Get ready for Brexit Pikachu

Dig out your best crowd-fighting paraphernalia, as? The Pokemon Company has announced that its staggeringly popular Pokemon Center London is returning to the British capital next week �From April 14-16, 2023, fans of the cuddly critters will have to opportunity to bag themselves exclusive merchandise, from clothing to plush toys, available only at the "pop-up" retailer.

The Pokemon Center London has appeared twice before within the city's walls, firstly during the fall of 2019, where poor planning and understated demand saw fans queuing for up to five hours daily to bag themselves shirts, hats, bags and, the centerpiece of the store, a plush doll of Pikachu dressed up as a Little City Gent. Following a postponement in 2020, (amidst the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic), the pop-up store eventually returned in the summer of 2022, running along??side the Pokemon World Championships.

If you fancy making the trip to next week's opening, then you'll need to book yourself a timeslot over on the store's official website. This virtual queuing system hopes to eliminate the chaos of the 2019 event, though it should still be noted that merchandise will likely be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, with the more exclusive items selling out in double-quick time. You can just turn up on the store's opening days without warning, but you might find that you have to hang ar??ound for a little whil??e before giving appropriate entry.

The Pokem?on Center London is located at ExCeL London arena, and will be open from April 14 to April 16.

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A new band of Pokémon adventurers arrives

With the start of a new Pokemon generation comes a new stage in the long-running animated series. And it looks like?? this time, Ash and Pikachu won't be setting out for the new region full of Pokemon.

A new trailer today shows what's next for the animated Pokemon series. It starts by confirming that the final episodes of Pokémon Ultimate Journeys: The Series will air over the coming days, specifically the "final chapter" in Ash and Pikachu's st??ory. Looks like a lot of familiar faces will be turning up.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_VMGv2kKEI

Then, at the end of the trailer, we see some of the Paldea region Pokemon from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. After a tease of Fuecoco, Quaxley, and Sprigatito, we see the splash art for who we can assume will be the new protagonist of the Pokemon animated series.

The trailer description says that viewers will join two new heroes and the three Paldea starter Pokemon, on a journey through the exciting world of Pokemon. No names for the duo yet.

The champion still remains

Ash and Pikachu recently made real-world headlines by finally winning the Pokemon World Champion??ship in the animated series, cementing Ash's place as one of the best. No?w, it seems like our intrepid and forever-young protagonist is going to set his sights elsewhere, as we pass the torch to a new band of Trainers.

It is bittersweet to see. I certainly haven't followed the animated series closely in some time. But the Pokemon series featuring Ash, Pikachu, Brock, and Misty was always on the television as I was growing up. Seeing Ash finally hang up his hat, so to speak, is a big change but probably as overdue as his championsh??ip win.

This might get to me tune in for some of the new episodes too, as Paldea is a really cool region with some fascinating history that players dig into near the end of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Here's hoping Ash and Pikachu still pop ??in for a cameo now and then.

The post The Pokémon animat??ed series is sending of??f Ash and Pikachu appeared first on Destructoid.

The game series is still floating around too

Detective Pikachu is a really strange subseries for The Pokemon Company. Beginning life as a 3DS game, it spun off into a film that did fairly well, and it even got a giant amiibo! It's on their radar to an extent, but only ju?st.

Is there room for a film sequel? Speaking to Inverse, star Justice Smith (who p?lays Tim Goodman) doesn't think it's going to happen, though he is game if it does.

Here's the full quote:

"I would love to participate in Detective Pikachu 2. I don't know if it's going to happen. I think we have to just kind of bury our hopes. I don't think it's going to happen. I really hope so though. Honestly, I'm such a hug?e fan, who knows, who knows? I hope so."

I wonder if that's how the studio for the first game, Creatures, feels. Based on the hype of the film, a game sequel for Switch was revealed in 2019, but we haven't heard anything about it since. Unlike the film the games never actually had a conclusion or a complete story, so it's far more imperative than a movie sequel. That said, I'd love to see a live-action Pokemon with the same spirit as Detective Pikachu, with a tighter script.

Justice Smith on defining a gene??ration and De?tective Pikachu 2 [Inverse]

The post A Detective Pikachu film sequel isn’t likely according to star Justice Smith, but he would ‘love to participate’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokemon Go

In delightfully weird news from Japan, Nintendo - along wit??h Creatures Inc. and Game Freak - have applied for several new trademarks relating to the design and realisation of Pi!car!, which appears to be an environmentally sound, Pikachu-themed motor vehicle.

The new trademarks are for the "Pi!car?!" name in both Japanese and English, as well as two cutesy visual designs based around Pokemon's lead critter (which you can see in the gallery below). The three trademarks fall unde??r the categories of "Vehicle" and "Education," but none of them appear tied to the development of any video games.

As reported by Japanese Nintendo, the Pi!car! project is a joint venture bet??ween The Pokemon Company and car manufacturer Toyota Motor Corporation, seemingly with the goal of producing a compact, petrol-free vehicle with a Pikachu theme. Whether this idea is to be realised as a mere concept car, or will actually made available to the public, remains to be seen...

...?But boy? howdy, do I wanna see people driving Pikachu cars in my neighbourhood.

