http://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/04/23/p...id-bosses/

Quote:Pokemon Go has added a new wrinkle for players: raid bosses that can only be fought in certain parts of the world.

One of the defining parts of Pokemon Go is its use of regional-exclusive Pokemon, which can only be found in certain parts of the world. Originally, these Pokemon were separated by continent, but recently Pokemon Go has added regional-exclusive Pokemon that can only be found near the equator, or in specific countries, or even a group of continents. Last week, Pokemon Go added a new twist to its use of regional-exclusive Pokemon, by making certain Pokemon regional-exclusive Raid Bosses.

The website Pokemon Go Hub reports that Walrein, Duskull, and Pinsir now appear as Raid Bosses in North America, South America, and Africa, while Shuppet, Houndoom, and Granbull now appear as Raid Bosses in Asia, Europe, and Australia.

These new Raid Bosses were first added shortly after Pokemon Go's Kanto Week Celebration, which among other things featured a temporary reshuffle of the game's Raid Bosses.

Players need to complete multiple Raids in order to complete the Special Research quest that eventually unlocks Mew in the game. By adding a few low level Raid Bosses, Pokemon Go has made it a bit easier for players who can't find Raid groups to still complete Raids and complete their Special Research quests.

The good news is that all of these regional-exclusive Raid Bosses can still be caught in the wild anywhere in the world, so players don't need to travel halfway around the world and then find a Raid if they still don't have one of these Pokemon. It appears that Pokemon Go is just trying to keep things fun and interesting for trainers, especially those who participate in Raid Battles on a daily basis.

Pokemon Go has really upped the amount of changes being made to the game this year. In addition to the new Field Research quest feature, the game's developers have also increased the number of in-game events and periodically shuffled in new Raid Bosses for players to face. It seems that, after two years, the makers of Pokemon Go are trying to add new content more frequently to keep players interested in the game on a daily basis.

Quote:Sing along if you know the words, Trainers! In 1998, the first English-language Pokémon theme song introduced the world to a young Trainer named Ash Ketchum and his best friend, Pikachu! Use #1000EpisodesOfPokemon on Twitter to tell us about the first time you watched Pokémon the Series, and check out episodes on Pokémon TV!

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-...n-be-ditto

Quote:Ditto in Pokémon Go was one of the most elusive creatures in the game at launch, and thanks to an update alongside the game's first Thanksgiving event update, has finally appeared in the wild.

The purple blob is infamous in the main games because of its primary move - Transform - that allows it to copy the appearance and look of the opposing Pokémon. It has a similar role in Pokémon Go, and how you catch it has an interesting twist.
How do you catch Ditto in Pokémon Go?

Unlike any other Pokémon we've seen so far in the game, Ditto doesn't appear in the flesh when exploring the wild. Instead, Ditto will take the form of other Pokémon, and will reveal itself when it's been caught.

This means that you don't know whether the Pokémon around you are 'real' or are actually a Ditto. The chances of them being a Ditto appear to be very slim - the exact stats on its rarity are unclear currently - so it's a case of catching as many Pokémon as you can until one appears.

When you have it, it'll slot into your Pokémon Bag like any other, and can be given Candy to upgrade, and taken into Gyms for battle.
What Pokémon can Ditto be hiding as?



Ditto can be found hiding as the following creatures, which aside from Yanma, are all common finds:

Gen 1
- Pidgey
- Ratatta
- Zubat
- Gastly

Gen 2
- Yanma
- Hoothoot
- Sentret

Gen 3
- Zigzagoon
- Taillow
- Gulpin
- Whismur

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/free-l...0-6458389/

Quote:Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon players will soon have a chance to add another free pair of Legendaries to their teams. Beginning this weekend, The Pokemon Company is giving away Entei and Raikou as part of its ongoing Year of Legendary Pokemon celebration, but they'll only be available for a very limited time.

To claim the Legendaries, fans in the US will need to travel to a specific retailer and pick up a download code for the Pokemon. This time, the free code will be available at the electronics section of participating Target stores across the country from April 22-29. Players in Europe, meanwhile, can download the Legendaries via an online Mystery Gift from the games' main menu until April 25.

