Palworld developers Pocketpair has revealed finer details of the lawsuit filed against ??them by Pokemon-makers Nintendo, and it certainly doesn't look suitable fo??r the latter.

It has long been suspected that Nintendo could move to court against Pocketpair ever since Palworld was released for the first time. It finally happened earlier this year, but the details of the legal proceedings have remained hidden till today. Based on what's been revealed by Pocketpair, they're fac?ing charges of potential infringements of three patents. Surprisingly, all three patents in question appear to have been filed after the game's release.

Palworld makers Pocketpair face a stiff battle with Nintendo

As per Nintendo and The Pokemon Company, Pocketpair's Palworld has reportedly infringed upon three patents - 7545191, 74??93117, and 7528390. The exact details of these patents and what they infringe upon remain unknown, although it's reported that The Pokemon Company hasn't taken? the Pal Sphere system too kindly.

Interestingly, Palworld was released in early access on January 19. The three patents in question here were all filed between February and July and registered a few months later. This does raise a massive question mark over Nintendo's ultimate motives about the entire situation. It could well be that the patents were filed as a reaction to Palworld's huge success in the gaming world.

While players don't need to be alarmed immediately, Pocketpair has confirmed that Nintendo and The Pokemon Company are seeking about $10 million yen an?d an injunction against Palword. While the penalty (approximately $66,000) might not be huge, the injunction could be a worrying development.

Pocketpair has commented that they will continue to assert their position with future legal proceedings, so the next few? months could be interesting. One would hope that this battle won't rob the players of the upcoming updates that have been planned for the game.

The post Palworld developer reveals exact patent infringements, and it doesn’t look nice for Nintendo appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokemon TCG Pocket offers you?? different ways to get cards, and Mew is one of those rare items that can be unlocked for free without ha??ving to open any packs.

Usually, getting a full art card is very difficult inside the game, as you're relying on your pack luck. That's where the Mew item feels different - it's one of those rare full art cards that have no essence of luck at all. However, the game doesn't exactly tell you on your face about how to get this specific card. That sai??d, it'??s relatively easy, and you can get your hand on the item pretty quickly.

How to get Mew in Pokemon TCG Pocket

Mew's full art card is a reward for completing your Kanto dex. In simpler words, you can find the card by obtaining all 150 Kanto cards that are currently available in Pokemon TCG Pocket. The best way to do this is by opening all three types of Genetic Apex packs available inside the store - Pikachu, Mewtwo, and Charizard.

For more clarification, you'll only want the basic cards ?of the 150 Pokemon, which are far easier to pull. T??hese cards also have higher odds of being pulled from the packs, which will certainly help the cause.

How to get Mew for free in Pokemon TCG Pocket

As the main objective is to complete your dex, you'll want to open as many packs as possible. That means using all the pack hourglasses as well, which ??can accumulate by completing different activities. You'll als??o want to open all three packs, as completing the dex otherwise won't be possible.

Make sure to be on the lookout for Wonder Picks as well, as they can help you to complete your collection faster. Sure, you'll still be relying on your luck, but try to use them on packs that consist of more items not present in your ?collect??ion.

Having the Premium Pass also helps, but I won't consider that as free since you'll need to spend $10 every month to avail yourself of its benefits. But what you can use for free ar?e your Pack Points, and use these items as your trump card. Don't spend them on the cards immediately - wait for how your collection looks like once you've compl??eted 130-140 Pokemon cards. That way, you won't have to depend on your luck to complete the remainder of your collection.

That's pretty much it when it comes to obtaining Mew in Pokemon TCG Pocket. While the card looks gorgeous, it ??can hardly be considered as the current meta.

The post How to get the Secret Mission Mew in Pok??emon TCG P??ocket for free appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokemon TCG Pocket is not one of those card games where getting a duplicate card holds much merit, but you can certainly add some flair to them to help them stand out (quite literally). Hence you may be wondering how to get flair on your cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket.

Getting multiple copies of a card in digital card games is often ??considered an essential part, but the new release from The Pokemon Company has a friendlier economy. That said, you'll end up with duplicates of cards that you already have. Doing so will help you make your cards look unique and add a dash of coolness to them.

How to obtain flair in Pokemon TCG Pocket

For? starters, go to the My Cards section, which has a list of all your available cards.

• Select the "Obtain Flair" button.
• The next step will prompt you to the requirements of duplicate items and Shinedust (you get this resource by pulling duplicate copies of a card you already found in a previous pack).
• For lower Diamond rarity items, you'll need to apply the first cosmetic flair option before you can opt for the battle options.
• Higher star rarity cards will have the battle flair unlocked by default once you have adequate resources in terms of Shinedust and duplicates.

The requirements also change based on the rarity of a card. Those having lower rarity will need more duplicates and less Shinedust. Rarer cards like Pikachu EX will need more Shinedust, but you'll need only one duplicate. All cards at rarity 3 diamonds or above will need one extra copy to unlock their f??lair (along with Shinedust).

Once unlocked, you can equip the flair for the card from your d?eck ??section. Cards with flair will have a small icon on their screen - just press on it to apply the available flair option.

While adding flair to your cards in Pokemon TCG Pocket is really cool, it??'s purely a cosmetic effect. There are no in-game advantages for cards with flair, so don't stress too much about it. By opening packs regularly, you'll eventually end up with enough duplicates and Shinedust to unlock flair for several of your favorite cards.

The post How to get flair in Pokemon TCG Pocket appeared first on Destructoid.

There is no doub?t that EX cards have a special place in the hearts of P?okemon TCG Pocket players, and some of them have unraveled a new way to gain some of these powerful items from their packs.

Based on the available odds, finding an EX card is pretty tricky, and you'll ?really need to be lucky to find one inside your pack. However, some players seem to have unearthed a way to increase their chances of finding an EX card rep?ortedly.

Pokemon TCG Pocket players are relying on folded crimped packs to get EX cards

Packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket have the same appearance inside the ??game as they do in real life. Y??ou can turn the pack to see its sides, and there appears to be a technique for you to reportedly improve your chances of getting some of those shiny cards from your packs.

Several gamers are turning the packs to the side to look out for packs with crimped tops. Usually, each lot of pack has one (at least in my own experience), and their top parts have a be??nd. If you look carefully, they're pretty easy to spot. There are numerous instances where players have found an EX card from them. In certain cases, players have ended up? with rarer items like Full Art cards, along with Trainer Items.

Here's one su??ch instance where someone ends up with Mewtwo EX from their pack, which is one of the best items currently available in the game. Of course, the results are random, and the method doesn't guarantee an EX.

In fact, I have tried the method eight times so far, but my luck has been pretty poor as far as getting EX cards i?s concerned. However, I have ended up finding 4 Full Arts from them, so that's definitely better than my usual pack luck.

Of course, there's no way to tell if there's a glitch in Pokemon TCG Pocket as of writing. For the time?? being, however, I see no harm in trying to look out for the packs with a folded crimp. If it doesn't work, you don't lose anything. If it works like it has for many players, you'll be adding an incredible pack to your collection.

If you've tried this method and found Pikachu EX, make sure to check out this fantastic deck that will give you plenty of wins.

The post Pokemon TCG Pocket players discover easy way to f??ind EX ?cards appeared first on Destructoid.

The Premium Pass in Pokemon TCG Pocket is a han??dy choice for those who, like Ash, want to "Catch 'em all."

But unlike the anime?, you'll have to shell out extra money if you want to quicken your in-game progression. To be more precise, you'll have to spend $10 every month ??if you're looking at getting the Premium Pass. Since Pokemon TCG Pocket is a free-to-play title, there's always a question of whether spending any real-life money is actually worth it.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Premium Pass content

So, it's clear that we have to pay $9.99 per month to get the b??enefits of the pass. But what do we get in return?

• One extra daily pack, totaling 30 if you manage to log in once every day.
• Monthly premium missions.
• Access to the Premium shop, which lets you get special cards and accessories in exchange for Premium Tickets.

If you manage to complete all the premium missions (which is pretty easy to do), you'll get a total of 11 pack Hourglasses, eight Wonder Hourglasses, an??d 29 Premium Tickets. For comparison, if you were to spend the same money on the "Release Celebration" sale, you'd get 72 Poke Gold. One Poke Gold will help to reduce the waiting time for a pack by two hours. Hence, you'll need six Poke Gold to grant a pack and a total of 12 packs.

Hence, spending the same amount on the Premium Pass is a far better way to spend if you want to do so. The only benefit of getting the Poke Gold is immediate access to the extra packs. Unless you're in desperate need of new cards, the Premium Pass is perhaps the best way to spend money on Pokemon TCG Pocket.

That said, you can simply play for free, as Pokemon TCG Pocket isn't your typical digital TCG. While there is PvP, the game doesn't have a ranked mode. The lack of a progression system means that you can enjoy the game casually, and for that, having a meta deck isn't?? necessary.

As long as you remember to log in daily to the game and complete the missions, the Premium Pass is well worth buying inside the game. Opening 30 extra packs over a month can help build up your collection nicely and let you build more decks.

The post Should you ?get the Premium Pass in Pokemon TCG Pocket appeared first on Destructoid.

Pikachu is certainly one of the best EX Pokemon to pack in the early days of Pokemon TCG Pocket, and you can build a ?pretty awesome deck with it.

Unlike the traditional formats of paper Pokemon TCG, Pocket is far more streamlined. While this makes deckbuilding easier, you'll still need to strategize based on the cards in your collection. To win consistently, you'll have to prepare a deck that ?has synergy among each other. The following Pikachu EX deck not only has that, but it also offers you plenty of scope to outthink your opponent.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Pikachu EX deck guide

Packing Pikachu can be a matter of luck as it's an EX card. The odds of finding one aren't very high, but you do get plenty of them if you're opening all your packs regularly. In fact, several cards on this deck can be obtained by cleari?ng the tutorial challenges and missions.

Let's first take a loo?k at the cards I have used in my Pikachu deck.

• 2x Blitzle
• 2x Helioptile
• 1x Voltorb
• 2x Heliolisk
• 2x Zebstrtika
• 1x Electrode
• 1x Meowth
• 1x Pikachu EX
• 1x Zapdos
• 1x Potion
• 1x X Speed
• 2x Poke Ball
• 2x Professor's Research
• 1x Sabrina

Note: You can use a?? card? like Chansey in place of Zapdos, but it's not an essential part of the deck.

The card you'll want to open with is Meowth. It's?? the only non-electric card on this deck, and his ability to consistently draw cards is fantastic. You'll also ??chip away your opponent's health, but the main objective is to draw as many cards as possible. You can either sacrifice it or retreat it quickly with the help of X Speed.

If you don?'t get Meowth in your opening hand, don't even put it on the bench. Pikachu EX does 30 damage for every Electric Pokemon on the bench. The idea is to do 90 damage every turn, and Meowth on the bench doesn't help to achieve that.

Blitzle is a great opening-hand option if you can?? evolve it. Zebstrika's single energy attack might do just 30 damage, but you can apply that on any opposition Pokemon. While your opponent might be building up their EX Pokemon's 3 or 4 energy attack, you can take away a couple of crea?tures on their bench and get a victory.

If you're the type of person who relies on luck, Heliolisk is pretty fun. It's 2 energy attack does 80 damage if you manage to pull a Head. With 90 HP, Heliolisk can usually withstand two attacks (unless it's coming from a top ??nuker/EX).

As for the items, Professor's Research is an excellent complimentary piece if you don't manage to get Meowth in your opening hand. Sabrina is the ultimate trump, which you should preserve at all costs. It's most useful when you already have two vic??tory points, and your opponent is one step away from building their EX/last card. It becomes near impossible for them to navigate the involuntary ?switch, and they will mostly only have options on the bench that can be taken down with a single attack.

As for Poke Ball, its role is to fill the bench with your Electric Pokemon to help Pikachu scale up its attack. While I played with this deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket, drawing Pikachu wasn't necessary to win. In fact, you could still win quite consistently without even drawing Ash's first Poke?mon.

Once n??ew cards are released in the upcoming weeks,?? I expect this deck to improve even more. For now, you'll really enjoy this deck, but note that it has its counters, and you're not going to win every game.

The post Best Pikachu EX deck in Pokemon TCG Pocket appeared first on Destructoid.