The post Nintendo files new trademarks for petrol-free ‘Pikachu car’ Pi!car! appeared first on Destructoid.

This rat is so beloved

Pokemon Go and One Piece are teaming up. I can just imagine you explaining to your grandma, who still plays Pokemon Go, what Gum-Gum Fruit and Straw? Hat Pirates are now?. 

The two powers that be are getting together due to the One Piece Kumamoto Reconstruction Project, which is the series creator's philanthropic endeavor to help support the Japanese city of Kumamoto. The result is a special Pikachu that you can capture from July 22 through July 29, which makes it the ::does a little math:: 1,000th special Pikachu in Pokemon Go. Both IP holders are tenuously linking the two by saying that it's the 22nd anniversary of One Piece and the third anniversary of Pokemon Go.

If you're in Japan the promo is a bit cooler than everywhere else, as the game is getting special Oda illustrations and nine One Piece Pokestops will temporarily appear in the Go world.

Pikachu [Pokemon Go]

The post Because of synergy, we now have ‘Straw Hat Pikachu’ appeared first on Destructoid.

A tale of two Funkos

Would you like t?he good news first or the bad news first? People always pick bad news, right? Get it out of the way and go out on a high note? Okay, here goes:

Funko is at it again. The toy manufacturer that makes its nut by drowning the world in soulless figurines of every pop culture character imaginable is...doing that exact thing again. This ?time it's Squirtle, a beloved Generation 1 starter Pokemon. 

Coming Soon: Pokémon Squirtle Pop!@Pokemon //t.co/nQi3AQBS3j pic.twitter.com/e212J0ZCad

— Funko (@OriginalFunko) July 15, 2019

Not great! The giant black hole eyes are as unpleasant as ever, but there's more to hate. The lumpy, bald head and constipated smirk make this Funko especially unsettling. This completes the desecrated trinity as Charmander and Bulbasaur got their uncomely caricatures already.

Now o?nto greener ??pastures. July's entry for the A Day with Pikachu series has been revealed, and it's just as adorable as can be. Pikachu's sunbathing comes to an unexpectedly halt as he holds onto his Psyduck floatie for dear life. As you may know, electricity and water don't mix.

As we detailed a few months ago, the Day with Pikachu line of Funkos is a series of monthly releases that are all exclusive to the Pokemon Center. They are, genuinely, some o??f Funko's finest work. More of this, please! And less of that abomination in the first half of th??e post.

See the Newest A Day with Pikachu Funko Figure Coming to th??e Pokémon Center [Pokémon Center]

The post One very good Pokemon Funko and one very bad Pokemo?n Funko appeared first on Destructoid.

Occams, I choose you!

E3 Fever getting the best of you? Enter today's contest to help recover with a Switch Pokémon prize pack from PDP!

Even if you're not a huge fan of Nintendo, you gotta admit -- they came out swinging for their E3 Direct. There was something for everyone, and it was absolutely packed with games featuring actual gameplay! Plus the announcement of No More Heroes 3 and a Breath of the Wild sequel?! It was good stuff.

PDP wants all you Switch fans out there to leave E3 happy. So to celebrate the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield, they've put together a Poké prize pack to deck out your Switch with everyone'?s favorite pocket monsters. Th??????????????????????????anks, PDP!

We've got three great PDP products to give away. First up, a Light-Up Pokémon Dock Shield. Exalt the world's most famous electricity rat by plastering him on your Switch dock! This package comes with two interchangeable faceplates (Pikachu and a Pokéball) with multiple light settings and a USB cable to keep the lights on. I don't recommend you use Thunder Sh??ock on it. It'll probably break it.

Well we started with something you can use in your living room, so how's about something for on the go? This PDP Pokéball Switch Starter Kit will help protect your Switch while sporting the image of the prison which houses wild animals! You can pretend your Switch is a Pokémon or something! What noise would it make? There's?? also ??a charging cable and some grips for your Joy-Con, as well. Rock it!

Jeez, you still want more?! Fine! How's about two Wired Fight Pad Pro controllers? Rock some more Electric Rat Monster as you capture Electric Rat Monster while playing Sword or Shield! This controller is super yellow and has a cute little emblem of Pikachu in the middle. It's adorable, and you can even have an extra?? for your friend! What are frie??nds like? I hear they're cool.

Let's recap. We're giving away:

• PDP Pokémon Light Up Dock Shield
• PDP Pokéball Switch Starter Kit
• PDP Wired Fight Pad Pro Pikachu Edition (x2)

Isn't E3 the best?

To enter to win, use the widget below to? leave your name and email address. You can enter daily for additional chances to win. For bonus entries, follow ??Dtoid and PDP on Twitter, and share our contest post with your friends.

And in the meantime, tell us what blew you away at this year's E3. I can't lie -- Final Fantasy VII Remake is everything I want it to be. Goofy, epi??c, and gorgeous. I'm getting a Tifa Lockhart tattoo this summer. You? can help by submitting cool designs and telling me where I should get it!

We have one Pokémon prize pack to give away. Yo?u must hav??e a United States shipping address in order to win. Winner will be drawn Monday, June 17.

For more great products for Switch and beyond, check out the PDP website. And be on the lookout for more great giveaways from PDP this?? summer!

