Somehow mobile devices don't count

Every now and then, a game developer likes to state something so blatantly obvious that your shoulders will spontaneously shrug in utter bafflement. In a recent interview with Game Informer, Game Freak (the developer behind Pokemon) thought it was necessary to go on record to state that Pokemon is unlikely to be heading to any platforms not created by ??Nintendo.

Their official claim, as stated by Junichi Masuda (one of the directors from Game Freak), is, "With Pokémon, at least, we really feel it is really important to be with Nintendo, specifically with the Pokémon titles, so I don’t think that [release on another plat??form] would ever happen." Well, gee, I'm so shocked.

Apparently the topic of ownership over the IP is what brought this about, to which the answer is not just "Nintendo." Masuda said, "Everyone really knows Nintendo; there is a familiarity with the brand, and they have that really strong brand and Pokémon being assoc???iated with that and being affiliated with that brand is very important." So...what?

As it turns out, Game Freak maintains partial ownership of the Pokemon brand alongside Nintendo and Creatures (a third company). If Game Freak truly wanted to, they could buy out Nintendo and Creature's shares of the fr?anchise and ?take it to other platform holders. I guess they are sticking with Nintendo out of a show of respect?

I'm really just kind of confused why this was even a question. Why would Nintendo allow for Game Freak to take Pokemon elsewhere? Even if Nintendo doesn't hol??d total ownership of the IP, if Game Freak wanted to leave Nintendo for another company, I'm almost certain Nintendo would just buy them and their assets and then seize ownership of the brand.

It also then brings up questions about, if Pokemon isn't solely owned by Nintendo, why Game Freak hasn't shopped around the idea to anyone else. Clearly in the late '90s, Nintendo was the only one willing to take a chance, but Sony and Microsoft would love to have something as gigantic as Pokemon on their consoles today. This whole?? story seems really od?d and I'm just left with more questions than answers.

So, for the time being, here is a clearly obvious answer to a particularly stupid question. Why isn't Pokemon on another platform? Nintendo aren't dumb asses??. Case closed.

Game Freak Says They Don’t Expect Pokémon Appearing On Any Non-Nintendo Platforms [Siliconera]

The post Pokemon on other platforms isn’t likely, according to Game Freak appeared first on Destructoid.

It'll be a long time before you'll have another chance

Just a reminder; the last Pokémon distribution for 2016 is set to end this Saturday, December 24. This month's&nbs?p;Pokémon is Meloetta, and if you miss this opportunity you probably won't have another one for quite some time.

Meloetta is unique among Pokémon for being able to change its form and typing while still in battle. By using its signature move Reli??c Song, it can switch its subtype from Psychic to Fighting and back again. If you'd like to have Meloetta learn Relic Song, take it to Snowbelle City in Pokémon X or Y, or to Mauville City in Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire.

If you haven't downloaded Meloetta to your copy of Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire, it's not too late. First, select Mystery Gift from the main menu. Choose Receive Gift, open the communica?tion channel, and then select Get Via Internet. You'll need your 3DS connected ??to the internet to redeem it, and each copy can only receive one Meloetta. When you've done that, you'll be able to pick up Meloetta in any Pokémon center.

Meloetta closes out a great year for Pokémon fans. Here's hoping the downloads continue in 2017 now that Pokémon Sun and Moon have taken center stage.

The post PSA: Don’t forget to download this month’s Pokemon, Meloetta appeared first on Destructoid.

Hold me closer, tiny dancer

Every month this year, Pokémon players around the world have been able to download a new digital creature to celebrate the franchise's 20th anniversary, one that's not available through normal gameplay. The final Pokémon featured this way is Meloetta, previously only available to people who played Pokémon Black or White or the sequels.

The good news is that this Meloetta is available without the need for code cards or anything but your 3DS, your game and an internet connection. Unfortunately, it'll be stuck in your older games for the time being, as it's only available to players of Pokémon  X, Y, Alpha Sapphire or Omega Ruby. However, it will be transferable once the Pokémon bank allows relocations to Pokémon Sun and Moon early next year.

To get your Meloetta, load up your copy of Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire and select Mystery Gift from the main menu. Choose Receive Gift, open the communication channel, and then select Get Via Internet. You'll need your 3DS connected to the internet to redeem it, and each copy can only receive one Meloetta. When you've done that, you'll be able to pick up Meloetta in any Pokémon center. The distribution runs from now through December 24, so make sure to ge?t it before it's no longer availabl??e.

Meloetta is fairly unique among Pokémon, as it's one of very few that can change its element typing during a battle. To do so, it'll need to learn the move Relic Song, which allows it to shift between a Normal/Psychic type and a Normal/Fighting type. Once you have your Meloetta, take it to Snowbelle City in Pokémon X or Y, or to Mauville City in Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire.

This Meloetta will come into your game at level 100 and is holding a PP Max, which allows ??you to increase how many times you can use a favored move. It will know only three moves, presumably to make it easier to learn Relic Song. The other moves it starts with are Quick Attack, Confusion, and Round. It has the Serene Grace ability, which increases the chance that its moves will have additional effect -- handy, since Relic Song has a chance to cause the Sleep status effect.

The other Pokémon available this month won't begin its distribution until December fifth. Magearna is sort of a steampunk, clockwork rabbity thing, and was featured in the most recent Pokémon movie in Japan. Magearna will be the third special Pokémon available to Pokémon Sun and Moon, and the first that won't be available through normal gameplay. You can still get a special Munchlax with a Snorlax-specific Z-Crystal until January 11, and you can also earn a Greninja by playing through Sun and Moon's demo version and tr??ansferring your data to t?he main game.

