Updates: Pokken, Detective, and GO!

Hey everyone. I know it’s a little late to say this but Happy New Year! Hope your year is going well so far. This post will just cover the news on Pokkén Tournament DX, Detective Pikachu and Pokémon GO. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Right off the bat, we’ve got 2 new contenders for Pokkén Tournament DX from the Battle Pack DLC. The first pack contains Aegislash, the “Royal Sword” Pokémon which comes out January 31st. Its Support Pokémon are Mimikyu and Rayquaza. Mimikyu inflicts status effects as it attacks, while Rayquaza mega evolves and causes massive damage but can only be used once per battle.

The next DLC pack introduces Blastoise, the “Shellfish with cannons” Pokémon and becomes live on March 23rd. Its Support Pokemon are Mew and Celebi.

Both packs will be available for purchase on the Nintendo eShop for $14.99 US (currency depending on your region). Here’s the trailer link. More info to come later on.

Dectective Pikachu is on the scene! Drinking coffee, taking names, and solving mysteries all at the same time. The full retail copy of the Detective Pikachu game is set to release March 23, 2018 in Japan, Europe, and North America. This package apparently contains the first game that was launched last year and additional content not shown in that first reveal. A special Detective Pikachu amiibo is also being released the same day. Check out the latest trailer.

Lastly, we have Pokemon GO news. The Groudon raid battle event will end January 15th. With Groudon out of the way, make room for Kyogre! Yup, Kyogre crashes in with a whopping possible CP level of 51,000. Here’s a breakdown of its move set from RankedBoost.com:

-Quick Move: either Waterfall or Dragon Tail

-Charged Move: Hydro Pump, Blizzard, or Thunder

Best Pokémon to go against Kyogre include Electric types, dual types such as Grass/Water, and those with high Defense stats. This raid event lasts from January 12th-February 14th 2018.

Niantic has also announced a Community Day event for players on January 10th. On this day trainers will be able to catch special Pokémon including Pikachu with access to the move Surf. That’s right, we finally get Surfing Pikachu! The event also awards extra EXP. This event is also time specific depending on your region:

-Asia Pacific region: 12pm-3pm JST

-Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India: 10am-1pm UTC

-North America, South America, and Greenland: 11am-2pm PST

For me and my east coast friends that would be 2pm-5pm EST.

That’s all for now. As always good gaming trainers!

 

*Images used are not mine. Rights reserved to their original owners.

*References:

https://www.serebii.net/

https://rankedboost.com/pokemon-go/kyogre/

 

 

Ultra Sun & Moon Updates!

Hey ppl! We’ve got some newly released info regarding Ultra Sun and Moon. New Ultra Beasts, vast unexplored areas, a new team to deal with, and more! So without further ado, let’s get started shall we…

Two trailers have just released. The first revealing details about Necrozma’s role in the story. A mysterious man named “Zionira” explains Necrozma’s effect on the Alola region as an “entity who steals light.” The video then shows the climatic battle between Necrozma and Solgaleo/Lunala which ends with Necrozma assimilating with either legendary and becoming Dusk Mane or Dawn Wings Necrozma. Also, the Ultra Beasts show up and present themselves in front of the island Kahunas. Guzma makes his appearance as well although, we’re not sure what role Team Skull will play this time around. Here’s the link to this trailer. It’s in Japanese but once I get the English version I’ll update it.

The second trailer introduces us to the new Ultra Beasts Burst, Assembly, and now Adhesive. It also shows the player riding on Solgaleo or Lunala through Ultra Space (the realm of Ultra Beasts). I’ll be breaking down each topic below so please bear with me. Check out the this trailer here.