Contest: Celebr?ate E3 and win a PDP Pokemon prize pack?? for your Switch

The post Contest:? Celebrate E3 and win a PDP Pokemon prize pack for your?? Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Psychic Pokemon didn't see this coming

Destructoid writer Chris Moyse was reportedly left reeling at the revelation that Gen 3 Pokémon Gardevoir was ultimately cut from blockbuster movie Pokémon Detective Pikachu, de??spite the film's writers having scenes planned for the psych??ic goddess.

Speaking with ComicBook.com, Detective Pikachu writers Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit noted that Gardevoir was originally scripted into an early draft, but unfortunately her scenes didn't make it off the page. "Gardevoir had a cool moment," said Samit. "There were so many (different drafts) along the way." Hernandez notes that Golbat is another Pokémon who failed to make the cut, "We had a cool sequ?ence with a Golbat that I really liked. That was a sequence that just didn't quite make it to the end of the process."

Regardless, Destructoid's Chris Moyse, 38, was left feeling "confused" and "hungry" as to why anyone would even consider cutting Gardevoir from the cast, when she clearly would've have been the film's breakout star. "This would've been just the beginning" said Moyse in a far-too-wordy statement. "We would've seen Gardevoir blow up huge. She'd probably have gone on to star in a WWE-produced action flick with Ronda Rousey... I'll tell you this much, if Rogue the Bat doesn't show up in that Sonic movie, I'll be fucking livid."

Pokémon Detective Pikachu is currently showing at theatres worldwide.

Detective Pikachu writers rev??eal deleted Golbat scene [ComicBook.com]

The post Grown man gutted to hear Gardevoir was cut from Pokemon Det??ective Pikachu appeared first on Destructoid.

Shocking!

Funko figurines, all ballooned heads and lifeless eyes, rarely don't suck. Their appeal is obvious enough. Funko has its tendrils in every corner of pop culture, and? people?? want memorabilia from things they like. It makes sense, disproportionate and ugly as they may be.

But, I'll be damned, this is a?? good Funko. The Blooming Curiosity Pikachu figure is cute and vibrant and energetic. Dare I say, it seems like it's amiibo quality. And, it looks like it'd fit in alongside some Easter decor (although it definitely won't be here in time for Easter).

Blooming Curiosity Pikachu is the third of 12 planned Pikachu figurines. Funko and Pokemon Center teamed up to release a new one every month, a line that's called "A Day with Pikachu." The other two are fine, but not as great as Blooming Curiosity. Check them out here.

Blooming Curiosity Pikachu is available to buy now for $15 from Pokemon Center. Finally, ????a Funko that's worth your money.

A Day with Pikachu: Bloo?ming Curiosity Figure by Funko [Pokemon Center]

The post Here it is, the first good Funko appeared first on Destructoid.

We weren't good enough for it to happen

From the earliest moments that we knew about Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, Destructoid was at the forefront trying to get Danny DeVito, the o?nly logical choice, to voice the titular role. While ultimately we didn't get the right actor, we at least have a little validation for our failed quest.

Speaking with Game Informer during a visit to the production studio, the producers of the film made it aware?? that they had heard the cries of the many who wanted one of the greatest living dark comedy actors to voice a furry little electric rat. So much so that initial animation tests were done for Detective Pikachu using Danny DeVito's voice.

Of course they didn't drag DeVito into the studio for a simple test, they just used voice samples from his longstanding body of work. If there is any good left in this world, we will get the test reel ??footage as a ? special feature on the home release of the movie with this scene as the audio base.

Even if we won't get to hear DeVito's voice in the final cut of the film, the producers were seemingly giddy to reveal that a little piece of DeVito has m?ade it into the character. While they couldn't quote specifics, Cale Boyter was quoted saying "I can’t give away too much, but in terms of where the story goes and how it evolves, we had to sort of look at everything, including what fans weren’t see?ing yet to make the decision. But that spirit of Danny DeVito, I promise you, is still inside of Pikachu."

Detective Pikachu will release in theaters on May 10.

Pok&ea?cute;mon Detective Pikachu Filmmakers Tested Casting Danny DeVito [Game Informer]

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See the movie, read the comic, eat the T-Shirt

Legendary Comics are to release a comic-book adaptation of what is surely to be the feel-good movie of the Summer; Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. The movie, which hits theate??rs in May, will receive the extended one-shot comic? soon afterward.

The Detective Pikachu comic will be a straight recreation of the movie, as young Tim Goodman and his furry, coffee-addled sidekick search Ryme City for the former's missing dad. The comic is written by Brian Buccellato (The Flash, Injustice) with artwork by Nelson Daniel (Ghostbusters, Dungeons & Dragons).

"We are thrilled for the opportunity to work with the Pokémon Company International", said Robert Napton, Senior V.P. of Legendary Comics. "Pokémon is a globally-adored brand, and we absolutely loved expanding the story of Detective Pikachu onto the page with the help of Brian’s wor?ds and Nelson&rsquo??;s art".

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu hits theaters from May 10??. The comic adaptation will be available digitally and in stores this Summer.

The post Detective Pikachu ?will also patrol store shelv??es in comic book form appeared first on Destructoid.

