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Pokémon developer Game Freak is partnering with Private Divison on a new action franchise
Pokemon developer is teaming up with Take-Two Interactive and Private Division brand-new action adventure IP codenamed Project Bloom. There’s some concept art and a short video but nothing concrete yet and the title won’t release until 2026.
Nintendo made a scarlet and violet OLED Switch for Pokémon fans
Nintendo is adding a new colorway to its Switch OLED line just in time for the release of the latest Pokémon games.
You can now use 'Pokémon Diamond' and 'Pearl' audio in personal projects
You can legally use 'Pokémon Diamond' and 'Pokémon Pearl' audio in personal music and videos — but you can't make money from them.
'Pokémon Sword' and 'Shield' will have version-exclusive gyms
If you've ever complained that the differences between Pokémon game editions were too small, relief might be in sight. When Pokémon Sword and Shield arrive in November, they'll include not just differences in the creature lineup and trainers, but version-exclusive gyms in "certain towns" with unique gym leaders. You'll take on the martial artist Bea in Sword, while the goth Allister will fight you in Shield. This probably won't justify buying the Dual Pack with both variants unless you're a completist. Still, it promises to add some genuine variety to the experience.
Watch the 'Pokémon Sword and Shield' Nintendo Direct right here
Switch owners, assemble! Nintendo has a special Direct presentation dedicated to Pokémon Sword and Shield today. If you've been living under a Geodude for the last four months, these are the proper, all-new Switch RPGs that fans have been clamoring for. We've already seen the new starter Pokémon (the grass type, Grookey, is clearly the best) and the clearly UK-inspired Galar region (hopefully it won't morph into a Brexit wasteland), but that's about it. We know little about the story, combat tweaks, mini-games and potential compatibility with other Pokémon software, including Go, the Let's Go titles, and the recently-announced Pokémon Sleep. For all the juicy details, watch the stream here at 6AM PT/9AM ET.
Report: Pokemon Omega/Alpha ships 7.7 million worldwide
Pokemon is turning Ruby and Sapphire into gold again, after the 3DS remakes reportedly hit 7.7 million shipments worldwide. According to an announcement published by Famitsu (via Siliconera), last week's European arrival of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire provided a boost in the form of 35 percent more launch sales compared to Pokemon X and Y. While Joystiq's Earnest "Nex" Cavalli didn't see the conversion factor in Pokemon ORAS, he did see plenty of "evolution and refinement" in the GBA games' remakes. "Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire do little to overhaul the major pillars of a series that's long relied on the same set of classic ideas, but they don't have to," Nex concluded in his review. "The core mechanics of Pokemon remain immensely addictive, and Game Freak's latest coat of polish only enhances an already captivating adventure."
Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire score Pokemon's biggest UK launch
In Brit-news, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire out-debuted Pokemon X and Y by 17 percent, earning the series' biggest launch in UK charts history. The 3DS remakes hit 3 million sales in 3 days ahead of last week's launch in Britain, where they topped DS titles Black and White to capture the country's Poke-record. The two games landed in sixth and seventh in this week's charts, but combined they'd have charted in third. As for the rest of the top ten, it was a case of big-selling musical chairs at the summit and underwhelming debuts for exclusives. Starting at the top, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare took back the No. 1 spot from Grand Theft Auto 5, which fell to third with FIFA 15 up to second. Lower down, PS4 racer Driveclub rose to eighth with a massive 999 percent jump in sales on the back of Black Friday console promotions. November 28 wasn't as prolific a day for two big-profile launches, though. Super Smash Bros. only rose to 13th following the arrival of its Wii U version, while LittleBigPlanet 3 came in even lower in 18th.