The best Pokémon game that no one ever was

If you're one of the many who've lived and breathed Pokémon since childhood, it's easy to forget how many Pokémon games have come out since 1996. Even if yo??u don’t count any spinoff titles and lump all dual releases together (i.e., Red and Blue), you still have over twenty games to choose from. If you can’t count the entries in a series on your fingers? and toes, there are officially too many for a new person to consider.

Fortunately, the Pokémon formula is so timeless that virtually every mainline game is a good starting point. That said, the series has plenty of peaks and valleys, some of which are truly spectacular. Here are the ten best Pokémon games ranked from least spectacular to absolutely amazing. Whether you're a beginner looking for a jumping-in point or a longtime fan on the hunt for an excellent entry to replay, here are the ten best Pokémon games.

10 - Pokken Tournament DX

It’s a shame that the Pokken games didn’t take off more than they should have. Fans had been asking for an official Pokemon fighting game for years before Pokken Tournament hit the Wii U in 2016, and the game has a lot going for it. The character roster is full of iconic Pokémon, and its unique "Field Phase" feature allows the game to shift from a two-dimensional arcade brawler to a three-dimensional fighter seamlessly. Pokken Tournament DX, an enhanced port to the Switch, sweetens the deal further by throwing in more charact??ers and beefing up pe??rformance.

Unfortunately, the frustrating simplicity of its combat holds Pokken Tournament back. The complex technicality that defines many of the best fighters isn't here, and games can devolve into button mashers quickly. That said, Pokken Tournament is still a good time, and it's a superb choice for Pokémon fans and fighting game enthusiasts who don't want to sink?? hours into mastering a complex combat system.

9 - Pokémon Snap

Pokémon Snap is a lot different from your conventional Pokémon game. Akin to an on-rails shooter game you’d play in an arcade, you don't catch a single wild Pokémon or battle even one rival trainer in th??is game. Instead, you're taking photos of the little critters to help Professor Oak’s research.

At first, it’s a simple and chill concept, riding along a slow-moving track and snapping pictures of Pokémon living in the??ir natural habitats. However, when you unlock gadgets like Pokémon Food and Pester Balls, things get more exciting. By using these items at the right points in your photographic excursions, you'll unlock alternate paths full of new Pokémon to photograph.

Playing Pokémon Snap is like taking care of a flower: it's slow and even monotonous at first, but the game opens up and grows as you put more time and effort into it. Once you've unlocked some gadgets, snapping the perfect photo of that one Pokémon that's eluded you stops being a frustrating game of chance and becomes an engaging puzzle with an intuitive solution. And since you're graded on how clear and well-compos?ed your photo is, completing one satisfying challenge usually leads to you unlocking a new one.

8 - Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu! and Let’s Go Eevee!

As the only generation of Pokémon games to be remade twice, every version of Generation One has its own unique charm. If you’re looking for a breezy way to see where the series began, however, you can’t go wrong with the Let’s Go! games.

Let’s Go! strips away many of the series' standard mechanics to draw in the massive crowd of new Pokémon fans created by Pokemon Go. Luckily, the game makes up for this straightforwardness by implementing some helpful quality-of-life improvements from Go, including Candies you can use to buff a Pokémon's stats and make it battle-ready almost as soon as you catch it. Its inclusion of follower Pokémon and Mega Evolutions also helps it stand out from other Pokémon games on the Switch.

That said, veteran Pokémon fans won't have a great time with Let's Go. The game's decision to replace wild Pokémon battles with Go-style-catching sequences removes a part of the game that draws in a lot of players, and the exclusion of new evolutions and pre-evolutions of the Generation One game leaves its Pokedex feeling scant. Let's Go is excellent for begi??nners, but established Pokémon fans will probably want to skip these experimental departures from the norm.

7 - Pokemon X and Y

Being the first fully 3D entries in the mainline Pokémon series, X and Y had a lot of expectations to live up to. Fortunately, it bore this w??eight well, emerging from underneath the mountain??ous pressure as a glittering, polygonal gemstone.

Pokemon X and Y boast one of the? biggest regional Pokedexes in the series' history, bringing back many old favorites like Charizard and Lucario while introducing fantastic new Pokémon like Greninja and Aegislash. Introducing mechanics like Super Training also made it easier for players to train their Pokémon, making the series' competitive scene more accessible than ever. And, of co??urse, Mega Evolution gave many of the series' best Pokemon fresh forms and insane power boosts.

For all these new bells and whistles, however, Pokémon X and Y suffer from a frustrating lack of content in some areas. The game's primary campaign is a disappointingly lean experience that pits you against Team Flare, who are a major step back from the menacing, challenging antagonists introduced in the previous generation. If you're one of those fans who doesn't put much stock into a Pokémon game's pre-post-game content, though, Pokémon X and Y are pretty fantastic.

6 - Pokemon Stadium 2

The Pokémon Stadium games were like a supplement to the Game Boy titles that started it all. You transfer your team over to the game via the Transfer Pak and battle through many opponents, whether they are random CPUs in the ga??me's stadium mode or the gym leaders waiting in the game's intimidating Gym Leader Castle.

Even if you didn’t have the Game Boy games and opted for the rentals, Pokémon Stadium 2, in particula??r, was where it was at. The game lets you pick from all two-hundred-and-fifty-one of the Pokémon available at the time of release, and the game's t??hen-impressive graphics allowed players to experience Pokémon battles in an epic new dimension.

Once you grew tired of battling, there were also a handful of score-based mini-games that were so much fun to play. While it's no replacement for Mario Party, Pokémon Stadium's mini-game mode is an excellent time, especially if you can?? get a few friends to play with you.

5 - Pokémon Emerald

While the Generation One Pokémon games launched the world’s most lucrative franchise, Generation Three proved the series had staying power despite Yu-Gi-Oh giving it stiff competition. Though this generation received some impressive remakes in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for the 3DS, Pokémon Emerald for the Game?? Boy Advance remains arguably the best way to experience one of the series' bes??t adventures.

Between the clean visuals, stellar soundtrack, and the excellent monster variety, Pokémon Emerald has all the fundamentals of an excellent Pokémon game. Yet the feature that elevates Emerald above even the Generation 3 remakes is the Battle Frontier. Diehard fans consider the Battle Frontier to be one of the best examples of post-game content the series has ever offered, and it presents potentially the most significant challenge you'll encounter in a mainline Pokémon game.

While the game relies too much on HMs in the latter half of the primary ca?mpaign, the Hoenn region is insanely fun to explore. Even an admitted overabundance of water can't dilute the pure feeling of adv??enture this Pocket Monster Title provides.

4 - Pokémon Platinum (Diamond and Pearl)

Many consider the fourth generation of Pokémon to be the franchise’s best in terms of design, characters, and activities. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl delivered an epic experience by taking full advantage of the leap in hardware between the Game Boy Advance and the Nintendo DS. Pokemon Platinum cranks everything about these adventure??s up to eleven.

The Pokémon desi?gn here was at its peak: from the trio of starters to the newly introduced evolu??tions to Pokémon from previous generations like Rhyperior, Dusknoir, and Electivire. The Legendaries of the Sinnoh region are especially impressive, being the first Pokemon to truly invoke divinity through their complex, intimidating designs.

The impressiveness of the game's character design doesn't stop at the Pokemon. This game's cast comprises some of the most memorable characters the franchise has ever introduced. Cynthia's elegan??t, layered design projects the grace and power o??ne would expect from the Pokémon League Champion, and Cyrus' stiff posture and soulless glare perfectly capture the Team Galactic leader's heartlessness in a way dialogue never could.

Pair that with the endgame being fun and diverse, especially in Platinum’s case. If you have the third generation of Pokémon games like the Kanto games or the Sinnoh games slotted into the GBA slot, you can encounter additional, exclusive mons in your game. Nowadays, this is much harder to do, but th??is was a nifty feature at the time.

3 - Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver

Many fans consider the Generation Two Pokémon games the most innovative titles in the series. Between the unique day/night system, killer soundtrack, and arguably the best post-game surprise in any Pokémon game, Generation Two offers an experience that even modern titles can’t match. While some criticize the mid-game pacing of these titles, one thing is clear: if you’re going to play Generation 2, play Heart Gold or Soul Silver for the DS.

Heart Gold and Soul Silver are hands-down the best remakes the series has ever offered. They give the original Gameboy titles a fresh coat of paint and flesh out the world with new dungeons and events not found in the original, like the addictive Pokeaethlon or the enticing ruins of Alph. The game even adds additional context to the game's ?story by confirming a long-held fan theory about the identity of the game's rival.

What’s more, the addition of Generation 4 mechanics like the physical/special stat split for attacks and the inclusion of new moves like Earth Power go a long way to keep these games feeling modern. Heart Gold and Soul Silver didn’t need to go as hard as they did, but it’s easy to see why used copies of these games?? sell for upwards of $70 to this day.

2 - Pokémon Legends Arceus

Though Pokémon is a predominately iterative series, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is the first mainline game to shake up the formula that?? has powered these games for 25 years. Some may call Legends: Arceus a proof of concept, yet nearly every risk this game takes not only succeeds, but flourishes.

The mix of traditional turn-based Pokémon battles, real-time boss battles, and catching mechanics is beautiful here. The difficulty curve is just as accessible as any mainline Pokémon title. Still, the open-world maps and powerful alpha Pokémon add enough optional challenge for longtime fans to sweat if things feel too easy. Legends: Arceus even introduces elegant qu?ality-of-life to the franc?hise, like the speedy results screen after a battle and the ability to change a Pokemon’s move set at will from the menu.

As of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, it looks like mainline Pokémon games will embrace the open-world elements that Legends: Arceus introduced fully. Yet even if that’s the case, Legends: Arceus offers so much ??that it deserves a subseries of i?ts own.

1 - Pokémon Black and White (and Black 2 and White 2)

To some, Pokemon’s Generation 5 games are a soft reboot of the franchise. To others, it is a last hoorah of Pokémon’s 2D art style before the series' leap to the 3DS. Regardless of who you are, Black and White a?re fantastic ga??mes that hardly show their age over a decade later.

These games are the total package. The animated Pokémon sprites breathe life and personality into each monster, sometimes more than the 3D models in modern Pokémon games. The soundtrack is stellar, ranging from catchy town tracks to high-energy battle themes. Even the story veers into the thematically captivating territory, pitting players against an evil team who raise valid questions about the innate morality of the series' monster-fighting concept while still being love-to-hate antagonists. Black and White overflow with passion and creativity, and every Pokemon fan owes it to themselves to play them.

Some fans were dismayed upon release that only Pokémon introduced in Generation 5 are usable until the postgame of Black and White. However, even this gripe has a silver lining. In lieu of the usual “special edition�?game that remixes the previous entries and adds some extra content (a la Pokémon Emerald), Black and White received full-fledged sequel games in Black 2 and White 2. These titles add fan-favorite Pokémon back into their main story, and many fans conside??r these titles to be even better than their predecessors. Perhaps it’s unfair to lump two sets of games together into the number 1 slot. Yet if you judge Generation 5 strictly by its quality, you’ll find plenty to love from start to finish.

The post Best Pokémon games of all time, Ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

An easy guide to gathering the Poké-squad together

One of the big draws for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the multiplayer. Players can hang out together, fight fearsome Tera Raid battles, or just vibe at a picnic. And the Union Circle is how Pokémon Scarlet and Violet make it all happen.

The Union Circle is the multiplayer hub for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It s?pecifically lets players either join? each other's groups or form ones of their own.

It's easy? enough to set up and use, and we'll also walk you through some common pitfalls we? ran into while playing multiplayer ourselves.

How to use the Union Circle in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

The Union Circle is accessible through both the Pokémon Centers dotted around the map or through your in-game Poké Portal. I've usually opted to go for the physical monitors on the sides of the Centers since you can fast-travel to one and there are a decent number. Just look for the big yellow circle and monitor, and hit the A button to access it.

[caption id="attachment_350910" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

Once insi??de, you'll see a menu. From here, you can either make a group to invite others to or join another group. Making a group will give you a code made up of letters and numbers to share with friends.

To get the party going, just have them punch it in on their end and connect. Once everyone is in, you can start it up. From here, you'll be in a shared instance of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, able to explore together.

Some tips for setting up multiplayer

First off, make sure you're connected to the internet. The L button is used to con??nect yourself to the net, and you'll need to be in Online Mode to invite others over from further out than your living ro?om.

Secondly, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet multiplayer is not drop-in, drop-out. If someone disconnects, you'll need to make ??a new group to link it all back. Di?sconnections won't automatically close the party unless it's the host, though.

