Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter were both released in 2014 and allowed players to move Pokémon between games. However, it’s been a decade since then, and things have mo?ved on somewhat in that time. 

Now, moving Pokémon between current-gen games is remarkably easy thanks to Pokémon Home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t transfer Pokémon from previous gens if you’ve still got t?he software and consoles to ha??nd.

Current status of Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter

Sadly, the ability to download both Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter ended when the Nintendo 3DS store was shut down ??i?n March 2023. This means that if you’ve just come into possession of a 3DS and were hoping to utilize the software, you’re out of luck. 

However, if you’ve got an old 3DS that already has the software installed or is ready to re-install it in the library, you’ll still be able to use it by following the steps below. When the 3DS Store closed, Pokémon Bank became a free service rather than a subscription service, so you ca??n now transf??er as many Pokémon as you like entirely for free, provided you have the software.

Pokémon Home was released back in 2020, essentially replacing both Bank and Transporter and can wo?rk together with the two apps to bring past generation Pokémon into more re??cent games. 

Which Pokémon games are compatible with Bank, Transporter, and Home?

This is where things start to get a little complicated, so you might want to set aside some time if you’re hoping to start moving your Pokémon between game?s. 

To start with, here’s the full compatibi??lity of all games, including brief details about how the transfer works. Don’t worry, we’ll go?? more into detail below:

It’s worth noting that games that require the additional use of either Pokémon Bank or Poké Transporter cannot be transferred back to their original games. Pokémon games that were released for the Nintendo Switch and only require the use of Pokémon Home, however, can b??e transferred back ?to their original locations.

How to transfer Pokémon using Bank, Transporter, and Home

For ease of reading and for lack of a better idea, let’s break this rather long and convoluted process down into individual steps. If a step doesn’t apply to you, then just skip over it until the in?formation becomes relevant. 

Step one: Third gen to fourth gen

This step applies if you’re transferring Pok??émon from any of the ??following third gen Game Boy Advance games:

• Ruby or Sapphire
• Emerald
• FireRed or LeafGreen

To complete this s?tep??, you’ll need to own one of the following fourth gen games on Nintendo DS:

• Diamond or Pearl
• Platinum
• HeartGold or SoulSilver

With two of the aforementioned games at your disposal, you’re ready to transfer Pokémon. This step is actually rather easy, and all you need to do is plug both games into the DS in their respective slots. Then, boot up your chosen fourth-gen game, and you’ll have the option to “Migrate from (insert third-gen game name here).”�?/p>

You’ll be here a while, as you can only transfer six Pokémon at once, but you’ll eventually end up with third-gen Pokémon in your fourth-gen game. To find them, head to the Pal Park, which can be found on Route 221 in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum, or in Fuchsia City in HeartGold or SoulSilver.

Step two: Fourth gen to fifth gen

You’ll need to do this if you’re wanting to get any Pokémon from y??our fourth-gen game into your fifth-gen game, including any that you transferred from a t??hird-gen game in the previous step. 

In order to complete this step, you’ll need two Nintendo DS or DSi consoles and a copy of one of the fol??lowing ?games:

• Pokémon Black or White
• Pokémon Black 2 or White 2

Plug your chosen game into one of the DS consoles, and then head to the Poké Tran??sfer Lab on Route 15. Talking to the scientist inside will prompt you to connect another DS through Wireless Communications?. 

On the second DS, choose “DS Download Play�?from the menu, and then you’ll be free to transfer Pokémon. There’s a mini-game involved, and you’ll need to captur?e the Pokémon you want to transfer, with any th??at are caught going to your PC Box. 

Step three: Fifth gen into sixth gen using Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter

This is where the first two apps come into play, and things start to get convoluted. You’ll need both Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter installed on your 3DS to proceed.

First, insert the fifth generation game that you’re hoping to transfer Pokémon from into the cartridge slot, then open it up and place any Pokémon you want to transfer into “Box 1�? Poké Transporter will only transfer Pokémon in this box, so if you’ve got a larg?e collection, you’re going to be here a while. 

