Judge A Pokémon Express: Gossifleur, Eldegoss, Wooloo, Corviknight, and Drednaw
| « Previous Article | Next Article » |
Codraroll
On the historic day of June 5, 2019, new Pokémon were revealed to us in a Pokémon Direct, finally ending several months of silence after the initial Pokémon Sword and Shield trailer. Now the pre-release period is well and truly underway, and we know more about the upcoming Generation VIII than the sparse info given at the announcement. The occasion calls for some well-chosen words. Words that will inspire. Words that will unite us as a fanbase ...
... or we'll cut straight to the meat and offer some honest thoughts about the Pokémon revealed in the Direct. That's probably what you are here for anyway. Seven Pokémon were revealed on June 5, but among them were two legendaries we consider special enough to warrant a later Judge-a-Pokémon panel. For now, let us concentrate on the five non-legendary Pokémon shown below!
| Gossifleur | Eldegoss | Wooloo | Corviknight | Drednaw |
| Click on the images to reveal everyone's thoughts! | ||||
heritage
Going over the pre-evolution here rather than the evolution (it's just a discount Jumpluff and there's really nothing more to say there), Gossifleur adds a very nice base Pokémon to the Grass-type roster. The colors are just really pleasing to look at, and for once, its eyes don't look obnoxious. This has been an issue in Pokémon where somehow they mess up how the eyes look on basic Pokémon, but this pulls it off. It honestly looks like a Pokémon that could just float away in the wind without a care in the world. It does look really stupid Dynamaxed though, haha, because I feel like that takes away from the whole fragile appearance of the Pokémon, but hey, what can you do.
lyd
I very much like Gossifleur. The way they kind of made its flower look like hair is very interesting, its design as a whole is also kind of minimalist but very aesthetically pleasing, and the color choice is on point here as well. Cotton Down is its new ability, and while it might just be Gooey / Tangling Hair 2.0 (not a good start) it's still a nice indication that Game Freak is trying to add new abilities and stuff, which is always nice. Still kind of pointless to give Regenerator to a Pokémon with a new ability, but that's not Gossifleur's fault. Overall it just feels like a nice addition to Galar, and with Pokémon now showing up in the overworld, it's definitely going to be pleasing to see some of these roaming around. I would love to see different colored flowers (à la Flabébé line) for Gossifleur, but considering Eldegoss's design that seems quite unlikely.
Pikachu315111
GossiFLEUR? We're no longer in Kalos, get that French out of here! Well, I guess it does remind me of Flabébé, or rather the flower it hangs from. It must be hard designing Grass-type Pokémon that also aren't part animal because it could come off looking like a plant with a face slapped on. Gossifleur is no exception; it's literally a flower with a tiny face. Specifically the Gossypium flower, the plant we get cotton from (and, much like with dandelions, the flower eventually turns into the cotton bolls). But, aside from the science fact, Gossifleur's design doesn't impress me. Its description on the site is also not much different from other Grass-types, though its pollen having a healing factor could maybe mean it gets Pollen Puff? Its battle capabilities continue to flourish with its abilities. Regenerator is always great to have, and its new signature ability Cotton Down (which is a copy of the Goomy family's signature ability: Gooey) has potential. It can play support and wouldn't need to have much Speed itself to hinder the opponent. And it probably goes without saying it'll get Cotton Guard, or at least its evolution will.
Estronic
I'm not really fond of the archetype Gossifleur (as well as its evolution) falls into. Every generation, they is one or more Grass-type evolution lines that were most likely made for the lower levels of the game as a Pokémon you only really use to fill up your party, if that makes sense. Of course, the way I say it here can imply that I don't like other archetype evolution lines, such as the starting Normal-type evolution lines you find on the first routes. Well, the difference is that Gossifleur barely differentiates from other Pokémon in the same archetype. Sure, it can't really be helped with how restricting Grass typing is design wise, but there are tons of other plants to use to have more diverse designs, and Gossifleur is just another flower. Such Pokémon in the same archetype as Gossifleur also always has some cutesy design. Why can't we have an intimidating Grass-type you find in the first routes of the game? Plants can be scary sometimes.