[caption id="attachment_626147" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

What can you do in the Union Circle in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

Exploring?? together literally means you can go out in the wild, catch Pokémon with friends, trade, and battle. You can't play the game cooperatively, but you can help each other out and create a more personalized experience.

If you and your friend(s) have different versions of the ninth-generation game (Scarlet or Violet) and join a Union Circle, you can catch the other version's exclusive wild P??okémon. This will only work if you are within the vicinity of your friend with a different version. You can't be in two totally different regions of Paldea.

It'll also be a lot easier to link up and take on all the different Tera Raid battles since you're already in a pre-made group. Players will have their own separate crystals. You'll simply have to coordinate these since invites are?? only sent out if all players are not currently in a cutscene or battle.

[caption id="attachment_626148" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

You can also do picnics and partake in outbreaks to increase your chances of encountering shinies out in the wild. The benefits are shared between players, so you can have someone t??here to help out or pitch in to find these super rare Pokémon.

Lastly, you can help your friend(s) locate certain items in-game or help physically guide them in finding? certain things. You won't share drops, but t??his can help newer players get up to speed!

If you?? do have friends who play or want to play? Pokémon Scarlet or Violet, join up with them in a Union Circle to have a better overall experience. Experiences may vary based on internet quality from all parties.

The post How to use Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Union Circle for multiplayer appeared first on Destructoid.

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 moved 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 the software and consoles to hand.

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 in March 2023. This means that if you’ve just come into possession of a 3DS and were hoping to util??ize 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 can now transfer 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 work together with the?? two apps to bring past generation Pokémon into m??ore recent 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 t?o start moving your Pokémon between games. 

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

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 be transferred back to their orig??inal 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 information becomes relevant. 

Step one: Third gen to fourth gen

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

• Ruby or Sapphire
• Emerald
• FireRed or LeafGreen

To complete this st?ep, 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 wan?ting to get any Pokémon from your fourth-gen game into your f?ifth-gen game, including any that you transferred from a third-gen game in the previous step. 

In order to complete this step, you’ll need two Ni??ntendo DS o?r DSi consoles and a copy of one of the following 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 Transfer Lab on Route 15. Talking to the scientist inside will prompt you to connect another DS through Wirele?ss Communications. 

On the second DS, choose “DS Download Play�?from the menu, and then you’ll be free to transfer Pokémon. Th??ere’s a mini-game involved, and you’ll need to capture the Pokémon you wa?nt to transfer, with any that 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 th?is box, so if you’ve got a lar??ge 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 av??oid 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 transferring 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 fi??rst need to have a paid subscription to Pokémon Home, w?hich 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 pla??y the following games, 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 transfer Pokémon, but once that’s done, it’s as eas?y as moving Pokémon betw??een boxes.

The post How to tran?sfer Pokémon ??using Pokémon Bank, Transporter, and Home appeared first on Destructoid.

The latest update for Pokemon HOME is adding a Mystery Gift reward system. You know, because we trainers needed more reasons to catch them all. This mechanic offers ra??re Pokemon as prizes to Pokemon players who complete specific goals, and the first one up ?for grabs is a Shiny Meloetta.

This, to put it plainly, is a big honking deal. Until now, the only way trainers could get themselves a Shiny variant of this elusive Mythical Pokemon was by hacking a fifth-generation or beyond Pokemon game. Thanks to the new Pokemon Home update, h??owever, casual Pokemon players and die-hard Shiny ?Hunters alike can finally add this musical-themed 'Mon to their collection without getting gobsmacked by Nintendo's well-loved ban hammer.

How to download Pokemon HOME

If you're one of the many Pokemon players who hasn't created a Pokemon HOME account yet, now's the perfect time to do it. You can download Pokemon HOME onto your smartphone or your Nintendo Switch, and the account-building process is a little different for each system. Let's walk through how to get started on Pokemon HOME.

How to download Pokemon HOME on Nintendo Switch

• Download Pokemon HOME from the Nintendo eShop
• Launch Pokemon HOME from your Switch's Home menu, using whichever Switch account you want to transfer your Pokemon to and from.
• Progress by hitting any button.
• Pick your Language, then hit "Start."
• Read the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice, then agree to it by hitting "Yes."
• When asked if you plan to use Pokémon HOME on your mobile device, select "Yes." If you plan on using Pokemon HOME on mobile, of course.
• If asked if you have linked a Nintendo Account to the mobile version of Pokemon HOME, hit "Yes" or "No," then go through the tutorial

How to download Pokemon Home on a smartphone

• Download Pokemon HOME from your phone's app store.
• Start the app.
• Choose your language, then hit "YES."
• Choose your region and country, then hit "YES."
• Enter your date of birth, then hit "Yes." You can't change this once you've put it in, and certain features of Pokemon HOME are only available to players over the age of sixteen.
• Read and agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice, then hit "NEXT."
• Review the info that pops up, then hit "I Agree."
• Select "Link your account" to link the same Nintendo Account you're using with Pokemon HOME on Nintendo Switch. The last thing you want is to lose that Shiny Gholdengo you worked so hard to get because of a network error.
• Click "Yes," then follow the on-screen instructions to link an existing Nintendo Account or create a new one.
• Click "Yes," again to confirm the Nintendo Account link and complete the tutorial.

How to get Shiny Melotta from Pokemon HOME

Before you get your Shiny Meloetta from Pokemon HOME, you'll have to complete the Paldea Pokedex, the Kitakami Pokedex, and the Blueberry Pokedexes. These Pokedexes encompass all the Pokemon found in Pokemon: Scarlet & Violet and its two-part The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC. All 843 of them.

Filling in all three Pokedexes is no simple task, especially since Pokemon HOME won't let you put a Pokemon in a Ninth-Gen Dex slot unless you caught it in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Luckily, we have some fantastic guides on where to find some of Paldea's rarer Pokemon. Your hun??t will be difficult, but it shouldn't be impo??ssible.

Once you've transferred ??all the Pokemon you need to fill the Pokedexes, you'll be eligible to receive a Shiny Meloetta. Click the "Mystery Gift" option in the app's menu, then hit "Search for Gifts." As long as you have a solid internet connection, you'll receive a Shiny Meloetta of your very own.

The post How to get a fre??e Shiny Meloetta from Pokemon HOME appeared first on Destructoid.

In the last 10 years, there have been a total of 15 new Pokémon games on the Nintendo Switch. Th??ese range from the age-old classic collect ‘em all games, crime solving mystery games, and even a cozy match-three freebie. 

If you’re wondering when your favorite Switch title was released, or you’re looking to complete your collection of Pokémon titles, here’s all of the Pokémon games released on Switch in order of their release. I won’t be including expansion in the list as their own entries, although I will of course mention them where they’re r?elevant.

Pokkén Tournament DX (2017)

Pokkén Tournament DX was the first Pokémon title to come to Switch, and challenged players to work their way up the ranks of the Ferrum League by battling with the aid of more than 20 Pokémon. A mixed 2D-3D movement fighting game from Bandai Namco, DX featured all of the fighters who were familiar to anyone who had played the original Pokkén Tournament on Wii U, plus a few new ones. 

Pokémon Quest (2018)

Pokémon Quest is a little different to the rest of the titles on this list, because of the art style and gameplay. Developed by Game Freak, Quest looks more like a Minecraft x Pokémon crossover than anything we’d ever seen before. Pokémon Quest is free to play,? and you get a team of three Pokémon to adventure around Tumblecube Island with.

Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee & Pikachu! (2018)

Pokémon really returned to its roots with this release, with the companion Pokémon for the title decided by which version you bought. Of course, the familiar mechanics of catching and battling Pokémon play a huge role in either ver??sion, but your Pikachu or Eevee would also grow closer to you as you played. You could even dress it up in cute costum?es and change their hairstyles. 

Pokémon Sword & Shield (2019)

A year after Let’s Go, Pokémon Sword & Shield were released. Again, there was a choice to be made when purchasing your copy of this release??. This time, you needed to choose between the two legendary Pokémon Zacian (the Sword Pokémon) or Zamazenta (the Shield Pokémon). 

Since the main game was released, there have been two expansion packs. The Isle of Armor was released in January 2020, and The Crown Tundra was released in October of the same year.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX (2020)

This 2020 title is a remake of a game which was originally released on Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance in the USA in 2006. The concept of Mystery Dungeon is de??finitely a fun one, with you playing as a Pokémon and teaming up with others in order to work your way through constantly changing dungeons.?? 

Which Pokémon you play as is decided through a personality quiz, although there’s always the opt?ion to change ??the outcome if you’re not happy with the Pokémon you were assigned.

Pokémon Café ReMix (2020)

This one isn’t solely available on the Switch, and can be played on mobile platforms as well. This is the cozy entry on this list that I mentio??ned earlier, and the aim of the game is to match icons, chop up ingredients, and feed visiting Pokémon their favorite meals.

Each successful meal will increase your friendship with the Pokémon who made the order, and eventually they’ll come and work for you in the café. Pokémon Café ReMix is really cute, easy to play, and another freebi?e. 

New Pokémon Snap (2021)

Have you ever wanted to go on a Pokémon safari and snap a bunch of photos of these pocket monsters in their natural habitats? If so, this is the game for you. This Switch game is a successor to the original Pokémon Snap, which was released on the Nintendo 64 way back in 1999. ?You don’t even have to move a?? lot of the time, with the NEO-ONE doing all of the hard work for you, making this a strangely relaxing entry on this list.

Pokémon UNITE (2021)

Travel to Aeos Island and take part in 5-on-5 battles in order to see who can gather the most points in a limited amount of time. Each Pokémon in UNITE has a type (Attacker, Speedster, All-rounder, Defen??der, or Supporter), and you’ll need to choose one of them to control, while the rest of the team is controlled by other players. 

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl (2021)

2021 was a good year for Pokémon fans, and Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl were a great way to round off the year. It’s a remake of the original Diamond and Pearl, which were released in 2006 on Nintendo DS, and sa??w us diving into the Sinnoh ?region to take on Team Galactic.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022)

Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduces pl??ayers to the Hisui region, which eventually becomes the Sinnoh region, and all of the Pokémon who live there. As the player, it’s our job to document the local wildlife and build up the first-ever Pokédex. Join up with the? Galaxy Expedition Team to track down Arceus and figure out what exactly is going on with the Pokémon in the region.

Pokémon Scarlet / Violet (2022)

In the same year as Arceus, we were also blessed with Scarlet and Violet. You still have to choose between Legendary Pokémon when making your purchase, but the Pokémon you choose will eventually beco?me a mount. 

Scarlet and Violet introduces us to a whole new generatio??n of Pokémon, including the starters Fuecoco, Quaxly, and Sprigatito. In total, 112 new Pokémon were added when this title was released. 

There have been two expansion packs and one post-launch free update released for Scarlet and Violet:

• The Teal Mask in September 2023 (expansion)
• The Indigo Disk in December 2023 (expansion)
• Mochi Mayhem in January 2024 (free update)

Pokémon Legends: Z-A (2025)

Although this hasn't been released yet, obviously, I’m including it because we know it’s coming. Z-A will see us starting a new adventure in Lumiose City. Not too much is known about Z-A just yet, but we do have the official announcement trailer to tide us over un?til more in?formation is revealed.

The post All Pokémon Switch games in order of release appeared first on Destructoid.

Growing up, several films stuck in my memory, helping develop my love for the medium and encouraging me to study film at a university level. Pokemon: The First Movie, I'm? not ashamed to say, is certainly one of them. The hype? surrounding it, the whole experience with the free cards, themed decorations, and the excitement of a trip to the cinema all helped secure it as a well-loved memory of the film.

However, while writing an article on the worst video game movie adaptations, ??I found that critics of the time hated it. This was a surprise for me, as I knew full well most of?? my friends at the time, and even now, as we look back on it, remember it being really rather brilliant.

Why did critics hate Pokemon: The First Movie so much?

I took a journey through history and dug up a bunch of critic??s' reviews from all the way back in 1998, when the internet was just really beginning to open up. From my investigations, one thing became abundantly clear: reviewers of the late '90s were wholly unimpressed by this Japanese export that was taking the younger generation by storm.

From what I could gather, most reviewers simply wer?en't familiar with the source material. Even Roger Ebert, one of the finest film reviewers, struggled to grasp the concept of Pokemon, quoted as saying that "The?? story is idiotic" and that "The individual Pokemon have personalities that make the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles look like Billy Crystal." Overall, the Pokemon phenomenon and craze seemed to have missed most reviewers, with this film being their first real exposure to the show, characters, and game that came along with it.