It’s also worth noting that items held by transferred Pokémon will? be automatically sent to your bag, but if it’s full, the item will vanish. To avoid losing precious items, make sure that you have enough space in your bag for possible new additions. 

Once you’ve got everything prepared, open up the Poké Transporter and select the game you want to transfer from. Confirm your choice, and Poké Transporter will take all of the Pokémon from Box 1 and move them to Pokémon Bank. 

Step four: Sixth or seventh gen Pokémon directly to Pokémon Bank

Once your chosen Pokémon is successfully transferred into your sixth-gen game, things start to get a little easier. Both sixth and seventh-generation games allow you to transfer Pokémon directly into the Pokémon Bank. 

This includes:

• Pokémon X or Y
• Pokémon Omega or Ruby
• Pokémon Alpha Sapphire
• Pokémon Sun or Moon
• Pokémon Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon

To transfer Pokémon from any of these games, all you need to do is insert the cartridge and then open up the Pokémon Bank app.?? Once that’s open, you can take your time going through your boxes and transferrin??g any Pokémon you want. 

Step five: Transferring Pokémon from Pokémon Bank to Pokémon Home

To transfer Pokémon between Pokémon Bank and Pokémon Home, you’ll first need to have a paid subsc??ription to Pokémon Home, which costs the following:

• Monthly: $2.99 USD
• Quarterly: $4.99 USD
• Annually: $15.99 USD

As long as you have that, you have two choices:

If you used the same Nintendo Account on both devices, you don’t even need to still own your Nintendo 3DS. Download Pokémon Home, login using your Nintendo Account details, and then press the 3DS icon, then select “No Nintendo 3DS�? The app will search for your corresponding Pokémon Bank account and then instantly transfer all of the Pokémon held there into Pokémon Home. 

If you do have your 3DS but used different Nintendo Accounts for each device, things are a little slower but it can still be done. First, make sure that both devices are fully updated, then open the Pokémon Bank app on the 3DS. Find the option to “Move Pokémon to Pokémon Home�?and open up Pokémon Home on the Switch. 

Select the 3DS icon and then “Begin Move,�?giving you a code that you’ll need to enter on the 3DS before allowing you to transfer any or all Pokémon into Pokémon Home. 

Transferring Pokémon using Pokémon Home

Now we’re all up to date, and Nintendo has given us the gift of simplicity. Any game that was released for the Nintendo Switch allows you to transfer Pokémon directly to Pokémon Home. 

As long as you have Pokémon Home installed on the same Switch that you use to play the following ga??mes, you’ll be able to?? transfer Pokémon between them:

• Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee! or Pikachu!
• Pokémon Sword or Shield
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl
• Pokémon Legends: Arceus
• Pokémon Scarlet or Violet

Simply open up the Pokémon Home app on your Switch, select “Pokémon,�?and choose the game you want to transfer from. You’ll find all the Pokémon from that game listed and ready to transfer. 
The worst that can happen here is that you may need to update a game before Pokémon Home allows you ??to transfe??r Pokémon, but once that’s done, it’s as easy as moving Pokémon between boxes.

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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 unli??kely 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 platform] would ever happen." Well, gee, I'm so s?hocked.

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 associated with that and being affiliated with that bra?nd is ver?y 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 franchise 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 hold 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 an??d 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 odd?? 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]

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

Just a reminder; the last Pok&ea?cute;mon distribution for 2016 i?s set to end this Saturday, December 24. This month's 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 Relic Song, it can switch its su?btype 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 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.

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.

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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 t?hrough December 24, so make sure to get it before it's no longer available.

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 tha??t 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 de??mo version and transferri??ng your data to the 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 hav??e more on Magearna when i??t becomes available next Monday.

2016 events [Serebii.net]

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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, Ge????nesect, is scheduled to end 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 Zeala?nd will need to go to EB Games. Don't forget that ??Thursday is a holiday in the United States, so GameStop stores won't be open.