Ultra Beasts:

The typing for the 3 new Ultra Beasts has been revealed finally. UB Burst is Fire/Ghost which took me by surprise; thought it would be something like Fairy or Fairy/Ghost. Anyway it has a new move called Mind Blown. The effect of this move is unknown but from what was seen in the last trailer it drops Burst’s HP down to half to cause massive damage. Its Pokédex entry states “Burst tricks targets into letting their guard down as it draws near with its funny gait, swaying this way and that—then shocks them by blowing up its own head without warning. Before they can recover their senses, it steals their vitality, which it’s said to use as a source of energy.” Next, is UB Assembly which is a Rock/Steel. During the trailer it was shown the ability to use the moves Iron Defense and Iron Head. According to its Pokédex entry, “While Assembly may appear to be made up of stones stacked atop one another, apparently each ‘stone’ is in fact a separate life-form, and this UB is made up of an assemblage of these life-forms.” Lastly, we have UB Adhesive which is a Poison type. Not much else is known but it was in the possession of the new team called the “Ultra Recon Squad.” It is stated that “Adhesive’s large head is filled with venom, and it fires this venom from the poisonous needles on top of it“. All 3 of these Pokémon have the Beast Boost ability.

Ultra Space:

We all remember going through the Ultra Wormhole with our respective legendary in Sun and Moon. This time around we get a much more engaging journey. Now you can travel into the Ultra Space while riding Solgaleo or Lunala where you control their movements until you reach your destination. Legendary PokéRide anyone? As an added bonus, you can visit the Ultra Beasts on their home turf. So far, we have only seen Nihilego’s home since that was where Lusamine and Guzma traveled to. The trailer showcases some of the Ultra Beasts domain including Buzzwole living in some jungle-esque area with several tall spiraling platforms. This gives us a whole new perspective on the ecology of the Ultra Beasts and adds more depth to their story.  This will likely be part of the post game where you must go into Ultra Space, locate each Ultra Beast, and gather further intel on them. There is another place you can visit in these areas and that is the “Ultra Megalopolis.” More on that below.

New Areas:

A brand new area has opened up right in Ultra Space. Its name is the Ultra Megalopolis and it is home to the Ultra Recon Squad. Apparently, Necrozma has stolen all the light from this place but the reason is unknown. It has the appearance of a futuristic city with a technologically advanced society. The centerpiece of this area is a tower where the player is confronted by Necrozma in the main story.

New Team:

Aside from Team Skull and the Aether Foundation from the previous games, we have an entirely new team to deal with called the Ultra Recon Squad. This mysterious team hails from the Ultra Megalopolis. They true goal is also a mystery but it has to do with them coming to Alola to find Necrozma. Basically, Necrozma stole the light from their home and I believe they want to capture it to try and return the light. The squad is an obstacle you must face in battle. Whether they are the main antagonists is still up for debate. So far, we know they have 4 admins with them split in two for each game. In Ultra Sun we have admins Dulse and Zossie. For Ultra Moon we have admins Soliera and Phycho. Each team uses UB Adhesive to fight you. The mysterious man named Zionira from before seems to be part of this team. Here are the 4 main members with Dulse and Zossie above and Phyco and Soliera below:

That’s it for Ultra Sun and Moon for now. As a last piece of info, the Sinnoh Cap Pikachu distribution event is still going on until October 9th. It comes holding the Pikashunium Z-Crystal. I’ve already downloaded this Pikachu today. It said to be received at level 10 but mine came as level 9. The reason being that I really liked the Sinnoh region and Ash’s team at that time. Also, I wanted a Pikachu that already knew Volt Tackle. Next week the Unova Cap Pikachu event will begin and run from Oct 10th-Oct 16th. As always thank you for reading and see you next time.

 

*Images used are not mine. Rights reserved to their original owners.

*References:

https://www.serebii.net/ultrasunultramoon/

 

Pokemon News Updates!

Hey everyone. I know I’m still posting late, this time I wanted as much news to roll as as possible before posting anything. So, this will be a somewhat lengthy discussion. I’ll try to break it down into segments.

Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon:

The first piece of news deals with the upcoming Ultra Sun and Moon games. I’m sure you have already seen the recent news about Necrozma and the role it will play. Just reiterating what’s already been shown, Necrozma has assimilated with and taken over Solgaleo and Lunala. Necrozma then retains either legendary’s typing (Psychic/Steel for Solgaleo and Psychic/Ghost for Lunala) and their signature move of Sunsteel Strike or Moongeist Beam. In addition, Necrozma is renamed either Dusk Mane Necrozma (fused with Solgaleo) or Dawn Wings Necrozma (fused with Lunala) in this form.  These fusions add to weight of each Pokémon with the Solgaleo form weighing twice as much as the original. The cause for these fusions is still unknown.

Also, there are tons of fan art for these forms. One deviant in particular has created Necrozma fusions for other legendaries. His other designs are beautiful as well. His work is just amazing in my opinion. Feel free to check out his page on DeviantArt at Tomycase.

Next up is the Island Trials. So far we know of 3 changes to trials. First, the Lush Jungle trial given to you by Mallow has you searching for different items such as Big Root but, otherwise remains the same. Second, the Wela Volcano Totem Pokémon has changed from Salazzle to Alolan Marowak. Lastly, a new trial has appeared which requires you to challenge the character Mina. More info on this to come.

The recent news also reveals the version exclusives for each game. For Ultra Sun they are: Alolan Vulpix and Ninetales, Houndour, and Houndoom. For Ultra Moon: Alolan Sandshrew and Sandslash, Electrike, and Manectric. Both games also reveal a new feature called “Alola Photo Club.” This feature allows you and your Pokémon to pose for various photos. These poses include Z-Move poses and allows you to decorate the photos afterwards. The photos can then be shared for others to see. Aside from being a fun feature to use, this little side game also increases your Pokémon’s affection level in a similar way to Pokémon Refresh.

Can’t forget about PokéRide. Yes, Pokéride returns with an extra addition. Confirmed Ride Pokémon for these games include Tauros Charge (my personal favorite), Lapras Paddle, and Charizard Glide. Wait, there’s more… A new Ride Pokémon joins the team in the form of Mantine Surf. Here you ride on a Mantine like a pro surfer and actually surf to the different islands of Alola. Accessible once you reach an area called “Big Wave Beach” you can use Mantine to surf up the many large waves along the shore and do tricks midair. Every trick earns you points; the purpose of these points is still unknown. I can’t wait to try it, makes for a fun mini game. Check out the recent trailer featuring Mantine Surf for yourselves: New Trailer Link.

Downloads:

For you Pikachu fans out there today is the last day to download the Hoenn Cap Pikachu (showing of Ash’s hat from the Hoenn region). This Pikachu comes with the moves Thunderbolt, Iron tail, Quick Attack, and Thunder and is received at level 6. Use the code PIKACHU20 to activate this event. Hoenn Cap Pikachu is also holding the Pikashunium Z-Crystal. Starting tomorrow October 3rd to October 9th, Sinnoh Cap Pikachu is available at level 10 with the moves Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Quick Attack, and Volt Tackle. This is probably the one I will be downloading.

Following the download trend, a Charizard distribution event has started in North America. From October 1st to October 14th special codes will be available at Target stores across the US which lets you download this Charizard. Just visit the electronics department section of your local Target store and ask for the code. This Charizard comes with the move Dragon Dance, a move it can’t learn by leveling up, and is holding the Red Card item. It also knows the moves Flare Blitz, Fly, and Earthquake and is received at level 50.

Last on the download trend is Marshadow. The distribution event has already started in Europe which runs from October 1st-November 14th at select retailers. In North America this event runs October 9th-23rd at Gamestops nationwide. Marshadow is still received at level 50 and holds the Marshadium Z-Crystal.

Pokkén Tournament DX:

Some news on Pokkén reveals that the Mission Panels feature will be available on the DX version of the game. Mission Panels gives the player certain challenges to complete in each league. By completing Panels you get a special medal and unlock other mission panels for that league. Feel free to check out the Missions Panel Page on Serebii. Also, here are the codes to unlock the Hamburger Hat outfit for your in-game character in all regions. For male players the code is H5D9YZFETCQZ and for female players is USBXKG8X4GLG.