I think it is clearly a case of Pokemon: The First Movie being misunderstood by cr??itics. Words like idiotic and humorless are thrown around, with the New York Times proclaiming that "the magic doesn't bridge the generation gap" when watching as an adult.

Reviewers were also unimpressed with the level of animation. ?Tim Brayton, writing for Alternate Ending, points out that "for the film that remains, 20 ??years later, the highest-grossing anime film in North American history, one would long for there to be at least any artistry." Numerous reviewers mirrored this sentiment.

A fast fan favorite

I vaguely remember ??the hype surrounding the film before it came out and the excitement of seeing it in the cinema. I received my free special edition Pokemon card, which was the much-sought-after Pikachu. Wit??h popcorn and a drink in hand, my mother led me to the screen.

As a child, I was an avid collector and trader of cards and had watched enough of the TV show to be intimately familiar with the characters. I knew what I wanted to see and was pumped for a story about Mewtwo, the most powerful Pokemon of all. Basically, I was a 9-y?ear-old in the late '90s; Pokemon was pretty much my life at that point. This is, I think, t?he core of what fans love so much about the film.

Pokemon: The First Movie is complete fan service. Ther??e isn't a complete story in its almost 90-minute run time. We get little in the way of introduction to the characters, Pokemon, or universe because we are expected to know it all already. As TheUnknown871-3 on IMDB points out, "It really just feels like an extended version of a TV episode rather than a feature film."

This is perfect for the fans. We went to the cinema or watched the DVD with all the background knowledge we needed. This extra-long episode of Pokemon was essentially just a special dedicated to the most powerful Pokemon of all. This is why we loved it, I think. It was made for the Pokemon trainers among us, not for p??eopl?e who couldn't tell a Weedle from a Wigglytuff.

What the fans wanted from the movie, the fans got. It was a delve deeper into the world of Pokemon for the fans, and even now, the reviews are full of love for the franchise and nostalgia. TheMovieDiorama raves that "As a hardcore Pokemon fan, I can say that young Luke was damn happy with this, an??d old Luke still is!". This is where the film shone.

Why Pokemon: The First Movie divided critics and fans

If you were out of the?? Pokemon loop, the film was kind of dumb, and the highs and lows were lost due to unfamiliarity with the characters and backstory. Watching the warring P?okemon cry together over Ash Ketchum's petrified corpse wouldn't have too much gravitas if you weren't familiar with the epic battles he had waged in previous episodes.

Pokemon: The First Movie is a film for the Pokemon-loving audience. The high audience review score is due to how satisfying the movie is for folks invested in the franchise. Coming into the film as an outsider with little knowledge of it previously would definitely be disappointing. It can hardly stand up to the masterfully made Princess Mononoke, which came out only one year earlier.

Looking back at Pokemon: The First Movie, it's clear how much context plays a part in how well both critics and fans receive a film. As noted by both, the movie was just a continuation of the show. Clearly, without the context, this film doesn't st?and up on its own. It is a film that needs some understanding of the lore and its characters to be genuinely appreciated.

We can see the same thing happening now with video game adaptations. Taking Uncharted, released in 2022, as an example, w?e again have a resounding flop from reviewers, but fans of the franchise are quick to jump to its defense??. It seems that sub-par films can ride on the love and familiarity of the fans. However, reviewers aren't quite as quick to don the nostalgia-tinted spectacles.

At least Pokemon managed to serve the fans well. Now, all we have to scratch that video game itch are films like Borderlands; whi?ch makes Pokemon: The First Movie look Oscar-worthy.

The post Revisiting Pokemon: The First Movie and why it didn’t capture critics, but blasted off with fans appeared first on Destructoid.

The upcoming Pokémon Go season, Max Out, will ??bring new creatures from the Galar region and mark the return of the ?Go Battle League.

The Galar region Pokémon includes starter creatures from Pokémon Sword and Shield.? Along with those additions, the event also features the introduction of Dynamax transformations, seasonal bonuses, and a lot ?more.

Pokémon Go Max Out season release date

Pokémon Go's Max Out season begins on September 3 and ends on December 3, 2024. Like previous seasons, it will run for three months, keeping its usual rotating schedul?e of rewards and creature spawns.

All new Pokémon events in the Max Out season

GO All Out

The GO All Out event is a part of the mobile game's Max Out season, and it runs from September 3 to September 10, 2024, at 10 a.m. local time. As a trainer, you can choose between Grookey, Scorbunny, or Sobble (starter Pokémon from Sword and ?Shield) through new Special Research.

Event Bonuses

• 2× XP for catching Pokémon
• 2× XP for evolving Pokémon

GO Big

GO Big immediately follows the GO All Out event, bringing Dynamax Pokémon to the game. It will run from September 10 at 10 a.m. to September 15, 2024, at 8 p.m. local time.

It's a temporary transformation form where creatures achieve great strength and size. The Dynamax form was introduced in Generation VIII. You will need to collect Max Particles for transformations, and Power Spots spawn all a??round the map the boost you along.

Here's the list of Pokémon that will ??make their?? Dynamax debuts in one-star Max Battles:

• Bulbasaur
• Charmander
• Squirtle
• Skwovet
• Wooloo

Event Bonuses

• 2× XP for winning a Max Battle
• 2× XP for spinning PokéStops

Can you catch a Shiny Pokémon during Max Out?

Yes, Niantic has confirmed there's a chance of encountering a Shiny Pokémon in the Max Out event if you're lucky enough.

GO Battle League returns with Max Out

GO Battle League starts on September 3, 2024, at 1 p.m. PDT, where? you can battle it out in the Master Premier, Halloween Cup, Willpower Cup, Great League: Remix, and more.

At the beginning of the season, these things w??ill ??happen:

• End-of-Season rewards will be available on the Battle screen.
• Your GO Battle League rank will be reset.
• Rank-up requirements will remain the same as the prior Season.

Below, you can find the entire sched??ule for the G??O Battle League.

GO Battle League: Max Out schedule

GO Battle League: Max Out rewards

Guaranteed Rank-Up Encounters

Encounter these Pokémon once per Season at the designated ranks:

Standard Encounters

Encounter these Pokémon in rewa??rd encounters throughout the Season at the ranks mentio?ned in the table below:

The Pokémon or Ultra Beasts that appea?r in five-star raids can appear as a reward Encounter after reaching rank 20.

The post Pokémon Go Max Out Season: Release date, new Pokémon, Battle League sched??ule??, more appeared first on Destructoid.

The Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Surging Sparks set is a supercharged new set for the Pokémon TCG that's supercharged with a Pik??achu ex and packs in more than 250 cards for you to collect, trade, and play with as you figure out what the best decks you can build with it are.

One of the biggest new aspects of the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Surging Sparks set is to allow players to enjoy cards themed around the Terrarium, which was introduced to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero Part 2: The Indigo Disk. There are loads of new ex Pokémon to pick up,?? as well as interesting ACE Spec cards that continue to bring a new twist to the game.

When is the release date for the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Surging Sparks set?

The release date for the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Surging Sparks set is November 8, 2024. Cards will be available digitally through the Pokémon TGC Live app on November 7, 2024, and prereleases will? begin even earlier on Octobe?r 26, 2024.

Soon after, fans in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can look forward to the Pokémon TCG: Grand Adventure Collection. This is a collection of cards celebrating Pokémon Horizons: The Series with cards featuring the series' dual protagonists and much more. Cards from this expansion will be availa??ble at select retailers starting on November 15, 2024.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Surging Sparks set information

The Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Surging Sparks set has some incredibly rare ??cards for you to find if you're cracking packs. These include the following.

• 8 ACE SPEC cards
• 8 Stellar Tera Pokémon ex and nine Tera Pokémon ex
• 23 Illustration Rare Pokémon
• 11 special Illustration Rare Pokémon and Supporter cards
• 6 hyper rare Gold Etched cards

The aim of this set is to bring even more Stellar Tera ex Pokémon to the TCG. These are some of the best-looking cards I've ever seen in the game, so I'm excited to see what?'s been cooked up for the entire set when it's finally in my hands.

The cards that tend to gain value are the Illustration Rares and, ??of course, those Gold Etched cards. Trainer cards are also some of the most exp??ensive from past sets, so if you're looking to boost the value of your collection, those are the ones to pick up or trade for.

Where to buy the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Surging Sparks set

The best place to purchase the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet - Surging Sparks se?t is your local game store. Supporting these stores helps keep physical TCG events alive and boosts your local economy, which is sorely needed these days. However, if your only option is to purchase online, I have a few suggestions for you below.

• Pokémon Center Online (Worldwide): Pokémon Centre Online is the most reliable retailer for the Pokémon TCG. You can grab all the products you want while they're in stock, and this store always has something extra. For example, the ETB for this set includes a limited edition stamped card and box. The only downside is that this retailer is a tad on the expensive side.
• Chaos Cards (US & UK): Chaos Cards is another great retailer with prices so low that it's to your detriment. Products here sell out ridiculously fast, so get your pre-orders in quickly because it won't be holding the stock you're after for long.
• Magic Madhouse (US & UK): Magic Madhouse is a great and very reliable retailer. I use this one the most for my goods. They deliver on time and have great prices that are always in line with what you'd expect. The best way to order from Magic Madhouse is to get your pre-orders in as soon as possible to keep the costs low.
• Amazon (Worldwide): Amazon is a fantastic retailer for getting your TCG products quickly and efficiently. I've used it before for my needs, but I do think the prices rise much faster than you may notice. Especially as you get closer to the launch date of a set.

The post Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet – Surging Sparks release date, set information, and where to buy appeared first on Destructoid.

Nintendo has announced that the Game Boy Advance classic Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team will be coming to Nintendo Switch Online on August 9, 2024. This is a great excuse for those of us who never had a chance to play this spin-o?ff series to dive in like it's launch day.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team was the last Pokémon game to be released for the Game Boy Advance. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team was its counterpart on the Nintendo DS, but the only differences outside of hardware were six exclusive Pokémon on each version. The game focuses on the turn-based combat elements of the series and pits you against groups of enemy Pokémon as you work your way through randomized dungeons, tr??ying to complete jobs for clients and rescue those trapped i??nside.

A dungeon-crawling Pokémon adventure

Nintendo announced that Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team would be coming to Nintendo Switch Online with a post on Twitter. The post itself doesn't give us much to go on other than a release date, but you really don't need more than tha?t with a game that came out between 2005 and 2007. Yes, i??t's retro enough that it had a staggered release date across various regions.

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, you're a human who is turned into one of sixteen Pokémon. Your transformation is determined by a personality test and other factors linked to the Pokémon you become, keeping every playthrough fresh.

Once you're a Pokémon, your job is to pick up jobs from a local board to delve into dungeons and complete jobs on behalf of clients. This includes locating items, rescuing people, and battling everything you encounter. What always intrigued me about this game and its DS counterpart is that you are a Pokémon who can converse with other Pokémon. It looks completely bonkers but is also really special because most Pokémon games leave you guessing as to what your Poké??mon are saying.

Unless you have a modded Game Boy Advance or a retro handheld device with a decent screen, there haven't been any options for playing Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team on anything close to modern hardware until now.

As I mentioned, I missed out on this game the first time around because I had moved on from Pokémon games and was playing strange DS titles like The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Hotel Dusk: Room 215. I felt like I was missing out at the time, though, which is why I'll be ??loading up Nintendo Switch Online come launch day t??????????????????????????o jump in alongside other newcomers and returning fans alike.

The post Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue ?Team hits Nintendo Switch Online next week appeared first on Destructoid.

When playing Pokémon GO, it’s natural to want to build the strongest possible team.? As such, you may be looking to evolve your Pokémon into bigger and mostly better forms.? Some of these evolutions aren’t as simple as spending candy and pressing a button, though. 

There are a large number of Pokémon who will only evolve after you’ve completed certain Buddy Tasks. These can be as simple as walking a certain distance, or catching a certain number of Pokémon of a certain type. In this guide, we'll go through specific Buddy Task evolutions. Others, such as the bizarre case of Inkay, will not be included. 

How to select or change your Buddy in Pokémon GO

Of course it’s no use? simply doing these tasks if the required Pokémon isn’t set as?? your Buddy at the time. 