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. 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 su??pport the Pokémon Bank earl?y 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 mor??e once this promotion goes live in December.

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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'r?e available at GAME, and people in Australia and New Zealand will need 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 Myst??ery 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 rede??em 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 r?elease on November 18. The Genesect event starts today and will run until November 24, so make sure to get those cards while you can.

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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 o??nce 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 Nov??ember 1-24. It looks like you'll need a code card for the Bug/Steel hybrid as well, but we'll let you know when it b??ecomes available.

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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 October. Yet another legendary creature just became avai?lable 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 Gif?t, 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 P??okémon even if they're using Protect or Detect.

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

Serebii [Twitter]

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Volcanion makes its official debut

Every month this year, the Pokémon company has been distributing one of their legendary monsters as part of their 20th anniversary celebration.?? For October, there are two creatures available 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 code 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 the card.

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. 

Volcanion has a unique Fire/Water type combination that will give it some unusual strengths and weaknesses. The V?olcanion being distributed comes in at level 70 and is equipped with an Assault Vest, an item that boosts Spec??ial 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, meaning 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. Fortu??nately, all you need this time is an i?nternet 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]

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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, Victory 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 Get Via In??ternet. 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 first, and ??that distribution will run until October 24.

Pokémon XYORAS Victini event [Serebii.net]

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Well, X & Y or ORAS

As ??you may have heard, Arceus is no more. Now, the era of Victini begins.

The promotion will run from September 1 until September 24, and works with Pokemon X & Y and ORAS. As a reminder if you own all four, you can get four level 100 Victinis (guess who's been doing this all year). Thankfully this one is an online-only event, so all you have to do is downl?oad it through the main menu by way of the "Mystery Gift" option.

Victini is my second-favorite video game character modeled after the letter "V," followed by Super Punch Out!!'s Narcis Prince. That's your fun fact of the day!

Mythical [Pokemon]

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Grab Pokemon number 721

The wait is over! No longer will players look longingly at their P??okedexes and think "when the hell is #721 going to get here, when he was found years ago due to a leak???"

Nintendo has officially confirmed that Volcanion will arrive in North America in Europe as part of a distribution event in October, which will span across Pokemon ORAS and X & Y. GameStop is already noted as the ?US location for the acquisition of the code, and he'll be a level 70 fire/water type, ??with the "Water Absorb" ability, as well as Steam Eruption, Flamethrower, Explosion, and Hydro Pump. His feature film (the 19th movie in the series, by the way) is titled Pokemon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel in the west, and is still due for a 2016 release.

I've been grabbing all of these legendaries like a hawk, and once Sun & Moon drops, I'm ready to basically offload all 721 into my new adventure. Somehow, someway, Nintendo manages to feed the addiction all over again with each new iteration, and those Alola versions of Gen 1 creatures are doing it for me.

The post The Volcanion Pokemon distri?bution event ??arrives in October appeared first on Destructoid.

Unfortunately it's a GameStop event

As Jordan calls it, the "Monthly mythical 'mons" train rolls on.

??Along with July Shaymin is out, and Arceus is in. After two months of glorious, retail store free events on the Nintendo Network, now we? have the unfortunate reality of GameStop cards, which as we all know by now, are scarce in some areas due to employee scalping.

If you plan on getting Arceus, I suggest going today as soon as your local store open?s and grab a card. The good news is that GameStop is running another Pokemon event, with select merchandise, plushes, and rewards bonuses. In the UK, codes are printed on a receipt so you don't have to stress about them running out (thanks Sco??obie!).

As a reminder you can warp Arceus into both Pokemon X & Y and ORAS.

The post PSA: You can grab Arceus, the God of al??l Pokemon, starti??ng today appeared first on Destructoid.

Thankfully no GameStop visit is needed

It's Shaymin month!

The legendary 2016 Pokemon truck is still driving along that long and lonesome road, and as of today, July 1, you can pick up Shaymin for free. Just log into Pokemon X & Y and/or ORAS, an?d grab him as a gift in the US. This is not?? one of those pesky "GameStop card" events.

