Klefki | |
---|---|
Pokémon character | |
First game | Pokémon X and Y (2013) |
In-universe information | |
Species | Pokémon |
Type | Steel and Fairy |
Klefki, known in Japan as Cleffy (クレッフィ), is a Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Designed by Ken Sugimori and first introduced in Pokémon X and Y. Klefki is a steel and fairy Pokémon that is the only known to constantly collecting keys. It was designed by Pokémon graphic designer Mana Ibe and was inspired by old mansions and secret keys. A short film about Klefki called Pikachu, What's This Key For? premiered as an opener for the 17th Pokémon film.
Klefki received a largely negative reception, though it gained the most attention among generation VI Pokémon prior to release. While multiple critics felt that it was a weird or terrible design, other critics spoke more highly of Klefki, defending it and other Pokémon based around inanimate objects. Critics also discussed how nostalgia impacts people's perception of Pokémon, citing the Pokémon Magnemite from Pokémon Red and Blue in comparison to Klefki. It also became a powerful Pokémon in competitive play, being a highly effective Pokémon in Pokémon X and Y's competitive scene.
Klefki is a fictional species of Pokémon created for the Pokémon franchise. Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the series began in Japan in 1996 with the release of Pokémon Red and Blue for the Game Boy. [1] 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, and some can transform into stronger species through a process called evolution. [2]
Klefki was designed by Pokémon graphic designer Mana Ibe, whose base idea derived from Kalos- the fictional region that Pokémon X and Y is set in- having an old history. Going off of that, they were inspired to add "story elements to a key design," basing the design mansions off of the concepts of old mansion and secret keys. [3] While discussing unique Pokémon designs, Pokémon character designer Ken Sugimori felt that Klefki exemplified the "variety and richness" of Pokémon species designs due to being based on a key ring. [4]
Klefki has two elemental types: Steel and Fairy, which determine its resistances and strengths to other types in the game. [5] It also does not evolve. [6] Writer Patricia Hernandez speculated that it was partially inspired by the Japanese yōkai Tsukumogami, which are household objects that gain souls. [7]
Klefki originally appeared in Pokémon X and Y, [7] before appearing in future mainline titles, up to and including Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. [8] and the fighting game Pokkén Tournament. [9] It appears in the mobile game Pokémon Go. [10] While Klefki was only made available in Pokémon Go in France on debut, it was discovered that parts of England, Germany, Spain, and Italy could catch it due to how developer Niantic designed the spawn area. [11]
Klefki debuted in the Pokémon anime in the short Pikachu, What's This Key?, where it used its keys to help Pikachu and his friends visit several worlds and realms. It later appeared in several other episodes of the anime. [12]
Klefki's design received mixed reception, identified by writer Imran Khan as the go-to example of issues with modern Pokémon designs. [13] Video game journalists regarded its design as among the worst of new Pokémon introduced in X and Y, characterizing the design as uninspired, insipid, strange, and an example of Game Freak's "creative bankruptcy". [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] VentureBeat staff felt unsurprised by the concept behind the Pokémon, arguing that the team had run out of ideas. [21] It has also been regarded as one of the worst Pokémon in general, with IGN readers voting Klefki as one of the worst Pokémon from Pokémon X and Y. [22] [23] [24] [25] Hayes Madsen of Screen Rant claimed that Klefki should never have been made, deriding it for being based on an object. [26]
Kotaku writer Zack Zwiezen, when he originally saw Klefki, assumed it was a fake design due to the strange premise behind its design. He discussed how people differentiate modern Pokémon designs from classic ones, namely how a common criticism is that classic designs were "all-natural looking creatures." He criticized this notion, citing an earlier design in the series, Magnemite, as an example due to it being "screws and magnets." However, he digressed that Klefki may suggest that the designers were out of ideas and needed to take a break. [27] Fanbyte writer James O'Connor similarly cited Magnemite as an example of early Pokémon designs being strange, but still found Klefki unsettling despite the precedence. [28] VGC's Jordan Middler, Chris Scullion, and Andy Robinson discussed Klefki in their podcast, citing its design as an example of Pokémon's lack of design creativity as more games are released. [29] Other critics were more positive, with Chris Plante of Polygon, Tyler Treese of GameRevolution, and Kyle Hilliard of Game Informer regarding it as one of their favorite Pokémon. [30] [31] [32] [33]
Despite criticisms over it being based on an inanimate object, there has been praise given to it from this angle. Kotaku's Patricia Hernandez noted that while some people dislike "inanimate objects that are somehow Pokémon," she defended it due to its basis on the Japanese mythological tsukumogami and Klefki's overall "ridiculous" design. [7] TheGamer writer Sergio Solorzano felt that the reason why people were more okay with Pokémon like Magnemite than they were with Klefki was because of nostalgia. He argued in favor of inanimate object Pokémon, and appreciated that Steel-type Pokémon were getting more creative. [34]
Despite early assumptions that Klefki would be a weak Pokémon, [35] Klefki was a significant Pokémon in the Pokémon X and Y competitive scene, among the game's top Pokémon due in part to being a "solid support wall." [34] [36] Klefki's high placement was due to multiple factors, including its innate special ability, Prankster, and its access to certain status-affecting and support moves. [37] [36] Its type combination was also significant in its placement, due to its typings giving it valuable defensive utility. [37] In Pojo's Unofficial Big Book of Pokemon, the author suggested it was a solid lead in battles, though it was a better fit for a support role in double battles. [38] VG247 writer Cassandra Khaw was disappointed that such a "sloppy design" was so useful competitively. [37]
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