Nintendo Wii Shop:

The last piece of news for this post involves the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo announced it will be discontinuing the Wii Shop Channel on January 31, 2019. After that time you won’t be able to download games off the Shop for Wii or backwards compatibility on Wii U.  Purchasing Wii points will end on March 27, 2018. However, any games you have already purchased will still be available.

That’s it for now. I will be posting all the Pokémon GO news on my next post right after this one. Thanks for checking in!

 

*References:

https://www.serebii.net/

http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/wii-shop-closure-announcement

 

*Images used are not mine. Rights are reserved to their original owners.

 

Ash Hat Pikachu: Distribution Event!

Another Pikachu event has been revealed in the latest CoroCoro magazine. This time around it’s “Ash Hat” Pikachu, basically Pikachu wearing Ash’s hat through the anime. This event is to celebrate the new movie: “Pokémon! I Choose You!” The image provided shows 6 Pikachu each wearing a different version of Ash’s hat based on region (Ash wore the same style hat for Kanto and Johto).

Now besides aesthetic reasons, these Pokémon have an added bonus: each come holding a Pikachunium Z-crystal which had been inaccessible in-game. This allows Pikachu to transform its Thunderbolt move into the Z-move “10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt” with a base power of 195. The shape of this Z-crystal is also unique in that it has the image of Pikachu’s tail engraved inside.

The move sets also vary, depending on the region of series Ash’s Pikachu was introduced to. This meaning that Pikachu didn’t learn Volt Tackle until Ash traveled to the Sinnoh region and the move was replaced with Electro Ball after the Unova region, so the first 3 and last 2 Ash Hat Pikachu won’t have the move listed. Here’s a breakdown of each Pokémon with its move set:

-Original Cap Pikachu: Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Agility, Thunder; lvl 1

-Hoenn Cap Pikachu: Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Iron Tail, Thunder; lvl 6

-Sinnoh Cap Pikachu: Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Iron Tail, Volt Tackle; lvl 10

-Unova Cap Pikachu: Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Iron Tail, Volt Tackle; lvl 14

-Kalos Cap Pikachu: Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Iron Tail, Electro Ball; lvl 17

-Alola Cap Pikachu: Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Iron Tail, Electro Ball; lvl 20

Each Pikachu will be given out at different dates. You can get the codes by pre-ordering tickets to the movie. Again, this event is exclusive to Japan for the moment but I’m sure it will be released to other countries in due time. For now, I’ll have to wait for the movie release in the US before I get my hands on one.

-Image credit: iDigitalTimes.com

Well hope you enjoyed this post. Thank you for checking it out and see you next time…

Sun & Moon, Pokken, & More!

Hey people! Been kinda lax lately. Pokémon Go has also taken up some of my time. With a new phone my game experience has greatly improved: caught several new Pokémon (Venonat, Doduo, and Tangela), at level 6 going on 7, and joined Team Mystic. I still have to visit larger areas to catch more, so I’ll update you on my progress as I go along. Also, please be safe and aware of surroundings! Some players have already gotten hurt not paying attention to where they were going and some accidents have already occurred. Be mindful of the location you’re going as well, just because a PokéStop is a church or a courthouse doesn’t make it okay to barge in there looking for Pokémon. With that said, happy catching!