Next month however will be one of those walks of shame, when Arceus debuts on August 1. Then Victini, Keldeo, Genesect, and Meloetta will follow. Expect updates when those happen as well! I want to make sure everyone is primed and ready for when Sun & Moon hit.

The post PSA: Pokemon players can pick up the?? legendary Shaymin ?this month appeared first on Destructoid.

No GameStop needed

Another month, another legendary Pokemon distribution event.

This time Manaphy is up, and will be available from June 1 to 24 on the Nintendo Network -- nope, no need to go to GameStop and have them run out of promo codes that they already gave their friends and family in bulk. Its one of the most rare creatures of the entire calendar year as it originated from Pokemon Ranger, a game most fans have long forgotten.

Since the event is good on Pokemon ORAS and X & Y, you can pick ??up as many Ma??naphys as you have a unique game for,

Manaphy [Pokemon]

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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’s National Championships in the UK, Germany ??and 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 alwa??ys good things in my book!

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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 hidden abiliti??es 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 absolutel??y 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 newsletter, and ?nab the three legendary birds appeared first on Destructoid.

Pre-order the film

Remember all the way back in 2013 when Volcanion was leaked? We still haven't gotten him.

Japan is inching ever closer though, as fans who pre-order tickets to the film, Volcanion & The Ingenius Magearna, will snag one. From April 16 on, you can find the serial code on ?the actual ticket, a promot??ion that will run until July 16. It'll be level 70 when players finally get it.

In other Pokémon news, CoroCoro will also start releasing "monthly updates" on Sun & Moon starting April 15.

Volcanion Distribution [Serebii]

The post Volcanion’s Pokemon distribution event starts soon in Japan appeared first on Destructoid.

Starting March 4, ending October 31

Fresh off of announcing that the Pokémon Bank service (which has a yearly fee of $4.99) would work with Pokémon Red, Yellow, and Blue, Nintendo has revealed a new promotion to actually get people to use it. Starting March 4, and running until October 31, players can select the Pokémon Link option from the menu screen of ORAS or X & Y, and snag Regirock, Regice, ??and Registeel with a?n active Bank account.

Unlike the recent mythological P?oké??mon, which can be obtained in multiple games on one system, you can only pick up one trio per Bank account. They're all at level 50 and have hidden abilities.

Deposit Thr?ee Solid Pokémon with ??Pokémon Bank! [Pokemon]

The post Using the Pokemon Bank nets you a free ?Regirock, Regice, ??and Registeel appeared first on Destructoid.

For the month of March

So, February is gone, and as such, the Mew distribution event by way of GameStop cards is too. Now Celebi is up on the mythical chopping block, which thankfully won't require you to set foot into a store. You can simple access it by way of the Mystery Gift option in-game in either Pokemon ORAS or X/Y.

Jirachi is up next, which will also be an online event. If you need help, here's some instructions.

The post PSA: Grab Celebi today by way of Pokemon’s Mythical distribution event appeared first on Destructoid.

Insert dirty joke here

[Update: They're officially going with "Magearna."]

CoroCoro Magazine has revealed a brand new Pokemon, Magiana. Evidently this 'mon is going to show up in the new movie, where Volcanion will be chasing after it for some unknown reason that will likely be a revelation. Said film has a title, by the way: "Volcanion and the Exquisite Mecha?nical Magiana." Descriptive!

According to the info so far, Magiana is a "man-made Pokemon" (?), that was created over 500 years ago. Its metallic body is supposed to drive the point home that humans made it, even though there's several existing metallic Pokemon out there. What is Game Freak trying to tell us? That all metal Pokemon are man-made?

CoroCoro Reveal [Serebii.net]

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#721, Volcanion

We got our first glimpse of Volcanion so long ago, via a leak, that today's official announcement from Nintendo initially fe??lt 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 b?efore 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 gre??at it ca?n destroy an entire mountain, gouging out the earth and changing the shape of the land!"

