyclopedia when looking for new designs! If that's the case, here are a few more Pokémon they must have missed while skimming the ol' Encyclopedia Brittanica.

Electric Eel

Now this is the ultimate in no-brainers. They have eel Pokémon in the forms of Gorebyss and Huntail, and they have Electric/Water combos in the forms of Chinchou and Lanturn. Why not put the two together and make an electric eel? I can totally see such a Pokémon in my mind right now, with Bubblebeam, Thunderbolt, Charge and Dive. A blue eel Pokémon with a jagged yellow stripe down the side, and a lightning bolt symbol on its forehead. With lightning-fast speed and a high special attack, this new Pokémon would make a great addition to just about any team.

Now then, it just needs a name... I was thinking Eelectric, but hey, I'm a punny kind of guy.

Flamingo

While some may argue we already have enough bird Pokémon, I feel that a couple more in the next batch certainly couldn't hurt. That being said, I propose the flamingo make the jump from nature's best to Game Freak's finest. A bright-pink Flying/Water type, this Pokémon would use attacks like Peck, Wing Attack, Water Gun and Low Kick (Just look at those mean legs!). It would likely be a fast critter, with a decent attack and special attack. Defense, however, would be low, as would special defense.

Now then, a Flying/Water flamingo... How's Doused-O? Because it used to be a flaming-o? Huh? Get it? Ah, phooey.

Polar Bear

Polar creatures are no stranger to the Pokémon universe, what with Spheal, Sealeo, Walrein, Seel and Dewgong all being from colder climates. So why not an Ice-type polar bear? Using attacks like Blizzard, Stomp, Ice Beam and Body Slam to get the job done, this frigid beast would certainly be a force to be reckoned with! Off-setting its high defense and attack, though, would be fairly average special attack and special defense, as well as a low speed. Still, it would certainly be up there with Blissey when it comes to stalling for time.

So, what's in a name for this polar fighter? I was thinking something along the lines of Northpaw. You know, it's like Southpaw, but from the North pole, but it's right-handed, and... Okay, I really suck at name-making.

Ant

With so many Bug-type Pokémon like Caterpie, Ariados and Pinsir, it's incredibly surprising to me that there's not one creature modeled after an ant. This insanely common insect would most likely be a Bug/Ground-type, using attacks like Dig, Bug Bite, X-scissor and Earthquake. The ant Pokémon would be fast and have high attack, but average-to-low numbers for all other stats.

Now, what name to give to this crawly insect? I'd like to think one up, but I've been playing Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise so much lately, the only thing that comes to mind is Raisant. CURSE YOU RARE!

Badger

We've seen ferrets and weasels, so why not a badger? With its stocky build and interesting facial pattern, a badger would make a fantastic Normal-type Pokémon! As for attacks, I'd say Body Slam, Mega Punch, Rest and Defense Curl are all right up its alley. I'm seeing this prospective Pokémon sporting high defense, special defense and attack, with most other stats being fairly below average.

What to name a badger Pokémon... Well, it's a mean-looking mammal that strikes me as a real fighter, so how about... Meanboxermammal? No? Didn't think so. I'll leave the naming to Game Freak...

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