BackAtYouBro
Gossifleur looks like the kind of boujie chick who always gets their breakfast and coffee from a smoky French cafe. Game Freak seems to have some sort of obsession with drawing human-like Grass-types and Gossifleur is no exception. Gossifleur shares the color palettes of Flabébé and has a face that somewhat resembles Bellossom's carefree one. Other than that, this design is just alright. Its yellow bud "hat" can be its Sunday bonnet for tea and crumpets at least. I'd prefer other flora Pokémon over this one, though, as they have much more interesting features that are more dainty or appealing.
{Pokemon_Vigilante}
Let's get to the root of this plant-like Pokémon. It is adorable, that's true. But its color scheme is not new. To be honest, I'm fairly certain that you could put Gossifleur side by side with Bellossom and you would find that each of the individual colors can be seen on both Pokémon. That's a major disappointment for me, because I feel like there is not enough orange colors used in plant-like Pokémon. Gourgeist and Pumpkaboo used them the best, being pumpkin / gourd based. But Gossifleur could have been part of something special, especially if it had been modeled after something like a rust-colored hosta plant. I just wanted something new here, and the return to a cotton-based evolution group just irks me in the wrong ways.
GatoDelFuego
Unfortunately, after twenty years of Pokémon, some designs seem like they've been tried already. I don't even know what Gossifleur reminds me of, but it just seems so FAMILIAR. I'm ready to throw it away from my memory right off the bat. I can't think of any direct qualities of this Pokémon that are appealing. It's just... shapes with eyes. It's a flower... okay? There just isn't anything here. No lore, no colors, no design are original. They've just been lifted from the history of Pokémon past.
gum
Looks like they finally freed Pokémon fusions! All jokes aside, this fluffy Bellossom has a pretty interesting design, and it's pretty cute too. I personally think it should've been part Fairy, but I guess that mono-Grass makes sense as well. I'm not gonna lie, though, this Pokémon reminds me a lot of Whimsicott, both designwise and from what we know about it. I'm also a bit disappointed and surprised it doesn't get Levitate, as it would make a lot of sense, but it's not like anyone would use that anyway. In competitive battling, it's probably gonna be an extremely annoying Pokémon to deal with thanks to its ability Regenerator. It also looks like it'll be pretty fast, which is always nice. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets moves like Leech Seed and even Defog, as it fits its theme perfectly, and these moves might give it a niche.
Ryota Mitarai
So this is essentially a golden Bellossom with a huge butt? But like, for real, the huge back part is one of those really bad parts that are also defining parts of something's design. Other than similar facial expressions, it's hard to believe that Eldegoss is the evolution of Gossifleur, because their color schemes are really different. It's clear Eldegoss is going more for a golden and shiny design, coupled with a contrasting, bland white. But I am not gonna lie, this back part thing looks like vanilla ice cream with cookie chips.
tondas
A smug Grass-type? An annoying set of abilities? A fuzzy design? If you haven't already figured it out, clearly this is a Pokémon that was designed with only the most evil and devious intentions in mind. Eldegoss looks like a Bellossom with a big Jumpluff on its back, and you can tell by looking at its face that it plays dirty and will not feel sorry about it at all. Carrying such a large cotton ball behind its back allows it to hide its toolkit as it prepares a nasty status ailment or such annoyances like Leech Seed and Encore to truly ruin one's day. Definitely have backup at the ready the first time you come face to face with this fuzzy fiend.
Pikachu315111
Compared to its pre-evolution Gossifleur, I think Eldegoss's design is much better, and not just because it looks like it has a giant afro (but that doesn't hurt). We go from healing pollen to healing seeds, though with all current seed-based moves doing damage (this includes Leech Seed) I wonder if it'll be getting a new seed-based healing move that'll work like Healing Pulse (or Pollen Puff if they no longer want to keep that exclusive to the Cutiefly family). But just because it has healing seeds doesn't mean it can't use them to attack, so it will very likely get Bullet Seed and Seed Bomb (meaning that it and its pre-evolution would be physical attackers instead of the typical special attackers). My thoughts of its Abilities haven't changed from Gossifleur, both are pretty cool. Even if you don't plan on using it on your team it looks to be the ace Pokémon of the first Galar Gym Leader you face, the Grass-type specialist Milo, which he DYNAMAXES so either way it's going to get a chance to strut its stuff. Hopefully it being the first Gym Leader's ace we face with a base stage Starter isn't telling of its capabilities.