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

The post This new Pokemon is a fire and water type 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 distribu?tor (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 h?amburger shop between November 27 and December 23. You 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.

Finally

[Update: US details are available here, thoug??h a date has not been set outside of "late??r this year."]

After months of dilly-dallying, we now have an idea of when Hoopa will be available for Pokémon fans. This month, gamers located in the UK and Germany can nab it. In the UK the promotion runs from October 23 to November 5 at GAME, and in Germany, you'll have to get it from October 17 to November 7 at GameStop.?? Other regions are expected to be r??evealed soon, but those are the two we know of.

Thank goodness, this event applies to both the X & Y and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire subfranchises. Though, if you bring Hoopa over in ORAS, you'll net a special Hoopa Unbound form.

Pokemon XY [Serebii]

The post Hoopa, the newest Pokemon, will be available in select re??gions this month appeared first on Destructoid.

More Zygarde and Greninja!

The latest issue of CoroCoro has leaked online revealing multiple new never before seen Pokémon from the anime series Pokémon XY & Z. First up is a new version or color variation of everyone's favorite frog ninja, G??reninja. This new color scheme looks oddly simi??lar to Ash's clothing.

Also revealed is Zygarde, the third legendary from Pokémon X/Y, actually has at least five different forms. Zygarde's many?? forms include a blob, a cell, a doberman, the snake-like version we already know and a new mega evolution, each known respectively as Core, Cell,?? 10%, 50% and Perfect Formes.

With no announcement of a new Pokémon game for this holiday season, I wonder if we will see the long rumored Pokémon Z featuring these new Zygarde forms or if Nintendo is working on a follow up series? ??If so I'd suggest naming them X Squared and Y Squared, and they better have a mega evolution for my favorite, Snorlax!

Pokémon - Ne??w Zygarde Forms &??amp; Greninja Look [Serebii]

The post New Pokemon from XY & Z revealed! appeared first on Destructoid.

And probably break your arm as well

UFC fighter and Olympic medalist Ronda Rousey is known for her punishment and breaking oppone??nts' arms, and now you can add Pokémaster to that list. When asked what got her into Pokémon, Rousey went into a rant about the history of her Poké-antics stating she started with Pokémon Blue and ?has played most every game in the series since.

Rousey rattles off basically every Pokémon title from memory including "Pokémon X2 and Y2," which notably don't exist, though I think she was joking when she said it or was confusing them with Pokémon Black and White's sequels. "The only ones I didn't play were Pokémon Pinball and that bullshit." But she did get a "perfect score" in Pokémon Snap and f??elt bad for having to pummel Mew as he is her favorite. "I guess sometimes ya gotta hit a Pokémon."

So... Ronda Rousey for the next Pokémon&nbs??p;as the fighting-type gym leader. Or is she more Elite Four materia??l?

The post UF?C fighter Ronda Rousey will kic??k your ass at Pokemon 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 Pokémon'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 Weav?er, s??o there is some serious 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 seem?s interesting however, so here’s hoping it succeeds.

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

Whatcha gonna do, brother?

Great news for all you Pokémania??cs out there: you can now receive Meganium, Typhlosion, 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 will be available through the end of November this y??ear. 

Pokémon News [Pokémon]

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And got some surprising Wonder Trades in return

For a couple months now, I've bee?n thinking about getting rid of my Pokémon collection.

My favorite part of the series is catching 'em all and for years that motivation has fueled my interest in these games. I'm not into forming the ideal team, breeding Pokémon with perfect stats, or finding shinies. Just acquiring them -- all seven hundred of them -- one by one.

With Pokémon X, I finally did it. It took months of whittling down a giant list of absences in my Pokédex but thanks to in-depth online resources detailing locations and catch rates, an active community of online traders, and the ability to easily transfer old legendaries and stragglers from past titles, I did it. I earned ?a little crown in my National Pokédex signifying 100 percent completion. (Tho??ugh, admittedly, I never bothered to get #719, Diancie. Whatever.)

Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire release this Friday and I thought it would be fun to start over. To work my way back up. But rather than let my Pokémon X save file go to waste, I decided to use the Wonder Trade feature extensively. It matches two players at random for a blind online trade and while most people exchange total crap, there are kindhearted folks who take pleasure in hand?ing out rarities. I'm far from innocent, but I've given ba?ck on occasion.

Now, originally?, my plan was to give away every last one of my Pokémon via Wonder Trade (excluding restricted Pokémon obtained from distribution events). I mindlessly made it to around 80 trades before realizing this was a bad idea and started questioning my sanity.

For starters, the trading process is fast, but not that fast. You have to save you??r game, move the cursor over to? the Pokémon you want to trade, wait to be paired up with someone, then watch an animation of your new mystery 'mon leaping out of its Poké Ball. Every single time.

It's not a pain if you're doing a handful of trades here and there, but hundreds? Those aforementioned actions, miniscule as they are, add up. I had my 3DS to my side and traded whi??le working. Later, while watching a show about one woman who eats bits of tire, and another who consumes vapor rub. Finally, while beginning to piece this article together. It was at that point I decided to be more selective; to stop wasting my time and everybody else's.

This was going to be an hours-long investment even if I avoided giving out garbage Pokémon (like Zigzagoon and Tauros, not that lovable scamp Trubbish). So, after unloading a few boxes worth of hit-or-miss Pokémon, I made the call: good trades only. Stuff I would've appreciated back when I was fi?lling out my Pokédex and had hundreds of entries remaining. This experiment would still take forever under the new rule but I'd have the satisfaction of making someone's day.

I didn't want anything interesting in return -- again, I'm not transferring Pokémon out of X for future games -- but I ended up getting some cool, funny, or otherwise worth-mentioning trades back. And thank goodness for that! This artic?le would've be??en far less interesting otherwise.

Here are the highlights:

• A Foongus named YOU SMELL. Love novelty names.
• Someone traded me a Rayquaza for, uh, some shitty thing. I need to pay better attention.
• A Squirtle named Schiggy. Haha.
• My one and only shiny, an Octillery, was traded for a common household Swinub.
• The rad Elegant Pattern Vivillon. Never got into collecting all the variations.
• A shiny Absol (!).
• Head Muscle, the Onix.
• My Yveltal went for an Igglybuff called Penile Envy. Fair trade, IMO.
• A shiny Groudon and then a shiny Rayquaza (!!!) right after it. Who are these people?
• Stephen King, the Sewaddle.
• A Spinda named Crazy Ebola. Perfect.

For each of these bullet points, there were, god, I don't even want to think about how many bland Pokémon. Let's just call it "many" so I can retain some dignity here. There are individuals -- and whole online communities, it turns out (#WonderTradeWednesday) -- working to make sure it's not all junk being passed around, but there's still tons of junk. ~Do your part to help!~

Wonder Trading worthwhile Pokémon for the heck of it was something I had done before (you can't just take, take, take) but never to this extent. At first, it felt weird saying goodbye to Pokémon that had traveled with me for years, across multiple games, but it felt even better to declutter. Freeing. They've escaped my languishing PC, and now I can start fresh in Omega Ruby.

Before this exodus, I liked Wonder Trading; it was one of my favorite modern Pokémon features. Now, I love it, and I don't want to stop. With enough patience, something great is bound to come your way, possibly from me. You just need?? to get through twenty Fletchlings first.

The post I gave away my best Pokemon appeared first on Destructoid.

Starting today

Shiny Gengar is no more (hope you got yours!) but another distribution event for Pokémon X and Y has taken its place. Today through No??vember 16 at GameStop, you'll be able to score a free code for the Legendary Rock/Fairy-type Pokémon Diancie.

Once Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are released on?? November 21, you'll then be able to bring your Diancie to a Pokémon Center in either game to obtain the Diancite Mega Stone necessary for its Mega Evolution.? What's the new form look like? Less ... chunky.

The post Ga?meStop is giving out Diancie for Pokemon X and Y appeared first on Destructoid.