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Pokemon X/Y 2DS $150 bundles announced, available later this week
Nintendo is kicking up its drive behind the 2DS with two Pokemon X/Y bundles priced at $150, coming to Target and Toys R Us on Friday, December 6. Target will offer a red 2DS system with Pokemon X pre-installed, while the Toys R Us bundle features a blue system with Pokemon Y pre-loaded on a SD card. Nintendo released the 2DS as an alternative to the 3DS earlier this year, with a standalone price set at $130. The hinge-less hardware's lower price comes at the expense of 3D tech, and with backwards compatibility for 2000+ DS games. With 4 million copies of Pokemon X/Y flying off shelves within 48 hours of release, and 2 million sold in North America to date, Nintendo seems to be hoping the game's prolific performance will boost that of the 2DS' across the holiday season.
Pokemon X and Y soundtrack appears on iTunes
The Pokémon series is known for many things, including the ridiculously hummable original tunes that accompany each game. Pokémon X and Pokémon Y hit store shelves just over a month ago, and now you can enjoy the musical collection from both games on iTunes. The soundtrack is priced at US$9.99 and features nearly every beep, ping and tune found in the world of X and Y. A total of 212 tracks are included, ranging from several minutes to just a couple seconds depending on the selection. In a press release from Nintendo's Pokémon Company International, it was also revealed that soundtracks for past games will begin populating the store starting next year. [via Joystiq]
Apple tosses iTunes ball, captures Pokémon X/Y soundtrack
For the first time in series' history, Nintendo is celebrating its most recent Pokémon games by issuing a gigantic soundtrack collection. As noted in our review of the games, Pokémon X and Y feature a massive overhaul in the game's audio. Older entries in the franchise are almost obsolete when compared to the new arrangements and technologies used in X and Y, and the more modern soundtrack lends much to the game's atmosphere. Thanks to Nintendo and the iTunes Store, you can now purchase all 200-plus songs on the Pokémon X/Y soundtrack for $9.99. As a bonus, the "super soundtrack collection" also includes "a battle game music track" from the upcoming Pokémon Origins animated miniseries, as well as five songs from Pokémon Red and Blue created by original composer Shota Kageyama. Alongside this announcement, Nintendo has also revealed plans to release future Pokémon soundtrack collections. Throughout 2014, the company will issue music collections for every game in the series, dating back to Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green. It's currently unknown when these soundtracks will appear, or what price point they might feature.
This is the PokeRap with all 718 PokeThings
It was exhausting just watching this, so Golduck knows what it was like to put together this updated PokeRap video with all 718 Pokemon, including the new ones from 3DS entries X and Y. We doff our Poke-caps in your direction, College Humor. That said, you can't beat the original PokeRap. Despite the many years since, we've not heard anyone make a list of fictional creatures sound anywhere near as exciting. "Slooooooowbroooooooooo..."
Pokémaniac builds automatic shiny finder for 3DS, deserves all the rare candies
One of the aspects of Nintendo's Pokemon series that keeps players hooked is the occasional appearance of shiny creatures, or ultra-rare Pokemon that have a different color than usual. The odds of running into a shiny wild Pokemon in Pokemon X and Y are reportedly 1 in 8,192 battles, though crafty players have taken to special "chaining" and "chain fishing" tactics to speed up the process of finding one of the rare, elusive beasts. YouTuber dekuNukem took that a step further by creating a mod for the 3DS game that detects and alerts players when a shiny Pokemon has been encountered in Pokemon X and Y during a chain fishing sequence with the game's fishing rod item. The mod connects to the 3DS' button logic to control the console, reading the audio signal for the correct moment to virtually press the A button and initiate the battle. Then, a sensor placed on the system's bottom screen determines the length of time the screen is dark, as a shiny Pokemon has a longer introduction in a battle. If a regular Pokemon appears in battle, the system tells the game to run away and start the cycle over again. The modder says the system took less than 300 lines of code in addition to a little soldering.