Clean-a-Chu

I've never owned a Roomba. Either my surface area isn't big enough to warrant using a robot to clean it (a dorm) or I've opted to just deep clean my floors myself in tandem with my wife. There really is no middle ground in my li??fe for a Roomba.

This ??damn thing is tempting me though. Toy company Shine is doing their own thing, dropping a "Pikachu RunRun Cleaner" this year with, yep, Pikachu riding on top of it. It'll talk while it cleans. No release window was given but we can safely assume this is "Japan-only"? for now. It'll be shown at the Tokyo International Gift Show, then will go on sale after that.

I mean...when I die, I'll probably wake up in a room full of these things with real Pikachus on them. I can wait.

Pikachu [Natalie.mu via Crunchyroll]

The post A Pikachu Roomba? Anything is possible appeared first on Destructoid.

Say watt?

Here's a jolt of good news for Pokemon fans, even if it might leave some of them thunderstruck. Detective Pikachu has sparked so much interest that production company Legendary Pictures is trying to capture lightning in a bottle by getting started on a sequel.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Legendary has hired Oren Uziel to write the script for a second Detective Pikachu. Uziel has writing credits for movies such as 22 Jump Street, The Cloverfield Paradox, and the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog movie. He's also attached to the upcoming Mortal Kombat film.

This might seem a bit premature given that the first Detective Pikachu is still three months away from its silver screen premiere. But, given the reception to the first trailer, Detective Pikachu will almost certainly be a success from a box office viewpoint. Might as well get a head sta?rt on the inevitable.

'Detective Pikachu' Sequel in the ??Works With '22 Jum??p Street' Writer (Exclusive) [The Hollywood Reporter]

The post Shock and awww: A De??tective Pikachu sequel is already in the works appeared first on Destructoid.

TOO MUCH DETAIL

I'm still reeling from the first Detective Pikachu trailer. It has a dark, off-kilter, extreme-close-up vibe I didn't see coming, a?nd while I haven't completely reconciled the movie's tone with the property's usual squeaky clean image, I'm getting there. By the time the movie is in theaters, I'll have acclimated.

But today is not that day. So when I see that Detective Pikachu is getting a piece of the Pokémon Trading Card Game pie, I make the s?ame face as when I come across an??ything related to Garbage Pail Kids.

While we're only getting a detailed look at Detective Pikachu, Charizard, and Greninja cards today, there are plans for a total of 26 movie-inspired trading cards. The first wave will start popping up in the United States on April 5. And before you ask, yes: "These cards can be used in Pokémon TCG decks, including at Play! Pokémon competitive events and in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online."

Here's the package breakdown:

• Detective Pikachu Case File: One promo card featuring Detective Pikachu, one metallic coin inspired by Detective Pikachu, two Detective Pikachu booster packs, one additional Pokémon TCG booster pack, and one code card for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. $10.

• Charizard-GX Case File: One foil promo card and one foil oversize card featuring Charizard-GX, four Detective Pikachu booster packs, two additional Pokémon TCG booster packs, and one code card for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. $20.

• Greninja-GX Case File: One foil promo card and one foil oversize card featuring Greninja-GX, one pin featuring Greninja, five Detective Pikachu booster packs, two additional Pokémon TCG booster packs, and one code card for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. $25.

• Detective Pikachu Collector Chest: Seven Detective Pikachu booster packs, two additional Pokémon TCG booster packs, one collector’s pin inspired by Detective Pikachu, one Pokémon notepad and sticker sheet, and one code card for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. $25.

It's times like this I'm thankful that I broke my old TCG booster-buying habits and can rest easy. Other Detective Pikachu merch, including a cap with pika ears, is also in the works this year.

The post The Pokem??on ?Trading Card Game recruits Detective Pikachu appeared first on Destructoid.

Link, Pikachu, or Mario-themed!

We died and went to Contest Heaven: Win a PDP Switch Fight Pad Pro Controller!

With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate coming out in a few weeks, it sure wo??uld be ni?ce to have a GameCube-style controller to relive the GC glory days, wouldn't it?

PDP got you covered, fam. Come win one of their new Fight Pad Pro Controllers for you?r Nintendo Switch to get a leg up on the competition!

This new controller is pretty much perfect for kicking names and taking ass on Smash and any game for your Switch. The Game Pad Pro Controller is a wired game pad with a 10-foot cable to ensure that you'll have plenty of room when connected to the console. Don't feel comfortable Final Smashing with a regular right stick? Swap it out with a traditional C-Stick nub and let everyone know where you stand on the issue. I know you're going to do ??it. You know you're going to do it?. Just do it.

We've got three prizes up for grabs:

• Mario Edition Wired Fight Pad Pro
• Link Edition Wired Fight Pad Pro
• Pikachu Edition Wired Fight Pad Pro

To enter to win, comment below telling us which edition you want and who you're going to main in Smash when you're rocking the joint with your new controller. Mine's easy: Pir?anha Plant. It's so wonderfully stupid that I can't resist. You know how much I love stupid.

These are physical prizes, and as such, you must having a United States shipping address in order to win. Winners will be drawn on Wednesday, November 21. Make sure you comment using a Dtoid account with your current email address o?n file. If I can't email you, I can??'t beat you up with a potted plant.

PD?P's line of Fight Pad Pro Co??ntrollers releases November 21 for $24.99 apiece.

