Suddenly, we’re really frightened by the game’s promise that there are Pokémon all around us.
Phenomenally fun as it may be, developer Niantic’s Pokémon GO can be a little rough around the edges, especially compared to Nintendo’s highly polished mainline Pokémon games. That’s not entirely Niantic’s fault, though. As a smartphone title, the company doesn’t know the exact hardware specs for any individual Pokémon GO player, which can sometimes lead to glitches, especially when the game is trying to synch with the phone’s GPS function.
For example, sometimes you might spy your avatar shuffling about the game’s map, even though you’re standing perfectly still. Another common hiccup is when the game mashes together the graphics data for two different types of Pokémon and spawns a single hybrid of the two creatures, which has inspired some eye-catching fan art from Twitter user @BrachyZoid.
▼ Water-types Staryu and Magikarp don’t look like they come from the deep sea so much as another dimension.
Thank you @SandStormer444 for the screenshot. pic.twitter.com/TmukNfhStj
— Brachy (@BrachyZoid) September 4, 2016
Because of the similar sizes yet variety in shapes of the game’s Pocket Monsters, the on-screen glitches often end up adding the appendages of one Pokémon to another, like when Rattata sprouts Pidgey’s wings and feathered crest.
▼ The exposed brain is kind of a step backwards, though.
Screenshot shared by @bryanvroom
— Brachy (@BrachyZoid) July 30, 2016
Really quick one cause I'm in a hurry pic.twitter.com/Yua5u588eJ
Other times, the result looks more like some kind of symbiotic cohabitation, like when Doduo makes itself at home atop Krabby, giving him an afro in the process.
Funky Crabby pic.twitter.com/qsCvlAiYUq
— Brachy (@BrachyZoid) August 15, 2016
Much more disturbing than the possibility of disco making a comeback, though, is Weedle bursting out of Oddish’s corpse like it’s trying out for a part in an Alien remake.
▼ In Kanto, no one can hear you scream.
Screenshot shared by @MikePressmar
— Brachy (@BrachyZoid) July 30, 2016
Not enough to fuse but good enough for a scene. pic.twitter.com/waLF500stg
But even that’s not as terrifying as Psyduck getting three holes in his head, courtesy of Dodrio.
screenshot by: @kagoshimato pic.twitter.com/jrlwbPPvzP
— Brachy (@BrachyZoid) August 15, 2016
Here’s hoping that one never becomes canon.
Source: Twitter/@BrachyZoid (h/t Kotaku)

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