DLC has become a major part of video games over the last few console generations. Every game seemed to get some additional story, characters, and the occasional new outfit. For a while, the Pokémon series appeared to be free from DLC, instead having the 3rd version released a year after the original dual game release (Diamond, Peal, and Platinum, for example). This changed when Pokémon Sword and Shield received the first Pokémon Expansion pass. And now, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet continue the trend with its expansion pass, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero.
This DLC is in two parts, and the first part, The Teal Mask, will be released very soon, with part two, The Indigo Disk, coming out later this year. But what could a Pokémon DLC possibly add? Never fear; we here at Couch Soup will tell you everything you need to know about part one of the expansion pass, The Teal Mask.
The Teal Mask will take place in the new area of Kitakami. This locale looks very different from the base game, which is incredible. There’s a vast mountain, grassy fields, and even an apple orchard. The people live at the base of the mountain in Mossui Town. This town will be your home base during your time in Kitakami. You’ll be visiting the area during a field trip, and it just so happens a festival is on. What are the odds? Am I right?
The story of this DLC will revolve around the festival and the mysterious appearance of a strange new Pokémon. It’ll be up to you to determine what’s happening and how to resolve it. You’ll encounter new Pokémon, some old favourites, and even meet some new faces to help you along the way.
You’ll encounter new friends to help you on your journey through Kitakami. First up is the sibling pair of Carmine and Kieran, two people who call Kitakami home and are students at Blueberry Academy (more on that in The Indigo Disk). Carmine is the older sister and always helps her little brother despite her cold demeanour. Kieran is the younger brother and is the polar opposite in terms of personality to his sister. Kieran also seems curious about you when you first enter Kitakami, which could be good or bad.
Another new character you’ll meet is the camera-loving Perrin. She’ll pop up in The Teal Mask and ask for your help taking a photo of a specific Pokémon. This is where the new photo-taking mechanic is on full display, as you’ll be exploring the timeless woods with Perrin in search of this mysterious Pokémon. She also looks a lot like Adaman from Legends Arceus, but that could be a coincidence.
As with any Pokémon release, new Pokémon are always a guarantee. For the Teal Mask, six new Pokémon have been revealed so far, and they’re interesting, to say the least. There’s the trio of Munkidori, Okidogi, and Fezandipiti. These three share similar design motifs, with the pink rope on each. They also seem to have a connection with the cover Pokémon for this DLC, Ogerpon. From the trailers, Ogerpon appears to be causing problems for the people of Kitakami, and the trio will try to stop it.
Besides these four, some regional variants are also confirmed. Applin will get a new evolution called Dipplin, which looks like a sentient candy apple. There’s also Poltchageist, which looks like a new evolution/regional form for Polteageist. There will surely be more surprise critters when we finally get our hands on the DLC.
It’s not just new stuff in The Teal Mask; some of your old favourites are finally making the jump to the Switch. Since the jump to Nintendo’s latest handheld, some Pokémon have been locked out of the newer games. But with The Teal Mask, that number is shrinking rapidly. The Litwick line (Litwick, Lampent, and Chandelure) will be making their comeback in ghostly fashion. I’m most excited for the return of the Grubbin line (Grubbin, Charjabug, and Vikavolt) because I adored them when I first played Pokémon Sun. You can add these old favourites to your team and fall in love with them all over again.
And there you have it, everything you need to know before jumping into The Teal Mask. There are bound to be more surprises in store, but those are best experienced by yourself (or with friends). Stay tuned to Couch Soup for all the latest news about the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Expansion Pass: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero.
Are you playing The Teal Mask? Are you having fun? Anything we missed? Let us know in the comments where we can talk about all things Pokémon