The post Contes??t: Win one of three PDP Switch Fight Pad Pro Controllers appeared first on Destructoid.

Selected artists in this competition will get paid, at least

Never underestimate the power of fan art. Need proof that fan creations can score you a gig? Look no further than the upcoming Detective Pikachu film, which hired a fan artist during pre-production (per Kotaku). Through Talenthouse, production studios Legendary and Warner Bros. are looking for artists to collaborate with in promoting the film, which recently got quite the prolific trailer.

This will be in the form of a competition, or an "art activation campaign," that will select five pieces of art and reward $2,000 to the artists f?or each piece selected. 

Whether it's an illustration, a digital painting, an animated GIF, or even an alternative poster design, the judges are looking for captivating and imaginative artwork to help drive promo??tion and excitement socially across the film's marketing and dig?ital channels.

I assume this will not include memes.

There's always a bit of healthy skepticism when it comes to the interaction between fans and large companies, with the fear of the latter either silencing or exploiting the former. The concept of crowdsourcing from fan artists and calling it "collaboration" is reminiscent of what Joseph Gordon-Levitt's HitRecord company is doing with Beyond Good and Evil 2, with Gordon-Levit??t needing to clarify after his E3 2018 pre?sentation that those selected for their submitted artwork will be compensated.

Optimistically, the fact that the "winners" are paid at all is more than what I would usually expect. Several ar??tists already produce their own fan work, either on their own time for leisure or for profit—as an artist friend tells me discussing this, it doesn't seem that enough people online are interested in buying original artwork. If anything, opportunitie?s like this are a reminder for me to support independent artists financially, whether on Twitter or in-person at an artist's alley at a convention.

Yes, even the ones drawing Mr. Mime smut.

Create artw?ork for POKÉMON?? Detective Pikachu [Talenthouse]

The post The Detective Pikachu m?arketing team is see??king your creepy fan art to promote the film appeared first on Destructoid.

Sippin on gin and poffin juice

Every piece of the puzzle that is the current timelin?e i?s wrong! So, while we try and piece it all back together, here's some of what happened in video games:

• Void Bastards looks magical!
• Detective Pikachu is my new nightmare fuel!
• Crackdown 3 is still an actual thing and more!

On the topic of broken realities though, Detective Pikachu has me morbidly curious. I'm genuinely looking forward to the movie, simply to see all the terrifying hyper-realistic Pokémon desig?ns. Hell, just imagine the context of certain Pokémon lore being applied to these new designs. Let's use Lt. Surge (the leader of the Vermilion City Pokemon Gym), as an example!

Just this simple quote of “I tell you, kid, electric Pokémon saved me during the war!” within the context of being set in the same hyper-realistic universe of the Detective Pikachu movie. Just picture it: You're on the battlefield, down in the trenches, you peer over the edge and notice a bright, yellow light coming from? the fog -- when you suddenly you see it. This gian?t orange and yellow rat, with a whip-like tail, zapping people with bolts of electricity as they scream in agony.

Grab the whit?e flag folks because screw that noise, I guess whatever country Lt. Surge is fighting for wins!

Discharged question of the week: What Pokemon design are you most look?ing forward ??(or dreading) to see in Detective Pikachu?

The post In Today’s episode of Pregame Discharge, Deadpool is Pikachu and Snoop Dogg is friends with a dragon! appeared first on Destructoid.

Psyduck is the real star here

I can only imagine that Pokémon fans reacted to the news of a film adaptation for Detective Pikachu with a mix of skepticism and curiosity, with a bit of horror sprinkled in. Today, through the film's first trailer, Warner Bros. gave us a better picture of what to expect, which is an attempt at a photorealistic, furry electric mouse that happens to sound like Ryan Reynolds.

Lead actor Justice Smith (The Get Down) portrays Tim Goodman, a young man who discovers a Pikachu (the voice of Reynolds) and acts as the one person who can understan??d his "Pika Pikas" as actual words. The two unlikely cohorts team up on an adventure to find Goodman's missing father, utilizing the apparent amazing detective abilities that this Pikachu inhabits. Expect other Pokémon like Psyduck, Jigglypuff, Charizard, and a host of other pocket monsters from all of the different generations of Pokémon to show up. And yes, they all have the same "realis??tic" look, with fur, scales, etc.

A??nyway, did you see that Psyduck? Like, just look at it.

The attempts at realism in depicting these Pokémon is alarming. Take another look at the movie's ??version of Mr. Mime, who is al?ready a creepy motherfucker in the games.

Freckles on its face, tiny little hairs on the top, and... dodgeball shoulders? Maybe it was lack of foresight on my part, I really did not expect this weird Garfield approach. There is a weird, spec??ific texture to all of these Pokémon, and I've been seeing reactions split down the middle about it.

I'm in the camp that's all for it. Seriously. Not to mention, I think the adventure vibe that the film's trailer is going for can really work. I'm also surprised, as a lifelong fan of the games, that the film is true to a lot of details, with posters that reference many of the locales found in the game, and a much more compre??hensive selection of Pokémon characters and cameos that I expected.

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu was directed by Rob Letterman (Goosebumps) and will star Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies), Ken Watanabe (the guy Hollywood always gets when you need a Japanese actor), and Rita Ora. The film is scheduled for release on May 10, 2019—until then, you can contemplate about how in these trying times, we are all?? Jigg??lypuff right now.