GatoDelFuego
Alright, now I think we're getting somewhere. We've had cotton-style Pokémon designs in the past, but I think this one does successfully advance the design in a new direction. I really like the fact that the seeds are included in the cotton ball itself. I like the skirt, I like the small stature dwarfed by the giant cotton ball. This Pokémon seems like it was designed to work well with the Dynamax feature, to contrast between very small and very large. B+ from me.
Codraroll
Several of the other panelists have said Eldegoss reminds them of other Pokémon, most notably Bellossom. However, my thoughts run more in the direction of Swadloon, Roselia, and Petilil. There's something about that leaf coat, the face, and those shades of green. Speaking of the latter two points—it kind of disturbs me how Eldegoss's eyes are the exact same shade of green as its body. Eldegoss also feels like it ought to have arms somewhere, but from what we've seen it appears to be mostly armless. Overall, it's not my favorite Grass-type design, but it's not the worst either.
lyd
Wooloo is the type of Pokémon you just really need an irl version of. It's so cute and adorable. Goes to show that sometimes these simpler Pokémon can get the job done and don't have to be all overdesigned (cough Ultra Necrozma, cough Zygarde-C). It truly is the perfect representative of a Normal-type, if you think about it, between the simplistic design and the real-life animal inspiration. I also really like the name Wooloo. So yeah, I think I should follow Game Freak's advice on keeping things simple and end my paragraph here. I just need to say I still love the Mareep line a bit more.
gum
Wooloo's cuteness and simplicity make it my favorite Pokémon shown in this Direct. Just look at that smile and those eyes. Judging by its design and typing, it'll most likely be an early-route Normal-type that'll eventually end up in your PC. The chances that it'll get an evolution are fairly high though, as, like I said before, its design is simple and also somewhat boring. It might have use outside of battles, however, as the people of the Galar region use its fur for clothing and other things, which means that we might be able to buy its fur. Lastly, I'm excited to see how it will do in competitive, as its ability, Fluffy, might give it a niche unlike other regional Normal-types. Let's just hope it gets some reliable recovery. Mareep who?
TJ
With a funny name, to inherent cuteness, it didn't take long for the internet to fall in love with Wooloo. Being a Normal-type Pokémon and seeing that it can be found at low levels, I think that Wooloo will serve as the Galar region's early-route Normal-type Pokémon that introduces you to the many Pokémon as well as vast lands to explore. Seeing that the people of the Galar Region use Wooloo's fur for clothing and carpets, I think it's plausible that we will be able to groom and change the color of its fur. While early-route Normal-type Pokémon have historically been underwhelming, I think that Wooloo may have the most potential competitively because it has access to the ability Fluffy and seems like it would also have access to reliable recovery.
Max. Optimizer
When Wooloo was first introduced in the Nintendo Direct trailer, I immediately thought of it as a spiritual successor to Mareep, another fluffy sheep that we all know and love, exactly twenty years later. However, by taking a closer look at its Normal typing, as well as its ability Fluffy, it becomes clear that, despite being a sheep, it notably deviates from Mareep and is actually closer to Furfrou and Cottonee, in the sense where it will most likely use its wool as a shield with the help of the move Cotton Guard to defend itself in case it can literally not "run away" in time, Run Away being its secondary ability after all. Anyway, to return to our sheep here, quite literally, it is still too early to say if it will be a purely defensive Pokémon at this point. For all we know, it might as well gain offensive points, allowing it to both take and dish out hits, eventually outlasting its opponent. It might as well turn into the proverbial "wolf in sheep's clothing", "wolves" being a notable recurrent leitmotif of the Galar region, that may indeed grow up to be able to survive without its former herd.