Pokemon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire review: A real gem
It's been 18 years since Nintendo first introduced humanity to a world of adorable monsters that would capture the hearts of millions and grow into the sort of media juggernaut that usually involves a teenaged British wizard or an especially smug Robert Downey Jr. Despite nearly two decades of success, the series' core - the handheld Pokemon role-playing games - have remained perennially good, if not particularly revolutionary. The biggest leap in series history arrived last year with Pokemon X and Y, and while our review of those games was glowing, they weren't without flaws. Now, developer Game Freak is ready to take another shot at it, using the same enhanced graphics technology, but leaning on the existing plot found in the 2003 GameBoy Advance releases Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire. It might seem lazy to rehash these old storylines, but after working my way through the remakes, it's clear that it was a wise decision that allowed the developer to forgo writing a new plot and instead focus on the aspects of Pokemon games that truly matter to players: combat, the expansive world and, of course, the Pokemon themselves. If Pokemon X and Y were Game Freak's first tentative steps into the world of 3D monster taming, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are proof that the studio has mastered the technology.
Pokemon Omega/Alpha anime short doesn't really need English
With Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire out this Friday, November 21, why not commemorate the 3DS remakes with a snippet of anime? It may be in Japanese, but at this point Pokemon is all but its own language anyway.
Meet the legendaries of Pokemon Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire
Like previous Pokemon games, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire will feature appearances by legendary pokemon, though instead of one, two or three legendaries, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire offer players access to the entire swath of developer Game Freak's overpowered, nigh-godlike pocket monsters. [Image: Nintendo]
2DS to go see-through in EU with new designs, out in Nov.
Two new transparent 2DS skins are coming to Europe in November, letting continentals take a peek at the innards of the 3DS variants. The red and blue models first launch in the region on November 7, with Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby bundles arriving alongside the Poke-remakes on November 28. Nintendo of Europe didn't disclose prices in its press release (2DS standalones are regularly priced £110 on Nintendo UK's online store) The transparent bundles clearly come with the games pre-installed on a 4GB memory card, with the red system including Omega Ruby and the blue system Alpha Sapphire.
Don't you step on my blue suede Pokemon New 3DS
Nintendo's New 3DS is getting Poke-themed limited editions in Japan to mark the launch of Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby. The red Groudon and blue Kyogre systems are coming to the country's Pokemon Center stores alongside the games on November 21, and both handhelds feature suede faceplates for that extra luxurious feel you've always craved maybe when capturing pocket monsters. If you want in it's 19,000 yen (around $177) a piece, and they don't come with copies of the games. The New 3DS itself launches in Japan on October 11 in both regular and XL models, and its New features include the right-hand analog C-stick, ZL and ZR shoulder buttons, built-in NFC tech, greater battery life, improved CPU and customizable faceplates, suede or otherwise. As for when the New 3DS launches outside of Japan, Nintendo's ruled out bringing it West in this calendar year. But you can nab Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby when the two 3DS remakes launch in North America on November 21 and Europe on November 28. [Image: The Pokemon Company]
Pokemon Alpha, Omega trailer is our big, fat Greek retreading
The new Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby trailer showcases the games' X/Y graphics, as well as some of the new Mega evolutions, secret bases and... Pikachu cosplay coming to the remakes. Whether or not you see dressing up Pokemon as bordering on the flagrantly felonious (ahem) the Alpha and Omega hit 3DS on November 21. [Image: Nintendo]
Glameow it up with Pokemon Alpha & Omega steelbooks in EU
Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby are getting their own steelbook bundles in Europe, complete with Kyogre and Groudon figurines respectively. Bundles including the game are coming to GAME and Nintendo's online store in the UK, and will be available for pre-order. The House of Mario Marowak lists the steelbook and figurine separately at £40; we've reached out to confirm if that also includes the game at that price. The Poke-remakes are also scoring some other pre-order goodies in the UK. Pre-orders of the standalone version at GAME get the respective figure chucked in, while early birds at Shopto will get their own early bird, namely a 2D keyring of Torchic. As for the small matter of the game itself, it hits 3DS in North America on November 21, then a week across the pond on November 28. [Image: Nintendo]
Tekken-style Pokemon fighter unveiled for arcades in 2015
Pokken Tournament combines the world of cutesy critter-catching series Pokemon with fast-paced 3D fighting in the vein of the Tekken series. Do not adjust your monitors, this is for real. As Famitsu confirms, the game represents a collaboration between Nintendo and Bandai Namco, and it's coming to arcades in Japan some time next year. The game was revealed today during a Niconico livestream by The Pokemon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara, Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada and Soulcalibur producer Masaaki Hoshino. Gematsu reports Pokken Tournament will be developed under the leadership of Harada and Hoshino. Details are limited, but a short announcement trailer showed Lucario and Machamp duking it out, before revealing the Pokken Tournament logo. To see the announcement trailer, pokken below the break.