The code is redeemable in any seventh generation Pokemon title, although the Legendary you receive depends on which game you're playing. Those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get the Fire-type Entei, while Moon and Ultra Moon players will receive the Electric-type Raikou.

If you redeem the code in either of the Ultra games, the Pokemon will come equipped with a rare Gold Bottle Cap, which can be exchanged to max out a Pokemon's IVs in Hyper Training. The Legendaries also know different moves depending on the version. You can see their movesets in each game below.

Pokemon Ultra Sun

Entei -- Level 100

- Sacred Fire
- Stone Edge
- Iron Head
- Flame Charge

Pokemon Sun

Entei -- Level 60

- Stomp
- Bite
- Swagger
- Lava Plume

Pokemon Ultra Moon

Raikou -- Level 100

- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Extrasensory
- Calm Mind

Pokemon Moon

Raikou -- Level 60

- Reflect
- Crunch
- Thunder Fang
- Discharge

To redeem the download code, first select Mystery Gift from the games' main menu, then choose the option to receive your gift via a code/password. Input the code you picked up and your Legendary Pokemon will be downloaded. You will then have to retrieve it from the deliveryman, who will be waiting inside any of the games' Pokemon Centers. You'll need to have an empty slot in your party to claim the Legendary.

The Pokemon Company has been giving away a different Legendary each month in 2018 as part of its Year of Legendary Pokemon promotion. Next month, players will be able to claim Xerneas and Yveltal, the cover monsters from Pokemon X and Y. In the meantime, you can see all of the free Pokemon available for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon right now.

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-...-favourite

Quote:Fire starter Charmander will be the star of Pokémon Go's next Community Day, the game's monthly meetup event.

May's Community Day will be held on Saturday 19th - a change from the past two month's Sunday gatherings - during the usual 10am to 1pm timeframe in the UK.

The usual three hour lures will be in effect, along with triple Stardust for catching Pokémon and a special move when you evolve your Charmander up to Charizard within the event time-frame (Blast Burn seems most likely).

[img] https://cdn.gamer-network.net/2018/artic...format/jpg[/img]

But the thing all Pokémon Go players want is a shiny Charizard - which is one of, if not the fan favourite shiny Pokémon design. Community Days drastically boost the rate at which the featured Pokémon's shiny form is encountered - so look for lots of these guys in gyms soon after.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/every-...0-6456217/

Quote:Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon launched for 3DS back in November, marking the mainline series' swan song on Nintendo's dual-screen handheld. As it did for the original Sun and Moon versions, The Pokemon Company is continuing to support the pair in the months following their release with free items and Pokemon. The company has a lot of giveaways lined up for 2018, which it has dubbed the Year of Legendary Pokemon, though those certainly won't be the only freebies players can expect to find this year.

We've rounded up all of the free distributions currently running for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon below, many of which are also open to Sun and Moon players. We'll be updating this list as more giveaways are announced, so check back often to see what free items and Pokemon you can get. In the meantime, you can learn more about the latest Pokemon games in our rundown of everything new in Pokemon Ultra Sun And Ultra Moon. We also break down the differences between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, if you're still unsure of which version to pick up.
Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon Free Gifts

Entei/Raikou -- April 22-29

The Johto Legendary dogs Entei and Raikou are April's free gift for Pokemon players. The Pokemon are being distributed in the US via a free download code from participating Target stores, and as before, the Legendary you receive depends on which version you're playing: those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get Entei, while Moon and Ultra Moon players will receive Raikou. In Europe, the Legendaries are being distributed as a free online Mystery Gift until April 25.

Magearna

Unlike most other gift Pokemon, the Mythical Steel/Fairy-type, Magearna, is not available through the Mystery Gift feature, but via a QR code, which is compatible with Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. After defeating the Elite Four and completing the main story, you can use the QR Scanner to scan the code below. Once you've done that, visit the Antiques shop in Hau'oli City and pick your Magearna up from the deliveryman waiting there.



Celebi -- Ends Sep. 21

Players who purchase either Pokemon Gold or Silver from the 3DS Eshop by September 21, 2018 will receive a bonus download code for the Mythical Pokemon Celebi. The code can be redeemed in Pokemon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon. We've outlined the steps you need to take to find and redeem the code here.