Kalalokki
Please convert me to your religion, oh shepherd of sheep! This fluffy bugger is just all kinds of fun, very glad that we finally have a sheep with the Fluffy ability, hopefully with some reliable recovery to boot. Electric sheep were cool and all in the past, but nothing quite beats just a plain ol' cute white sheep. It makes me wonder if it's gonna get some evolution to shake up this meek design or just be forever relegated as a starting area Normal-type that you'll forget on your journey soon enough.
Pikachu315111
Wooloo is a surprise to see, as when you think sheep Pokémon, you think Mareep. Unsurprisingly both share similar designs; you could joke that Wooloo looks like a bleached Mareep. However, the white puffball has a certain charm to it, with it mimicking its trainer or herd leader's actions and using its round shape to roll around like a cute cotton swab tumbleweed (as seen in the trailer). Combined with its gentle nature, this is probably why it gets Run Away. However, it's its other ability that has more people interested: Fluffy, originally the Stufful family's signature ability. With it Wooloo brings to mind Furfrou, which was a pretty solid defensive Pokémon, at least in the main game. However, I doubt Wooloo would be as fast or Attack focused, so we could have a defensive Pokémon with a damage-reducing ability to boot! I have a feeling Wooloo has an evolution coming up that'll buck its gentle nature, and if it keeps its ability but has a more offensive stat distribution we could have a family of Pokémon where members play different roles. Just keep them away from fire.
Estronic
I'm usually not amused by cutesy Pokémon in general, but damn, I'm a sucker for Wooloo. Yes, it arguably is just a sheep, and saying that I love it basically contradicts what I said about Gossifleur, but I bet it's impossible for someone to completely hate Wooloo. Of course, we are all aware that it took over the internet practically minutes after the Direct, so I'm clearly not the only one whose heart was captured by Wooloo. However, my love for it has additionally caused my curiosity to unfold on what the damn thing will turn into. Will it keep the cute route and get even fluffier or become a menace not to be threatened with? Personally, I'm hoping for the former to happen, but I wouldn't mind the latter, as Wooloo is and will be forever.
BackAtYouBro
Jesus it has only been a few days and Wooloo already has a large cult following jostling around its inherent cuteness. However, I personally think the contrary. I found Wooloo’s design to be fairly bland and basic, and even Mareep had a twinge of creativity plastered onto it. Outside of its Lil Bo Peep wool wig and baby horns nudging out a little, this design leaves much to be desired. Early-route Normal-types have for the longest time been unimpressive (outside of cute boy Furret), so it was expected that Wooloo would just be rather uninspiring compared to its predecessor Mareep. You’re better off shearing this sheep and knitting Wooloo sweaters for the homeless. It's good charity and benefits Wooloo itself.
Oglemi
IT'S SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE
heritage
Corviknight might just be one of the slickest bird Pokémon in the entire series. I feel like it pulled off the dark raven a bit better than Honchkrow because it's a bit more serious looking and not as goofy (even though I love Honchkrow, don't get me wrong). On paper it's a pretty simple design but something about the shading in the artwork makes it so much cooler. I really hope this thing is the final evolution of the region's first bird because I would pick one up for sure as soon as I could. Also this thing is outright HUGE in a terrifying way and I love it. It towers above even Pokémon like Charizard. Such a cool concept, and the image of a bird that scary-looking being really just a taxi is super charming.
gum
I find Corviknight extremely interesting. While it looks pretty evil and stuff due to its menacing red eyes, appearance, and dark feathers, I doubt it actually is, as it's basically the Uber of the Pokémon world. Judging by its appearance, it's most likely a last evolution for, probably, a regional bird or simply a Pokémon with no evolutionary line, perhaps even a mythical or a legendary, which could explain why it gets Pressure. I first thought that it would be a Flying / Dark type, as it's extremely similar to Honchkrow and has a very menacing appearance, but I guess it makes sense for it to be a Steel-type, as it looks like it has some kind of armor. Finally, I'm interested to see how it'll fare in competitive, as its typing could give it a strong niche as a defensive Pokémon; although it does look pretty fast and menacing, so we might end up with an offensive Pokémon, which is, honestly, what I want, as we have enough defensive Steel / Flying Pokémon.
