Malamar is a Pokémon that resembles an upside-down squid. Several purple tentacles with bright blue undersides sprout from the top of its head. It has yellow eyes with black sclerae, a dark pink beak-like mouth, and lighter purple eyelids. Its main body is dark purple and has six circular yellow lights on the front and back. There is also a yellow stripe nearly encircling its upper body. Covering its main body is a transparent mantle with two white fins on the bottom that function as legs. On each side of the mantle is a long tentacle with dark pink at the top and white, scythe-like fins at the ends. The edge of Malamar's fins are said to be supremely sharp.
Malamar possesses strong hypnotic powers, which is said to be the most powerful of any Pokémon. Malamar uses its hypnotic power to force others to do its bidding. People often utilize this ability for nefarious deeds. Malamar's hypnotic powers are said to have played a role in several history-changing events. It lures prey with the flashing pattern on its luminescent body and hypnotic motions, then ensnares them in its tentacles. The prey is then finished off with digestive fluids. Both the anime and the TCG show Malamar living near water or even under water. As shown in Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!, it uses its tentacles to propel itself, swimming leg-first.
In addition to Inkay's method of evolution into Malamar being unique, it would have been impossible in any of the previous core series Pokémon games because the Nintendo 3DS is Nintendo's first handheld system with an internal gyroscope.
