This Is By Far The Worst Scarlet & Violet Pokémon Design

Each new generation of "Pokémon" games introduces dozens of new creatures for trainers to find, catch, and raise. Some hardcore gamers might only be concerned about the combat stats these Pokémon have and how they affect the competitive meta, but for other players, it's equally essential that these Pokémon have unique and interesting designs. As a result, one of the major appeals of the franchise is getting to see what kind of clever new pocket monsters Game Freak has managed to cook up.

"Pokémon Scarlet" and "Violet" have introduced several exciting new Pokémon, many of which have incredibly well-thought-out designs. Fans love the motorcycle Pokémon Koraidon and Miraidon that the player can use to navigate the region of Paldea, and the series has even introduced some new variants — like the mysterious paradox Pokémon Roaring Moon and Iron Valiant. Of course, not every new Pokémon can be as adorable as Pawmi, as unique as Cyclizar, or as cool and edgy as Ceruledge. Some of them have designs that could have benefitted a bit more time in the drawing room. Bramblin is just a tumbleweed, and the new (worst) Dunsparce evolution certainly isn't impressing anyone, but there's one example that's far more egregious: Wiglett.

Wiglett is a new Water-Type Pokémon that players can find on many of the beaches of the Paldea region. It has a bulbous pink nose and a long, pale, worm-like body that protrudes from a hole in the sand... and that's kind of it.

Some, like Polygon and even Nintendo itself, have compared it to the mole Pokémon Diglett from the first games because of its name and general appearance. Still, it appears the two species are entirely unrelated. According to the "Violet" Pokédex, "Though it looks like Diglett, Wiglett is an entirely different species. The resemblance seems to be a coincidental result of environmental adaptation." This initially seems like it might be Game Freak's attempt to give a clever nod to convergent evolutionary science, but it hasn't impressed all "Pokémon" players.

Aside from the generally dull and lazy recycled design, some fans have found that there just isn't anything appealing about Wiglett. But with 107 new Pokémon in Gen 9 (per IGN), it seems like Game Freak managed to hit the mark a lot more often than they missed.