In the world of the Pokémon games, Pokémon are like animals. And, like animals, some creatures will look different depending on where they are. As animals adapt to new environments, they gain new coloration, change size, or evolve new features that help them fit in better with where they reside. In the same way, Pokémon can also have different forms depending on their surroundings.

For some Pokémon, like Burmy, Rotom, Deerling, and Vivillon, these changes occur within the same species, appearing different but still being one animal. Other regions, like and Galar, Alola, are so far removed from the rest of the world, that the Pokémon there have evolved into entirely new versions of their originals. Sometimes, these evolutions make them look more awesome as they transform into a different type or develop adaptations that make them better suited to their environments. Other times, though, the regional variations of known Pokémon are even cuter than the Pokémon they're related to.

10 Galarian Mr. Mime Evolves Into The Cutest Little Man

Introduced In Pokémon Sword & Shield

Mr. Mime from the first generation of the Pokémon games (and show) is certainly not everyone's cup of tea. The round Psychic (and later, Fairy) Pokémon resembles a small human clown from a time in the series when humanoid designs weren't the norm. Mr. Mime's mischievous face makes it look either cute and harmless or somewhat creepy, depending on your perspective.

Although Mr. Mime originally had no evolution, he evolves into the adorable Mr. Rime at level 42 in Pokémon Sword & Shield.

The Galarian form of Mr. Mime turns it from a gaudy pink into a cooler blue and changes its expression into an Animal Crossing-esque face with a wide smile, a cute blue triangle nose, and rounder, more cartoonish eyes. Instead of a large button in the center of its body, Galarian Mr. Mime sports a cool ice tie, for an overall gentler and more charming effect than its original variation.

While Galarian Mr. Mime is pretty cute, the new evolution introduced in Sword & Shield is even cuter. Mr. Rime is the evolved version of Galarian Mr. Mime, who resembles a round man in a suit and bowler hat, a thick mustache, and an icy cane. The entire ensemble brings to mind not circus clowns, but a different kind of clown: an absolutely adorable Pokémon take on the classic comedian Charlie Chaplin.

9 Hisuian Sliggoo Is Too Big For His Shell

Introduced in Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Believe it or not, the cute little Sligoo is a Dragon type Pokémon. The regular form, introduced to the series in Pokémon X & Y, looks like a snail with a tiny shell on its back. Its bunny-ear-like antennae aren't just for show, either, instead acting like a radar system that also processes sounds and smells.

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Sligoo's shell gets an upgrade, ballooning in size from one that looks too small for Sligoo to fit inside to a massive home that now looks too heavy to lug around. Hisuian Sligoo also gains a Steel type in addition to the Dragon type, and its now-massive shell is actually made of metal. The gooey-looking Kalos version of Sligoo was already cute, but the way Hisuian Sligoo only has a tiny part of its body sticking out from its hilariously oversized shell is even cuter.

8 Galarian Darmanitan Changes Into A Literal Snowman

Introduced In Pokémon Sword & Shield

Darmanitan from Black & White evolves from Darumaka, a cute round creature based on Japanese Daruma dolls. The evolution isn't as round and cute as its first form, sprouting large gorilla-like arms and exchanging its small smirk for a large toothy grin. Darmanitan has two forms while it fights, transforming into a stationary ball-like "Zen Mode" when its HP drops below half.

Galarian Darmanitan changes its fur color to white to better fit in to the cold environment where it lives, where the original firetruck red would stand out against the snowy backdrop. The regular form already looks pretty cute, sporting a rounded snowball-like forehead and Santa-esque "beard." Once it transforms into the Zen Mode, Darmanitan has a false head on top of its real head, making it look like a snowman. The best part is the expression on top "head," which has a charming wobbly smile and a fiery nose.

7 Clodsire Is The Muddy Manatee Version Of Quagsire

Introduced In Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

The water- and ground-type Pokémon Wooper and Quagsire come from Pokémon Gold & Silver. Both are based on the axolotl, with Wooper looking like an armless axolotl and Quagsire resembling a salamander. In the real world, axolotls also "evolve" into salamanders, in a rare case of the game mimicking the real world impeccably.

Clodsire is the only regional variant in Pokémon that gets an entirely new name, instead of being simply called "Paldean Quagsire." While the Paldean version of Wooper is known as Paldean Wooper, the fandom has affectionately nicknamed it "Pooper" both as a portmanteau of the name and a reference to its muddy brown color.

The Johto and Paldean versions of Wooper look pretty similar apart from the color change from light blue (Johto) to brown (Paldea), with Paldean Wooper having a wider, more open-mouth. Quagsire and Clodsire, though, look significantly different. Quagsire sits upright, with long arms to it and a small head. Clodsire has a much rounder body, looking more like a muddy manatee than a salamander. Between its stubby arms and legs, and the bulbous appearance of its head and body, Clodsire is one cute regional Pokémon variant.

6 Galarian Zigzagoon Looks Ready To Start A Rock Band

Introduced In Pokémon Sword & Shield

Zigzagoon is a scruffy-looking raccoon-like creature with jagged stripes and fur. The Pokémon originally appeared in Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire as a Normal type. The Pokémon is named for its tendency to walk in a zig-zag when it wanders around. It's a friendly and curious creature whose low stature makes it especially adept at finding lost items in the tall grass.