Magearna will be made available on the official Pokémon website via a new distribution method, using QR codes. You can already use QR codes to encounter many types of Pokémon you wouldn't normally run across, but this is the first time they're being used as part of an event. To download Magearna using QR codes you'll have to complete the main storyline in Sun or Moon, but you should have plenty of time since the distribution will run from December fifth until March fifth next year. We'll have more on Mag?earna when it becomes available next Monday.

2016 events [Serebii.net]

The post Meloetta and Magearna are this month’s distributed Pokemon appeared first on Destructoid.

Get a cannon bug before it's too late

As part of the celebration for Pokémon's 20th anniversary, players have been able to download one of the rarest creatures to their cartridges every month this year. The distribution for this month's Pokémon, Genesect, is s??cheduled to en?d on Thursday, November 24. 

To get your Genesect, you'll have to enter a code from a free card being distributed at brick-and-mortar game stores, and these vary based on your region?. In the U.S., Genesect cards can be picked up at any GameStop, in the U.K. they're available at GAME, and people in Australia and New Zealand will need to go to EB Games. Don't forg??et that Thursday is a holiday in the United States, so GameStop stores won't be open.

Once you have the card, load up y?our copy of Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire and select Mystery Gift from the main menu. Choose Receive Gift, open the communication channel, and then select Get With Code. You'll need your 3DS connected to the internet to redeem it, and ??each code will only work once. Unfortunately, Genesect can't be downloaded directly to Pokémon Sun or Moon. I suppose the developers didn't want a level 100 behemoth rampaging through the tranquil islands of Alola. You'll be able to import creatures from the older games once Sun and Moon are updated to support t??he Pokémon Bank e??arly in 2017.

Next month's distribution will be Meloetta, previously only available to those who played Pokémon Black, White, Black 2 or White 2. It'll be distributed over the Nintendo Network, so there won't be any need to get a card at a physical store. Meloetta is fairly unique in that it can change its element typing midway through a battle by using the move Relic Song. We'll let you know more once this?? promotion goes live in December.

The post PSA: Genesect Pokemon distribution ends Thursday appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokewatch: Revival

_{Header image by ElStrawFedora on Deviantart.}

Pokémon Sun and Moon released today, and the word is no matter which version you choose, they're both excellent. Pokémon and Overwatch have been in the news a lot recently since they both had a huge game launch earlier this year. Last week, Overwatch players got a giant patch that introduced a new character and lots of other modes. This week, Pokémon players will finally get to explore the Alola region and check out some new characters of their own. Coincidentally, today marks the beginning of a free weekend in Overwatch, so those who'd like??? to check out the new features can do so even if they haven't bought the game.

Back in late May when Pokémon GO and Overwatch were just starting out, I started a series of articles looking into what might happen if these two franchises were to cross over. What Pokémon would the Overwatch agents use against one another? One of Overwatch's strengths is that you can tell a lot about the attitude and background of its heroes just by looking at them. Overwatch and Pokémon have a lot in common, with large pools of diverse, iconic characters. They even form into groups of six to ba?ttle other teams!

_Source.

The rules I set for myself were as follows. Each of Overwatch's heroes will be assigned a group of three Pokémon based on their lore, their abilities, and their personality. No two agents can use the same Pokémon. None of the new Pokémon were available when this was written, so creatures like Mimikyu won't be showing up on anyone's team just yet. I'll explain why the Overwatch character might se??lect these Pokémon, provide analysis of the trainer's t??eam including strengths and weaknesses, and then the characters will battle.

When I initially finished the series, two of the characters that are available now hadn't been releas??ed yet. Today I'll be taking a look at these new characters, Ana and Sombra. There's a complete set of these posts for all of the other heroes, including a battle royale that ended with a surprising victor. If you're interested in seeing more like this, you can check out the earlier entries below.

Part one: Genji, McCree, Pharah
Part two: Reaper, Soldier: 76, Tracer
Part three: Bastion, Hanzo, Junkrat
Part four: Mei, Torbjörn, Widowmaker
Part five: D. Va, Reinhardt, Roadhog
Part six: Winston, Zarya
Part seven: Lúcio, Mercy, Symmetra
Part eight: Zenyatta and remaining battles

I added quite a bit of crossover artwork I found at the end of the article, so if this subject matter interests you, ta??ke a look at the bottom of the page for some work by talented artists on the same topic.

Ana

_{Ana image and the header are both by ElStrawFedora. They've done a whole series of Pokémon/Overwatch crossovers. Check it out!}

Lead Pokémon: Kingdra (#230)

Type: Water/Dragon

Reason: Ana is the Overwatch team's sniping support, and uses her Biotic rifle to heal allies and harm enemies. Kingdra and its evolutionary line can all share the Sniper ability, and Kingdra is the strongest of the line. One of Ana's defining characteristics is her age and experience, and you can tell just by looking at Kingdra that it's lived through some tough times. If you try and snipe Pokémon with a real gun though, you're probably doing it wrong.