To select a Pokém??on Buddy, navigate to your Pokédex and select which Pokémon you want as your Buddy. After picking one, scroll down and select the Buddy icon to select your first Buddy. 

If you’ve already got a Buddy and want to switch it out for another Pokémon, open their Buddy Profile via the button in the bottom left corner of the map, then select ‘Swap Buddies�?at the bottom of their Profile.&??nbsp;

Once you’ve got your Buddy at your side, you can choose to either get them out of their Pokéball to walk beside you on the map, or keep them inside. Either way, your efforts towards evolving them via Bud??dy Tasks will count.

Pokémon who evolve through distance walked in Pokémon GO

One of the simplest types of Buddy Tasks in Pokémon GO is walking. Different Pokémon require different distances bef??ore you’ll be able to evolve them:

Pokémon with specific Buddy Tasks to evolve

Things get slightly more complicated with these Pokémon, as they have specific requirements which must be completed while they’re set as your Buddy before you can even attempt to ev??olve them. 

You’ll know if your Buddy has one of these tasks, because there will be a d?rop down menu under the Evolve button which details the task.

The post All Pokémon GO Buddy Evolutions with Special Buddy T?asks appeared first on Destructoid.

As of June 19, the legendary Pokémon Yveltal has become available in Pokémon Go's five star raid battles. As the Destruction Pokémon from Pokémon X & Y's Kalos region, it's a fittingly challenging creature to defeat and capture. You only have until June 28 to obtain Yveltal for yourself (you can view the June schedule for raids here), so here's a quick rundown of some importan??t advice for you if you're s?truggling in its raid battles.

Pokémon Go: Yveltal's type and weaknesses

Yveltal is classified as a Dark and Flying type, meaning it has an immunity to both Psychic and Ground type attacks, as well as resistances to Ghost, Grass, and Dark attacks. Fortunately, it has several weaknesses, and takes twice as much damage from the following attack types: Rock, Electric, Ice, and Fairy. So, you're going to want to bring your strongest Pokémon?? that have moves of those types, like Stone Edge, Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, and Dazzling Gleam.

As for its own moveset, Yveltal obviously makes use of Dark and Flying type attacks, so you don't want to take it on with any Psychic, Ghost, Grass, or Fighting type Pokémon. Unless they have a secondary type that can cancel out those weaknesses, they'll more than likely get shredded. Yveltal can also boast the deadly Hyper Beam attack, as well as the? Fighting type attack Focus Blast, whic??h makes it risky sending out any Rock or Ice types against it unless you're good at dodging enemy moves.

Best counters for Yveltal in Pokémon Go

Since Yveltal is a Legendary Pokémon, you'll ideally want to send another Legendary or a Mythical Pokémon against it. The Fairy type Diancie (or its Mega Evolution) is a perfect choice since it has access to both Rock and Fairy attacks, including Moonblast (which can reduce the opponent's attack stat), and resists Yveltal's Dark type attacks. Alternatively, powerful Electric Legendaries like Raikou and Zekrom can work since they resist Flying type attacks and have access to Wild Charge, an Electric attack that reduces an opponent's defence. You can even capture a Shadow Raikou in a raid battle duri??ng w?eekends at the time of writing.

But what if you don't have any appropriate Legendary or Mythical Pokémon on hand? Thankfully, there are some more than worthy alternatives. For Fairy type fans, Gardevoir and its Mega Evolution are probably the next best choice. It has Charm and Dazzling Gleam as its Fairy attacks, and it can even learn the Ice move Triple Axel, which will increases Gardevoir's attack stat as well as deal damage. Gardevoir is par?t Psychic too which means it has quad resistance against Fighting attacks so Focus Blast shouldn't hit as hard if you fail to dodge it.

As for Electric types, Ampharos and Manectric are both solid choices. Both can Mega Evolve and the former can use the Rock attack Power Gem a?s well as Zap Cannon, which has a chance to lower the target's attack. Manectric, meanwhile, can use the aforementioned Wild Charge attack, plus Thunder and the Fire type attack Overheat. That second one may not be super effective against Yveltal, but it deals a lot of damage regardless, though it does reduce Manectric's attack every time you use it.

While the presence of Focus Blast may be a deterrent for bringing a Rock or Ice type, a suitably strong Rhyperior or Galarian Darmanitan can get the job done too. If you have a Rhyperior with its unique Rock Wrecker attack, it's a perfect choice considering how powerful the attack is (if not, Stone Edge is fine too), and Galarian Darmanitan has great Ice attacks like Ice Punch and Avalanche. Aerodactyl is another great Rock type pick since it being part? Flying cancels out its weakness to Fighting attacks, it can Mega Evolve, and it can use Rock Slide and Ancient Power, the latter of which can potentially boost Aerodactyl's attack and defence.

The post How to catch Yveltal in Pokémon Go: weaknesses and best counters (June ?2024) appeared first on Destructoid.

Back in February, the internet was graced with the worldwide viral sensation which was a disastrous Willy Wonka themed event. Now, almost six months later, the curse of doomed conventions has struck again, this time with a Pokémon convention in the Philippines. 

Unlike the dodgy Willy Wonka event which happened in Glasgow, Scotland, the attendees at the Pokéverse PH co??nvention at least had the sunshine on their side, but that did nothing to ?detract from a lack of convention activities, ticket issuing nightmares, and strange partnerships. 

Pokéverse was presented by two brands; Kaloscope, a VR and AR NFT company based in Dubai, and Frigga, a store which sells lucky charms?? based on the Chinese zodiac. It was also partnere??d with Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Thanks to @BintuRita? on Twitter, we have a unique insight into what exactly went so ??wrong at the convention in Mandaluyong, Manila. 

The event was described by Pokéverse as “by fans for fans�?and advertised to featu??re “trainer quests, stellar headliners and live musical performances�? However, from the start, things seem to have gone very wrong at the convention, with promised attractions being drastically downsized or simply failing to materialize, in the case of a giant Pikachu who was supposed to greet attendees as they arrived. 

The headliners, Veronica Taylor (who voiced Ash in the first eight seasons of the TV show) and Jason Paige ?(the vocalist on the now infamous original theme song) did indeed show up, but this exciting opportunity for fans was soured by the lack of thought or care which went into the rest of the ??promised activities. 

One of the biggest issues faced by attendees was a ticketing fiasco which left visitors confused and frustrated. Tickets were ?to be sold at the event for those who hadn’t pre-purchased, but they were being sold in an entirely different area of the convention’s location, information which wasn’t passed on to attendees until they’d already been queuing for a long time. 

The floorplan for Pokéverse, originally released prior to the event, showed the large area to be filled with activities to take part in and vend?ors to purchase items from. Howeve?r, after eventually gaining entry to the event space, attendees were greeted with large empty areas and nothing much to actually do. 

Of course, no doomed convention or event would be complete, it seems, without the appearance of a bizarre character. The somehow more strange Pokéverse equivalent of the Unknown was the “Ravioli Man�? who entered the convention carrying a jar of Ravioli, eating it from in his pocket before smearing it all over the convention’s booths. He was kicked out by security, but then allowed to re-enter later. Honestly, you couldn’t make this up.? 

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Niantic had already unsubtly teased it, but the legendary Necrozma is officially on its way to Pokémon Go, along with a new fusion mechanic. While there's still excitement among players for Necrozma's inclusion, a quick glance at fan responses shows some people would rather Nian??tic prioritize reverting its avatar changes.

Niantic shared details on Necrozma via a May 13 Twitter post, and yet the very first response was a plea for the studio to "Revert the avatars." Once you get past the first lot of reactions from blue check users??, the replies turn into a barrage of similar demands requesting Niantic undo its big avatar update. Even after that initial?? wave of comments peters out, you can still catch other such replies in-between ones that are actually related to Necrozma's inclusion.

Last month, Niantic rolled out an update to Pokémon Go players' avatars, adding new and more detailed customisation options, such as adjustable body weights, eye colors, and skin tones. To call the update unpopular would be an understatement, with practically the entire player-base lambasting it for making their avatars "uglier." This Reddit thread from April is ch??ock full of harsh criticisms, with some calling it a late April Fools joke. Among the top comments are complaints of how pale avatars look, to the point where they're described as "anemic," as well as how everyone now ??sports a "baggy crotch."

Not long after the update's arrival, fan site Pokémon Go Hub claimed to have been contacted by a Niantic representative who said the company was accepting feedback and "taking this seriously." However, they added Niantic didn't promise it would make any further changes or revert the update, and the company doesn't seem to have commented on the avatars since then. Until it does, I expect any future Pokémon Go content announcements will continue to be met with cries for a U-turn on the ??ava?tar customization.

As for what Niantic is actually talking about, Necrozma will initially only be available in five-star raids during in-person Pokémon Go Fest 2024 events, though there will be a global event later in the summer anyone can participate in regardless of location. Necrozma is an especially unique Pokémon since it can fuse with either Solgaleo or Lunala to take on one of two forms: Dusk Mane Necrozma and Dawn Wings Necrozma. To do this, you need a certain amount of Necrozma ??and Cosmog Candy as well as one of two new resources: 1,000 Solar Energy for fusing with Solgaleo or 1,000 Lunar Energy for fusing with Lunala. Both resources will become available by completing ??certain research tasks, or by defeating Dusk Mane Necrozma and Dawn Wings Necrozma in raid battles.

You can find a more detailed breakdown on Necrozma and its forms on the official Pokémon Go website, but it's not the only new addition coming to the game either. Three more of the Ultra Beasts—Naganadel, Stakataka, and Blacephalon—will become available for capture during an Ultra Space Wonders event. Said event will run from May 23 to May 28, and you can read more about it on Niantic's website.

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As the resident pseudo-legendary of the Unova region, Hydreigon is not only cool looking but one of Generation 5's strongest Pokémon. Unsurprisingly, it's become a viable partner for Pokémon Go pl?ayers, be it competitively or for tak?ing part in raids. If you want to succeed in battles with your own Hydreigon, you need the best moveset for it.

Described as the Brutal Pokémon, Hydreigon is a Dark/Dragon type, and typically can't be caught in the wild?. If you've yet to obtain one for yourself, you'll need to catch a Deino and feed it enough Candy to evolve it into Zweilous and then Hydreigon.

Best moves for Hydreigon in Pokémon Go

Like with most other Pokémon in Pokémon Go, Hydreigon has a small list of moves to work with, so it's easy to experiment and see which work best. However, we believe the two best moves to use are Bite, for its Fast Attack, and Brutal Swing, for its Charged Attack. Both are Dark type attacks, which limits Hydreigon's coverage, b?ut they also benefit from STAB (same type attack bonus), ensuring they'll do extra damage even against opponents that aren't weak to Dark attacks.

Alternatively, Dragon Breath is a suitable replacement t??o Bite if you prefer since both attacks have the exact same stats and STAB benefits, but the former is only super effective against other Dragon types.

The one problem, howe??ver, is that Brutal Swing isn't a move Hydreigon can learn naturally. It's an exclusive move that can only be taught to Hydreigon during certain events. Those events were, at the time of writing, the June 2022 Community Day, the December 2022 Community Day, and the De??cember 2023 Community Day.

De?dicated players will already have a Hydreigon with Brutal Swing, but if you're a newcomer, there's unfortunately no other way to teach Brutal Swing to your own Hydreigon. It's a shame since Brutal Swing is easily Hydreigon's best Charged Attack. Although its base damage is weaker than its other Charged Attacks, it enjoys STAB and has a low energy cost in both PvE and PvP.

It's recommended you keep an eye on any and all future Pokémon Go Communi??ty Day events, since they could provide an opportunity to gain Brutal Swing. Until then, your next best option is either Dark Pulse or Dragon Pulse since these can benefit from STAB too. You can unlock a second Charged Attack slot, but it requires 75,000 Stardust and 75 Candies. It's well worth the price, though, since you can then equip your Hydreigon with both Dark Pulse and Dragon Pulse for better coverage. If you do have/get Brutal Swing, you can then pair it with Bite and Dragon Pulse, so you have two Dark type attacks and a Dragon type attack.

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Many video game characters are present in our minds every day, due to our beloved memories of playing their games or their iconic personalities. From Vault B??oy's memorable smile to Mario's bright overalls, here are the most iconic video game characters, ranked.

10. Vault Boy

This could be recency bias, but Vault Boy is much more iconic than he used to be, partially thanks to the Amazon Fallout TV show. This figure is seen in the fictional propaganda from the United States government, before the universe's nuclear fallout occurred. He adorns all the tutorial??s for players ?in the game and has a smile that you can't forget.