Decidueye, Incineroar, and Primarina -- Ends Oct. 31

Players who have a Pokemon Bank account can receive the final forms of all three Alola starters--Decidueye, Incineroar, and Primarina--as a free bonus for using the cloud storage service. What sets these three Pokemon apart from the ones you can obtain in-game is that they each come with their Hidden Abilities, which aren't typically available through normal play. You'll receive a notification about the gifts the next time you access Pokemon Bank, and they can be picked up in your game of choice from the deliveryman waiting in any Pokemon Center.
Past Gifts

Dialga/Palkia -- DONE

Kicking off the Year of Legendary Pokemon are the Space and Time Pokemon, Palkia and Dialga. The two are being distributed in the US at GameStop from February 2-28, while UK residents can pick them up from participating Game stores. The Legendary you receive will depend on which version you have: players with either Sun or Ultra Sun receive Palkia, while those playing either Moon or Ultra Moon get Dialga. You'll need to redeem your download code by May 23 to claim the Legendaries.

Regigigas/Heatran -- DONE

The Year of Legendary Pokemon continues with another pair of Legendaries originally from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl: Regigigas and Heatran. As before, the Pokemon you receive will depend on which seventh generation title you're playing: Sun and Ultra Sun players will get Regigigas, while those with a copy of Moon or Ultra Moon will receive Heatran. Unlike the Dialga and Palkia distribution, The Pokemon Company is giving away the download code for Regigigas and Heatran in the March Pokemon Trainer Club newsletter, so you'll need to create a free Trainer Club Account here and opt-in to the newsletter before March 1 in order to get the code.

Quote:

Official Nintendo Magazine seems to have confirmed that the Nintendo Switch Pokemon title will feature the eight generation of Pokemon.

Twitter user @raqueruu posted images from the Spanish version of the Nintendo magazine which so happens to feature a brief reference to the Nintendo Switch version of Pokemon. That reference doesn't contain much new information about the mysterious Pokemon title, but it does state that the Switch title will feature a brand-new generation of Pokemon by welcoming the eighth generation of Pokemon to the series.

Granted, it's not much to go on, but there's no reason to doubt it. When the Pokemon Switch game was first teased, it was referenced as a mainline Pokemon game. As such, it just makes sense that the Switch Pokemon title will also happen to feature a new set of Pokemon rather than simply revisit a previous generation.

Instead, its the implications of this information that have Pokemon fans buzzing. A new generation of Pokemon also means a new region to explore (most likely) and all the niceties that come along with a properly new Pokemon title. In fact, the blurb in the magazine even references the possibility that the Pokemon team are working on entirely new mechanics to put into this game.

When Nintendo announced that they were working on a main Pokemon game for the Switch, fans everywhere began speculating just what the Pokemon Company could do with a Pokemon game if they were given the full power of a console. Well, we still have a lot of questions regarding just what they are capable of when they're given more hardware power to work with, but the one thing that seems clear is that they are being allowed to work on a properly new Pokemon title and aren't going to be making a 3DS Pokemon game for Switch.

The article also makes reference to Pokemon Switch releasing in 2018 or later, but we'd bet heavily on the "later" section of that statement.

Quote:If you look back to previous Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, both 3DS games were announced the day before Nintendo's investor's meeting for the financial year 13/14.

This was because some details about the game were shared at the meeting itself: Nintendo wanted to formally reveal the game before it leaked thanks to details shared in the meeting.

The reveal itself wasn't that exciting - it was just a little bit of footage and a release date, complete with some box art - but it still let people know a new Pokemon game as coming in the same year.

If Nintendo wanted to do the same thing this year - formally reveal the game's name and release date before the investor's meeting - they're going to want to announce within the next 10 days.

Previously, we saw the teaser for the game originally go live on Pokémon Get☆TV (thanks, Serebii) so if we do see the Pokemon announcement drop soon, we could see it via Japanese channels first.

Quote:

Japanese viewers celebrated the Pokémon anime’s 1,000th episode back in November, and now it’s American audiences’ turn. As we noted when the Japanese episode aired, the version of the cartoon that’s aired in the U.S. has a different order than its Japanese counterpart; thankfully, the 1,000th episode set to air here is still a cute, special one.