Support Pokémon: Dusknoir (#477)Type: Ghost

Reason: Duskull and its evolutionary line all share a design element in that they each have one eye. Ana shares this trait; she hesitated once while on a mission, and it cost her one of her eyes. Ana was one of the original members of the team, but was thought dead and went into hiding when the world turned against Overwatch. She's been on the run ever since, but couldn't stop helping people -- sort of a one-woman A-team. She's referred to by other characters as a ghost, and Dusknoir is one of the strongest Ghost types around. Much like Kingdra, it's the most highly evolved version in its line, implying that it's lived for a while and gained considerable experience. Coincidentally, it takes a Reaper cloth to evolve Dusclops into this final form, and we've seen that Ana has some history with Reaper herself.

Finisher: Mega Kangaskhan (#115)

Type: Normal

Reason: Ana doesn't share fellow oldster Soldier: 76's disdain for new ideas, but has an appreciation for the classics. Kangaskhan was one of the original 150 Pokémon, and it gained the ability to Mega Evolve in the sixth generation. All Kangaskhan are females, and each of them is a mother. Ana wasn't around while her daughter Pharah was growing up, but kept a memento, a holographic photograph, as a reminder. Now that they've reconnected, Ana and Pharah seem to have bonded, just as Kangaskhan forms a Parental Bond with its joey.

Analysis: Ana has a strong team that'll be difficult to overcome. Her complementary Ghost and Normal type Pokémon can deal with almost a?ny situation, and Kingdra's typing means it resists or takes normal damage from everything but Fairy types and other Dragons. All three of her Pokémon have decent defenses and high HP, so she'll be able to take a few hits while assessing the situation, then react accordingly.

Sombra

Lead Pokémon: Rotom Normal form (#479)

Type: Ghost/Electric

Reason: Sombra's best known as a hacker, and her ability in Overwatch disrupts enemy players, keeping them from using their abilities. She's been in hiding for a long time, keeping to the shadows, collecting information and waiting for the most strategically advantageous moment to reveal herself. Rotom's a literal ghost in the machine, a Pokémon that possesses electrical devices and takes them over, sort of like the hackermagic employed by Marcus in Watch Dogs 2. Although Rotom can change its element type and form to one of six, I think Sombra would want her Rotom to stay in Ghost form, ready to assist her in taking over a??ny machinery she needs help with.

Support Pokémon: Porygon-Z (#474)Type: Normal

Reason: Sombra moves as easily in cyberspace as she does through the real world, a trait she shares with the Porygon evolutionary line. Sombra's origin story shows that she was nearly caught once, which is why she decided to give herself a hardware upgrade. Porygon-Z requires not one but two upgrades from the standard Porygon before attaining its final form. It's a highly evolved digital creature used to working with all sorts of computers, though occasionally it messes up.

Finisher: Mega Gengar (#94)Type: Ghost/Poison

Reason: Sombra's moveset in Overwatch includes invisibility, the ability to be in two places at once, and the tools to prevent opposing players from using their abilities. They have more in common than just their shared spiky purple hair, as both Gengar and Sombra love to play combat tricks. Gengar can use Disable and Toxic, and it was depicted in the show and the original games as staying invisible most of the time to aid it in playing pranks on people. The player required a Silph Scope before they coul??d even see any of the ghosts in Lavender town. What's more, Gengar is a highly upgraded form of Gastly, and it requires a fair bit of technology to get one, since you have to trade a Haunter electronic??ally to make it evolve.

Analysis: Ghost types, like Dragons, are super effective against themselves, and Sombra's team may be hurt by having two Ghost types featured so prominently. That said, having Porygon-Z as her support means she may be able to bait out a Ghost move and switch it in to counter, since its Normal type gives it immunity to Ghosts. Rotom's ghost form is weak but has the Levitate ability, meaning it gains a useful immunity to Ground damage. It also has access to lots of combat tricks, and should be able to paralyze and confuse an opponent before it gets taken out. Porygon-Z tends to be underrated and has the stats to tank an attack and return fire with a wide variety of elements. Gengar's Poison type has always been trouble and gives it an unwanted weakness to Psychic moves, but gives it access to Toxic. Fortunately, it also has the Levitate ability, though this changes to Shadow Tag and prevents the opponent from switching their&n?b?sp;Pokémon out when it evolves to Mega Gengar. Doing this means Gengar will gain a weakness to Ground type moves, so Sombra should make sure the opponent isn't packing any before she triggers the evolution.

With? the teams set, these ladies are ready ?to battle. 

Ana's Kingdra is more than a match for Sombra's Rotom, but Rotom uses Confuse Ray as sort of a judo move, causing Kingdra to become confused and hurt itself. Rotom manages to land paralysis on Kingdra as well before Kingdra connects with enough Water moves to take it down. In its weakened state, Kingdra falls quickly to Porygon-Z, and Ana switches in her Dusknoir to counter. Dusknoir can't hit very hard, but has high defenses and is good at stalling while damage over time moves like Will-o-wisp and Curse damage the opponent. Curse cuts Dusknoir's own HP by half when used though, so both Dusknoir and Porygon-Z go down in the same round. It comes down to the final creature for both trainers, and Sombra thinks she has the advantage when she sees Ana throw down Kangaskhan. Her plan is to hit it with Gengar's Toxic and just run out the clock, since Normal types and Ghosts can't usually hit each other. Unfortunately for her, Kangaskhan can learn the Dark type move Crunch, and its Parental Bond means that it hits twice, dealing massive damage before Gengar can Disable it, ending the batt??le with a win for Ana.

