Pokemon's Creepiest Tradition Returns in Pokemon Sword and Shield

Pokemon Sword and Shield brings back the Pokemon franchise's creepiest tradition - the appearance of a ghost of a young girl. For years, Game Freak has included a ghost in all of their games, which players can usually interact with in some way. In Pokemon Sword and Shield, players can find a young girl in Hammerlocke standing near the castle above the train station. She'll ask the player to deliver a note to a boy in Ballonlea named Frank. The note itself is surprisingly old, and Frank (who is a grown man) will reveal that he was good friends with the girl as a child but they had a falling out after she didn't tell him about an illness. When players return to the spot where the girl originally was, they'll hear her voice and find a Reaper Cloth on the ground.

The "ghost girl" tradition dates back to at least Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, when players could see the ghost of a young girl haunting the Old Chateau. Players could also find different ghost girls in Pokemon Black and White and their sequels, Pokemon X and Y, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, and the demo for Pokemon Sun and Moon. Players have long speculated about these various creepy girls' significance or connections to each other (the Pokemon X and Y ghost girl has long intrigued fans), but they seem to only be a weird easter egg inserted into various Pokemon games. It might be a little dark to keep including dead girls in games made for children, but Pokemon Sword and Shield also features a Pokemon that turns into a literal gate to hell.

Have you found the newest ghost girl in Pokemon Sword and Shield? Let us know in the comment section or find me on Twitter at @CHofferCBus to chat all things Pokemon!