He's on shirts, mugs, and there are many toys based on the character, including an odd rubber duck figure. Ove??rall, his design works so well because he perfectly encapsulates the cheesy advertising we'd expect from the mid-20th century to an almost creepy extent.

9. Crash Bandicoot

WOAH! Crash Bandicoot is the first PlayStation mascot who truly took a stand to Nintendo's might. Calling out Nintendo ?outside their HQ with a speakerphone in an infamous ad campaign, this marsupial is an iconic character from the '90s.

The difficult, yet well-crafted level design in his PS1 trilogy of games made him stand out even more. His tongue-in-cheek attitude was more appealing to older fans who have moved on from Nintendo, and while he's less in the limelight nowadays, Crash Bandicoot's remake N'Sane Trilogy sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

8. Cloud Strife

He's dreamy. He's strong. But most of all, Final Fantasy 7's Cloud is iconic to many, especially those who grew up during the original PlayStation era. With his impressive Buster Sword, he is a mighty hero facing a devastating villain known as Sephiroth. He may be tough and quiet in the beginning, but as the story unveils itself, he becomes a relatable hero as he learns to open up more. The spiky yellow hair and green eyes also make him stand out among the rest, especially with his updated appearance in Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

7. Link

The Hero of Time is an iconic character within the gaming landscape. His green tunic, Hy??lian Shield, and of course the Master Sword are all distinct visual signifiers in their own right.

Link acts as our view into the world of The Legend of Zelda. And yes, he might not speak a single word, but Nintendo captures his personality through his yells and physic??al communicat?ion. The blonde hero solves tough puzzles with cool items, gadgets, masks, and more, and triumphs over evil in the end.

6. Lara Croft

While many scoff at BAFTA's list of most iconic video game characters for having Lara Croft in first place, she is still an important figure in the industry's history. She's arguably the most popular female protagonist in video games. The Tomb Raider games were critically acclaimed and sold millions. She was featured in many advertisements for Pepsi, Lucozade, and other brands; I vividly remembe??r seeing them as a kid. She even had her own movies starring the po?pular Angelina Jolie, in a time video game adaptations weren't common.

Lara Croft proved to many that a strong female protagonist can lead a successful video game franchise. It has sold over 95 million copies since her debut in the '90s. She and her dual pistols are ?iconic.??

5. Pac-Man

Before there was Mario or Sonic, Pac-Man ruled through conquering arcades. His high-score-focused game took over the world. "Pac-Man sold 400,000 gaming cabinets to arcades around the world and made $3.5 billion in lifetime sales by 1990," according to Statista.

In a world before consoles, that's a huge number. While his presence isn't as well-known nowadays, you can still buy plenty of merchandise from stores like a Lego version of the cabinet, watch his Disney TV show, and of course, play the exciting World's Largest Pac-Man in modern arcades today. He even got a cameo spot as a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character.

4. Master Chief

Locked and loaded, Master Chief took over the gaming zeitgeist when Halo: Combat Evolved was released in 2001. This armored hero has been Xbox's figurehead for over two decades, leading one o?f the most popular sci-fi storylines in gaming. The green suit and visor is iconic, as millions of players stepped into his boots for the campaign and took part in online multiplayer. He is a figurehead ?for the Xbox era of gaming, as we shifted more towards multiplayer.

The Super Bowl Halo 3 trailer still stands as some of the best marketing a game h??as received with impressive visuals, and Master Chief right in the center of the act?ion. He's a badass.

3. Sonic the Hedgehog

Going "faster, faster, faster" has always been riveting in the Sonic the Hedgehog games. Sonic's depicted as the "cool" mascot next to Nintendo's cheerful Italian plumber. He spins on the floor, can dash through the air ?at breakneck speeds, and runs around the Green Hill Zone with no problem. He even wags his tail at the title screen and taps his foot if you leave the game idle.

Most of his games, especially the original tetralogy, have memorable stages, music, and boss battles that remain in our memories. He's even a popular movie character, making over $700 million at the box office with two films. A third Sonic film is on the way, with Keanu Reeves voicing Shadow. Sonic is likely to spindash on our conso??les and mobile systems for many?? more decades to come.

2. Pikachu

The most adorable creature ever created, Pikachu, takes the second spot. Characterized hea?vily by the anime in pop??ular culture, this Pokémon is beloved for its bright red cheeks, lightning (or heart)-shaped tail, and cute voice by the talented Ikue Ōtani. You just want to reach out to this electrical mouse and pet its fur, hence why so much merchandise like plush has been released.

This particular creature is so popular that it has five of its own games: Pokémon Yellow, Pokémon Let's Go: Pikachu, Detective Pikachu, Detective Pikachu Returns, and the infamous Hey You, Pikachu! The last game has you speak to the Pokémon through a microphone and interact with it on the Nintendo ?64.

The electric mouse even starred in a movie, Detective Pikachu, with Ryan Reynolds lending his voice to the Pokémon. According to The Numbers, the film's box office growth is over $425 million. It c?ertainly caught us all.

1. Mario

Wahoo! Mario is the most iconic video game character, without a doubt. He helped bring back a love for video games after the crash in the '80s with thrilling platforming and ingenious marketing. He took the world by storm with one stellar game after another. When a new mainline Mario game is announced, it'??s a huge deal to t??he gaming community.

Nintendo was "playing with power," a??s the Italian plumber warmed everyone's hearts with his plucky attitude and smile. He?? has remained a cultural icon, from his style to his voice, performed by Charles Martinet. The whimsical tone and funny Italian accent Martinet provided added so much to the role.

When Chris Pratt was announced as the voice of Mario for The Super Mario Bros. movie, almost everyone scoffed at the idea. However, the Illumination film was beloved by a wide audience around the world, breaking over $1.35 billion at the box office, according to The Numbers. Mario is simply iconic.

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There are so many products out there for Pokemon fans that ??it's pretty overwhelming whe?n it comes to buying yourself a present or buying someone you know is a fan a gift.

The world of Pokemon products is fraught with a vast array of options. It's difficult to know what that Pokemon fan in your life already owns and what they'd even want. You'd think buying for yourself would be easier, but no, Pokemon fans are the worst at figuring out what they want and distilling it into just one gift. That's why I've listed out the best Pokemon gifts you should check out this year.

Ranking the best Pokemon gifts to check out this year

Below, I've listed 17 of the best Pokemon gifts all fans and those buying for fans should check out this year. I wouldn't call any of them bad because, believe me, there really are some terrible Pokemon ?gifts out there. But some are certainly better than others, so we start at the top here with number 17 and work our way up to the best Pokemon gift at the bottom, number 1.

17. Pikachu/Pokemon onesie

Most Pokemon fans would kill for a Pikachu onesie, but we'll settle for any Pokemon onesie. Personally, I'd love a Snorlax one. These can make a great gift for all ages, from babies and new parents to every age of child and even adults. I have several friends who get home from their very serious jobs and don their Pokemon onesie after a long day.

The best place to buy a Pokemon onesi??e is Amazon because ??it offers great delivery, and the onesies are all relatively cheap. You should expect to pay roughly $30/£20 for a product like this Pikachu onesie. Anything cheaper might be an inferior product that'll rip or is made with low-quality material, which nobody wants.

16. Pokemon Monopoly: Kanto Edition

Pokemon Monopoly is a good gift for any Pokemon fan who loves board games or, you know, is into playing games with their family. Monopoly might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I've found that even those who claim they hate it will play it if it's a customer edition and they're playing with a group. There's a reason you can get so many different editions of Monopoly, and ??if nothing else, this board game will make a great addition to any fan's collection because it comes in a n??ice big box.

15. Pikachu Nightlight

As a dad who loves Pokemon, I can't tell you how useful it is to be able to justify either buying or asking for Pokemon gifts that actively help me as a parent. Night lights are fantastic for children who don't like to sleep in total darkness. They provide a soft, warm light that actually helps enhance your body's melatonin production at night. Pikachu's natural coloring lends itself to this type of product, which is why this Pikachu nightlight is one of the most perfect Pokemon gifts out there.

14. Pokemon pill bottle

Vitamins are part of my family's daily healthcare routine. We all take at least one pill or product to help ward off the coughs and colds that come home from school. A Pokemon pill bottle like this one from Etsy would make swallowing these each day infinitely more appealing, especially if someone purchased that for me or my kids as a Pokemon-themed gift.

A pill bottle like this could also be a fantastic gift for someone who has just received a diagnosis or started going through treatment for something. It won't take the sting away from a radi??cal change in life, but it's a way to put your own spin on something that can feel like it's taking over someone's life.

13. Pokemon keyboard accessories

Those of us who work from home or spend a lot of time on the computer in our spare t??ime love accessories because computers are super dull without them. I've found that the best peripheral to accessorize is your keyboard because every key and the entire board unit can be customized to look completely unique.

A fabulous Pokemon gift for anyone who spends a good chunk of their time at their computer would be a custom Pokemon keyboard or set of keys. The best ones I've seen are all over Etsy. My favorite is this resin Pokemon space bar that I could stare at all day.

12. Pokemon guidebooks

Since its inception, the Pokemon franchise has had guidebooks. There are guidebooks for the TCG, the TV show, and every game from the Game Boy to the Nintendo Switch. These make great Pokemon gifts be?cause fans want to read about this universe, and some of these books are like windows into the pa??st.

For example, my nephew adores the TV show and owns a Pokedex book for every Pokemon as new regions are added. I myself had the guidebook for Pokemon Gold and Silver. Amazon is packed with Pokemon books you could get as gifts, and there are enough that you could space them out across birthdays, Christmas, and every?thing in? between for years.

11. Pokemon waffle maker

A waffle maker is a great present for anyone moving house, off to university, or just someone who really loves Pokemon. You can eat them as any meal, depending on your topping, but they get a little boring after a while. A Pokemon waffle maker, like this one from Amazon, will keep waffles intere?sting for longer and make them the most appropriate treat for fans sittin??g down to watch a movie, a TV show, or play games.

10. Custom Pokemon wall art

Wall art makes a great gift for Pokemon fans, but you can't get any old art. There are some Pokemon art pieces that have been doing the rounds for years, but the best wall art for a gift is something unique, which you can get a lot of on Etsy. These individual creators are the best place to buy this art because some reputable companies use AI art, which a lot of Pokemon fans don't like.

9. Pokemon wedding cake toppers

No longer can you say that the perfect Pokemon wedding gift doesn't exist, provided you buy it for the happy couple before their big day. Pokemon wedding cake toppers are a niche gift, but Etsy is full of them, and I can imagine so many? couples wanting some for their special occasion. ?My wife and I used Lego figures but I know my daughter is going to want these when she's ready.

8. Snorlax beanbag

Few things look more comfortable than a Snorlax beanbag, which is why they're the perfect Pokemon gift for the fan in your life. These beanbags have endless uses, from seats to little beds for power naps or as the ultimate weapons in a pillow fight. Amazon is the best place to get one that's definitely going to be big enough to cuddle, a fact that you need to prioritize above all other fe??atures competitor beanbags will throw at you.

7. Pokedex Switch game holder

Most Pokemon games released today are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch. Pokemon fans will have more than just Pokmeon games, though, which is why a game cartridge holder themed after their favorite franchise is a great Pokemon gift. This particular one is from Amazon and holds 24 cartridges, which should just about be enough for the average Pokemon fan who likes to play through both versions of every major in??stal?lment.

6. Pokemon Sleep-t??hemed hotel stay at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Japan

If you want to splash out on an incredible Pokemon gift for the fan in your life, I think the most expensive present you could get them is a trip to the Grand Hyatt hotel in Japan, where they can spend a few nights in a Pokemon Sleep-themed room. These suites and the tickets to get to them won't be cheap, but they make for an unforgettable trip that even includes Pokemon-themed meals.

5. Scarlet & Violet 151 Ultra Premium Collection - Mew

If you want to get a Pokemon gift for the TCG (Pokemon Trading Card Game) fan in your life, the Scarlet & Violet 151 Ultra Premium Collecti??on—Me??w is the best option for premium products. It'??s a pre??mium collection of cards that will make any TCG fan's day. I guarantee it.