“The Professors’ New Adventure,” set to air at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 28, features one of the Pokémon Sun and Moon anime’s traditionally low-key storylines. Professor Kukui, one of the hottest bachelors in the Pokémon universe, is ready to finally settle down. Much to our disappointment, Kukui proposes to fellow hot single Professor Burnet after 50-plus episodes of romantic tension, robbing us of two of Pokémon’s few of-age crush material.

We’re not surprised that Kukui and Burnet hook up, since they’re already married in the Pokémon Sun and Moon games. Plus, we get the Pokémon anime’s first actual wedding out of all this, which sounds like a nice way to spend a Saturday morning.

Maybe the Pokémon cartoon left you behind when it moved from Kids’ WB to Cartoon Network, or you dumped it once you hit a certain age and Pokémon wasn’t a “cool” thing to like anymore. (Just one of myriad reasons why middle school was terrible, by the way.) But reaching 1,000 episodes is a rare accomplishment in television, animated or otherwise: The Simpsons has aired 633 episodes, for comparison. (Yeah, anime has far longer seasons ... but still.)

Even if you no longer tune in, it’s comforting that Pokémon is still going and has no signs of stopping anytime soon.

http://www.siliconera.com/2018/04/11/uni...heme-park/

Quote:Multiple sources near Universal have stated that Pokémon is one of the Nintendo IPs that will appear at the Orlando theme park, while the Mario and Donkey Kong-themed rides will be appearing to the nearby 400 acres of land that was recently purchased by Universal Studios. [Thanks, WFTV!]

Pokémon will be added to the KidZone section of Universal Studios, where other attractions such as Barney and Woody Woodpecker are currently located. It would presumably open in 2020, while Super Nintendo World will be complete in 2023 for the Orlando Park.

Quote:The Pokemon anime brought back a surprising "character" in last week's episode.

Ash's female alter-ego "Ashley" made a brief and unexpected return in the latest episode of Pokemon the Series: Sun and Moon.

The episode focused on Ash and his friends temporarily taking over a Pokemon Center to cover for Nurse Joy, who had fallen ill. When Ash couldn't find a male version of a Pokemon Center uniform, one of his female classmates dragged him into the girl's locker room and put a blonde wig on him, causing him to briefly look like a girl.

Luckily for Ash (who was quite embarrassed about dressing as a girl) some of Ash's other friends found a male version of Ash's outfit to wear.

While Ash's friends didn't know it, Ash has a long history of cross-dressing that dates back to the earliest days of the Pokemon anime. Ash first donned a blonde wig and dress to infiltrate the Celadon City Gym after he insulted the perfume that the gym manufactured. Ash used the fake name "Ashley" during his ruse and managed to initially trick both Brock and Misty...but not his partner Pikachu.

Ash later assumed his "Ashley" persona to break into the Flower Garden Troupe's headquarters in the Unova region so that Ash's ally Iris could get revenge on a girl that insulted her and her Pokemon.

Ash has cross-dressed at least once in every Pokemon anime series....except for Pokemon the Series: XY. That series decided to subvert the trope by having Serena (Ash's traveling companion) dress like Ash and battle with Pikachu while he was ill. Serena also had a huge crush on Ash during the series, so it gave "shipping" fans plenty of great moments while showing off Serena's battling skills.

While Ash continued his long tradition of cross-dressing, he also did an admirable job of covering for Nurse Joy. Ash showed plenty of compassion while caring for other people's Pokemon, even going out of his way to help a Team Skull grunt who had antagonized him and his friends throughout Ash's stay in the Alola region.

New episodes of Pokemon the Series: Sun and Moon air in Japan every Thursday. Dubbed versions of the episode air on Disney XD a few months later.

https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-go/2018/...s-list-new

Quote:


One of Pokémon Go’s most active dataminers revealed a slew of new shiny Pokémon last night. Yesterday on his Twitch channel, a user named Chrales showed players their first look at more than 100 first- and second-gen shinies, which Niantic has yet to push into the full game.

Fan site Pokémon Go Hub has a detailed synopsis of the event, which isn’t archived on Chrales’ Twitch channel. He first asked viewers which Pokémon they wanted to see, before showing off every unreleased shiny version he’d found within the game’s code. Among these never-before-seen rare colorways are Charmander and its evolutions; Mewtwo; baby Pokémon Cleffa and Igglybuff; and Ho-Oh, one of the more recently released legendary Pokémon.

