At last, Game Freak has done it. As of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet there are now more than 1000 Pokémon.
Pokémon Sword and Shield, along with their DLC, brought the total up to 905, and Scarlet and Violet’s additions cap the number at a whopping 1008. For those tracking, that’s not counting regional variants such as Wooper’s new variant in the Paldea region, though it does count new regional evolutions, assuming they have different names than their counterparts elsewhere.
So who, then, is Pokémon number 1000? Turns out, Game Freak seems to have been very aware they were designing a monster with the distinguished honor of being number 1000, so they leaned into that a bit.
Warning: We’re going to spoil Pokémon number 1000 for you below this video. Don’t scroll further if you don’t want to know.
Who’s that 1000th Pokémon? It’s…Gholdengo!
Okay yes, he looks like a cereal mascot. But hear us out. Gholdengo is a fascinating little dude, and a fun choice for Pokémon 1000. He evolves from Gimmighoul, a ghost Pokémon that haunts treasure chests and can be found pulling mimic-style pranks on unsuspecting trainers across Paldea. When defeated or captured, Gimmighoul drops Gimmighoul coins, which can also be found lying around on your travels across the region. You need 1000 of these Gimmighoul coins before Gimmighoul will evolve into Gholdengo on its next level up. It’s a clear nod to Gholdengo’s status as the 1000th Pokemon.
Gholdengo’s Pokedex entry is also a testament to this amazing little guy being beloved by Game Freak. In Scarlet, at least, it reads:
Its body seems to be made up of 1,000 coins. This Pokémon gets along well with others and is quick to make friends with anybody.
What’s more, the cover of its Pokedex entry is incredible: it shows him surfing on a skateboard made of coins.
We’re huge fans of Gholdengo here. Congratulations, Gholdengo, on being the 1000th Pokémon. Can’t wait to see what Game Freak will do for number 2000! [Editor’s Note: Pokemon 2000… I liked that movie – Kat Bailey].
For more Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, check out our spoiler-free review-in-progress, as well as our wiki guides including walkthroughs, a Pokedex, tips, and everything else you might need to know before starting your journey in the Paldea region.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.