Pokemon battles are downright magical and addictive. Whether you’re strategizing in a ranked double battle or going all out in a casual Elite Four showdown, that mano a mano, mind versus mind scuffle is 50% of what keeps Pokemon alive in our hearts. The other 50%? The spectacle.
We want to see Magmortar's Flamethrower melt the battlefield or Lucario's Aura Sphere blast through energy barriers. The animations give visual artistry to our childhood wonders.
Top 10 Laziest Battle Animations in Pokemon Video Games
But what happens when the animators don’t feel like giving their best? You get a move so stripped of creativity and devoid of love that you wonder if someone forgot to add more. Welcome to the wacky list of the laziest battle animations in Pokemon video gaming history.
Grimmsnarl's False Surrender (Pokemon Sword & Shield)
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+ 12Let’s start with Grimmsnarl's False Surrender from Pokemon Sword and Shield. The move is a Dark-type masterclass in deception. The user bows gracefully, seemingly yielding, only to whip a sucker punch while the opponent is caught off-guard.
Morgrem, its middle evolution, nails this role with a Broadway veteran's theatrical mastery. But Grimmsnarl? The final form? He just swings his arm. That’s it.
No bow. No trickery. Just a limp wrist flick and bam, and damage dealt. It’s like watching Shakespeare performed with sock puppets.
Regidrago's Dragon Energy (Pokemon Scarlet & Violet)
click to enlarge+ 12Speaking of disappointment, Regidrago's Dragon Energy in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a disaster, and not in the epic context.
In Sword and Shield, Regidrago’s execution of this move was terrifying. It floated midair, contorted sideways into the shape of a dragon skull head, and fired off a glorious, violent beam of pure dragon wrath.
In Scarlet and Violet? A few orbs lazily orbit its body, then boom! A bland explosion on the opponent’s end. There’s more thrill in a skipped cutscene.
Beat Up (Pokemon Black & White)
click to enlarge+ 12Next on the chopping block of laziness is Beat Up in Pokemon Black and White. On paper, this move is a mob beatdown planned and executed by your entire squad.
Six attacks for six team members, a wild gang-up to your opponent's face. The rest of your team doesn’t even show up for the beatdown.
How amazing would it have been to see transparent spirit manifestations of your other Pokemon joining in? Or maybe a type-based theme for each strike? But no. Just six ghost, square fists.
Dragapult's Dragon Darts (Pokemon Scarlet & Violet)
click to enlarge+ 12And then we have Dragapult’s Dragon Darts in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. When this move was introduced in Sword and Shield, it was an interesting little display of Dragapult’s lore.
It literally launches baby Dreepy like missiles from its draco-hangar head, both adorable and deadly. Fast forward to Scarlet and Violet, and suddenly, Dragapult forgets its own gimmick.
It now just shoots out a purple dart from its mouth. No more adorable little Dreepy. No bio-launch pad. Just some generic venomous-looking projectile. It truly feels like the devs lazily hit copy-paste on Flame Burst but purple.
Sacred Sword (Pokemon Black & White)
click to enlarge+ 12Sacred Sword, with such a cool name, deserves divine justice. This move is so blessed that it claims to cut through stat changes and should at least come with some weight.
But in Pokemon Black and White, the animation gives us a single blue slash. That’s it. No holy glow nor celestial impact. Just a slash that looks like it was borrowed from Quick Attack’s book.
For a move used by majestic Pokemon like Cobalion and Terrakion, Sacred Sword feels like it was designed during a lunch break scratch-card session.
Zacian's Behemoth Blade (Pokemon Scarlet & Violet)
click to enlarge+ 12Don’t even get me started on Zacian’s downgraded Behemoth Blade animation in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Once a breathtaking visual cinema where Zacian’s blade morphs into a knightly shape, grows to ridiculous proportions, and slashes through enemies in a dazzling aerial dance, the newer version is a joke.
Now, Zacian just swings its mouth sword, and an explosion follows. It looks like someone tried to recreate the original animation from memory, and memory is an animator's weakest point.
Return (Pokemon Platinum)
click to enlarge+ 12Return, once the ultimate move of love and bond, doesn’t get any visual affection in Pokemon Platinum. Your Pokemon hops twice in place and then casually bumps into the opponent.
That’s not affection! That’s the enthusiasm I show when walking to the fridge in the middle of the night. The move that’s supposed to embody maximum friendship feels more like a failed trust fall.
Cincinno's Tail Slap (Pokemon X & Y)
click to enlarge+ 12When Cincinno uses Tail Slap in Pokemon X and Y, you’d expect some kind of energetic flurry. After all, it’s a move meant to strike the opponent multiple times with its tail.
Instead, Cincinno stands perfectly still while the opponent gets randomly bombarded by invisible white forces. The Normal-type gets a bad reputation for being boring, and this lazy animation didn’t help its case. At least show the tail moving. Or anything moving.
Twinkle Tackle Z-Move (Pokemon Sun & Moon)
click to enlarge+ 12Then there’s Twinkle Tackle, the Fairy-type Z-Move in Pokemon Sun and Moon. The name promises sparkle, cuteness, and a hint of celestial power. We get the Pokemon awkwardly floating around, often without a flying animation, then jittering in the air like it’s caught in a GIF loop before star-bumping into the opponent.
It’s like watching a frozen toddler on a sugar rush trying to body slam a balloon but remove the damage.
click to enlarge+ 12Few moves are as meme-famous as Double Kick in Pokemon Sword and Shield. When chosen, your Pokemon's model gets lifted off the ground like a ghost possesses it, wiggles in place like it’s doing an awkward dance at a wedding, and then damage happens.
The move doesn’t even try to show the promised kicks. It’s just more of a spiritual suggestion of kicking. How this got past the final animation board is a mystery bigger than the Unown.
click to enlarge+ 12But here’s the hope. There's a silver lining with Pokemon Legends ZA on the horizon and promises of a revamped battle system. Legends: Arceus showed us that Pokemon battles could be immersive and brimming with life.
If Legends ZA brings even half that energy into standard movesets, we could see a revolution in battle animations that are worth squealing for. Animations that respect the lore, the technicalities, and the impact of these moves.
click to enlarge+ 12Maybe Grimmsnarl will finally bow again. Maybe Regidrago will become a dragon head once more. Maybe we’ll finally feel the Return.
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