Tinkaton

Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the Pokémon series began in Japan in 1996 with the release of the Pokémon Red and Blue video games for the Game Boy. In these games, the player assumes the role of a Pokémon Trainer whose goal is to capture and train creatures called Pokémon. Players use the creatures' special abilities to combat other Pokémon,[2][3] and some can transform into stronger species, or evolve, once they gain enough experience.[4] The ultimate goal of the games is to complete the entries in the Pokémon index (Pokédex), a comprehensive Pokémon encyclopedia, by capturing, evolving, and trading to obtain creatures from all Pokémon species.[2]

Introduced in the 2022 video games Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Tinkaton stands 2 ft 4 in (70 cm) tall and is the third and final part of an evolution line designed by artist Megumi Mizutani at the request of Game Freak.[1] A female-only species classified as both a "Fairy" and "Steel" type, Tinkaton starts life as Tinkatink (カヌチャン, Kanuchan), a small Pokémon with a pink body, short light-pink hair extending from their scalp, silver eyes, a singular square shape tooth extending from their lower lip, and a metallic diamond on their chest. As metallurgists, they craft small rattle-like hammers from scraps of metal for protection, though these hammers are routinely stolen by other Pokémon species.[5] After acquiring enough experience, they evolve into Tinkatuff (ナカヌチャン, Nakanuchan), now slightly taller with a ponytail extending from their scalp, a second tooth also jutting from their upper lip and the diamond turned into a partial skirt over each thigh. The hammer has also grown in size from metal scraps gained from attacking other Steel-type Pokémon, and they test the effectiveness of their hammers by battling each other.[6]

After evolving into Tinkaton, their hair is now let down and extends the length of their bodies, while a bow made of hair adorns the tops of their heads. In addition, their rearranged teeth now overlap their lower lip when they close their mouths, and their arms are now fully covered in light pink saved for their thumbs, with the hands ending in four short fingers. The hammer has also grown dramatically in size, which they wield with ease due to a metaphysical link to them despite the weapon's weight. In the game's lore, they have a daring disposition and are regarded as highly intelligent, stealing whatever catches their eye and bringing it back to their lair.[7] They also use their massive hammers to launch stones at flying Corviknight Pokémon. Tinkaton has been cited as the "natural predator" mentioned in Corviknight's Scarlet and Violet Pokédex entries that explain why the latter do not offer a taxi service to players in those titles like they did in the previous games.[8] Tinkaton additionally gain an attack unique to them, "Gigaton Hammer", which is extremely strong but cannot be used twice in short duration under normal circumstances.[9]

Tinkaton later appeared in Pokémon Unite during the game's anniversary event, featured in a new game mode called Panic Parade in which players must work together to protect her from a horde of attacking Pokémon.[10] Cards featuring the species along with their evolution line have also appeared in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, with a deck that revolves around Tinkaton,[11] and a special promotional card released to GameStop and Best Buy in 2023.[12]

Media outlets praised the character development from Tinkaton's evolution line, and their communal aspects

Tinkaton was positively received since their introduction. In a poll ran by Japanese website GameWith of the most popular Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet, they placed first, with publications voicing support of the results.[13][14] Ryan Woodrow of USA Today described Tinkaton as a great representation of their typing, especially in light of the species' earlier evolutions, but also noted the while the design of a “small girl wielding a massive weapon” was a trope in Japanese roleplaying games, "it clearly works, because it makes Tinkaton a very endearing character."[15] Dot eSports writer Yash Nair described the species as a "home run" concept-wise, further describing them as "probably one of the best concepts to come out of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet as a whole" in part due to their similarities between folklore of gnomes and dwarves, but also the strength and accuracy with which they used their massive hammers in light of their short stature.[16][17]

The reaction to Tinkaton from players themselves was also overwhelmingly positive, with a multitude of fan art produced depicting the species, as well as Tinkaton trending on social media website Twitter. TheGamer's Joshua Robertson attributed this to the character's "seemingly innocent appearance, even though [...] it chooses chaos on a regular basis", additionally noting their perception as "an absolute menace to society" due to their role as Corviknight's natural predator within the game's setting.[18] Kotaku's Sisi Jiang further elaborated on this, citing that fans "love the bloodthirsty aspect of Tinkaton’s personality" through a variety of memes. However he noted that fans had also embraced the character as an underdog, due to Pokédex entries for their earlier form, Tinkatink, describing them as the victim of bullying by other Pokémon and stated "maybe it’s fine that Tinkaton is ecologically inclined to bully Corviknight for fun. After all the effort it’s put towards improving its hammer, it’s earned it."[19] Kevin Slackie and Moises Taveras and Paste magazine also heavily praised this aspect of their character, calling them one of the best Pokémon species in the franchise as a whole in particular due to being "so freaking funny" as a "hater" in regards to their dedication against Corviknights.[20]

Jenni Lada of Siliconera in particular voiced significant praise for Tinkaton, describing them alongside their evolution line as "the best of the best" in Scarlet and Violet. While she praised the species's competitive abilities within the games, in particular in light of the unique Gigaton Hammer attack, more significant praise went to the character's aesthetic growth as they progressed, with the hammer growing in size to match their developing character. Additional praise was given to their Pokédex entries, which accented this further while also providing a sense of community amongst the evolution line, as well as a sense of personality to Tinkaton themselves that painted them as a "gremlin" and "a lovable nightmare" due to their rivalry with other Steel-type Pokémon and competitive nature amongst themselves. Lada closed by stating that while a case could be made for many of the new species in Scarlet and Violet to be considered the best, Tinkaton is "an example of great character design in a pair of games filled with winners".[21]

• Tinkaton at Bulbapedia, a Pokémon wiki

• Tinkaton on Pokemon.com