And that's that! T??here's been a lot more fan art combining these two franchises since I first started writing these, and I thought you might like to see?? some of the mashups I found while doing research for the article. If you liked this or think one of the trainers should have used a different Pokémon, let me know in the comments.

_{Mercy's team, by Vy!! Source.}

_{Symmetra and Pikachu by Qichaowang. Source.}

_{Mei's team by Calvanitas. Source.}

_{Bastion's Team by Risachantag. Source.}

The following are all by a Korean artist named Han Seok-bum. There's a few more o??n their page i?f you like these.

3DROD made this back when Ana first came out, well before Sun and Moon released.

Finally, here's D.vaChu, by Frankie Franco.

The post Over?watch and Pokemon mash up better than you might think appeared first on Destructoid.

You'll have to leave the house for this one

Every month this year, Pokémon players around the world have been able to download a new digital creature to celebrate the franchise's 20th anniversary, one that's not available through normal gameplay. This month's featured Pokémon is Genesect, previously only available to people who played Pokémon Black or White or the sequels.

To get your Genesect, you'll have to enter a code ??from a free card being distributed at brick-and-mortar game stores, and these vary based on your region. In the U.S., Genesect cards can be picked up at any GameStop, in the U.K. they're available at GAME, and people in Australia and New Zealand will ne?ed to go to EB Games. Genesect comes to your game at level 100 and will start with the moves Techno Blast, Signal Beam, Solar Beam, and the Steel type move Magnet Bomb. It won't have a hold item.

Once you have the card, load up your copy of Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire and select Mystery Gift from the main menu. Choose Receive Gift, open the communication channel, and then select Get With Code. You'll need your 3DS connected to the internet to redeem it, and ??each code will only work once. 

Genesect is a Bug and Steel type, meaning it's pretty strong against everything but Fire moves. Its ability Download means it gets a boost to the attack statistic that its foe has less defense against. Additionally, it's the only Pokémon that can use Techno Blast, a Normal move that can be changed to a Fire, Ice, Water, or Electric attack based on the hold item Genesect's trainer gives it. To obtain these items, go to Mauville City in Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire, and to Ambrette town in X or Y. 

If you've preordered a digital copy of Pokémon Sun or Moon, you should be able to preload the game data now. It might be a good idea to ask for an extra card, since these codes may work in Pokémon Sun and Moon when they release on November 18. The Genesect event starts today and will run unt?il November 24, so make sure to get those cards while you can.

The post Get a Genesect for any 3DS Pokemon this month appeared first on Destructoid.

Get one while you can

As part of Pokémon's 20th anniversary, at least one of the harder-to-get creatures has been made available every month this year. Although there were two of the special Pokémon available this month, the Keldeo distribution is set to end on Monday, October 24.

Downloading Keldeo doesn't require anything other than a 3DS, an internet connection, and a copy of Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire. You can download Keldeo once to ??every copy you own by selecting "Mystery Gift" from the main menu and choosing "Get via Internet."

The Volcanion cards should still be available at your local game store, and you can check this link for the details. The code cards won't be available after October 31 but are still?? redeemable until January 2017, so it's not as time sensitive as downloading Keldeo.

Next month's offering is Genesect, which will be available from November 1-24. It looks like you'll need a code card for the Bug/Steel h?ybrid as well, but we'll let you know when it becomes available.

The post PSA: Keldeo Pokemon distribution ends Monday appeared first on Destructoid.

It's raining Pokemon up in here

We let you know on Saturday about some of the special Pokémon distributions happening during the month of Oct??ober. Yet another legendary creature just became available in North America, the Djinn-inspired Hoopa.

Previously, Hoopa was only available as a special promotion from McDonald's in November of 2015. This one is available to you even if you downloaded the McDonald's promotion though, so it's possible to get a spare for trading. To download it, go to the main menu in Pokémon X, Y, Alpha Sapphire, or Omega Ruby, select Mystery Gift, Receive Gift, open the communication channel, then Get With Code. When prompted, enter the code 2016HOOPA. Note that there is one zero and two ??Os in the code.

Hoopa is a Psychic/Ghost type that can be changed to a Psychic/Dark type in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire when the Prison Bottle item is used on it. Hoopa comes in at level 50 holding a Smoke Ball, which makes escaping from wild Pokémon automatic. When you receive it, it will know the moves Psychic, Astonish, Nasty Plot, and the new move Hyperspace Hole, a special Psychic attack that hits Pokémon even if?? they're using Protect or Detect.

No end date was given for the Hoopa distribution, so ??it'd probably be a good id?ea to download it as soon as you can.

Serebii [Twitter]

The post Hoopa second chance now available for U.S. Pok??emon p?layers appeared first on Destructoid.

Volcanion makes its official debut

Every month this year, the Pokémon company has been distributing one of their legendary monsters as pa??rt of their 20th anniversary celebration. For October, there are two creatures avai?lable via different distribution methods, Keldeo and Volcanion.

Volcanion is the final legendary to be revealed in the sixth generation, and this is the first time it's being made available outside of Japan. To get it, you'll need a cod??e card from a retail game store, which will vary by what region you're in. In the U.S., Volcanion cards can be picked up at any GameStop, in the U.K. and Spain they're at GAME, while people in Australia and New Zealand will need to go to EB Games. The dates for this one seem to be different depending on what region you live in, so if you're in North America, it won't be available until October 10th. As such, you may want to call your local GameStop before making a special trip to get th?e card.