The post The?? first Detective Pikachu movie trailer is terrifying, look?s perfect appeared first on Destructoid.

Studio partnership ends for video game adaptation

It has been revealed in an exclusive to The Hollywood Reporter that Legendary and Universal have ended their partnership on the upcoming Detective Pikachu m?ovie, with the former partnering once again with their old running-buddies Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. were responsible for the distribution of Legendary's movies in the past, but the two corporations split in 2013. It is believed that the move for Detective Pikachu, made several months before the Universal deal expires, could herald the reunification of Legendary an??d W??arner's former production and distribution deal.

Detective Pikachu, which will star Ryan Reynolds of Deadpool fame, will see the poster-boy Pokemon don his deerstalker hat and magnifying glass in order to track down the missing father of his trainer (Justice Smith). The film will be co-written and directed by Rob Letterman, who brought us Goosebumps and Gulliver's Travels.

Detective Pikachu is still scheduled to hits theatres May 10, 2019, despite the new distribution deal.

Detective Pikachu moves from Unive?rsal to Wa?rner Bros. [The Hollywood Reporter]

The post Det?ective Pikachu movie switches from Universal to Warner Bros. appeared first on Destructoid.

For a limited time of course

Deciding whether to get the puppies in flower pots or kittens in baskets on your new personalized credit card is a hard enough decision to break a person. Well, worry no more as customers of the French banking group Soci&ea??cute;té Générale now have a credit car??d so cute it puts others to shame.

Thanks to a partnership with the Pokémon Compan??y they're now offering limited-edition credit cards with everyone's favorite electric rat. I'm sure his little red cheeks will be just enough to distract you as you charge yet another Pokémon game you don't have the money to buy. 

French bank offering limite??d edition Pikachu cre??dit cards [Go Nintendo]

The post This French bank will let you get an adorable ??Pikachu credit c??ard appeared first on Destructoid.

It's the two-year anniversary bash

Pokémon Go has entered its terrible twos. So much has changed (and so much hasn't). To celebrate the game's second birthday, Niantic is letting Pikachu in on the sunglasses fun alongside our boy Squirtle.

Now through July 31, Pokémon Go players will encounter more wild Pichu and Pikachu. That's all well and good??, but Summer Style Pikachu -- the one with the straw hat and sunglasses -- is where it's at.

"We've heard so many amazing stories from Trai?ners, and we can't wait for what's on the horizon," said Niantic. "We're excited to announce that Special Research on the Mythical Pokémon Celebi will be available globally in the near future."

Celebrate Pokémon GO’s Second Anniversary ?with Pikachu! [Pokémon Go]

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The universe needs to make this right

When Legendary Entertainment and Nintendo announced a Detective Pikachu movie, the internet was given the chance to wonder what the iconic yellow chubster would sound like speaking real English words. Sure, your basic Pikachu would have the high-pitched voice of a child, but you throw a cap and coat on that boy, hand him a magnifying glass, and you got yourself a squat, alcoholic film noir P.I. With that image in mind, people soon realized that the only actor fit to portray t?his more grizzled Pikachu would be the closest living ancestor to the Pikachu&md?ash;Danny DeVito.

Soon, a petition swirled, garnering thousands of signatures. We were all sure Legendary and Nintendo were listening, and DeVito would be a shoe-in for the role. But no. They cast Ryan Reynolds. And it's like, okay, yeah, sure. Let's get him in the booth, so he can turn Pikachu into a gateway drug for Deadpool. Every child is attached to IMDB these days. ?They will learn, and they will be ruined.

And besides, Reynolds d?oesn't look like a Pikachu, and he certainly doesn't sound like a Pikachu. He's the furthest thing from a tiny lovable rat that anyone could imagine. The stars fell from #DeVitoDiVas' eyes on the day this news circulated and none have quite recovered.

Now, we have news that DeVito has been screwed yet again. Paramount just announced that Doctor Eggman in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie will be played by Jim Carrey. Jim-Fucking-Carrey. Really? Sure, he has the arms and legs for the role, but he certainly doesn't have the gut. He doesn't have the baldness. He doesn't ha?ve the sultry phlegm-laced baritone necessary to bring ?this villain to life.

Danny DeVito has all of this and more. He was absolutely molded from the ground up for this role. More than he is a real life Pikachu, he is an Eggman. He looks like an egg. He walks like a chick that was only able to crack its legs out of the shell. If you were to try to cook him, the man would sizzle like an egg. But again #DeVitoDiVas were shattered. Another role was stolen from the only man with the power to bring Batman's The Penguin to life. Food was ripped from his mouth. He may never ?eat again.

So now, we look to the heavens, and we wonder what could possibly be left for the actor. Only one role remains that he's suited for, that he's built for, and that's in the upcoming HBO Halo series.

He needs to be the Grunts. Not just one. No,?? we're letting the man go all in. He needs to be all of them. He has the range. He has the fortitude. Again, he has the look. Only he can pull it off.

