Highlights
- Pokemon Scarlet And Violet feature towns that are often forgettable due to the open world setting and lack of accessible buildings.
- Some towns, like Los Platos and Zapapico, have limited features and serve as markers rather than bustling destinations.
- However, there are standout towns like Artazon and Levincia, with unique designs and attractions that make them memorable and exciting to explore.
Pokemon Scarlet And Violet may have some of the least memorable towns in the series. This is due to a mixture of an open world setting making them seem like blips on the map instead of destinations and the fact that you can’t enter most buildings — they’re just facades.
That all being said, the designs of Paldea’s cities aren’t bad. They have some clever ideas and great ways to represent the Gym Leaders that live inside. So let’s take a look at every town and city in Scarlet & Violet and see how they truly blossom when you explore every inch.
Zapapico
Not every town can have something great in it like a Gym or some kind of landmark, but they still need to have something. The mining town of Zapapico has two Pokecenters, a sandwich shop, and an unseeable battlefield in the middle of town.
This is made even more egregious by the fact that you’ve probably already experienced a lot of great cities by this point. Zapapico just may be the worst town in the series.
Los Platos
Los Platos has the same issues as Zapapico, except there’s somehow even less going on. Just four houses and a Pokecenter. However, this is because it’s the first town you discover after you start the game. It’s not supposed to have anything great, just serve as a marker before you get to Mesagoza, Scarlet & Violet’s main city.
That means it probably exists as a way for people to make their living in the big city, but still have a home life without so much hustle and bustle. So while it may technically be worse than Zapapico, it at least feels a bit more justifiable.
Cabo Poco
Cabo Poco is the town you start the game in. The only two buildings are your home and your rival Nemona’s home, and though both houses are gorgeous and fun to explore with a nearby beach, a small garden, and even come cool fountains, that’s really all there is to it.
While not much is expected from the very first town in the game, it does raise a lot of questions about the local infrastructure. How is there any kind of economy with only two families living there? And where do the other people who permanently exist here live?
Medali
The first of the major cities on this list, Medali is home to the Normal-type Gym, fitting because the city itself is dull. It’s a bunch of rectangular buildings with a good amount of restaurants for the people working there to enjoy, and that’s it.
There is an attempt at making something interesting with an ancient-looking pit that has two Oinkologne carved into it, but you can only look at it and not find out what it means or where it came from. It’s easily the most boring big city in Paldea, which is a shame because you’ll be visiting the Treasure Eatery often to change a Pokemon’s Tera Type.
Cortondo
It’s pretty likely that Cortondo will be the first city you visit on your Victory Road journey. Not only is it right near the Academy, but it is also the home of the weakest Gym Leader, Katy. And for the town containing the first Gym, it’s not bad!
A small community of farmers and artisans, Cortondo is surrounded by farmland and olive groves. However, the highlight is easily Katy’s bakery and Gym location. While you can’t purchase anything from it, it looks like it is hand-built around multiple large trees and features lots of decorations that seem to be made out of string.
Artazon
Artazon is infamous because of the giant windmill you see when you enter the town. While it is theoretically impressive, the games’ still-low framerate makes it move more like a clock than a windmill. That said, it’s still a great town, with bbuildings and flowers that make it feel like you’re walking through Fantasy Land at Disney.
The name Artazon combines the words Art and Amazon, which is perfect for Brassius as an artist who’s also the Grass-type Gym Leader. His statues fill the town and perfectly complement nearby structures like a hedge maze, a children’s playground, and a gigantic pool. Much like Disneyland, this is a place built for vacation.
Porta Marinada
As the name suggests, Porta Marinada is a port town that sits between the sea and a large cliff side with buildings bright and colorful in a way that makes the auction house stand out even more. However, that color also exists inside the auction house with the tile mosaics representing different Water-type Pokemon.
What really sets it apart from other cities is how you enter it, though. You’re sent there to help Kofu, the Water-type Gym Leader, and after you brave your way through a desert, you find this gorgeous town by the cliff. Coming down the path on the cliff gives you a gorgeous view of the ocean and the entire city, as if you’ve found an oasis.
Alfornada
Alfornada is a small town with some of the coolest designs in the game. Known for its pottery, the entire town is made of bricks, tiles, and various art pieces made of clay, made even more interesting because it’s so hard to reach. On one side is a mountain, and the other, a cave, making it the perfect late-game place to catch some strong Pokemon.
The highlight of Alfornada, though, is the Gym. It’s massive and is surrounded by mosaics of the original sprites used to represent Pokemon in Red and Blue, offering a beautiful nostalgic touch representing how history is important to the town.
Mesagoza
Mesagoza is the main hub of Scarlet and Violet one of Paldea’s most iconic cities. Without a doubt the largest locale in the game. Mesagoza features numerous shops, restaurants, and most importantly the Academy, where you can take classes and participate in battles.
But that’s not even the best part of Mesagoza – there are multiple areas to explore, each with their own personality. There’s a neat park-like area, a colorful town center, and a section of buildings tightly packed together. What’s more, you can d explore the roofs of the buildings, too.
Montenevera
While Montenevera may be one of the smaller towns, it sure has a lot of personality. The home of Ryme and her Ghost Gym, Montenevera is a mountain village with an eerie glow provided by many candles and lamps scattered about. But if that type of quiet ambiance isn’t your style, there’s also a stage where Ryme holds both her concerts and Gym battles.
Montenevera is made even more interesting by the neighboring Glaseado Gym, which is pretty lackluster in comparison to it’s nearby neighbor’s style and pizzazz. Comparison is the thief of joy, but it makes Montenevera look even cooler.
Cascarrafa
An oasis on the edge of the Asado Desert, Cascarrafa is a three-tiered city. On each wall, there is not only a constant stream of water, but lifts to bring you up or down to the next level. This makes for easily the most distinct-looking city in the entirety of Paldea.
Everything about Cascarrafa screams water, even when there’s a sandstorm raging through the edge of the desert. The blue and white tile make it visually stand out from all of its surroundings and create a sense of calm, putting it right up there with Fortree City and Balonlea as one of the most unique cities in all of Pokemon.
Levincia
Of all the cities in Scarlet and Violet, Levincia is the only one that fills you with an electric sense of wonder. A bright and vibrant metropolis, you can often see the bright lights shine from a good distance away at night, drawing you in with the promise of fun and excitement.
Not only is Levincia the home of Iono, one of the spunkiest new Gym Leaders in Paldea, but there are plenty of different shops and restaurants to enjoy. There’s also a lot to explore with a nearby lighthouse and docks below the city. Add on lots of fun billboards, and you have the makings of one of the best cities in the Pokemon series.