Once you have the card, load up your copy of Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire and select Myste??ry Gift from the main menu. Choose Receive Gift, open the communication channel, and then select Get With Code. You'll need your 3DS connected to the internet to redeem it, and each code will only work once. 

V??olcanion has a unique Fire/Water type combination that will give it some unusual strengths and weaknesses. The Volcanion being distributed comes in at level 70 and is equipped with an Assault Vest, an item that boosts Special Defense but prevents the wearer from using any non-damaging moves. It will arrive knowing the moves Flamethrower, Hydro Pump, Explosion, and its signature move, Steam Eruption. Volcanion has the Water Absorb ability, mea?ning it's healed instead of hurt when hit by a Water type attack.

The other Legendary Pokémon available this month is much easier to obtain. Keldeo was previously only available to people who picked up Pokémon Black 2 or White 2 during its first month of release. Fortunately, all you need this time is an internet?? connection. To download Keldeo, select Mystery Gift, Receive Gift, open the communication channel, then Get Via Internet. 

Keldeo is a Fighting/Water type that looks like it was made for Bronies and Equesticles. It can be upgraded to its Resolute form when it learns the move Secret Sword. The Keldeo being distributed comes in at level 100 and is holding a PP Max. It has the Justified ability, meaning its attack rises when it's hit with a Dark type move, and it will start with the moves Aqua Jet, Leer, Double Kick,?? and Bubble Beam. Keldeo will be available online from now until October 24, so make sure to get it while you can.

Finally, there's a third, non-legendary Pokémon currently being distributed, though it's not currently available in the U.S. If you live in Europe or Australia, you can download a special Meowth that knows the move Happy Hour, which doubles prize money when used. To do ?so, follow the same procedure listed above for Volcanion, but enter HAPPY when prompted to enter a code. No one seems to know when this one is scheduled to end, so you may want to act swiftly to keep from missing out.

Eventdex [Serebii]

The post Grab two Legendary Pokemon starting this month appeared first on Destructoid.

Keldeo distribution coming soon

Heads up, Pokémon players; the Victini distribution event that's been running this past month is set to end on September 24. You'll need an internet connection and a copy of Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, or Pokémon X or Y. 

Victini has an unusual Fire/Psychic type combination and its special ability, V??ictory Star, makes its team 10% more accurate. This Pokémon comes in at level 100, but doesn't have a hold item. 

The Victini distribution is handled online, so you don't have to leave the house to access it. To download Victini, first load up your copy of X, Y, Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire, then select Mystery Gift from the main menu. Select Receive Gift, and then G?et Via Internet. This distribution ends on the 24th, so don't miss out.

With a new month comes a new legendary Pokémon available for download, and October's offering is Keldeo. Originally only available to those who bought Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 within the first month, Keldeo is a Water/Fighting type that doesn't evolve, but can transform into a different form if you take it to an otherwise hidden location in whichever game you download it to. Keldeo should become available on October f?irst, and that distribution wi??ll run until October 24.

Pokémon XYORAS Victini event [Serebii.net]

The post PSA: Victini distribution ends this week appeared first on Destructoid.

Video game, TCG & Pokken champs crowned

All weekend long, hundreds of Pokémon players from around the world converged on San Francisco, CA for the eighth annual Pokémon World Championship. After three days of good-spirite??d competition, eight have been crowned as the greatest Pokémon players in the world. If you missed it, The Pokémon Company has put together a montage that won't tell you anything about who won, but is incredibly inspirational.

Pokémon Video Game World Champions

• Masters Division: Wolfe Glick from the United States
• Senior Division: Carson Confer from the United States
• Junior Division: Cory Conner from the United States

Pokémon Trading Card Game World Champions

• Masters Division: Shintaro Ito from Japan
• Senior Division: Jesper Eriksen from Denmark
• Junior Division: Shunto Sadahiro from Japan

Pokkén World Champions

• Masters Division: Masami "Potetin" Sato (won with Chandelure)
• Senior Division: Josh "Woomy!gun" Simmonite (won with Charizard)

Fun fact: Glick won using an OG 3DS model. Congratulations to them all. Even if I'm not huge into Pokémon, I think it would fun to attend one of these events. I may get my ch?ance next year as it was announced the 2017 World Championship will be held in Anaheim, CA.

The Battles Are Over in the City by the Bay [Pokémon]

The post Here are your 2016 Pokemon World Champions appeared first on Destructoid.

Game mechanics translate to physical events

This past weekend I attended the UK Pokemon Nationals in Liverpool, the first live competitive Pokemon event I have ever attended. I've played Pokemon religiously since the release of the first generation, but that has never translated in my wanting to attend any kind of competitive event connec?ted to the series. A lot of this comes down to my mixed past experiences with competitive communities, which felt a lot more isolated from outsider perspectives such as my own.

Competitive gaming events have, in my experience, had too much of a focus on victory to be enjoyable, diluting the community spirit with a healthy dose of smack talk and determined focus. You can make friends there, but there's an amount of judgement if you'??re not as talented as those you face.There's no room for beginners, tournament environments are just not designed for you to feel welcome at.

It's a competition, you either win or you lose. The Pokemon Nationals, however, had a different feel to past competitive events I have attended, and ?were welcoming and inclusive for all skill levels.

There was a sense of community, a desire to support others and welcome young, inexperienced or new player into the scene. There was  guidance, friendship an?d challenge for pl??ayers of all skill levels, contrasting strongly with other my previous experience of competitive events. I think the game itself may be part of the reason for the difference in audience perception.