Here in my Pika-car, I feel safest of all from Team Rocket
Toyota chose our hearts when it unveiled two Toyopet Pokemon cars at this year's Tokyo Toy Show, because they're freaking delightful. The Pikachu car is lovely, even if the ears aren't the most streamlined design, but it's the Fennekin model that has our number. Check it out below the break, and there are more shots of the 'dorable duo over at Japan Trends. Toyota also has a shot of an Oshawott model, but we're not sure about that one, honestly. Fennekin stole the show in last year's Pokemon X and Y, while this year the critter-catching series goes back in time with Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. The 3DS remakes hit North America on November 21 and Europe on November 28.
Pokemon Trading Card Game chooses Europe's eShop this week
The Game Boy Color's Pokemon Trading Card Game shows its hand in the 3DS eShop this week in Europe, but there's no word on it coming to North America. The Virtual Console offering is priced £4.49/5 euros and is due for release on Thursday, July 10. To recap, the Pokemon Trading Card Game is based on the physical trading card game which is based on the video games which aren't based on the anime series but vice versa. We've reached out to Nintendo and The Pokemon Company to see if it's also headed to North America, but we suspect if it's not this week, it can't be too far off. After all, the news arrives just ahead of the new XY - Furious Fists expansion for the physical TCG, which will add 110 cards to the mix when it hits on August 13.
Nintendo: Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, Omega Ruby are 'full remakes'
Nintendo's surprise reveal of Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Pokemon Omega Ruby was a bit vague to say the least. The company described the 3DS games as a "fresh take" on Game Boy Advance entries Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire, while a brief press release mentioned things like a "new adventure" and a "spectacular new world." So, just what are these games? Step in Satoru Iwata to clear things up, or at least a little bit. In today's financial briefing, the Nintendo president described the games as "full remakes," which at least removes some of the confusion if not a lot of it. Otherwise, details are as sparse as they were yesterday. At least we do know Nintendo's releasing both games worldwide in November this year. [Image: Nintendo]
Gotta draw 'em all in the Pokemon Art Academy, Japan enlists in June
Nintendo's latest crossover is Pokemon Art Academy (alternative name: Farfetch'd A Sketch), a 3DS game that's coming to Japan on June 19. As Gematsu reports, the new Art Academy features detailed lessons for how to draw 40 Pokemon, and templates for over 100 of the critters to use in the Free Paint mode. You'll also be able to share your artistic triumphs on Miiverse. The game's only been announced for Japan, but the Art Academy series traditionally makes its way overseas. Last summer Nintendo brought the Art Academy Sketchpad app to North America and Europe, so there's reason to hope for any of you budding Poke-artists. [Image: Nintendo]
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl soundtracks get hitched to iTunes
Diamonds and pearls may be beautiful, but they're also expensive. Unless we're talking about the Pokemon Diamond/Pearl soundtracks, which are now available on iTunes for $9.99. This 149-track compilation includes such memorable tunes as "Opening Movie" and "Obtained a TM!" And who could forget that heartwarming poke-classic, "Trainers' Eyes Meet (Lass)"? The release of the Pokemon Diamond/Pearl soundtracks just leaves Pokemon Black/White and Pokemon Black 2/White 2 to go. The Pokemon Super Music Collection has been steadily releasing since November, with soundtracks for Pokemon X/Y, Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen, Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver and Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire already lurking in the tall grass iTunes store. At this rate, it'll be interesting to see who can get through the entire series first: the Pokemon Super Music Collection or Twitch Plays Pokemon. [Image: The Pokemon Company]