On to the main topics. First off, Pokémon Sun and Moon. CoroCoro magazine has leaked images of 2 new Pokémon: Kiteruguma and Mimicyu. These are their Japanese names, their English names will be revealed later on. Kiteruguma is a bear-like Pokémon who walks on its hind legs and resembles a red panda. It is a Normal/Fighting type with the abilities Fluffy and Klutz. It has a powerful grip that can crush anything in half and loves to hug. It is so powerful that the people of Alola are afraid and must put out warning signs around where it lives. Mimicyu is our first Ghost/Fairy typing. Its ability is called False Colours. Mimicuy prefers to live in dark places as it dislikes sunlight. Despite its appearance, it is not a form of Pikachu. Instead, it wears a Pikachu merch costume that was popular 20 years ago and a makeshift twig in the shape of Pikachu’s tail. Mimicyu desires to be loved by everyone just like Pikachu is. The only images we have of Mimicyu’s real look are the sparkling gleam of its eyes through the lower half of the costume and the ghost appendage that shoots out from underneath whenever it attacks or reaches for something. Trying to remove this costume from Mimicyu is strictly prohibited since one can be afflicted with illness or curse by doing so. I will upload clearer images of both Pokémon once they are made available.

As you remember the Alola region is made up of several islands each with their own unique features and guardian Pokemon. One feature is that every island has its own Regional Pokédex. Melemele island is where the player starts their journey and includes both villages and cities. Its guardian Pokémon is Tapu Koko. The people of the island often hold a festival for Tapu Koko. Although a very fickle protector, Tapu Koko will come to the aid of those it deems worthy. Its ability is renamed Electric Surge. The newest trailer mostly shows us the features we’ve seen already however, it does show the player riding on a Tauros, Stoutland, and Lapras. We can assume that these Pokémon are for traversing certain parts of the game, similar to Mamoswine and Gogoat in X and Y. The video setup is quite nice too. The trailer also reveals other new features including one that connects trainer and Pokémon in some way. Grubbin’s evolutionary line is revealed: Grubbin>Charjabug>Vikavolt. Iwanko’s English name is Rockruff and Nekkoala’s is Komala.

As promised here are their updated images (which I do NOT own, nor own rights to):

 

On to Pokkén Tournament. A new playable Pokémon has appeared out of the shadows, it’s Darkrai! Yes, Darkrai will be added to the arcade version of the game and later the Wii U version. Darkrai is a Technique user with a variety of special moves. Its Burst attack is quite intense. Check out Darkrai in the new trailer. The trailer also shows more footage of Garchomp, Braixen, and Shadow Mewtwo in action.

References:

-Serebii.net

-Pokemon.com

-Pokemon Channel Youtube

Detective Pikachu is on the Scene!

How’s it going everyone? Again, please excuse my absence as of late.

This week’s post is covering the newly released game “Great Detective Pikachu: The Birth of A New Duo”, or “new combination” depending on your translation. News about a detective-style Pokémon game was circling around for a while now and the rumors have come to fruition. However, it’s only available in Japan by using a download card and therefore, not an actual console game. It will be out on February 3rd on the Nintendo e-Shop for purchase.

Basically, the game revolves around a detective Pikachu and Tim (the human character) teaming up to solve various mysteries around town. However, there’s a twist… This isn’t like the sweet, innocent Pikachu we’ve come to know. Oh no, this Pikachu speaks in full sentences with a deep rugged voice. To me he sounds like a Japanese Antonio Banderas! (for those who don’t know: Puss in Boots). Ikune Otani has been the voice actress for Ash’s Pikachu throughout the years including the voice for various other anime characters: Konohamaru from Naruto/Naruto Shippuden; Chopper and Young Sanji from One Piece; Zatch from Zatch Bell; Misty’s Goldeen, Starmie, and Corsola, and James’ Mime Jr. Because of this, fans were utterly shocked to hear this tough rugged voice from a Pikachu. As of now they are hoping men such as Danny Devito will play the voice of Pikachu for the American release. It was stated that the game will be available on the Nintendo 3DS.