Think of all these digitally cloned Danny DeVitos running across the Halo landscape, scampering, and shouting curses as Master Chief kicks and blasts them to screeching hell. He'll have such iconic lines as, “Cower power!” “He flees, thank the nipple,” “I'm going to spank myself a demon,” and “Fear my blue balls!” It's a work of beauty. And who knows? The role could be so successful that he gets his own spinoff series or a movie. He'd be the Minions for adults. There's no possible way that cou??ld be a bad ?idea, folks.

So, let's come together, #DeVitoDiVas and make #GruntyDeVito happen! What do we need to do? A petition? Two? Thre??e? We coul?d do a Twitter poll. We could also kidnap Steven Spielberg. I've never tried to make the internet do anything before, so please help me out. This needs to happen. In such a sad and desperate world, we need this. We need something that can finally bring us all together.

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It was only taken out for 'balance,' not for aesthetics

We know Pikachu today as the adorable little rat voiced by Ikue Ōtani, but apparently he was going to have more of a devilish side originally.

While he does have several forms (Raichu, Alolan Raichu, Pichu), all of them are still so damn cute. Yet, speaking to Pokemon co-creators Koj?i Nishino, Atsuko Nishida, and Ken S??ugimori, Yomiuri Online found out that there was supposed to be another creepier version of Pikachu called "Gorochu."

Nishida explains, "The Pokem?on known as Gorochu (goro-goro being the Japanese phrase for the sound thunder makes) bared fangs and even had a pair of horns," a statement that Sugimori clarif??ies: "There wasn’t any problem with its appearances, but it was omitted due to matters surrounding game balance."

I mean, wow! It's crazy to know that other classic Pokemon may have had more forms that pushed the original count past 151 -- and could have easily been selling millions of stuffed toys for the past few decades. The entire interview is worth reading as they explain that? Pikachu was originally based on a squirrel, not a rat (Nishida was "really into squirrels at the time," an absolutely amazing quote), and muse on Pikachu's low capture rate in the original set of games.

Pikachu [Yomiuri Online via Siliconera]

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Late to the party!

Welp, thanks to Amazon being a bit late with my copy of the game and other unforeseen events in my personal life eating up most of my time, I didn't get to play much of Pikachu's latest adventure until late last week. However, I managed to finally sit down, set up my recording gear, and play through Detective Pikachu in two sittings so I could deliver?? ??this latest video!

That said, I absolutely do not recommend playing this game to near completion in two sittings. This game feels like something you'd play a single chapter of and then maybe play again later or the next day. My first session with Detective Pikachu was a little over seven hours in length and it was mind-numbing. For those of you wh?o are playing or have played the game, I'm curious if anyone else felt like chapter four was moving in slow motion... because it sure as hell was for me.

Worse yet, I already figured out who the culprit was a good half an hour before that chapter ended. For added context, I went into Detective Pikachu completely blind. I didn't watch any trailers, I didn't check up on any gameplay of it, nor did I watch any other reviews of it. I had almost no idea what to expect and I can't help but feel disappointed by the end of it. I think the only redeeming thing for me in Detective Pikachu was Pikachu himself as every other element of this game felt bone?? dry to ??me.

Big props to Kaiji Tang, though -- the English voice actor for Detective Pikachu absolutely nailed the performance and was perhaps the sole r??eason for me to keep playing. Here's hoping the upcoming movie and future games in this series up the ante, because man, I don't know if I can sit through another game similar to this one.

But, maybe I'm alone on that o?pinion, what do you think?

The post Video Review: Detective Pikachu appeared first on Destructoid.

Get on the case with the little yellow critter

Nintendo have released a short e-book detailing an early adventure for Detective Pikachu, set before the events of the recent 3DS release. Episode 0 can be downloaded on Apple iBook and Amazo??n Kindle.

The short story features the grumpy super-sleuth hot on the tail of a culprit who committed a series of mu??rders, leaving all the corpses without eyes messed up fellow Pokemon Eevee's back garden. The simple tale is 25 pages long, perfect for bed-time storytelling or skiving off to the ??toilet at work. It acts as a basic prelude to the events of the newly-released game.

Detective Pikachu - Episode 0: Eevee's Case can be downloaded from Amazon for your iOS or Kindle device now. Enjoy!

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A bolt of brilliance?

When I first saw the concept for Detective Pikachu, I was in. A?lthough the idea of a talking Pikachu who solves crimes with a young boy named Tim raised some eyebrows I dug the Sherlock look on the ol' rat??, and since many Pokemon have talked at this point by way of the series and its various films (Entei, Meowth, Mewtwo, Slowking, and many more) it wasn't that much of a stretch.

By the time the curtains closed on the game I didn't walk away all that impressed -- but I definitely wa?nt?? to see more of Detective Pikachu in the flesh.

Detective Pikachu (3DS)
Developer: Creatures
Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
Released: February 3, 2016 (JP), March 23, 2018 (US)
MSRP: $39.99

It might be hard to tell from all ?of the promotional material, but Detective Pikachu is very much an old school adventure game. You'll grab items to use in various (very light) situations, solve (very simple) logic puzzles, and chat with the inhabitants of sequential small sandboxes. The hook is intriguing both from a macro and micro?? standpoint. There's this huge conspiratorial mystery involving Tim's missing father, which leads him into the family business of detective work, and a more homely? setup of only Tim being able to understand a talking crime-solving Pikachu.

