The Galar region changed everything. Seriously. When Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield launched on the Nintendo Switch, it wasn't just another sequel release; it was a total cultural reset for the franchise that sparked a firestorm of controversy. Most of that heat centered directly on the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex, a collection of creatures that redefined what we expect from Game Freak's design philosophy and, perhaps more notoriously, how many monsters we’re allowed to have in a single game.
People were mad. "Dexit" became a rallying cry for fans who couldn't believe their favorite childhood partners weren't making the jump to the Switch. But looking back on it now, there's a certain charm to the Galar lineup that often gets buried under all that historical drama. Galar isn't just about what was missing; it's about the 81 new species and 13 Galarian forms that brought a very specific, British-inspired flavor to the world of Pokémon.
The British Invasion: Culture in the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex
Game Freak went all-in on the United Kingdom theme. You can see it in every corner of the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex. It isn't just "monsters in a field" anymore. We got a literal tea-poltergeist. Polteageist and Sinistea are peak Galar. They’re goofy, slightly morbid, and deeply rooted in the tea culture of the UK. It's that kind of specific, regional identity that makes Gen 8 feel more cohesive than some of the earlier, more scattershot generations.
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Then there’s the Corviknight line. It's arguably one of the best "early-game bird" designs ever conceived. Based on the ravens at the Tower of London, Corviknight isn't just a Flying-type; it’s a Steel-type behemoth that serves as the region’s taxi service. It feels heavy. It feels industrial. It perfectly captures that transition from the rolling hills of Postwick to the soot-stained bricks of Motostoke.
Honestly, the starter Pokémon in this generation—Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble—tell a story of British entertainment. We have a drummer, a football (soccer) star, and a secret agent. Cinderace, the final evolution of Scorbunny, became a competitive powerhouse thanks to its Libero ability. It’s fast. It’s flashy. It’s basically the Cristiano Ronaldo of the Pokémon world, and its presence in the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex shifted the meta for years.
The Wild Area and the Shift in Discovery
Before Galar, catching Pokémon was a linear affair. You walked through tall grass on a narrow path. Sword and Shield introduced the Wild Area, and suddenly, the way we interacted with the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex felt massive. Seeing a Level 60 Onix roaming around while your team was only Level 15 was terrifying. It was a genuine "oh crap" moment that the series had lacked for a long time.
This was also the era of Dynamaxing. While some fans found the "giant glowing Pokémon" mechanic a bit gimmicky compared to Mega Evolution, you can't deny the visual impact. Seeing a Gigantamax Centiskorch—a massive, flat centipede made of fire—towering over a stadium filled with cheering fans captured the "sports-centric" vibe of Galar perfectly. The Pokedex even had specific entries for these Gigantamax forms, adding layers of lore to why Pikachu suddenly looks like its chubby 1996 self or why Meowth is now a "long cat" meme.
The Fossil Pokémon Controversy
We need to talk about the fossils. Dracovish, Arctovish, Dracozolt, and Arctozolt. They are… unsettling. In Galar, the "fossil expert" Cara Liss basically shoves two unrelated fossils together to create biological nightmares. This wasn't just a weird design choice; it was a direct reference to the "Bone Wars" of the 19th century and the early, often incorrect, reconstructions of dinosaur skeletons in British museums.
Dracovish, despite looking like it’s in constant pain, became a competitive god. Its Fishious Rend move, combined with the Strong Jaw ability, allowed it to one-shot almost anything that didn't resist Water. It’s a perfect example of how the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex balanced weird, experimental designs with raw, unadulterated power. People hated how it looked but loved how it won.
Regional Variants and the Expansion Pass
The Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex didn't stop with the base game. The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra DLCs added a layer of depth we hadn't seen before. Galarian Slowpoke, Slowbro, and Slowking took a classic Pokémon and gave it a poisonous, Shellder-attached twist.
The Galarian Birds—Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres—were a stroke of genius. Instead of just re-skinning the Kanto legends, Game Freak gave them entirely new types and personalities. Galarian Zapdos isn't a flyer; it’s a terrestrial roadrunner that kicks things into oblivion. Galarian Moltres is a brooding, Dark-type aura of malevolence. These weren't just "variants"; they felt like entirely new entities that happened to share a name. This approach helped fill out the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex in a way that felt organic rather than forced.
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- Regidrago and Regieleki: New Regis added to the lore after decades of silence.
- Calyrex: A "king" Pokémon that rides a spectral or frozen horse—a bizarre but fascinating addition to the legendary lineup.