TJ
Of all the Pokémon shown in the recent Pokémon Direct, Corviknight is probably my favorite because it just looks so cool. I think its safe to say that, design-wise, Corviknight is the best regional bird Pokémon we have ever seen and is an absolute must have on in-game teams. Initially, I thought that Corviknight would be Dark / Flying because of the colorization of its sprite, but Steel / Flying makes a bit more sense, as it needs the metal covering to transport people from one place to another. I also think that Corviknight is a final evolution of some Pokémon because it's shown at level 60 in the trailer and looks too developed and badass to be a first-stage or middle-stage Pokémon. I know that people have been talking about the possibility of it being a stand-alone Pokémon, but I don't think this is the case. As for the competitive aspect to Corviknight, the Steel / Flying type combination has led to be quite successful seeing how the other two Steel / Flying Pokémon, Skarmory and Celesteela, are placed in the OU tier. I'm just glad that my Uber is finally here... ;-)
Max. Optimizer
Corviknight's reveal also gave me, much like most of our readers, a sense of déjà-vu. Initially, I thought that, like crow, like eggs, Corviknight might take after its spiritual predecessor Honchkrow, in the form of a notably shady and unscrupulous crow, literally plotting nasty things. However, let us not draw the crow just yet. Even though crows do not pick out crow's eyes, the heavy knight armor can be considered a clear first indicator as to why Corviknight is most certainly going to be a lot more defensive than Honchkrow, sharing its Flying / Steel typing with Skarmory, another bird with a lot of perseverance that was introduced twenty years ago. The Pressure ability will most certainly allow it to exhaust opposing Pokémon's PP quickly, all while its Steel typing prevents it from being worn down by gradually increasing damage caused by Toxic, hence making it a useful pick to use both in and against stalling-oriented teams. Unnerve, its secondary ability, is definitely fitting as well. This intelligent, sinister and "murky crow" is definitely an intimidating sight when it crows about with its red, glowy eyes, and in some folklores, the crow is also known as the "harbinger of death" after all.
Ryota Mitarai
Black Knight. This is the first thing I thought of when I heard its name and saw its design. It's no wonder to believe so, especially after finding out it's part Steel! Corviknight's "black knight" theme is often associated with darkness, something that ravens are also associated with. It also takes in the concept of black knights being evil or using their anonymity for misdeeds by describing Corviknight as a rather brutal Pokémon that everyone fears. I think overall that Game Freak has tried to give the feeling of mystery to Corviknight, but at the same time also the bad feeling that you should not mess with it.
Kalalokki
While we've had black birds in crows before, they've always been a little too silly and pompous for my taste; Murkrow and Honchkrow have stupid hats and squawk like idiots. Corviknight is a breath of fresh air with its sleek, menacing dark body and intense stare from its blood-red eyes, immediately reminding me of the Kerberos Panzer Corps soldiers from Jin-Roh, especially with its part Steel typing and all. Definitely my favorite out of the new reveals. My only complaint is the popped feather collar, makes me think of some daft chad wearing a bloody tracksuit.
tondas
While Corviknight's Pressure ability and glowing red eyes backed by the hushed whispers of transportation services certainly give it a foreboding and menacing appearance, I'd like to think it's much more calm and mysterious than one might suggest. Its sleek, elegant, and fearless appearance alongside its willingness to serve trainers as a taxi service could lean it closer to moral ambiguity rather than evil. The first thing that comes to mind when I see this thing is Darkwing Duck in a suit of armor, which certainly doesn't evoke the same antagonistic feelings as one might assume looking at Corviknight for the first time. If Corviknight functions similarly to fellow Steel / Flying types in battle, it could also take a more defensive and opportunistic approach to battling, opting to coordinate and plan out turns rather than immediately swooping in for the attack like a Pokémon like Honchkrow would.