A full list with pictures is embedded below, courtesy of Chrales and Twitter user LeekDuck. It’s important for players to note that these are not yet available to capture in the wild, however. Now that they’re buried into the game’s code, however, this means that Niantic should now be able to release them at any time.

The reveal is huge for Pokémon Go players; not just because it’s a massive set of new Pokémon variations to keep an eye out for, but once again confirmation of major speculation. Chrales first hinted that a shiny drop would be coming on both Discord and Reddit, fueling fans’ excitement.

No word yet on when the shiny Pokémon will be available to collect, although fans point to a possible upcoming event as the release date.

https://www.nintendo-insider.com/zeraora...y-trailer/

Quote:


As had been teased last week, The Pokémon Company has revealed Zeraora, which will star in Pokémon the Movie: Everyone’s Story.

The new Mythical Pokémon, which is known as the Thunderclap Pokémon, was shown on Japanese children’s variety programme Oha Suta this morning.

It is an Electric-type and has the ability Volt Absorb, which means that whenever it is hit with an Electric-type move in battle its HP is restored by a quarter of its maximum health and the move will have no effect on it.

Zeraora electrifies its claws and uses them to tears its opponents apart, and is said to approach its enemies at the speed of lightning. It will only be made available in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon, with no news on when, or how, the distribution event will take place.

Pokémon the Movie: Everyone’s Story will release in cinemas across Japan on July 13th.

Quote:Pokemon Nintendo Switch - Lapras Leak Update

We're entering Spring 2018 and we've still had no official word on Pokemon Nintendo Switch from Game Freak or Nintendo.

However, the rumour mill continues to spin, and what appears to be a new leak surfaced this week - though its authenticity is hotly debated by Pokemon fans on various fan sites around the internet.

Pokejungle reports it has received images of a working Pokemon Switch game demo.

An image from the supposed demo has surfaced online, showing a Pokemon trainer riding a Lapras, with other Pokemon (assumedly wild) visible in the overworld map. It looks like it's set on a Water route - possibly around Cinnabar Town if the Kanto rumours are correct.

The images supposedly show some of the game features like PokeRide, ability to ride a Pokemon in the overworld.

"A trainer uses Lapras to navigate a water-based trail. The bulky gear that Lapras wore in Generation VII is gone, but the trainer still appears to have a helmet and sports outfit on while riding," reads the original PokeJungle report.

Twitter account @PixelPar, a video game leaker, has offered to help verify the leaked images, but PokeJungle has declined as per an agreement with the initial leaker.

It remains unclear whether or not the image is real - and we're cautious to post the actual image here in case it was originally a breach of contract from the source -but a quick Google will show you the image and more theories about where it came from.

http://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/04/08/p...n-1-shiny/

Quote:

Shiny Pokemon are about to flood Pokemon Go.

Dataminers have confirmed that Pokemon Go developers have added 3D assets for the Shiny versions of all the original "Gen 1" Pokemon on the game's servers. Coupled with the announcement that the game's next event will feature the old school Kanto Pokemon, it seems likely that we could get Shiny versions of all 151 original Pokemon in the game.

Shiny Pokemon have alternate colorations than their regular non-Shiny counterparts and are prized by many players due to their extreme rarity. Pokemon Go has gradually added Shiny Pokemon to the game over the last year, but their efforts really kicked into high gear with the addition of "Gen 3" Pokemon last fall.

In the last month alone, Pokemon Go added Shiny versions of Pokemon like Bulbasaur, Lugia, Murkrow, Magmar, and Wobbuffet.

The full list of Shiny Pokemon also includes: Pichu, Pikachu, Raichu, Gyarados, Magikarp, Sableye, Shuppet, Banette, Duskull, Dusclops, Mawile, Absol, Snorunt, Glalie, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Swablu, Altaria, Luvdisc, Poochyena, Mightyena, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Togepi, Togetic, Magby, Wynaut, Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, Ivysaur, and Venusaur.

Players first suspected something big was coming when Pokemon Go reverted back to its 3D sprites earlier this weekend after a week of using 8-bit sprites during April Fool's Day. Some players immediately noticed that many of the sprites had changed, which usually is an indication that developers were getting ready to drop Shiny versions of Pokemon into the game.