Report: Hacker leaks three new Pokemon, two new Mega Evolutions
A wild hacker appears! It uses Modify Code! It's super effective! Kotaku reports a hacker has discovered three normally unobtainable Pokemon hidden away in the game's code. The new Pokemon are Volcanion, Diancie and Hoopa, which are pictured above, in that order. While not officially confirmed by Nintendo, Game Freak or The Pokemon Company, these Pokemon are thought to be "event Pokemon," which means players who don't hack the game can only catch them at official Pokemon events. Smealum, the same hacker who created the homebrew Portal game for DS, claimed responsibility for the hack, and also revealed Mega Evolutions for Latios and Latias. While the two Dragon-type Pokemon were previously differentiated by Latios being blue and Latias being red, it seems that they are more or less indistinguishable from each other when they Mega Evolve. The Mega Evolution for Latias is pictured above. Don't rush off to trade your Pokemon just yet, though. Smealum wrote on Twitter he does not plan to release the hack or any of the newly-discovered Pokemon into the wild. Smealum wrote that while it would be fun "in theory," he didn't want to "ruin" the online Pokemon X / Y experience.
Pokemon X/Y 1.1 patch goes live, fixes Lumiose City save glitch
Poke-trainers will save without fear (hopefully!) thanks to a new patch released today. The Pokemon X/Y 1.1 update is live on eShops worldwide, and according to Nintendo UK it kills the glitch that caused the game to lock up when saving in Lumiose City, and it fixes save files already corrupted by the glitch. I briefly tested it today with my copy of Pokemon X, and sure enough I was able to save within the city and continue my game after. Also apparently fixed is the GTS bug that caused crashes whenever you tried to trade for a Pokemon found using filters. Again, my quick test worked like a candy-covered Pika-treat, and I got myself a fluffy little Furfrou for an Azumarill. Download the patch now by going to the eShop, where it'll appear as an available update. It should auto-install, but you can check if it has in the starter menu: Before you load your save file, look for "Ver. 1.1" in the bottom right of the lower screen. If it's there, you go catch 'em all to your heart's content. And then trade 'em with me! Please? I have a Jynx. And a Mr Mime. Hello?
Witness the horrors of Pokémon combat through Pikachu's eyes
Imagine you awake one day to find that you're now a Pikachu. You barely have a moment to take in this Kafka-esque plot twist before a Bulbasaur rushes you from the undergrowth, vines undulating with all the menace of a killer who enjoys his work. At first you're outmatched, as the diminutive plant-lizard slices trees in half and flings you around the clearing. He winds up for a devastating Hyper Beam, but you're a bit quicker, and the Bulbasaur is struck by a blinding bolt of lightning, instantly flash-frying his corpse. Dramatic, no? Director Filipe B. Costa has been making a name for himself with these kinds of perspective alterations. He's also lent his first-person style to The Legend of Zelda, with results that are slightly more awkward than this Pokémon battle, but impressive nonetheless. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that Nintendo will release a game resembling either of those videos any time soon, so consider this your daily reminder that life is a cruel mistress.
How to avoid Pokemon X / Y's save glitch in Lumiose City
Nintendo has detailed the save glitch responsible for making Pokemon X / Y's controls unresponsive and has provided this handy chart as a short-term solution to the problem. Thankfully, unlike Pokemon, they can say more than their own name, so you won't be stuck deciphering a fix out of "Nintendo, Nintendo!" If you wish to ever control your Pokemon again, avoid saving and ending your game anywhere within the pictured outer blue ring in Lumiose City. For those of you unfortunate enough to have found out about this firsthand, the page describes a planned "application to recover saved game data" that will be made available on the eShop "as soon as possible."
