We admit it - we're shallow. When it comes to Pokemon, what matters the most to us is how cute the critter is. Who cares if that Oshawott has been with us for the past three towns? Once he evolves into the frankly kind of creepy Dewott it's into the PC box he goes, as we search for another water-type to take his place. One that won't betray us by getting ugly the moment we turn our back. And it's always a struggle to get a sufficiently adorable team together that won't die in a single hit, while having enough of a range of types that you're mostly covered for every eventuality. While we were initially worried that we'd be stuck with an entire team made up of the new Fairy-type 'mons (seeing as it seemed to be Nintendo's codename for cute and girly), it seems Pokemon X and Y are going to have a whole host of cutesy critters to choose from - yay!
It even smiles!
First off there's the adorably girly blue dinosaur Amaura we NEED in our team - after all, its dual Rock and Ice typing fills that glaring weakness all our other Pokemon have to Fighting types quite nicely. Being a dinosaur, it's only natural that the only way to get it is through some highly scientific jiggery-pokery from a fossil (a Sail fossil if you're interested) - which is a bit of a bummer, seeing as that means we'll most likely have to get a decent way through the game before we can get our hands on it. It's evolution, Auroras, has more of a wispy watery feel to it and is capable of using the new move Freeze-Dry, which can freeze opponents solid and is super-effective against Water types, unlike many other Ice moves - and to top it all off, it's Refrigerate ability means any Normal attacks he uses get turned into Ice moves, increasing in power too.
Aaand, not so cute...
Another Pokemon available only through reviving a fossil is the T-Rex like Tyrunt, this time coming from the Jaw Fossil. A dual Rock and Dragon type, he has an immensely powerful jaw - in fact, his built-in ability Strong Jaw means that any biting moves he uses deal much more damage. His rather ferocious looking evolution, Tyrantrum, was also revealed, although we know much less about this fossilised Pokemon than we did with Amaura/Auroras. Except that you wouldn't want to run into either in a dark alley, particularly if you happen to be a Fire-type...
Roar indeed
There's also the evolved form of the cute little cub with a mohican, Litleo in the form of Pyroar, a dual Fire and Normal type 'mon - male Pyroars have a rather impressive red and yellow flamey mane whilst the females have a bit of a quiff going on instead. Another Pokemon with differences between the sexes is the Psychic cat Meowstic, with the males coming in a deep blue colour and focusing more on support moves whilst the females with their white coats and suspicious yellow eyes learn more offensive, damage dealing attacks instead.
Last of the newbies is a rather interesting new critter called Furfrou. Basically the Pokemon equivalent of the Paris Hilton-style handbag dogs, Furfrou is a poodle-alike Normal type that likes having his hair done. Effectively the first customisable Pokemon, you can change the little doggie's appearance by grooming him regularly - and the more you groom him, the more potential styles you unlock. You'll need to keep on top of his grooming schedule though, as after a few days he'll go back to a shaggy mess if you're not careful. So far we have no information on whether there's actually a point to the whole hairstyling malarkey, although we wouldn't be surprised if certain styles may enhance certain stats or something. Furfrou's not just a fuzzy face though, as his Fur Coat ability halves the damage he takes from any physical attacks whilst his new Fairy-type move Baby-Doll Eyes lets him attack first in a battle, irrespective of whether he has the higher Speed stat.
But Pokemon X and Y's customisation doesn't stop there. Apparently, you'll now also have free-reign over your trainer's outfit and hairstyle, with the ability to pop into boutiques and salons all over the Kalos region to pick up new clothes, hats, shoes and accessories - and each town has a different style to choose from. Your little icon on the new, more connected Player Search System will also change to reflect your new look.
We don't know about you, but with only a few hours to go before Pokemon officially launches (although a few retailers have broken the street date), our anticipation has reached fever pitch. With some of the best Pokemon designs for years - they're leaps and bounds away from the ice-creams and bin bags of Black and White, with starter 'mon evolution Quilladin and the baby blue dino Amaura leading the pack - this could be one of the best Pokemon games ever.