BackAtYouBro
I'm a bit of a sucker for cool designs in Pokémon, and Corviknight encapsulates all that cool essence into one boss of a Pokémon. I had to keep replaying that section of the direct where the trainer releases their Corviknight against the Black Belt's Sawk because it was just so dope! Corviknight blew Talonflame right out of the water as the best traditional bird. With Pressure showing up as its ability and a Steel / Flying typing, this looks like Skarmory's wrath after how disappointing it was throughout their OU run. Corviknight also suggests that we will be able to ride on them and travel everywhere in the open world of Galar via flight, which is bonus points functionally! Looks like HM slaves have truly been freed from Pokémon. Overall, this Pokémon includes every positive aspect of Pokémon that I personally love between design, possibly promising stats, and game mechanics.
{Pokemon_Vigilante}
Once upon a Friday dreary, we all have waited, meek and leery. Once we pay and leave the store, we all will play either Shield or Sword. As we march upon our journey, our Pokémon will feel weak and start hurting. And when we ask if saving our team has become a bore, Corviknight will simply perform this task, not just once, but surely more. Corviknight will taxi us to the Pokémon Center door, as we exclaim, "We do not wish to suffer anymore!". Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
Corviknight is the dark cloaked harbinger of hope. There is a lot of reason to be excited, because a raven-styled Pokémon is among what we hope will be many new styles to come. The beauty and style of Corviknight makes me giddy to see at least one new change in the styling process.
heritage
Drednaw is what I've always wanted from a snapping turtle Pokémon. It's honestly the first turtle Pokémon besides Wartortle that I've actually really liked, but Drednaw fits perfectly in the Pokémon universe. They've done a really nice job with the color schemes of this generation's Pokémon, and this is no exception. I love the clashing of the yellow and blue because both colors are toned down a bit as to not look obnoxious and, uh, neon-y. This was a huge problem I had with the starters of this gen. It looks worn down like it's lived in the ocean for years. It truly does look like it could bite down and tear you apart, oof. Really hope it doesn't evolve because its design is just fine as it is and I know Pokémon likes going into overkill territory with evolutions.
lyd
The snapping turtle is one of the most unique animals out there, so it's pretty nice to see it getting some Pokémon representation. It's really nice when they take direct inspiration from an unique real life animal like that—I'm sure many Pokémon fans discovered the pistol shrimp via Clawitzer. It would be really cool to see a new move for Drednaw, perhaps a Rock-type biting move super effective against Steel? That's the first thing that came to mind—you could even give it to the Aron line too, but since they didn't reveal anything, I'm not having high expectations. The color scheme is, once again, very interesting and aesthetically pleasing. Teal and yellow is great, and while you may not associate that with turtles, it definitely makes Drednaw stand out; the yellow gives it a more energetic and quirky feeling, while the teal hints to its status as a semiaquatic Pokémon. Game Freak has taken many creative liberties when it comes to color schemes, so that's a plus for me. I also like how it isn't an Electric-type, when Pokémon break the mold of the typing-color association (fire-red, water-blue, grass-green, electric-yellow, etc.), it always feels refreshing to me.
Jordy
A creature that clearly resembles a snapping turtle is something I've always really wanted to see in Pokémon, and I can't say that Drednaw disappointed me at all. I'm very fond of the particular design that was chosen, with the many sharp turns in its design and its unique color scheme making it stand out from other, similar turtle-based Pokémon like Tirtouga. However, because of its particular color scheme, I must say that Drednaw does look like it could've been part Electric. Nonetheless, I'm a huge fan of this Pokémon and look forward to using it in-game, and hopefully competitively too.
TJ
At first glance, this Pokémon is misleading as to what type it comes across as. Being introduced to this Pokémon, I thought that Drednaw was either a Dragon / Rock type or a Steel / Rock type based on its design As for the actual typing, Drednaw is a Water / Rock type. Looking back it, this does make sense, seeing that Drednaw is based off of a snapping turtle and that it can be seen near water in the trailer. From a competitive standpoint, Drednaw's ability Strong Jaw serves as what can be a potential threat to the upcoming metagame for Pokémon that may not survive a strong move boosted by the ability. Another thing to mention is that despite its design coming across as relatively slow, giving the same vibes as other turtle Pokémon such as Carracosta and Turtonator, Drednaw is actually said to be fast due to the well-developed muscles it possesses, being able to carry the weight of its colossal shell.
