It’ll take some getting used to writing full-on reviews like these again, but I should be able to put a couple out this month.
Let’s just say Game Freak have a knack for turning aquatic animals into land-dwellers, because shortly after a trio of land sharks we encounter an interesting pair of ground-type hippos in the National Pokédex. However, introducing Hippopotas and Hippowdon alongside the Gible line apparently wasn't enough for Game Freak, because we would be able to get on familiar terms with the likes of Krookodile and Stunfisk exactly one generation later. It's not like Hippopotas and Hippowdon are overly remarkable Pokémon; their main in-game shtick is the color differences they have depending on their gender. Whereas a male Hippopotas has a tan skin color with dark brown spots, a female is dark brown with tan patches on its skin; male and female Hippowdon are simply light brown and black, respectively. At least there's no shortage of evidence that Hippopotas doesn't like water, as it spends its time bathing in sand and avoids water at all costs, while it also enshrouds itself in sand as a protective measure against germs and even sweats sand. That's right, it expels grainy sand from its body instead of perspiration. Also, it prefers traveling in groups of ten, which I find oddly specific.
At least Hippowdon is much more interesting, design- and flavor-wise as well as competitively. This Pokémon is far more intimidating, being short-tempered and holding its mouth agape as a display of strength, and its massive jaws are capable of crushing cars. Hippowdon skillfully uses the sand stored internally to create dust devils when attacking. While Bulbapedia states that Hippopotas and Hippowdon are probably derived from the Arabian myth of Bahamūt, I believe this is actually an error. The origins of this creature can actually be found in Jewish folklore, as Behemoth is often described and depicted in tales as a hippopotamus-like creature that rules over the Earth's landmasses - which I previously addressed in Groudon's entry - but this already large creature is further magnified in Arabian folklore, turning Behemoth into a vast cosmic fish or whale that serves as one of the foundations on which the Earth stands (Bahamūt). I don't think neither myth is where you can find Hippopotas and Hippowdon's origins, but it's a good guess.
At least these Pokémon are undoubtedly based on hippos. Simple as that.
Competitively, Hippowdon isn't quite the behemoth. Rather, this Pokémon more commonly serves as a Stealth Rock setter than an offensive threat, relying on Whirlwind to become set-up fodder. Fortunately, a moveset consisting of the moves Stealth Rock, Whirlwind, Slack Off and Earthquake - along with the Leftovers as its held item and an Impish nature - proves to be effective as ever, and it is exactly what Hippowdon is good at due to those massive base 108 HP and 118 defense stats. One drawback is that it is a pure ground type and thus not a rock type, which means that it doesn't get a special defense boost in the sandstorm it whips up with its Sand Stream ability when it enters the battlefield. Sand Force boosts all of Hippowdon's ground-, rock- and steel-type moves in a sandstorm, but if it has that ability it would have to rely on another teammate to set up the sandstorm in the first place, which honestly defeats the purpose of having Hippowdon on your team: as it's a support Pokémon, it is generally better to run Sand Stream so that it can support its teammates instead. Hippowdon is basically a one-trick pony, although its base 112 attack stat allows it to hit fairly hard with moves like Earthquake, Stone Edge, Crunch, Superpower and Iron Head if that's your thing. I wouldn't recommend it, especially since this thing is painfully slow and will almost always get hit first; plus, there are plenty more ground types to choose from if you want to go the offensive way.
In that regard. Donphan is a good offensive alternative to Hippowdon, both aesthetically and competitively, because it has a higher attack stat and has access to a priority move in Ice Shard.
I have to admit that turning aquatic animals into land-dwellers is a creative way for the people at Game Freak to introduce us to innovative new Pokémon designs, although they should not let this happen too often if they don't want to turn into one-trick ponies themselves. Hippowdon isn't one of my all-time favorite Pokémon, and I don't think I'll ever use it in a competitive setting, but I am definitely open to using it in a playthrough if the opportunity arises. I'm a little bit confused as to why the huge aesthetic differences between male and female Hippopotas and Hippowdon were applied to this specific evolutionary line, but I rest my case.
P.S.: Hippowdon's French name of Hippodocus is partly derived from an extinct genus of sauropods called diplodocus. Who the fuck at Game Freak came up with that?
Rating: 4/5
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| A female Hippopotas on the left, a male one on the right. The only difference between them is their reversed color scheme. |
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| A big-ass Hippowdon ready to kick some butt. |
At least Hippowdon is much more interesting, design- and flavor-wise as well as competitively. This Pokémon is far more intimidating, being short-tempered and holding its mouth agape as a display of strength, and its massive jaws are capable of crushing cars. Hippowdon skillfully uses the sand stored internally to create dust devils when attacking. While Bulbapedia states that Hippopotas and Hippowdon are probably derived from the Arabian myth of Bahamūt, I believe this is actually an error. The origins of this creature can actually be found in Jewish folklore, as Behemoth is often described and depicted in tales as a hippopotamus-like creature that rules over the Earth's landmasses - which I previously addressed in Groudon's entry - but this already large creature is further magnified in Arabian folklore, turning Behemoth into a vast cosmic fish or whale that serves as one of the foundations on which the Earth stands (Bahamūt). I don't think neither myth is where you can find Hippopotas and Hippowdon's origins, but it's a good guess.
At least these Pokémon are undoubtedly based on hippos. Simple as that.
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| Sand spouting from the holes on Hippowdon's back. |
In that regard. Donphan is a good offensive alternative to Hippowdon, both aesthetically and competitively, because it has a higher attack stat and has access to a priority move in Ice Shard.
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| Hippowdon lazing about while their young are playing around. Amazing drawing! |
I have to admit that turning aquatic animals into land-dwellers is a creative way for the people at Game Freak to introduce us to innovative new Pokémon designs, although they should not let this happen too often if they don't want to turn into one-trick ponies themselves. Hippowdon isn't one of my all-time favorite Pokémon, and I don't think I'll ever use it in a competitive setting, but I am definitely open to using it in a playthrough if the opportunity arises. I'm a little bit confused as to why the huge aesthetic differences between male and female Hippopotas and Hippowdon were applied to this specific evolutionary line, but I rest my case.
P.S.: Hippowdon's French name of Hippodocus is partly derived from an extinct genus of sauropods called diplodocus. Who the fuck at Game Freak came up with that?
Rating: 4/5
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