Summary
- Pokemon fan artist reimagined Totodile in Sword and Shield style, sparking discussion on game graphics.
- Totodile, known for biting with sharp teeth, will appear in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A will feature less realistic, more stylized character models with vibrant colors.
After seeing the extended trailer for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, a Pokemon fan artist took the game’s Water-type Starter, Totodile, and rendered it in the graphical style of Pokemon Sword and Shield. The Pokemon Legends: Z-A fan artist’s handiwork received compliments and sparked a discussion about the games’ respective graphical styles.
Known as the Big Jaw Pokemon, Totodile’s first appearance was in Pokemon Gold and Silver. Totodile is the Water-type Starter Pokemon of the Johto region and evolves into Croconaw and Feraligatr at levels 18 and 30 respectively. True to its Pokedex category, Totodile is known for biting opponents of any size with its sharp teeth. When fully evolved into a Feraligatr, it can use strong physical attacks like Crunch, Ice Fang, and Liquidation. Although Totodile and its evolutions did not appear in Pokemon Sword and Shield, the Big Jaw Pokemon can be caught in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet after upgrading the Terarium’s Savanna Biome.
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Given Totodile’s absence from the Galar region, one Pokemon trainer took to social media to post what it would have looked like in the eighth generation’s art style. On the r/Pokemon subreddit, a Redditor named BentoDraws used Totodile’s appearance in Pokemon Legends: Z-A as an art reference for their Sword and Shield makeover. Pokemon character models in Sword and Shield featured heavy outlines and a 3D cel-shaded style, which gave way to realistic textures in the ensuing generation. Compared to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the character models in Legends: Z-A will have a less realistic and more stylized appearance that uses more saturated colors and anime-like textures.
Pokemon Fan Renders Legends: Z-A’s Totodile In Sword and Shield Art Style
BentoDraws took Totodile’s Legends: Z-A model and added more outlines to the Pokemon’s body. This resulted in a clearly defined V-shape on its chest, sharper eyes, and a distinct contrast compared to the surrounding buildings. BentoDraws was complimented for their work in replicating what Totodile would have looked like in the Galar region. In the comments, fans shared their thoughts about the different art styles that the Pokemon mainline franchise used on the 3DS and Switch. Despite the differences in character art style, both Pokemon Sword and Shield and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet remain among the top-selling Nintendo Switch titles.
Although fans continue to debate Totodile’s place in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the Big Jaw Pokemon will join Chikorita and Tepig as one of three Pokemon that trainers can choose from in the upcoming game. It remains to be seen how the art style of Pokemon Legends: Z-A will be remembered compared to its predecessors.