4. Pokemon Nintendo Switch dock

This is another brilliant Pokemon gift for any fan with a Nintendo Switch. Most Switches require a dock, and you can change a fan's life by gifting them with a custom Pokemon dock from an independent creator on Etsy. There are so many of these that it's hard to choose just one to showcase, but a Pokemon lover with a Switch would be happy with anything that's not a bog stan?dard Switch dock??.

3. Booster packs of the latest Pokemon TCG set

Few Pokemon gifts are as reliable as Pokemon cards. A good gift to get will forever be a booster pack or two of the latest set. To find this, you can check out either Amazon or the official Pokemon Store's website, where the la?test set will be listed at the top.

At the time of writing, for example, Twilight Masquerade is out soon, but there's a new set every two months or so. If you want t?o splash out a little on the fan in your life, you could get a Trainer Box, which has more than just a few booster packs in so that someone gets a reall?y meaty present.

2. Classic Pokemon games

There are many Pokemon games that the fan in your life might have never played. If they've only encountered Pokemon on the Nintendo Switch, they've got a lot of games they could go back and play if they're superfans. You can buy classic Pokemon games from Amazon and? various other retailers if you want to get a collection of every game ever made.

Be warned; this is a deep rabbit hole to go down. Pokemon Red and Blue were released for a black and white handheld Nintendo console, and we've had dozens of games since then. This is another Pokemon gift you ?could spread out over the course of yea??rs if you want a reliable present that will always hit the mark.

1. 59-inch Slowpoke Poke Plush

Potentially the best Pokemon gift you could get anyone ever. This Slowpoke Poke Plush is 59 inches of pure heaven. It's absolutely massive and will dwarf even adults as they pick it up to cuddle it. As far as plushies go, it's definitely not the cheapest, but there's nothing better for the fan you want to treat who has every other plushie that The Pokemon Center has ever released.

What are the best Pokemon cards to buy as a gift?

While all Pokemon fans would appreciate a rare PSA graded Pokemon card as a gift, they cost thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars. The best Pokemon cards to buy as a gift are either booster packs from the latest s??et or Trainer Boxes from any set.

Booster packs are small packs of cards from a set that contain at least one shiny card and the chance for many others that could be incredibly rare. Trainer Boxes, on the other hand, have multiple booster packs inside as well as a bunch of Pokmeon goodies that TCG fans will adore.

Of course, there are more collectible Pokemon card products you can buy. However, because they're?? so desirable, these tend to sell out pretty quickly. You're better off going for the basic booster packs and Trainer Boxes because there are more of them rea??dily available.

What is the best Pokemon card thing to buy?

The best Pokemon card product you can buy as a gift depends on the ?person you're buying for. If they don't have many cards, then some booster packs will help them build their collection. If they've got a lot of cards and want to start playing at a local game store, then card sleeves are a fantastic?? gift that's pretty cheap and will help the fan protect their cards.

If, however, the person you're buying for just wants to collect Pokemon cards instead of playing with them, then a b?inder is a good idea for a gift. This is a booklet where you can store your cards to keep them protected while als??o being able to look through them whenever you want.

What are the best Pokemon cards to start collecting?

Any Pokemon card is a great way to start a collection. I began collecting when the very fi??rst sets were released but then took an incredibly long break before getting back into the TCG. You can buy any booster pack or Trainer Box for someone, and it will have value as part of a collection, b??ut the best products to buy are always the most exclusive or latest set.

What is the best place to buy Pokemon gifts?

The best places to buy Pokemon gifts are Amazon, Etsy, or The Pokemon Center. Amazon is great for reliable delivery and fairly low prices on Pokmeon gifts, while Etsy offers the most unique gifts you can get in the world. The Pokemon Center offers exclusive items, but they're pretty expensive. Still, this last store is where most Pokemon fa?ns will buy their products because they get the m??ost for their money there.

What is a gift good for a child who likes Pokemon?

A good gift for a child who likes Pokemon is a booster pack of trading cards from the TCG. Kids love opening the packs and looking at the cards, even playing with them, but it's hard to judge when they're ready to get into the video games. Unless a parent asks you specifically for a Pokemon game for their child, you shouldn't be buying t??hem.

Asking parents exactly what Pokemon gifts a child wants is a great way ??to ensure you get something the child wants. They speak about it in school and can become quite obsessed. I know my nephews are, but that just makes life easier. Figure o??ut from them what they want most and get a gift that's as close to that as possible.

The post Th?e 17 best Pokémon gifts to catch this year (ranked) appeared first on Destructoid.

Since its inception, fan-made puzzle game PokeDoku only offered daily puzzles, meaning once you cleared one, you had to wait till the next day to keep playing. Now, though, you can spend all day every day solving PokeDoku puzzles thanks to the long-awaited introduction ?of Unlimited Mode.

Creator Doku_Games confirmed the addition of Unlimited Mode earlier today on the PokeDoku Twitter account. If you've never heard of PokeDoku until now, it's exactly what it sounds like: Sudoku but with Pokémon instead of numbers. The goal is to fill out a 9x9 grid with Pokémon that fill two condi??tions. So, for example, a Baby Pokémon that is also an Electric type. You also can't use the same Pokémon twice, and you only have nine moves, meaning a single mistake will cost you your winning streak.

While there are loads of other daily puzzle games online, like Wordle and its many clones, PokeDoku is the only to have truly sunk its claws into me. As a die-hard Pokémon fan, I've been diligently checking it out for months to flex my knowledge and fill out my PokéDex, though my inability to maintain a high winning streak has shown me I'm not as well versed as I thought I was. With over 1,000 Pokémon as of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, ma??ny have slipped through the cracks in my memory, and I'??m always left frustrated when I find myself unable to name Pokémon for particularly rare combinations.

Unlimited Mode is not only a way to keep playing long after solving the daily challenge, but it also makes for good practice too. PokeDoku lets you customize the kind of puzzles you get, so you can remove certain conditions or limit yourself to specific kinds of Pokémon. You can even give yourself unlimited moves, though any correctly picked Pokémon won't count towards your Po??kéDex. It can be a more casual or more hardcore experience depending on your preference, and maybe help you memorize certain combinations for the daily puzzles.

Either way, I can see myself having a few quick runs of PokeDoku in my spare time while I wait for the next daily puzzle. If you're a Pokémon fan and somehow haven't tried it out for yourself, you can play the game on its official website.

The post PokeDoku Unlimited Mode let?s you play your daily obsession multiple times a day appeared first on Destructoid.

Infinite Craft is a browser game which allows you to create pretty much anything you can imagine and even some things that you wouldn’t have imagined in your wildest dreams. One of my favorite things to do in Infinite Craft is build a Pokédex, ??and I’ve figured out how to make every Eeveelut??ion. 

How to make Eevee in Infinite Craft

Before you can make the Eeveelutions, you’ll first? need to make Eevee. To do this, follow this recipe:

Once you’ve made Eevee, you’r??e quite literally one step away from all of the Eeveelutions.

How to make Flareon in Infinite Craft

To make Flareon in Infinite Craft, all you need to do is add Fire to Eevee. 

How to make Vaporeon in Infinite Craft

To make Vaporeon in Infinite Craft, just add Water to Eevee.

How to make Leafeon in Infinite Craft

To make Leafeon in Infinite Craft, you have to make plant:

Earth + Water = Plant

Once yo??u’ve made Plant, just add it to Eevee?? to make Leafeon.

How to make Espeon in Infinite Craft

Before you? can make Espeon, you’ll first need t?o make Sun:

O??nce you’ve done ?this, combine Sun with Eevee to get Espeon.

How to make Umbreon in Infinite Craft

In order to make Umbreon in Infinite Craft, you’ll need to make Moon first:

Once you’ve got Moon, put it together with Ee??vee to get Umbreon. 

How to make Glaceon in Infinite Craft

You’ll need to ma??ke Ice before you can make Glaceon. To do so, follow this recipe:

Once you’ve go??t ice, just put it together with Eevee a?nd you’ll have Glaceon!

How to make Jolteon in Infinite Craft

Strangely, combining two of the previous Eeveelutions, Flareon and Vaporeon, together will result in J??olteon. H??owever, there’s another more fitting way involving Lightning:

Once you’ve got Lightning, adding? it to Eevee will rather predictably result? in Jolteon.

How to make Sylveon in Infinite Craft

To make Sylveon, you only need one of the starter eleme??nts - Wind. 

Just add Wind to Eevee and you�??�ll get Sylveon?. 

The post How to make every Eeveelution in Infinite Craft appeared first on Destructoid.

Arguably, the most exciting part of any Pokemon title is weighing the options of your starter and trying to predict how your jo??urney will go. Every generation has something fun to choose, especially if you're not dedicated to a certain type. From Kanto to Paldea, it's likely that your starter will be with you every step of the way, but there's a lot of adorable monster sidekicks to choose from.

So, if you're in the business of catchi??ng them all �?and by all, I mean starters �?then we've got a breakdown below of every generation's starter Pokemon. Do you have a favorite type? Is there a best type? What about generation? All up in the air, but what is certain is that Litten and Charmander gotta be amongst the most adorable.

EXCLUSIVE: Get 6 free months ??of Amazon Prime with the Prime for Young Adults plan

Your starter is your most important decision.

Generation 1

Generation I kicked things off back in 1998 with 151 of the pocket monsters to collect. Decades later, the trio of Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle stand as hallmarks for youngsters entering the world of Pokemon.

• Starters

  • Bulbasaur
  • Charmander
  • Squirtle

• Games

  • Pokemon Red
  • Pokemon Blue
  • Pokemon Yellow

• Region

  • Kanto

Generation 2

Quick on the heels of Generation I's success, Game Freak introduced players to the Johto region where Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile would serve as companions. With 100 new Pokemon to catch, having a strong starter was critical??, though it is hard to choose?? the other two with Totodile's enthusiasm.

• Starters

  • Chikorita
  • Cyndaquil
  • Totodile

• Games

  • Pokemon Gold
  • Pokemon Silver
  • Pokemon Crystal

• Region

  • Johto

Generation 3

While Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza might have been the big draw in 2003, it would? be a long road before players reached them. Fortunately, Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip would do everything in their power to get their trainer there as the pair travels the Hoenn region. Where Treecko and Torchic's designs were bland, Mudkip picked up the slack with its golden retriever energy packaged as a fish dog.

• Starters

  • Treecko
  • Torchic
  • Mudkip

• Games

  • Pokemon Ruby
  • Pokemon Sapphire
  • Pokemon Emerald

• Region

  • Hoenn
  • Orre
  • Sevii Islands

Generation 4

Even though there were two strong entries prior to Generation 5, 2007's Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl really upped the ante. Turtwig is my favorite starter of all time and is backed by two other hall-of-famers: Chimchar and?? Piplup. They're all undeniable menaces that will dominate the Routes, all day, every day. Aside from Generation 9's Sprigatito, it's all?? been downhill from here.

• Starters

  • Turtwig
  • Chimchar
  • Piplup

• Games

  • Pokemon Diamond
  • Pokemon Pearl
  • Pokemon Platinum

• Region

  • Sinnoh

Generation 5

Generation 5 is where it feels that Game Freak started to lose its way. From the snide Snivy to the unblinking, clown-faced horror that is Oshawott, the starter designs left a lot to be desired. I don't know how they made a Poke??mon creepier than Jynx, but they did and that paraffin profile has haunted my dreams since.

• Starters

  • Snivy
  • Tepig
  • Oshawott

• Games

  • Pokemon Black
  • Pokemon White

• Region

  • Unova

Generation 6

Perhaps the best thing about Generation 6 was its European aesthetic and the unofficial ranking of Shiny Eeveelutions hel??d in Lumiose City. Whi??le fashion was the name of the game, starters like Fennekin and Froakie made quite the impression, especially the latter with his in-game behavior falling in line with the likes of Sam Fisher. Did you know Froakie's bubbles turn into a mask?

• Starters

  • Chespin
  • Fennekin
  • Froakie

• Games

  • Pokemon X
  • Pokemon Y

• Region

  • Kalos

Generation 7

Rowlet is a perfect round boy whose thoughts slide off his smooth brain. Litten is a spicy kitty who shoots flaming hairballs. Popplio is a straight-up cl?own who would be better served as bait for a Kyogre. Aside from Litten, I'm not getting much of a Starter vibe from this trio.

• Starters

  • Rowlet
  • Litten
  • Popplio

• Games

  • Pokemon Sun
  • Pokemon Moon

• Region

  • Alola

Generation 8

I don't even know what to make of these starters. A grass monkey, a sporty rabbit, and a water tadpole caught during its transition into a fr??og? These designs are so forgettable, that my brain blocked th?em out until I had to write this.

