In the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield games, we already know you can summon giant versions of some Pokémon. But you didn’t think they’d do giant forms of Pokémon and not include Pikachu, right? Except they went above for the good boy—not only do we have a thicc Pikachu, but we also have a loooooong Meowth.
If you need a quick recap, Gigantamax Pokémon are special battle-only evolutions of specific Pokémon. They can only be unleashed in specific arenas across the Galar region in Sword and Shield. However, once you do, you get a spectacular-looking Kaiju-style version of your Pokémon of choice, with exclusive form-only super-moves.
First up, we have Fat Pikachu. This absolute unit channels a very important Pikachu in the history of the franchise:
This is extremely important. Basically, fat Pikachu is how Pikachu used to look before they slimmed him down… for whatever reason. Regardless, fans dug up the old edition, and everyone instantly fell in love again. We all knew we needed fat Pikachu in our lives. Now, Game Freak has tapped into our deepest desires. Even if we only use this once, we are channeling our primal instincts, and that’s important in a charming family game like Pokémon.
It comes with the move G-Max Volt Crash, which paralyzes every opponent on the field. You can only pick Thiccachu up if you already have a copy of Let’s Go! Pikachu. Which is kind of a crime, because everyone knows if you chose that over Eevee, you’re a cop. I don’t make the rules. (Condolences to our weekend news correspondent Kenneth.)
Meowth requires a little more… outside analysis. We can more easily link the memes that Gigantamax Pikachu is tied to to Pokémon, but Meowth’s is more internet-y. More specifically, Gigantamax Meowth clearly channels the infamous Longcat, an ancient meme that dates back to 2006 (according to—we’re so sorry—Know Your Meme). After it was originally posted on Japanese forums, it became a worldwide phenomenon. So it only makes sense for Pokémon to throw it in for funsies.
More Pokémon:
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- Nintendo’s 24-hour Pokemon Stream Finally Reveals Galarian Ponyta
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However, if you want to get this very long boi, you have to act fast. It’s only available as an in-game Mystery Prize (so not really a mystery?) until January 15, 2020. It comes with the move G-Max Gold Rush, which causes a literal ruptured explosion of gold coins.
Of course, there were other Pokémon included in the reveal. We got a peek at Gigantamax Eevee, which, similar to Pikachu, only comes with a Let’s Go! Eevee save file. Their move is something special —they charm Pokémon of another gender! (Which, while Eevee’s a gay icon… actually, let’s not get into that one.) We got a peek at the Gigantamax Charizard, whose G-Max Wildfire inflicts fire damage for four turns. There’s also Gigantamax Butterfree, with a G-Max Befuddle that inflicts poison, paralysis or sleep.
Both editions of the new Pokémon game come out in less than a month, on October 16, for Nintendo Switch. On top of the Gigantamax forms, the game introduces plenty of new Pokémon in a new region, the first since 2016.
