Summary
Almost two years after its original November 2022 launch, a new version ofPokémon Scarlet & Violethas finally become available in the U.S. While the base game saw players exploring the massive Paldea region,The Hidden Treasure of Area ZeroDLC followed soon after. This DLC retailed for $34.99 on the Nintendo eShop and was released in two parts:The Teal MaskandThe Indigo Disk, which included two new areas, Kitakami and Blueberry Academy, as well as plenty ofnew and returning Pokémon to catch.
Paldea is based heavily on Spain and Portugal.
Now, according to establishedPokémonleakerCentroLeaks, a new cartridge version ofPokémon Scarlet & Violetis now starting to become available in the Americas. This version existed in Japan - albeit at a cheaper price, according toNintendo Revised Jeisse, who shared images of the cartridge with America’s ESRB age rating on it - andcontains the most updated version of the base game, 3.0.1, and all patches and DLC all on the cartridge.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s DLC Legendaries Have One Clever Connection
The two new Legendaries that feature most prominently in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s DLC share an easily overlooked but unique point of comparison.
How To Tell If You Own A New Printing Of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
Other Bundles May Still Require A Download
Previously, only the base game was included on the cartridge, and DLC was purely digital. GameStop listings for thePokémon Scarlet & VioletandThe Hidden Treasure of Area ZeroDLC Bundle from November 2023showed a case that stated it still needed a download for the bonus content.
However,Nintendo Revised Jeissestated that this version had not been updated and that the cartridges with digits ending in 004 are reprints with all the content included. The listing on GameStop does show this bundle retailing for $84.99, which is $10 cheaper than buying the base game - which costs $59.99 on theNintendo eShop- and the DLC separately, but it’s yet to be seen if the newer reprint will differ from this.
For those who like to play largely offline, or physical media collectors, a kind of “Definitive Edition” cartridge should come as good news. Considering the recent closures of past Nintendo consoles' digital stores, like the Nintendo DS, which essentially stopped players from purchasing any DLC for titles, the fact thatThe Hidden Treasure of Area Zerohas been preserved physically should be praised too.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Pokémon returns in its next installment series: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Set in a fictional town near Mediterranean Spain, gamers will explore Paldea, catching new and classic Pokémon. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the first ever open-world game in the series and features new Pokémon that can transform into vehicles. Pokémon staples like gym battles are still present, but co-op exploration and Terastallize battles are also introduced.