This week on gdgt: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd-gen, Chromebook 11, and fitness trackers
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Report: Pokemon X/Y glitch affecting Lumiose City saves
Some players have encountered a game-breaking bug in their copies of Pokemon X/Y. At least two videos of have hit YouTube already and the cause seems to be loading a file where the player has saved in Lumiose City. The game locks up when loading the file, so if you're currently playing you may want to avoid saving within Lumiose City. Lumiose City is the main metropolis of the Kalos region in Pokemon X/Y. In the center of the city stands the Prism Tower, which serves as its symbol and prime example the city's design was heavily inspired by Paris, France. We've contacted Nintendo to confirm the company is aware of the situation and working on a fix. We'll be sure to update this post with Nintendo's response when we get it.
Pokemon X, Y shifts over 4 million in two days
Nintendo announced it's sold more than four million units of Pokemon X and Y worldwide across the game's first two days at retail. The series' first 3DS games are the fastest-selling of all on the console (if their sales are combined), and Nintendo says they are currently "tracking ahead" of Pokemon White 2 and Black 2 by more than 70 percent. "The early response to Pokémon X and Pokémon Y not only reaffirms the ongoing passion of Pokémon fans," said (a beaming) Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, "But also indicates that an entirely new generation of gamers is eager to experience the franchise for itself." Nintendo's figures may represent shipments rather than direct sales, but either way four million-plus in just two days is very impressive. [Update: Nintendo has confirmed this is four million copies sold to consumers.] As are the games themselves, having earned four and a half stars in our review. The series transition to 3DS was a mega-evolution according to Earnest, who said X and Y are "hands-down the best in the series."
GTA 5 reclaims rule in UK charts, wild Pokemon X, Y appear in top 4
The battle between Grand Theft Auto 5 and FIFA 14 rages on, with Rockstar reclaiming the UK No. 1 after EA Sports held it for two weeks. It's maybe a bit surprising to see Pokemon X and Y not on top, the duo instead placing in third and fourth in the all-formats chart. If the two Poke-versions were combined they'd almost certainly be Numero Uno, however, since X and Y are first and second in the individual formats chart. Maybe the biggest stat for Nintendo is that the 3DS games' first week sales are around double of Pokemon Black 2 and White 2's debut showing - I'm sure we'll be hearing about very big numbers soon. The other new release in the top ten is Beyond: Two Souls, Quantic Dream's PS3 game charting fifth. As for Dragon's Crown debuting all the way down in 19th, I have to wonder if the game's late European arrival and Sony's region-free policy played their part...
New Nintendo eShop releases: Pokémon X / Y, hopeless addiction
Most of Nintendo's platforms are getting new games on the eShop this week, even the lonely DSi. Let's face it though, the only games that matter are Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. We declared the games "hands-down the best in the series," so Pokéfans will definitely want to pick those up. What else are you going to play, Tennis? Golf? No, really, the NES versions of Tennis and Golf are out on Wii U Virtual Console too.
Nintendo UK offer: Buy Pokemon 3DS XL, Get X or Y for £20
Here's a nifty offer to tempt UK folk picking up Pokemon X and Y this weekend, particularly if they've been hankering for the themed 3DS XLs. If you buy either the red or the blue Pokemon handheld from Nintendo's new UK web store, you can pick up one of X or Y for just £20. The total bundle comes to £200, and that's with free next-day delivery. Given that the game's going for £30-40 at various UK stores, how I've still got a regular sized 3DS, and how purty those limited edition XLs are ... yep, I kinda want it. Dammit.
Transfer critters to Pokémon X/Y this December
Devoted Pokémaniacs will have to wait until December 27 to upload existing teams of Pokémon into Pokémon X/Y, reveals a tweet from Nintendo America. Unlike prior Pokémon games, Pokémon X and Y do not innately include Pokémon transfer functionality. Instead, players will need to download an eShop app known as the Pokémon Bank. This Bank functions not unlike the Pokémon Box released alongside Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire, as it serves as a repository for Pokémon, but also allows players to transfer their 'mon between generations of Nintendo's handheld franchise. Information on Pokémon Bank can be found at the app's official site, but the most crucial detail to remember is that Pokémon Bank is not a free app. Players will be granted a gratis trial period, but once that expires Pokémon fans will need to shell out $5 per year to continue using Pokémon Bank. While the wait and pricing information is disheartening, it does offer an excuse to read our newly-published Pokémon X/Y review which describes the game as "hands-down the best in the series."
