Pokémon needs more Mythical Events
Mochi Mayhem has me craving less gifts, more mysteries
Pokémon Scarlet/Violet’s DLC epilogue revives a long-forgotten feature left behind on the Nintendo DS. Mochi Mayhem is the series’ first new Mythical Pokémon promotional event since Generation V, introducing a new Pokémon and potentially bringing Scarlet/Violet’s story to a close.
It comes with a catch: The epilogue requires The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC to access it. So it is hidden behind a $34.99 USD paywall, if you want to look at it that way. It is a fair investment to make, considering the Pokémon and features exclusive to both parts. However, the item used to begin the event, the Mythical Pecha Berry, is available to everyone regardless of owning the DLC. So even if you do not intend on purchasing the DLC anytime soon, I recommend at least obtaining the exclusive key item used to activate it.
Mochi Mayhem is substantially more extensive than previous Mythical Pokémon events. It reunites you with your friends for a short vacation to Kitakami, establishing connections between the base game and the DLC. The main purpose is to introduce Pecharunt, the first Mythical Pokémon of Generation IX. Pecharunt, the subjugation Pokémon, is an adorable little rascal who’s more sinister than their design portrays. Pecharunt controls its prey by producing its own poisonous mochi and toxic chains. Mochi just so happens to be a local delicacy in Kitakami, and its here that things quickly spiral out of control. It is campy, but it isn’t anything you would not expect in a Pokémon game.
It is a welcome addition to Scarlet/Violet , further expanding the game’s lore. Most prior promotional events lacked substance, simply providing a way of adding new Pokémon to an already-existing game. This is apparent in Deoxys’ event, in which you acquire a map to Birth Island and must solve a short puzzle to encounter the DNA Pokémon. In fact, most of Generation III’s event encounters used this method, as both Mew and Latios/Latias are acquired via traveling to islands through promotional items.
Generation IV improved these events, but kept the same structure as its predecessors. Acquiring a key item through a distribution, the player is able to unlock certain areas inaccessible otherwise, such as the Hall of Origin, Newmoon Island, and Flower Paradise. Each has their own Mythical encounter, with Arceus, Darkrai and Shaymin introduced via this method. Unfortunately, Arceus’ was never officially released. Series director Junichi Masuda later said he “thought it would be confusing for people and kind of hard to understand,” in a 2013 interview with Nintendo World Report. Fortunately, it would be revived in Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl and Legends: Arceus.
It makes me wonder just how many mythical events may have been planned for new Pokémon, only to be pulled back due to how obscure or confusing they may be. You encounter Meloetta in The Indigo Disk by standing in a cyclone and spinning for 30 seconds, then using the camera’s sepia filter. It’s a strange way to encounter a Pokémon, and it’s much more confusing than using the Azure Flute to spawn a staircase above Spear Pillar. But that’s what makes it special. It’s a callback to Meloetta’s Relic Song event from Generation V.
This isn’t a critique of the series’ inability to provide interesting events and encounters, but rather giving up on them altogether. Many mythical Pokémon have been distributed via Mystery Gifts and in-person events, lacking the same care those prior to Generation VI had. That’s not to say that distributions are bad for the series; They’ve been here since Mew in Generation I (and no, it wasn’t underneath a truck.) Players in Japan could encounter Celebi in Ilex Forest by acquiring a GS Ball as a promotional item for Pokémon Crystal. Imagine having events like that for Pokémon like Genesect, Volcanion and Zarude instead of just receiving them as gifts.
Mythical Pokémon have more impact via films and anime rather than the games at this point. It may be easier to distribute in-store via various retailers or as movie promotions, but doing so loses crucial story elements and lore tied to these Pokémon. I take no issue in distributing key items via current methods, but gifting new Pokémon isn’t quite as exciting as encountering them yourself. It’s why some newer games involve Mythical Pokémon directly, such as Deoxys’ encounter in Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire’s Delta Episode, and Keldeo in Sword/Shield’s DLC. Heck, even Legends: Arceus rewards you with in-game missions for Generation IV’s Pokémon if you have save data for previous games.
I hope Game Freak and The Pokémon Company continue to implement unique events for Mythical Pokémon in future titles. Whether they require visiting GameStop, owning a Nintendo Switch Online membership, or obtaining a key item via Pokémon Home, having access to special encounters is better than having none at all. If Mochi Mayhem is any indication of future events, I think we’re in for a treat.