The Pokemon games feature an inherent mechanical framework baked into it for competitive, supportive tournament play ??which no other competitive video game seems to have. They show the right level of smack talk to throw down before a fight, the right level of humble response to give upon de??feat, the etiquette for challenging another player, and the correct ways to manage trading.

The games set up a system where tournament victory is an end goal, ?but defeat along the way is a sign of progression and not failure. It has a setup where those you play against will help you improve, where losses don't negate progression and whe??re it's okay to play a non-optimal team if you enjoy playing it.

By starting all players who pick up the game at the same level of strength, everybody involved comes from the same place of weakness and has to work their way slowly up to that skill ceiling, with a hard and fast limit on how quickly they can improve. Every Pokemon player had to spend a lengthy period of time not strong enough for competitive play, which seems to stick with people and keep them from bein??g too hard on new players.

The games even tell you upon de?feat that things are okay, that it's okay that you lost and if you keep working at it you might be able to win next time. I can't think of any other competitive scene where in-game mechanics tell you that loss is an acceptable outcome, one that can be worked past given the right time and dedication.

The result of this mechanic set in-game is that the competitive scene for Pokemon is seemingly more open to players of various skill levels, experience levels, ages and play styles. There's a supportive nature to the event that I rarely see in other competitive scenes, and I think the way the video game itself is set up brokers the right expectations to make that kind of comm??unity possible.

Thankfully, nobody?? at nationals was knocking losers unconscious and stealing half of their money.

The post ??How Pokemon games create a positi?ve competitive scene appeared first on Destructoid.

The 3DS games, Pokken and the TCG are all on show

Watch live video from pokemonvgc_eu on www.t???witch.tv

If you’re a fan of Pokémon, you might want to get your arse over to Twitch very shortly. For the first time ever? the three European Nationals?? are being streamed online, and the first event held in Liverpool, England will be starting within the next half an hour.

The stream embedded up top is the main event, tournaments for Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. If you want something a bit different, you can find the stream for the trading card game tournament here, and the Pokkén Tournament stream here.

Laura is at the event this weekend, working hard on getting you the ins and outs of pro-level Pokémon. Oh, and she can get that free Shiny Machamp that's on offer to attendees, which I am incredibly jealous of.

The post Come and wa??tch t??he Pokemon UK National Championships here! appeared first on Destructoid.

May 11-17

Nintendo has been running a ton of Pokémon distribution events this year, and this month, you can pick up a Darkrai on top of shiny legendaries from the covers of X & Y. The time to get a regular ol' Zygarde has passed, but from ?now until May 17, you can grab a Shiny Xerneas.

It clocks in at level 100, with Geomancy, Moonblast, Aromatherapy, and Focus Blast. To nab it, just select the mystery gift option and the internet subcategory in either X & Y or ORAS. &nbs??p;It's North America only at the moment but since Europe just got Zygarde recently? it's probably just a matter of days.

Next up is Shiny Yveltal from May 20 to 26. I've been keeping up with all of these so I'm prepared for Sun & Moon!

The post PSA: Go pick up your Shiny Xerneas in Pokemon now appeared first on Destructoid.

Announced in tandem with the European National Championships

Fresh off of providing details for the upcoming Pokemon European National Championship event, The Pokemon Company has announced that since their launch in November of 2014, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire sales have topped "more than three million units in just Europe alone." This measures up to the recent sales figures for the Virtual Console re-releases of Red, Blue, and Yellow, which reached the mark? of 1.5 million worldwide.

All told, I felt a bit winded with ORAS, and didn't really get into it as much as I did with the newest proper entry in the series. I played X & Y for over 500 hours altogether, and cherished every moment of it. With a light break admist random plays of other games in the franchise, I'm more than ready to embrace Sun & Moon when they're released later this year.

The post Pokemon Omega Ruby and P??okemon Alpha Sapphire sales top three mill??ion in Europe appeared first on Destructoid.

So you wanna be the master of Pokemon?

As we all know, this year is Pokemon’s 20^th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, this year&rsquo??????????????????????????;s National Championships in the UK, Germany a??nd Italy will all be streamed via Twitch for the first time.

Three different, English-language ?streams will be run for different events at the championships:

• The trading card game will be streamed on twitch.tv/pokemontcg_eu.
• Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire and X & Y championships can be found on twitch.tv/pokemonvgc_eu.
• Pokken Tournament will be aired on twitch.tv/pokkentournamentEU.

These streams will cover all three of the European national events. The first will be the UK tournaments, held in Liverpool on May 14-15, then the week after will see the German tournaments in Kassel on May 21-22. Finally, the Italian event will be hosted in Milan on June 11-12.

Finally, if you’re lucky enough to be able to physically attend one of these events, you’ll be able to get a special Shiny Machamp for X, Y, Alpha Ruby or Omega Sapphire. Free shiny Pokemon and a weekend watching others fight ?it out are always good things in my book!

The post You’ll be able to watch this year’s European Pokemon National Championships on Twitch appeared first on Destructoid.

Did you need more legendary Pokemon? No? Well have them anyway!

Apparently Nintendo isn’t happy with only giving us one measly mythical Pokémon each month this year. It's giving away Regice, Regirock, and Registeel to Pokémon Bank subscribers, and now it's giving away the three legendary birds through the Pokémon Trainer Club newsletter.