In its cute Galarian version, the Pokémon looks like it's going through a punk rock stage. The Galarian Zigagoon's stripes turn from a light brown to a striking black to symbolize its new Dark type, and the raccoon-like "bandit" mask is replaced by markings that look like black star-shaped sunglasses. The Pokémon even has its tongue sticking out by default, in a clear callback to glam-rock bands of the 70s like Kiss. This gives it a charming and extra-friendly appearance, making it a cute regional variation.

5 Hisuian Growlithe Has The Cutest Hairdo

Introduced in Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Growlithe is one of the original gen-1 Pokémon, strongly based on man's best friend, the good old domesticated dog. The fire-type pup is known for being courageous and loyal, and its fierce expression is a reflection of this. According to the Pokémon Red & Blue Pokédex entry for Growlithe, the small Pokémon is so brave that it will often stand up to larger and stronger opponents.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus takes players back to prehistoric times, which also means getting to see what some creatures looked like before they evolved into their present-day versions. This includes Growlithe, whose ancient form looks less like a Doberman on the defensive and more like a mop-haired smiling goof-ball. Hisuian Growlithe is no less fierce and protective than its eventual form, but the way its soft-looking rounded fur falls over its face and completely covers its eyes is extremely endearing.

4 Galarian Slowpoke Is A Spicy Version Of The Derpy Fan-Favorite

Introduced In Pokémon Sword & Shield's 1.1.0 patch

Slowpoke is one of the original 151 from Pokémon Red & Blue, and its vacant expression is an accurate representation of what's going on in its mind. As the name implies, Slowpoke is incredibly slow, moving at a snail's pace and even taking several seconds to feel anything when it's getting attacked. It lounges all day by the water, looking to be lost in deep thought, though there's clearly nothing going on behind those eyes. (Basically, this lovable goofy Pokémon is my spirit animal.)

Galarian Slowpoke seems to have the same demeanor as its Kanto cousin, with the main visual differences being a slightly different shade of pink and a golden-yellow helmet and tip of its tail. Apparently, due to its diet, Galarian Slowpoke is the (literally) spicy version of the Pokémon, but that doesn't detract from how cute it looks with its full-body, corgi-level sploot, laying flat on its stomach with its arms and legs splayed out behind and to its sides.

3 Galarian Ponyta And Rapidash Look Like They Belong In My Little Pony

Introduced In Pokémon Sword & Shield

Ponyta and its evolution Rapidash appear in Pokémon Red & Blue as fire-type Pokémon. In the original gen-1 games, the horse-like animal and its unicorn evolution both have manes made of fire, leaving no question of what the creature's specialty is. In addition to the flames running down its back, Ponyta and Rapidash hooves are known to be extremely powerful, even stronger than diamonds, which makes it a formidable opponent that's as tough as it looks.

It's a little harder to take the Galarian version of the horse Pokémon line as seriously. Many Galarian forms take on a tougher appearance, but Ponyta and Rapidash acquire beautiful flowing locks of teal and violet mane and tail in place of their original fire fur. Ponyta also gets a much rounder appearance, making it look even more endearing. Together, the two look like they could have been pulled right from a My Little Pony episode, but they're not to be taken lightly—that mane is capable of absorbing the energy from its environment, boosting the Pokémon's power.

2 Alolan Vulpix Looks As Soft As Cotton

Introduced In Pokémon Sun & Moon

Vulpix is an orange-furred, six-tailed0 gen-1 Pokémon resembling a cute fire fox. With its large round eyes and soft features, the Pokémon consistently places at the top of fans' favorites from the original 151. The Pokémon and its evolution, Nintetails, are based in part on the foxes they so resemble, and in part on the legendary mythical Korean Kumiho and the Japanese Kitsune. It's hard to top the Kanto-region version of the little animal, which is already extremely huggable.

The Alolan Vulpix manages to be even cuter than the orange form, thanks to its snowy white fur and large clear blue eyes. While the Kanto form is a fire-type, Alolan Vulpix's white fur shows off its ice-type powers and strong ties to the equally adorable real-world arctic fox. The Pokémon is one of the cutest regional variants in the franchise, since it looks as soft as a bunch of cotton balls.

1 Alolan Raichu Is A Less Angular Version Of Raichu

Introduced In Pokémon Sun & Moon

After over 25 years and 10 generations, there's one Pokémon that remains at the top of fans' favorites: the iconic Pikachu. The thunder mouse Pokémon has captivated fans over the years, transcending the games and anime, and charging into mainstream culture as a beloved mascot for the franchise. Pikachu can evolve into Raichu with the help of a thunder stone, though the evolution isn't nearly as popular or well-known, in part because the anime's protagonist, Ash, chooses not to evolve his buddy.

There's no Alolan version of Pikachu, but the Alolan region causes Pikachu to evolve into an Alolan form of Raichu when the stone is used. It has a rounded body, light blue eyes and charming round ears instead of the Kanto region's more pointed ears. The Pokémon's tail is also much more rounded, and it's often depicted standing on top of it like a surfboard (perhaps as a callback to the utterly adorable surfing Pikachu from the Pokémon Yellow minigame). Thanks to its charming appearance, Alolan form of Raichu is by far the cutest regional variant in the entire Pokémon franchise.