A talented Pokémon fan has modded Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl to restore the Cyndaquil evolutionary line's missing back flames. Game mods can be a useful tool to give games a feature that they lack for one reason or another, which can often lead to an improved gameplay experience through mods.
Cyndaquil, the very popular Fire Mouse Pokémon, serves as the Fire-type Starter of the Johto region. Its Starter status means that it appears in many Pokémon games, not just those set in Johto. Cyndaquil can be found in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's Grand Underground once the player has received the National Dex. Perhaps the most prominent feature of Cynadaquil and its evolutions are their impressive flames - Cyndaquil and Quilava both have spouts of fire running over their backs, while Typhlosion has a ruff of roaring flame. Cyndaquil's design has helped it to become one of the franchise's most popular Starters, recently becoming a firm favorite in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. However, when the Pokémon games made the jump to 3D, the models of Cyndaquil's evolutionary line suffered an unusual consequence, as their back flames were snuffed out. Not permanently, as their flames still appeared during battle animations, but it is still jarring for gamers who have grown used to the sprites of constantly firey Pokémon.
Now, through the efforts of talented modder Yisuno (via GameRant), the Cyndaquil family is burning brightly once again thanks to a mod that restores the Pokémon line's flames in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. A prolific modder, Yisuno made the change whilst "messing around with Pokemon animations," leading to the trio of Fire-types cutting a much more impressive figure in battle. While this is not as drastic a change as some Pokémon mods create, like transplanting Metroid bosses into Pokémon, it is still a welcome sight for those Pokémon fans who miss Cyndaquil's old look.
Yisuno is a developer for Pokémon Luminescent, a BDSP mod that ups the entire game's difficulty, which explains their casual tinkering with the game's models. While this alteration to the Cyndaquil line's models is not available publically as of yet, it seems that many players of the games are keen to give it a try should Yisuno release a downloadable version of the mod. Mods that change up some aspect of a game's world can often turn out to be quite popular. Other recent mods seen in the wider gaming community include one that introduces the upcoming Generation 9 Starters into Animal Crossing.
Although Pokémon's Cyndaquil canonically only flares its flames in response to danger, the static sprites of the older Pokémon games meant that it has long since been associated with flames gushing from its back no matter what the situation. So, while from an in-universe perspective the choice to dial back the Starter's fire makes sense, it has still been a point of contention and even disappointment for lots of fans. However, it seems that anything is possible through the power of mods, and gamers are able to see Cyndaquil and its evolutions standing tall with their back flames in place once more. A simple change or not, the sight is sure to be heartening for those Pokémon fans who miss the Fire-types' more battle-ready appearances.
Source: Yisuno/Twitter (via GameRant)