Codes for Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres will be sent to newsletter subscribers soon, so you still have time to sign up for it if you want to nab them. Like all other gift Pokémon at the moment, they’ll be available for players of X, Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

They each come with pretty nifty hid?den abilities too:

• Articuno has Snow Cloak, which increases evasion in-battle by 25% when it’s hailing, and decreases the wild Pokémon encounter rate by 50% in snowing areas.
• Zapdos has Static, giving you a 30% chance of paralysing a Pokémon that makes physical contact with it, and also increases the chance of encountering Electric-type Pokémon in the field as long as it is in your first party slot.
• Moltres has Flame Body, meaning there’s a 30% chance any Pokémon physically attacking Moltres will be burned. It’s also great for breeding, as it halves the time it takes for eggs to hatch if Moltres is first in your party.

At the moment, you can only ever catch one of the three in X and Y, and which one is decided by which starter you picked. Being given all three will be really handy, especially in ORAS where they’re absolu?tely nowhere to be ??found!

You can sign up for the newsletter on the Pokémon website.

Oh, and as a reminder, you can get Jirachi this month through the Mystery Gift.

The post Sign up for the Pokemon ne?wsletter, and nab the three legendary birds appeared first on Destructoid.

#721, Volcanion

We got our first glimpse of Volcanion so long ago, via a leak, that today's official announcement from N??intendo initially felt brand new to me. The latest Mythical Pokémon is a fire/water type -- the first of its kind -- should be obtainable in an upcoming distribution event before long.

"This Pokémon uses fire and water to create steam within its body, expelling explosive shock waves and scalding steam from the arms on its back. Volcanion's power is said to be so great it can destroy an entire mountain, goug??ing out the earth and changing the shape of the land!"

Yet another reminder that perhaps kids shouldn't ?be trusted with these almighty beast?s.

The post This new Pokemon is a fire and water type appeared first on Destructoid.

An old Zoroark with a new move

If you love free Pokémon events and are located in the US, you'll want to whip our your 3DS now and get to downloading. For owners of the Ruby and Sapphire remakes (dammit, why can't they all be for X & Y too, where my full collecti?on is), you can boot up your copy and choose the Internet?? mystery gift option to net "Sludge Bomb Zoroark."

This particular Pokémon is level 50, has the illusion ability, and comes complete with Sludge Bomb, which it can't normally learn. Nintendo hasn't given a set date for the end of this event, so get to it ?when you can. 

[Image source]

The post ‘Sludge Bomb Zoroark’ is a thing, available now for free for Pokemon owners appeared first on Destructoid.

Distribution for unique legendary

The Pokémon Company announced early this month it'd be handing out Level 50 Mythical Hoopa, though the North American distributor (it's GAME in the UK) ?hadn't been decided yet.

The legendary pocket monster is coming to Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, X, and Y owners who stop in at a McDonald's hamburger shop between November 27 and December 23. Y??ou don't have to buy anything, just bring your 3DS and the game to claim your gift.

I imagine that Hoopa-led Pokémon movie will be coming out soon, too.

The post You’ve got to go to McDonald’s to catch the latest Pokemon appeared first on Destructoid.

You can do it from your home

[Update: Nin??tendo has just informed Destructoid that this promotion will ??last until September 14, 2015.]

Own a copy of Pokemon Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire in the Nor??th America region? Boot it up now and in the Mystery Gift section, go over to the "Internet" option -- you'll get a new Shiny Rayquaza for your troubles. It's level 70, and holds a Dragon Fang. This event was previously held in New Zealand and Australia, and there's no current date for Europe yet.

I just tested it this morning and everything seems to be in working order. You may need to update your 3DS and the game proper though if you haven't played in a while. While I'm disappointed that most of these recent events have ignored X & Y entirely, at the very least, we should be getting Hoopa later this version for both ORAS and X & Y -- if Japan is anything to go by.

Tuesday [Serebii]

The post Grab your Shiny Rayquaza now in Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire appeared first on Destructoid.

July 24 to July 27

Nintendo has announced that Diancie, one of the newer Pokemon on the block (along with Hoopa), will be available through a distribution event in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. All you have to do is access the online functioanlity within the game? from July 24 to July 27, and you're good -- the Diancite Mega Stone is found in-game as well.

I can't be the only one who is bummed about all of these recent events being exclusive to Omega and Alpha. As someone who considers X & Y to be the be??st generation, I wish it had more long-term ?support.

The post You’ll be able to snag Diancie in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire soon appeared first on Destructoid.

Team Rocket steals all their 3DSes

I’ve never paid much attention to the confusing world of competitive Pokémon. EV training, natures, actually caring about a Pok?émon's stats... it all confuses me.

However, a documentary currently on Kickstarter called To Be the Very Best looks like it wants to shine some light on the scene and all it entails. The project aims to follow the lives of competitive Pokémon players Ray Rizzo and Aaron Zheng in the run up to the Pokémon Video Game World Championships in August 2015.

The campaign for To Be the Very Best has raised over $6000 of its $50,000 goal, with 23 days still remaining. Joining two-time US national Pokémon champion Wolfe Glick for the project is documentary director Dan Karlok and the producer of the musical Rock of Ages Matt Weaver, so there is some se?rious experience involved here.

Whether this will teach me anything about Pokémon has yet to be seen: My favourite type is Normal, so I’m probably the least equipped person to be talking about this. The project still seems interesting howeve??r, so here’s hoping it succeeds.