- Urshifu: A legendary that actually evolves, giving players a choice between "Single Strike" or "Rapid Strike" styles.
The Competitive Meta: A Brave New World
If you played VGC (Video Game Championships) during the Galar era, you know the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex was defined by speed control and Max Airstream. Dragapult, the pseudo-legendary of the region, was everywhere. It’s a Ghost/Dragon type that shoots its own children (Dreepy) out of its head like missiles. It’s fast, versatile, and has one of the coolest inspirations in the game: the extinct Diplocaulus.
The diversity in the meta was surprisingly high, even with the limited Pokedex. Pokémon like Grimmsnarl—the first Fairy/Dark type—offered incredible utility with Prankster-boosted screens. Then you had Zacian. Oh, Zacian. The Hero of Many Battles. Holding the Rusted Sword, Zacian-Crowned became perhaps the most oppressive Pokémon in the history of the game. Its Intrepid Sword ability gives it a free Attack boost just for showing up. It was fast, it hit like a truck, and it dominated the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex rankings for the entire generation.
Why "Dexit" Still Matters (And Why It Doesn't)
The decision to cut the National Pokedex was a turning point. For the first time, you couldn't "catch 'em all" in a single game. Game Freak argued that high-quality animations and balance required a smaller pool. Fans argued the animations weren't that different and the balance was still chaotic (see: Zacian).
But here’s the thing: by limiting the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex, it forced players to use Pokémon they might have otherwise ignored. Would anyone have cared about Greedent or Orbeetle if they had 900 other options immediately available? Maybe not. The smaller pool created a more focused regional identity. It made Galar feel like a specific place with its own ecosystem, rather than just a digital warehouse for every asset ever created since 1996.
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The Lore of the Legendaries
Eternatus is probably the most "alien" thing in the Pokedex. It’s a giant, skeletal dragon from space that powers the Dynamax phenomenon. The story of Zacian and Zamazenta—the sword and shield—feels like a genuine Arthurian legend. The way the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex integrates these legends into the history of the Galar region is actually quite seamless. They aren't just gods of space and time; they are ancient protectors who fell into myth.
Sorting Out the Galar Experience
To really understand the impact of the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex, you have to look at how it bridges the gap between the old-school handheld days and the new open-world direction of Scarlet and Violet. Galar was the bridge. It had the traditional routes, but it also had the sprawling Wild Area. It had the classic gyms (reimagined as massive stadium events), and it had the experimental designs that pushed the boundaries of what a Pokémon "should" look like.
Some people still think Gen 8 was a step back. I get it. The trees didn't look great. The routes were short. But the Pokémon themselves? They had personality. Falinks is just a little row of Spartan soldiers. Toxtricity is a punk rock lizard with two different forms based on its nature. These are high-concept designs that stick in your brain.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Next Galar Run
If you’re heading back into Sword or Shield or just trying to complete your Home Pokedex, here is how to approach the Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex effectively:
- Don't skip the Max Raid Dens. This is the easiest way to find Pokémon with Hidden Abilities and high IVs, which are essential if you want to use Galar mons in modern competitive play.
- Focus on the fossils early. Use the Digging Duo in the Wild Area (near the Nursery) to farm for those rare fossil pieces. Remember, Dracovish is the one you want for pure power, but they're all worth collecting for the sheer absurdity of their entries.
- Applin is a hidden gem. This little apple dragon has three different evolutions depending on the item you give it (Tart Apple, Sweet Apple, or Syrupy Apple in later games). Flapple and Appletun are great, but don't sleep on the G-Max forms.
- Experiment with the Galarian forms. Weezing with Neutralizing Gas is a literal game-changer in double battles because it shuts down every other ability on the field. It’s a tactical nuke in the right hands.
- Complete the DLC Pokedexes. You get better rewards (like the Mark Charm) for finishing the Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra lists than you do for the base game.
The Pokemon Generation 8 Pokedex is a weird, wonderful, and controversial chapter in the franchise. It represents a time when the series was trying to find its footing on a home console while clinging to its handheld roots. Whether you love the designs or hate the cuts, the Galar region’s contribution to the Pokémon mythos is undeniable. It gave us some of the most competitive-ready monsters we've ever seen and proved that even after 25 years, Game Freak can still surprise us with a dragon that looks like a piece of apple pie.
Check your Pokémon Home boxes and see which Galar natives you're missing. With the move toward more open-world titles, these specific, regionally-focused Pokedexes are becoming the new standard for how we experience the world of Pokémon.