Of course, it's possible that next week's event could be the start of a gradual rollout of all the Shiny Pokemon and not the Shiny explosion that players are hoping for. Releasing over 100 different Shiny Pokemon into the wild at once seems a bit overwhelming....although it certainly would give players more reason to spend long hours hunting.
1comments

One of the big keys to Shiny Pokemon hunting in Pokemon Go is that the game doesn't use "Shiny" sprites in the overworld map. Players will need to tap on each Pokemon individually to see if its Shiny in the catch screen. Once in the catch screen, players can look out for a distinctive sparkly animation that surrounds the Pokemon if it's a Shiny Pokemon. Some Shiny Pokemon look nearly identical to non-Shiny Pokemon (see Pikachu or Bulbasaur for example) so that animation is key to make sure that a Shiny Pokemon doesn't get away.

We should find out more about Pokemon Go's next event in the next day or so. The big "Gen 1" event is set to start on April 10th.

Quote:

A couple of weeks ago, Niantic announced that the next Community Day for Pokemon GO would feature Mareep and take place on April 15. We knew that anyone who evolved a Flaaffy into an Ampharos during the Mareep Community Day would unlock an exclusive move, but until now, we didn’t know what that move would be.

As announced by Niantic, the exclusive move that Ampharos can learn during the Mareep Community Day in Pokemon GO is Dragon Pulse. This powerful move should make the electric-type Pokemon more versatile, and could even be a reference to its mega evolution, which is a dual electric and dragon-type Pokemon.

Anyone that wants to add an Ampharos with Dragon Puse to their Pokemon GO collection will need to participate in the Mareep Community Day on April 15. The Mareep Community Day will take place on April 15 from 11am to 2pm PST, and will feature a sharp increase in the Mareep population, along with some other goodies.



Besides giving players the chance to catch an Ampharos that knows Dragon Pulse, the Mareep Community Day will also see the addition of shiny Mareep to the game. Furthermore, players will be able to hatch eggs four times faster than usual, so for example, a 10km egg will hatch at 2.5km. Players will also be able to enjoy three hour lure modules, so just one should last the entirety of Mareep Community Day and maximize the number of Pokemon that can be caught during the event.

Catching all these Mareep should also help players complete some of the Field Research tasks that will be available on Mareep Community Day as well. Many of the Field Research tasks revolve around catching X number of Pokemon, and with Mareep as far as the eye can see, completing those quests should be no problem at all come April 15.

Quote:The latest update to Pokémon Duel introduces a new layer to duels: the ability for Pokémon to change forms! In addition to that, look out for more Legendary Pokémon along with new ways to interact with friends and an upcoming tournament feature! Start training for the pre-tournament, and be sure to pick up your special log-in bonuses with rare items while you’re at it!

http://www.newsweek.com/detective-pikachu-review-875980

Quote:Pokémon fans may remember Detective Pikachu as an incomplete episodic game that was never released outside of Japan. Two years later, the title has finally released as a full game on the Nintendo 3DS and it’s a game that every Pokémon fan needs to experience.

The premise of Detective Pikachu is a bit weird and its style of gameplay is unconventional for the series, which makes this game the most unique in the entire Pokémon franchise. A lot of that has to do with the incredible story being told.

GAMEPLAY

Detective Pikachu is a very narrative-driven game so the gameplay aspects are minimal. If you're familiar with point-and-click games, that’s what you should expect out of this Pokémon spin-off.

Most of the game sees players controlling Tim, the main protagonist, running around each level looking for clues and gathering testimony. The levels aren't large, so exploration is somewhat limited, but the point of the game is to talk and interact with as many people, Pokémon and things as possible.

As you stumble into mysteries and tasks, it's up to you and Pikachu to put the pieces together to solve each case. Your case notes and testimonies will help remind you of the events of that particular chapter and help solve the mystery when the time comes.



It may sound boring to anyone who is expecting any sort of action from a Pokémon game, but once you get into a groove of talking to people and looking for clues, especially in the backdrop of a stellar plot, you won't even notice it. There are moments where you have to walk from one end to a level to another that can become tedious but those are few and far between, never managing to hurt the flow of the game.

