

The areas differ in Pokémon, some only bound to specific parts of the region. The region is divided into 20 different areas six located in the south, three located in the east, four located in the west and seven located in the north. Inside the Crater is an area named Area Zero, where the Terastalization phenomenon was first discovered. A large crater, named the Great Crater of Paldea, lies in the centre of the region, formed by a meteorite strike centuries before the events of the game. The region features diverse landscapes including lakes, wastelands, and mountain ranges. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are set in the Paldea region of the Pokémon universe, which appears to be loosely based on the Iberian Peninsula. The Iberian Peninsula consists mostly of Spain and Portugal, which heavily inspired the design for the Paldea region. Scarlet and Violet introduce the Terastal phenomenon, which gives Pokémon a crystalline appearance, as well as changing a Pokémon's type to match that Pokémon's "Tera Type", as well as unlocking special moves such as Tera Blast, which, when used by a Terastallized Pokémon, becomes a move of the same type as the Pokémon’s Tera Type. In addition, co-op play with up to three other players is included. A mechanic called "Let's Go" will allow the player to send out a Pokémon to roam the overworld and automatically battle wild Pokémon.

To assist in travel, Koraidon or Miraidon can be used to traverse the environment. The games introduce three new starter Pokémon, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly and two new legendary Pokémon, Koraidon and Miraidon. In addition to this, progression through the games are up to the players, with three routes available to choose from, and objectives within routes can be done in any order. Scarlet and Violet have open worlds, which include both urban areas and open wilderness without borders between the two, unlike previous instalments in the Pokémon series. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet largely follow the same basic gameplay structure of previous Pokémon games, where players obtain creatures known as Pokémon, primarily through catching and trading and use them to explore the world and battle other Pokémon trainers. By the end of 2022 they sold over 20 million copies combined, making them the fourth best-selling Pokémon games of all time. The games sold over 10 million copies in their first three days, making them Nintendo's biggest launch of all time. The games were praised for their open world formula and story, while their graphics and technical problems at launch received criticism. Scarlet and Violet received mixed reviews from critics. The games maintain features from previous modern Pokémon games, including large open areas and Pokémon appearing in the overworld.

Also introduced are time-displaced creatures known as Paradox Pokémon, and the Terastal phenomenon, which allows a Pokémon to transform into its exclusive "Tera Type". Scarlet and Violet introduce 103 new Pokémon, alongside two new regional forms. There are three separate stories the player can follow. The games take place in the Paldea region, based on the Iberian Peninsula. Unlike the previous instalments in the Pokémon franchise, Scarlet and Violet take place in an open world. First announced in February 2022, they were released on 18 November 2022. They are the first instalments in the ninth generation of the Pokémon video game series. Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are 2022 role-playing video games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for the Nintendo Switch.