Metareview: Pokemon X / Y
Pokemon is back with a new coat of fur, scales and whatever MewTwo has for skin. Our review of Pokémon X/Y called it "hands-down the best in the series." Let's see what the other Poke trainers thought: IGN (90/100): "Building on five generations of games, a digital menagerie of captivating creatures, and a wide range of diverse regions to explore, Pokemon X and Y proves this formulaic portable role-playing series can still deliver an innovative experience." Eurogamer (90/100): "For the young, the game is a soothing promise that, if you work hard, concentrate and look after others, victory and success will be yours. For the young at heart it's a warm reminder of the childlike thrills of discovery, compilation and care." Game Informer (88/100): "[Pokémon X & Y] goes down the checklist of important Pokémon features, neatly ticking them off one by one. It still feels like a Pokémon game, but the ease of player control, the updated art direction, 3D graphics, and the scaling of the world make everything more inviting, attractive, and fun." Edge (80/100): "While the structure of X/Y may be identical to previous Pokémon games, everything moves a little quicker: those roller skates make backtracking less of a chore, while Experience Share items distribute XP points across your whole party, all but eradicating the need to grind. You can strengthen your bond with Pokémon through a Tamagotchi-esque minigame or by participating in short, skill-based activities to earn a virtual punch bag that can increase their base statistics."
Get a whiff of these new Pokemon
Two new pocket monsters have been revealed ahead of next week's Pokemon X/Y release, both of which are super pink and super smelly. Slurpuff (left) is a fairy-type "meringue Pokemon" with an olfactory sense one hundred million times more powerful than that of a human being. Slurpuff is the evolved form of Pokemon X-exclusive Swirlix, a fairy-type "cotton candy Pokemon" whose special ability "Sweet Veil" prevents teammates from falling asleep. Aromatisse (right) is a fairy-type "fragrance Pokemon," the evolved form of Pokemon Y-exclusive Spritzee. Aromatisse emits a wide variety of different smells, which range from pleasing scents (we're thinking Calvin Klein) to odors "so repugnant to its opponent that it can turn a battle in its favor," according to its bio on the official website.
Pokemon X/Y review: I want to be the very best
Here's hoping your karma's in the black, because we've apparently reached the end of days. Law & Order has ended its run, cats and dogs are sleeping together and, most apocalyptic of all, Nintendo has created a fully three-dimensional entry in its beloved Pokémon franchise. Such seismic design shifts usually create growing pains, often leaving players with a sequel that's trumped by its predecessors despite a new aesthetic. Pokémon X and Y, however, aren't just the best-looking Pokémon games to date, they may be the best Pokémon games period. Shortly after starting the game, players receive a Pokédex to help them catalog the Pokémon they encounter. Unlike past games however, this Pokédex offers a host of new options. These include mini-games you can play with your 'mon to boost various attributes, a Player Search System that makes finding new battles and trading partners a quick, simple affair, and an app that lets players pet and feed their critters in an adorable first-person view. These are relatively small additions, but they go a long way toward making the Pokémon of Pokémon X/Y the most relatable, interactive creatures Nintendo has ever designed.
Pokemon X/Y's Honedge already gets an evolved form in Doublade
Even though Pokemon X and Y don't arrive on 3DS until October 12, Nintendo has wasted no time in revealing a number of new creatures for the game. Among the new Pokemon coming this fall is Honedge, which will also have an evolved form called Doublade, Nintendo announced on its official Pokemon Facebook page today. The sharply named Doublade appears to be two of the sword-like Honedges joined together, similar to the evolved forms of other Pokemon from past games like Magneton. Doublade is a steel and ghost type, just like Honedge, and features a "No Guard" ability. The two creatures join a large cast of already-announced Pokemon, including two mega-evolved forms of the fan-favorite Mewtwo. Don't fret, Nintendo only has a few more weeks to spoil the rest of Pokemon X and Y.