If it’s not shocking enough that this detective Pikachu has a deep voice, he also wears a detective hat and drinks coffee! His mannerisms match his tough exterior, so he probably takes his coffee black with no sugar…lol. He kinda reminds me of a slightly reeled back serious version of “Ted” the living teddy bear. It’s noted that Pikachu can’t run fast (preferring to walk on his hind legs always). He also has a thing for attractive women and often asks Tim (who is shy around women) to invite some over for tea. The detective agency is run by a guy named Mike Baker. As you progress, you can find several spots to investigate with Pikachu talking to Pokémon and Tim talking to the human clients. A magnifying glass is used to locate clues. There’s also this thing called “Quick Time” events which requires you to push a button in time to complete an action. The story itself doesn’t change but how the scene goes slightly changes depending on whether you pass or fail. Other than that, it’s your basic crime-solving game. More info is to come next month so stay tuned!

-Information taken from Kotaku East and Serebii.

Check out the official trailer below:

Short Break….

Sorry I’ve been away for a while everyone. I’ve been so overwhelmed looking for new jobs out there, going from interviews to job fairs, so I haven’t had the time to post any new gaming info or research theories. I’ll try to squeeze in 2 posts next week to make up for it. Please bare with me. I’ll be back posting soon. Enjoy this picture of Pikachu with a peace sign and an interesting link about the newly recognized brain protein “Pikachurin.”

Alpha and Omega Updates: Part 2

Well even more news came out this weekend regarding Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby. We have more details on Pokémon contests, mega evolutions, and the special shiny Beldum. Pokéblocks will return and cosplay Pikachu can used in real battles. Horde battles are to return too…….. Anyways, Mega Altaria gets a boost in Attack and Special Attack, Mega Lopunny gets a boost in Attack and Speed, and Mega Salamence gets a boost in Defense instead of Speed as I previously thought. Also, the shiny Beldum is to given out in a special distribution this November; the dates for each country are as follows:

-November 21st  -> America and Japan

-November 28th -> Europe

Finally, an update on the character Lucia (Lisia in English). She is the new contest idol of Hoenn and she will provide you with various costumes to wear during contests. I mean she looks pretty stylish already.

Poke-Logic

Sorry I’ve been away for a while, been busy with class and homework. I won’t be able to post as much because of it but I’ll try. Anyways, tonight I want to cover some of the weird, and sometimes ridiculous facts about the Pokémon world. For example, in the anime Ash’s Pikachu seems to start off weak at the start of every new region, I believe beginning after generation 3. I’m sure you’ve all noticed it: how Pikachu used to be able to take on larger/stronger Pokémon and come out on top or even put up a great fight each time. However, when Ash travels to a new region (Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos) Pikachu seems to be a lot weaker than it should be. Like how could the same Pikachu who took on Pokémon like Raichu, Dragonite, and others, lose to a lvl 5 Snivy or Frillish (in Unova)?! I mean I’ve seen Pikachu take on opponents even with a type disadvantage. Also, all the skills and tricks it learned over time it no longer uses them (i.e. the thunderbolt shield from the 5th gym in the Sinnoh region). I’m just saying there’s a lot more power to Pikachu, it shouldn’t struggle with Pokémon who’ve had little training considering all the training it has endured over the years.

Well that’s mainly my opinion and what I take from it. Feel free to comment and share your opinion.

Tribute to Pikachu

Hey everyone, I wanted to share this design with you. It’s as the name says: a special tribute to Pikachu. I made this poster in Photoshop a few months ago simply out of boredom, then inspiration. I tried to take different images of Pikachu (in-game and from the anime) and position them in an interesting way. They’re positioned as a clock, the 12 images around, and 1 in the center. Although most of them aren’t placed in any particular order, I did specifically arrange the top, center, and bottom images. The top image is of Pikachu at the start of the anime to represent the past. The bottom represents how Pikachu appears now in the anime. The one in the enter is to represent the future. That was actually some person who custom build a cyborg-like Pikachu battle suit to wear for Comic-con years ago, I just used it to imply a possible future, not reality.

I used a little Photoshop magic and my own skills to create the static effects and the background. I don’t own the images, but tell me what you all think. Here’s the link to it. Feel free to check my other work.

Tribute to Pikachu design