Can Players Turn Off Battle Effects in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are the latest games in the Pokémon franchise. As a result, fans can rest easy knowing that hundreds of companions both old and new to join their team. Along the way, they’ll come across dangerous Tera Raid battles, powerful Gym Leaders, and massive, menacing Titan Pokémon. This will obviously lead to the showcase of many different attacks, though some players might wish to turn their visuals off. These visuals and animations, known as battle effects, were able to be turned off in practically every mainline game. But will players be able to turn off battle effects in Scarlet and Violet, or was this speedrun-friendly feature axed for good?

Is it Possible to Disable In-Battle Animations — or Battle Effects — in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

Unfortunately, just like with the removal of the “Set” battle style option, battle effects cannot be disabled in these new games. This was another feature from the Generation I titles that was removed after being a mainstay of Pokémon options for over 20 years. Similarly, neither of these options were toggleable in Legends: Arceus, and the removal seems to be just as purposeful now as it might have been then. Animations in battles are generally faster and less bombastic when compared to previous games, so it’s likely that this alteration might have influenced the removal of this option.

What fans might not realize is that this affects the game far more for casual players than it already does for others. The removal of this option is especially relevant during Tera Raids due to the fact that these battles are timed. The timer ticks down during animations, including the very flashy Terastallizing process, meaning you’ll have very little control over how long the battle lasts. You’ll have to plan accordingly to counter this issue, which will likely lead players to wonder why this issue even exists in the first place. There has been no official announcement on the matter yet, but players wanting to disable these animations can still hope for a future update. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time a popular gameplay mechanic was brought back after the release of a new generation.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are Nintendo Switch exclusives.