Max. Optimizer
Oh snap! What initially immediately caught my eye when Drednaw was first introduced was the strong resemblance that it shares with Tirtouga and its evolution Carracosta. Both Drednaw and Tirtouga also seem to share a strong resemblance to that unnamed turtle Pokémon that appeared in the beta versions of Pokémon Gold and Silver. In addition to this, since Drednaw's color palette is vastly similar to that of that unnamed turtle, I am led to believe that Game Freak tried to "revive this fossil" not once, but twice! The Water / Rock typing can be considered further evidence supporting this aforementioned theory. Both Drednaw and its Gen V turtle counterparts are also surprisingly a lot more nimble than a lot of us would give them credit for, the former thanks to well-developed muscles and the latter two thanks to their Swift Swim ability. It also does not seem too farfetched to believe that a lot of its enemies underestimate its speed, before it is too late and they fall prey to the sharp and powerful fangs that can supposedly even bite through rock and iron, a reference to actual snapping turtles that, as the name already strongly implies, crush their prey.
Ryota Mitarai
Drednaw, just by looking at it, mixes in its design both modern-day and prehistorical elements. Drednaw's mouth, in particular, resembles the choppers used for destroying metals (it is stated that Drednaw can also chop irons with its mouth), while at the same time it takes the form a prehistorical tortoise. Not sure how, but it's the mouth where I find Drednaw's defining point in terms of design. I guess it's because of its soft edges, which are nice to look at (due to being soft) but at the same time still calling for attention (as sharper objects tend to get your eye more than less sharp objects). But I still think Drednaw should have been part Electric due to its specific coloring, but hey, I am not gonna complain.
Kalalokki
Take any previous turtle Pokémon, turn its head in to a cylinder with a stereotypical metal hinge jaw, and then lodge a big piece of jagged rock so deep inside its skull that it basically lobotomizes the poor thing—you get Drednaw. Another dull Water / Rock type that's probably going to be slow, with a high Defense and decent Attack stat. Very disappointing for a Pokémon with a namesake of something so awe inspiring as a Dreadnaught. Next!
{Pokemon_Vigilante}
Turtle-based Pokémon are nothing new to us by this point. Squirtle, Turtwig, and Torkoal to name a few. But they are all unique, and Drednaw is too. It appears to be armored for battle, kind of like a stegosaurus, while simultaneously wielding what looks like the damaging jaw power of a snapping turtle. The colors give it an earthy feel, as though it were just resurrected from a fossil. The best part is that we know it's very possible in the world of Pokémon. If it evolves, I hope it looks even more vicious than this low-key form. But I have to give major props for this design.
GatoDelFuego
Now THIS is a success! We've had plenty of turtle Pokémon, and even ship-based Pokémon in the past, but nothing like this. Fat snapping turtles are amazing for a start. There's something about their angry look and powerful jaws that make them so cute! The big dumb head on Drednaw reminds me of something out of Roblox or Lego, and just gives it the perfect mix of cartoon into the otherwise "serious" design. My favorite part is the giant spike on the face, like a battering ram on a viking ship or the prow of a navy dreadnaught. This Pokémon is a total Kaiju!
Codraroll
So, that's Judge-a-Pokémon Express for this time! I hope the thoughts of our panelists have helped you discover a new way to see some of these Pokémon. The Gen VIII pre-release period has barely begun, so be prepared for another JAPE coming soon! Among other things, we have the cover legendaries Zacian and Zamazenta to cover, as well as Pokémon revealed in the E3 Treehouse demo. Eventually there will be many more Pokémon as well. We don't even know about them yet, but in time they might become your new favorites. I hope you are as excited for this new generation of Pokémon as I am!
| « Previous Article | Next Article » |