‘Pokémon Scarlet’ and ‘Violet’ revealed in new trailer with three adorable starter pets

It’s a blessed 2022 for Pokémon fans.

You already got Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a bit of a new direction for the enduring series that came to Nintendo Switch back in February. It’s excellent.

Now, just over a month later, The Pokémon Company is back with some news: Two new Pokémon games are still to come in “late 2022” and the pair takes us back to that traditional Pokémon vibe of releasing two largely identical games that have their own titles and critter lineups. The upcoming pair are called Pokémon Violet and Pokémon Scarlet.

The trailer also gives us a peek at the games’ new Pokémon starters, from which all players choose their starting pal when they fire up a new game. This trio is as predictably adorable as any other Pokémon starter lineup: There a delighted-looking green kitten-thing, a smiling creature that looks like a cross between a dinosaur and a Shy Guy, and a cute, little duck that’s either wearing a vaguely beret-shaped hat or has a swooping teal pompadour.

Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon are a riot. Look for Pokémon Violet and Pokémon Scarlet when they come to Switch later in 2022.