• Starters

  • Grookey
  • Scorbunny
  • Sobble

• Games

  • Pokemon Sword
  • Pokemon Shield

• Region

  • Galar
  • Hisui

Generation 9

It's clear that all of the design resources went to Sprigatito during the development of Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet. Fuecoco is a derpy fire dinosaur, whereas Quaxly is too much of a diva to even b?e worth considering. Meanwhile, sweet baby Sprigatito with its tiny pink toe beans makes it the obvious choice when entering the unpolished regions of Paldea and Kitakami.

• Starters

  • Sprigatito
  • Fuecoco
  • Quaxly

• Games

  • Pokemon Scarlet
  • Pokemon Violet

• Region

  • Paldea
  • Kitakami

The post All Pokémon Starters by Generation appeared first on Destructoid.

Build-A-Bear has a long history of Pokémon plushes, from the first appearance of a wild unstuffed Pikachu back in 2015 all the way to the Eeveelutions released in 2021, there’s been a lot. ??But now, the latest addition might com??e as a surprise. 

Bidoof, the generation four normal type (apparently) Mouse Pokémon that somehow evolves into the Beaver Pokémon Bibarel, was first introduced to the franchise way back in Diamond and Pearl. It flew under the radar, for the most part, but sec?ured a place in the hearts of players and has been an underdog fan favorite e??ver since. 

Gen 4 Pokémon Bidoof is getting an adorable Build-a-Bear release

Bidoof even starred in its own official short film, Bidoof’s Big Stand, back in 2022. This short cemented Bidoof's place as a Pokémon star and proved incredibly popular, racking up almost four million views on the Official Pokémon YouTube channel.

Now, with the addition of Bidoof to the Build-A-Bear lineup, it can take center stage in your collection and honestly, i?t’s adorable. 

Sadly, if you’re angling to run straight to your nearest Build-A-Bear store, you’ll have a wasted journ??ey. This plush i??s an online exclusive, so on the plus side, you can get your hands on him without even moving.

The Build-A-Bear Bidoof bundle will set you back $63 USD, but you get so much more than just Bidoof itself. It also comes with a 5-in-1 sound chip, which plays five different variations of the Mouse Pokémon’s signature sound. You can listen to the sounds on the Build-A-Bear store page, and there’s even one where the Pokémon is giggling, which is either really creepy or incredibly cute, depending ??on what time of d??ay it is when you hear it. 

You’ll also get some clothe??s to preserve Bidoofs dignity and?? prevent a chill.

What better gift for a Mouse-into-Beaver Pokémon than a Lumberjack shirt? Icon??ic, am I right? There’s also a Bandana??, but let’s not pretend here; this is all about the Lumberjack shirt. 

The post Gen 4’s most underappreciated Pokémon joins the Build-A-Bear lineup and its adorable appeared first on Destructoid.

Darlings, I come to you from the fashion capital of the Pokemon GO world, Lumiose City. Here, a Pokemon isn't simply a beas??t to be used in battles amongst the common rabble. Instead, they're praised for their poise and appearance. From the softest Wooloo ?to the most festive Quaquaval, we here know what makes a Pokemon shine.

I suppose it's fitting that "Shiny" Pokemon variants are the very embodiment of that. Of the hundreds that compete in our city, the Eeveelutions are some of the strongest competitors. But, how do the best of the best rank amongst one anot?her? What makes one Eevee ris?e above all else?

The best Shiny Eeveelutions in Pokemon GO

8. Flareon

Sweet baby Flareon, no. Simply not. This shiny version is not worthy of the title, as your otherwise fiery fur looks like an undercooked version of a regular Flareon coat. Distinct you ?are not, and the subtlety is entirely lost. When I must question my keen eyes as to your very status as a Shiny Pokemon, that immediately disqualifies you from any such "best of" consideration.

7. Glaceon

Glaceon, were you not listening to the quite severe tongue-lashing I just gave your compatriot, Flareon? Turning down your brightness is literally the exact opposite of being a Shiny. Are we certain your trainer just didn't bathe you, and this light coating of dirt is only a bald-faced lie? No. Disqualified. Consider seven and eight tied for d?ead last.

6. Leafeon

I was disappointed in the previous ??two Eeeveelutions and now I'm steering into the choppy seas of anger. Saying this slightly darker Leafeon is a Shiny is akin to saying my cousin, Felipe, is a Shiny after his holiday to Sunyshore City in Sinnoh. Would someone from security come to escort the??se charlatans from our illustrious competition before they sully it with their falsehoods?

5. Jolteon

Finally! This is clearly a shiny ??Pokemon! Rather than the vivid yellow that embodies the very lightning from which its powers spring, Jolteon has opted for a striking Khaki, or Yellow Green. Does it make any sense? Not in the least, but I'll take it after the previous three imposters. Jolteon is at least a real upgrade from the others.

4. Espeon

Espeon, my dear, have you been drinking from a less-diluted source of the water Jolteon had gotten into? Esc??hewing the not-so-subtle pink which naturally fits with its psychic powers, the shiny Espeon channels its inner Hulk with this shade of Green, Inch Worm, or Lightgreen. It's distinctive and boring all the same.

3. Vaporeon

This Vaporeon has been imbued with the spirit of what it means to be a shiny Pokemon. This sleek Plum or Mauve coat immediately catch?es the eye with its sheer exuberance. Rather than making me stop and question the color choice, I'm instead enthralled with the composition and the way it elicits feelings of excitement. I find myself genuinely torn as to which version of Vaporeon I prefer after seeing this remarkable coloration.

2. Sylveon

Sometimes the most exciting change can come from a simple palette swap. This shiny Sylveon commits to the idea without going too far by replacing the white coat with a black one, which would only dull the pastel highlights. This retains the s??a??me feeling of lightness while adding a visual distinction. If I were to have a Sylveon, I would insist on having two, in both regular and Shiny variants simply to appreciate the contrast.

1. Umbreon

As we say in Lumiose City, "We'll wear black until something darker comes along." The shiny Umbreon challenges that belief by trading its black coat and red eyes for Gray or Dimgray and striking yellow eyes. We get so caught up in ourselves and stick to darker shades that we can lose appreciation for subtlety and comfort in mid-tones. Rather than the emphasis being placed on the yellow markings against a black coat, we can appreciate the blue highlights for what they are without disregard for the base. Truly, the s?hiny Umbreon is the standout in this competition and the best among Eevee's Shiny evolutions.

The post All Shiny Eeveelutions in Pokemon GO, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokemon Cards can be incredibly valuable depending on a few factors. For example, something as simple as featuring Charizard can boost value, along with the card's condition, or any printing defects. It's a ??minefield for anyone opening packs who finds a rare card because they need to know how to grade Pokemon Cards immediately, or they might lose out on opportunities to sell or trade.

How to determine if a Pokemon Card is rare

To grade a Pokemon Card, you need to first check that it's worth being graded, and then use a well-known company to have the card graded and sealed in a plasti??c shell. There are a few factors that will determine whether your Pokemon Card should be graded. I've listed these below so you know that if your card checks all of these boxes, you should seriously consider getting it graded.

• Check that your Pokemon Card is worth grading. This can be subjective, such as with cards that have sentimental value. However, the most common reason to grade a card is because it's rare. You need to do your research and really know if you've got a rare card, so it helps to keep up to date with what content creators are saying is rarest, meaning you know those cards by sight while opening packs.
• Once you have a rare card, you need to check that it's a good version and is going to be worth the money you'll spend grading it. These factors are:

  • Does the card have straight corners with no signs of wear or bending?
  • Are the edges crisp with no signs of fraying?
  • Is the surface of the card free from scratches?
  • Is the art and text centered on the card? Usually, you want it to be, but misprints with odd placements can be valuable and worth grading.
  • How does the card look overall? If there's something off with it that makes it look like one you wouldn't want to buy, it's probably not worth grading.

• If your Pokemon Card passes all the checks above and seems worth grading, send it to a reputable grading company.

Who should you send Pokemon Cards to for grading?

The best-known company for grading Pokemon Cards, but also most TCGs, is PSA. It's a trading card game authentication and grading service that will assess any card you send. Once the card has been?? graded, it'll be sent back in a clear plastic shell that? protects it. That shell also states the quality of the card according to an easy-to-understand grading system.

Each card is graded on a scale of 1 to 10,?? with 10 being the best. That grading is based on the condition of the card, whether it's been bent, how crisp the edges are, if there's any light damage, and even checks for damage caused by finger oils. That's why it's best to sleeve every card you get to avoid causing any damage at all.

Finally, PSA also provides a certification number. This is incredibly impor??tant because it gives your card a paper trail. You can show the transaction on your bank account or physica??l receipt to say you purchased the pack the card was in. You can then use the certification number from PSA to show any potential buyers the exact process it's been through. They can check that with PSA if they want to, ensuring they feel protected when buying your card.

BGS is another well-known trading card grading company. It offers the same 10-point level scaling service, so you're getting the same overall product regardless of where you go. We can't say if there's m?uch of a difference in which company gives out mo??re high-quality grades than the other.

The only thing that should sway you between one company or the other is what you intend to do with the card. If you're just trying to protect the card for sentimental reasons or because you really like it, go for the cheapest service. If you want to sell the card you're having graded because you think it'll be worth a lot of money, you should figure out which grading potential buyers will trust more. The most common gradings I've seen are from PSA?, but that might just be because ?more people know and trust that brand.

The post How to grade Pokemon Cards appeared first on Destructoid.

Pokemon has always diversified the ways you can explore its world, with Pokemon TCG being one of them. During today's Pokemon Presents, the company revealed Pokemon Pocket, an upc??oming new way to enjoy the trading card game.

Although Pokemon TCG Online already exists, Pokemon TCG Pocket will introduce new elements that'll?? appeal to players who aren't particularly invested in the competitive side of things and take more d??elight in the artwork of the cards.

The game will allow you to open digital packs and feel the excitement of discovering what new cards you can add to your collection on your mobile device. On your hunt for your favorite cards, you'll also be able to trade with other players a?lso hoping to perfect their collection.

Experience Pokemon TCG like never before

The upcoming game is being developed via a three-way c?ollaboration with Creatures Inc., the Pokemon Company, and DeNA which a company also involved with Pokemo?n Masters EX.

According to the CEO of Creatures Inc., Yuji Kitano, care is being taken to show off the cards with effects only available digitally. One of the ways this is being done is through an immersive experience that lets you leap into the illustrations, which should be a blast when applied to full art and r??are cards.

The competitive element of Pokemon TCG hasn't been eliminated, and you'll sti??ll be abl?e to battle with friends. However, Kitano explains that the rules have been streamlined to allow for quick battles.

We don't have details regarding any monetization strategies, though it is revealed that you'll be able to open two packs a day for free. It launches in 2024, so TCG fans should prepare for the all-new exp?erience?? coming soon.

The post Pokemon TCG goes digital again with P?okemon TCG Pocket appeared first on Destructoid.

The Pokémon Company aired its official 2024 Pokémon Presents presentation today, and it closed it out with some good news. Another Pokémon Legends is on the way, dubbed Pokémon Legends Z-A, and it's currently scheduled for 2025.

Today's teaser trailer shows Pikachu running through a blueprinted city, where many different Pokémon are hanging out. Eventually, the text reveals the "Urban Redevelopment Plan" for Lumiose City - a central location in the Kalos region, the home of Pokémon X and Y.

Pokemon Legends Z-A, as it appears to be called, is a new entry in the Legends series? and could be an interesting look at the origins of another beloved locale.

Legends among us

Legends started off with Pokémon Legends Arceus in 2022, as an interesting side-branch of the mainline series. Transporting its protagonist back in time to the early days of the Diamond and Pearl region, it was much more focused on catching, collecting, and?? ??exploring.

And to its credit, Pokémon Legends Arceus was pretty well-received. Now, especially after the troubles that Scarlet and Violet went through, a Legends game might be a good stop-gap for franchise woes.

Importantly, Z-A is not launching until 2025. While it could be an early launch for that year�?em>Arceus was a January game—that still means we're now looking at a year without a new Pokémon entry, as S/V has wrapped its DLC. Hopef??ully the gap is a good thing. But it does make me curious about what the Switch's holiday lineup will look like for 2024.

The post A new Pokémon Legends game is on the way for 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.