The post ‘To Be the Very Best’ follows real Pokemon trainers appeared first on Destructoid.

Update, yo

Although Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire sold like gangbusters, as Pokemon games often do, I haven't seen a lot of buzz about it in my usual circle of Nintendo enthusiasts. Maybe it's because Generation 3 doesn't get as much love as the others, or because they're still playing X&Y? For me, it's a little bit of both.

For those of you who are playing you'll ??need t?o download a new patch that's 250 blocks, or you won't be able to access the game's online features. It fixes up small issues like text and bugs.

The post Pokemon O??mega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire g?ets new patch, kicks you offline without it appeared first on Destructoid.

Sneaky

Pokémon's newest creature, Hoopa, will debut in the newest film, set for a western release later this year on Cartoon Network. Hoopa Unbound, revealed just today, will be featured as its more imposing fo?rm. It's a psychic and dark type Pokémon, and its rings "have t?he power to bend dimensions." 

Nintendo is continuing to be cheeky about how you actually obtain said Pokémon, but it seems to still be related to Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire​.

The post Nintendo reveals Hoopa Unbound, still isn’t telling us how to get Hoopa appeared first on Destructoid.

2015LATIOSLATIAS

You can grab a free Latios or Latias (whatever your version doesn't have) in Pokemon Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire right now. The catch? You have t?o do it right now before?? the promotion ends sometime tonight.

All you have to do is start your game up, hit "Mystery Gift," then "Receive Gift," then "Get with Code." Enter "2015LATIOSLATIAS" (or "POKEMON380381" in Europe) and you're good! You'll obtain an EON ticket (p?ick it up at your local Pokemon Center), which yo??u can use at Petalburg Gym.

That's it! Note that you?? can get your ticket through other means, and if you already got one before, it won't work.

The post Reminder: tonight is your last?? night to get your free Latios or Latias in Pokemon Omega Ruby or? Alpha Sapphire appeared first on Destructoid.

Whatcha gonna do, brother?

Great news for all you Pokémaniacs out there: you can now receive Meganium, Typhlosi??on, and Feraligatr along with their Hidden Abilities from the Pokémon Bank, brother.

This comes just after the one year anniversary of the Pokémon Bank, meaning your subscription probably just ran out. Unlike the currently sold-out golden Mario amiibo, these wi??ll be available through the end of? November this year. 

Pokémon News [Pokémon]

The post Po?k?maniacs! Gold/Silver starters now on P??ok?mon Bank appeared first on Destructoid.

Codes are valid until November 30, 2015

The codes for Serperior, Emboar, and Samurott in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are now all redeemable. Just head into the Mystery Gift option and choose "receive via code," then type in POKEMON497, POKEMON500, and POKEMON503, respectively.

These Pokémon are packing hidden abili??ties (Contrary, Reckless,?? and Shell Armor), so it's worth setting aside a couple of minutes to nab them before leaving 'em inside a box, unloved.

When this distribution event was announced, I asked which of the three monsters was best, and things got weird. I expect that to happen in all Pokémon posts these days. Or all posts, really.

The post The Unova starter giveaway is live in Pok?m?on Omega Ruby and Alp?ha Sapphire appeared first on Destructoid.

Snag 'em for free later this month

If you access the Pokemon Bank between February 27 and November 30, you'll be given special, level 50 versions of the Heart Gold and Soul Silver starters, Meganium, Typhlo??sion, and Feraligatr. 

Nintendo breaks down the hidden abilities here:

"Meganium's Leaf Guard Hidden Ability protects the Pokémon from status conditions when sunlight is harsh or extremely harsh. Plus,this M?eganium knows the move Sunny Day, allowing it to t?ake advantage of its own Ability!

Typhlosion has the Flash Fire Hidden Ability, which powers up Fire-type moves by 50% and prevents this Pokémon from taking damage from Fire-type moves. With three strong Fire-type moves already in its arsenal, Typhlosion?? can make the most of Flash Fire in battle.

Feraligatr's Sheer Force Hidden Ability eliminates the additional effects of this Pokémon's attacks, but they will do an additional 30% damage instead. This Feraligatr knows three moves that have additional effects: Ice Punch, Crunch, and Waterfall. T??hey won't cause their additional effect, but they'll all do huge damage!"

If you don't know how to use the Pokemon Bank, which Nintendo last year used to give out Celebi, Jordan is here to help.

The post Hidden ability Meganium, Typhlosion, Feraligatr coming to ?Pokemon Bank appeared first on Destructoid.

You can nab all three in a distribution event for Ruby/Sapphire

The next distribution event for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will give us a chance to score Serperior, Emboar, and Samurott, each with their own Hidden Ability. You'll need to update your game to version 1.2 and red?eem a Mystery Gift code. That's it! Here's the schedule:

• Serperior: January 22 - November 30. Use code POKEMON497 in Mystery Gift.
• Emboar: January 29 - November 30. The code will be revealed on Pokemon.com.
• Samurott: February 5 - November 30. The code will be revealed in the Pokémon Trainer Club newsletter.

With that info out of the way, this is your cue to fight about which of the three Pokémon is best. For me, it's unquestionably Emboar. Pokémon Black/White marked the first time I didn't start with a Water type because, sorry, Samurott, but we c?an't be friends. And Serperio??r is clearly evil.

The post Who’s the better Pok?mon: Serperior, Emboar, or Samurott? appeared first on Destructoid.