Sprinkled in every chapter are quick-time events that break up the gameplay in each level. There are only two types, however, pressing A as fast as possible to fill a gauge and another that places a greater emphasis on timing your inputs. They help to mix up the gameplay, and it would have been more interesting if the story went a different way if you fail a quick-time event, but c’est la vie.

STORY

What makes Detective Pikachu so enjoyable is its story. The team behind it carefully crafted a new world brimming with life that sucks you in unlike any other game in the series before it. Every character has distinct personalities, including the Pokémon themselves.

Fans will be familiar with how certain Pokémon act from the anime, Pokedex entries and the lore of the franchise but Detective Pikachu really delves into how certain Pokémon interact with people and other Pokémon, deepening the immersione. In the first chapter alone, you’ll interact with Aipom, Murkrow, Pidove and many more. Each feels unique in how they act and talk.

As for the story beats, Tim comes to Rhyme City to look for his father. Tim’s dad, Harry, is a detective who was working on a case about strange Pokémon behavior before he was involved in an accident. His Pikachu was also in the accident and lost its memories but somehow, Pikachu and Tim can speak to each other. The pair go around the city solving mysteries and finding out more information about Tim’s missing dad. Throughout, even the smallest tasks/mysteries seem to involve Harry’s disappearance. You’ll eventually unravel a conspiracy behind it all with plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked.

I took a very casual approach to playing Detective Pikachu , taking one chapter a day, and it was very enjoyable. Players can binge through the game but I definitely recommend a more easygoing approach. Just don’t end your playtime in the middle of a chapter. Although there are plenty of save points, the mysteries rely heavily on memorization. While you can refer back to your notes, it can be tedious to find everything and remember where you left off or what you are supposed to be doing. There are nine chapters in total with each taking an hour or two to complete, so it won’t take long to finish the story.

Detective Pikachu has great characters and a world any one can enjoy whether you’re a Pokémon fan or not. If you’re looking for deep gameplay, you won’t find it here, but the story more than makes up for it. Its episodic structure makes it easy to enjoy casually or binge, and you may find it hard to put down before you get to the ending. The story gets wraps up nicely, but there’s still a lot of questions that can easily lead to a sequel. We hope they make one.

Detective Pikachu is definitely worth experiencing, and one of the more unique games in the Pokémon series.

http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/04...s_and_more

Quote:A major update has been released for the smartphone game Pokémon Duel, adding a bunch of new content and new ways to play.

Certain Pokémon will now be able to change their forms during battle, adding a new layer to your dueling antics. The legendary Pokémon Kyurem is now available, and in the right deck it’ll be able to change its form to both Black Kyurem and White Kyurem; this makes sense as the legendary Pokémon Reshiram and Zekrom have also been introduced. All three of these Pokémon are available in the 'April 2018 Recommended Booster A' and the 'April 2018 Booster 10-pack A'.

As well as this, a new social feature introduces the ability to follow other players and track their progress in-game - you'll even receive special items if you follow enough players, and more if you have enough players following you in return. A brand new tournament mode is coming to the game soon (with a pre-tournament set to take place to preview the feature) so keeping an eye on the strongest decks from your friends would be a smart move.

If you haven't already, you can grab yourself a copy of Pokémon Duel for free from the App Store, Amazon Appstore for Android, and on Google Play.

Quote:As you may well be aware, the upcoming Pokémon movie 'Everyone's Story' is gearing up for imminent release in Japan; the film is scheduled to premiere in Japanese theatres on 13th July, and we are expected to receive some brand new footage of the film early next week.

According to Serebii, some new footage of the movie will air on Japanese Variety Show Oha Suta on Monday 9th April, and as intriguing as that may be on its own for Poké-fans, the more exciting news is that a new Pokémon is set to be revealed during the show. Who could it be?

Well, before you get too excited, it's much more likely that this reveal will be an official announcement for Zeraora - an electric-type mythical Pokémon that was unveiled by datamines of Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - rather than anything from the game(s) coming to Switch in the future. It might be quite some time until we see anything entirely new, but an official announcement for the (currently) last entry to the Pokédex will still be very welcome indeed.

Either way, it's still fun to speculate over what may or may not appear, and we'll make sure to keep an eye out for the announcement. Are you desperately waiting for news on the future of the Pokémon series on Switch?