The former doesn't deliver, but the latter is something I never knew I wanted until I heard his voice for the first time. This hard boiled and sarcastic take on Pikachu is fantastic, as he's equal parts cute and insufferable in the best sort of way. There's gobs of vocal work too, much more than I thought there's be, and the team strikes a good balance throughout even for normally throwaway characters. The engine is doing some heavy lifting on the 3DS, and after getting over the notion th??at a lot of the NPCs look like straight-up Disney characters, I went with it.

That cheery veneer doesn't really translate to the sometimes ??rote gameplay. Even in the later missions you're going to be spending a lot of time quizzing NPCs for specific keywords, going back to another NPC after collecting said keyword, and repeating the process. While the voicework's script has some pep to it the text is generally droll -- so while you don't have to worry about hardcore retro pixel-hunting madness, the scale tips too heavily o??n the other side of the equation.

It's a lot of fixed situational stuff, like distracting an NPC who's scaring off a witness, that sort of thing. Some of it works logically, some doesn't, and in those moments you'll feel the burn of gating. Maddeningly there's moments where you're right next to a conspicuous item that you know is going to be important, but you can't pick it up yet because the game doesn't want you to. Still, like Pikachu's in-game "bolts of brilliance," nailing a?? solve is always satisfying, especially when y??ou're gifted with a cute cutscene reward.

A few cases are lighthearted fare like errand running, and several are Scooby-Doo esque whodunnits (complete with a satisfying "meddling kids" rant at the end, and now I just worked myself up and want a good Scooby Doo game). QTEs, the bane of some folk's existence manage to stow away here, but as always I am a dirty defender of them if used tastefully (which they are here). Just as an aside, the giant $30 amiibo unlocks little animations -- sometimes 10 second clips -- that serve no purpose and are just cute that you can ??come across on your own.

Although I never got to the point of wanting to put the game down (the main cast is too darn charming for that), Detective Pikachu limits itself to a fault. Areas could stand to be more open and I could have used a lot less plot buildup and a lot more payoff. Things start to get interesting around chapter seven (of nine), and leaving it on a major unr?esolved cliffhanger is ?an act of cruelty.

I want to see a lot more o??f Detective Pikachu despite my misgivings with his 3DS debut. I hope the next ga??me is a little more fleshed out and doesn't tease us so heavily; but developer Creatures was able to build the skeleton of a low key adventure romp.

_{[This review is based on a retail version of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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I was not prepared

When I read that the Detective Pikachu amiibo that accompanied the game was huge, I sort of brushed it off. But after obtain??ing a figure from Nintendo today, I was in awe at the size of this plastic rat.

Adorned with a great map aesthetic base, the great mouse detective commands other amiibo to halt in its presence, as only the massive green Yarn Yoshi figure can top it. As a reminder this toy will run you around 30 bucks, and unlocks in-game hints/cutscenes for Detective Pikachu.

Expect our review of the actual game next week.

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Sold?

The 3DS isn't quite dead yet, as Nintendo has a few ??first-party games slated for 2018, on top of several third party offerings.

This month's flavor is Detective Pikachu, the wacky adventure that involves a talking Pikachu and the mystery of a boy named Tim's missing father. Nintendo h?as crafted a slick 30-second pitch trailer directly before its launch, setting up the general narrative as ??well as giving us a look at the talking wise-cracking titular detective.

Detective Pikachu already arrived back in 2016 in Japan, and will drop in the west on March 23 alongside of a giant Pikac??hu amiibo. The upcoming film, featuring Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu, is expected to arrive in M??ay of 2019.

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I still wish Danny DeVito was Pikachu

I haven't been following the development of Detective Pikachu too closely, and for good reason; I want to be utterly surprised when I pl?ay it for the first time.

That's not to say that I won't catch the occasional clip, and as we enter the roughly one month 'til launch mark, seeing a few familiar faces isn't such a bad thing. Detective Pikachu charges you with "cracking the case of the ra?mpaging Pokemon" in Ryme City, and you'll evidently battle, dance, and befriend a handful of classic Pokemon.

If you're going in blind I would avoid the below video for spoilery appearances, but otherwise it doesn't give too much awa??y!

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Will she play a human, Ora Pokemon?

Actress, singer, and TV host Rita Ora will be joining Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Bill Nighy, Suki Waterhouse, and Ken Watanabe in Legendary Entertainment’s 2019 Pokemon film, Detective Pikachu. I have to say the cast for? this film is… shockingly impressive.

Ora is fresh off finishing up her role as Christian Grey’s sister Mia in the Fifty Shades series, so it looks like she’s going hard on diversifying her roles. She’ll also soon appear alongside Carrie Fisher in her final non-Star Wars film, Wonderwell.

Last year she took over hosting America’s Next Top Model after Tyra Banks decided to move behind the camera, but was herself replaced by...Tyra Banks, presumably after Tyra realized how much she missed atten??tion.

Ora’s role in the movie is unannounced. My money is on a member o??f Team Rocket, and hopefully not a femme fatale Pikachu love interest.

Detective Pikachu is set to premiere May 10, 2019.

Rita Ora J?oins Ryan Reyn??olds in Pokemon Movie 'Detective Pikachu' [THR]

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