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CultureThe Nintendo Download: Oh Snap
There are only 19 games coming to the Nintendo Switch over the next week, but don’t be sad. One of them is New Pokémon Snap, another is R-Type Final 2, and none of them is sexy anime mah-jong. Actually, I can’t guarantee that none of this week’s releases are sexy mah-jong, but I’m pretty sure.…
By Mike Fahey Published April 29, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsA Belated Apology To The Child Whose Pokémon Gym I Stole
In 2016, Pokémon Go took the world by storm, and I wanted to be the best like no one ever was, regardless of who I hurt in the process. As I make my return to the app in 2021, I can’t help but feel bad about a child I bullied all those years ago. I…
By Lisa Marie Segarra Published April 28, 2021 -
ReviewsSwitchNew Pokémon Snap: The Kotaku Review
After 21 years, gaming’s least violent on-rails shooter triumphantly returns to usher in a new generation of Pokémon paparazzi. New Pokémon Snap adds layers of complexity to the monster photo safari without straying too far from what made the original so damn lovable. New Pokémon Snap tasks you with helping Professor Mirror and his research…
By Mike Fahey Published April 28, 2021 -
CulturePokémon Go Player Celebrates Holding Gym For 1,332 Days, Immediately Loses It To Cheater
Where there’s a will (to cheat), there’s a way (to use cheats to functionally climb a real-life mountain in the wilderness of Montana). Recently, Pokémon Go player BootsMade4Walking’s tale of triumph quickly gave way to a cautionary tale. Yesterday on Reddit, they posted a screenshot of a gym they’ve held for three and a half…
By Nathan Grayson Published April 27, 2021 -
CulturePokémon Go Introduces Sponsored Gifts Because Capitalism
The massively popular Pokémon Go has raked in over $4 billion since launching in 2016. Now, developer Niantic is looking to get a little more with the addition of floating ads. After some limited regional testing, Niantic recently introduced “sponsored gifts” to the game worldwide, which directly advertise businesses like Baskin Robbins and Grubhub to…
By Ian Walker Published April 27, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsSigned Pokémon Card Sells For $250,000
We now live in a world where boxes of Pokémon cards are selling for over $400,000 and individual Blastoise cards for $360,000, so maybe it’s not the biggest surprise that this very rare and very cool card featuring Pokémon Company stalwart Tsunekazu Ishihara has also sold for an astronomical price. The card, sold by Goldin…
By Luke Plunkett Published April 26, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanA Pokémon-Themed Fossil Exhibit Opening In Japan
In what seems like an inevitability, a touring exhibition called Pokémon Kaseki Hakubutsukan (ポケモン化石博物館) or “Pokémon Fossil Museum” will open this summer in Japan. According to the official announcement, the exhibition will let visitors observe and compare fossils from dinosaurs and other creatures as well as extinct plants with Pocket Monsters, with the idea of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 20, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanOn-Demand Printing For New Pokémon Snap Comes To Japanese Convenience Stores
Starting April 30, Lawson convenience stores across Japan will be offering a New Pokémon Snap printing service. That way players can print out their favorite photographs As the official site (via Yahoo! News and Nintendo Life) explains, the game data needs to be transferred to a smart device or PC. Then, users access the special…
By Brian Ashcraft Published April 14, 2021 -
CulturePokemonPoliwhirl Is Covered In Mucus And Smooth Like A Shark
Every Pokemon is interesting and worth talking about. I don’t play a ton of Pokemon, but I do enjoy the universe and I love learning more about the creatures in it. So, Here’s Another Pokemon! It’s Poliwhirl! Poliwhirl Details Type: Water Average Height: 3′ 03″ Average Weight: 44.1 lbs. First Added In Generation I Poliwhirl…
By Zack Zwiezen Published April 10, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsPokémon‘s Intro, Remade With Stock Footage
Pokémon’s status as a worldwide phenomenon means that you can break it down to its essential parts and folks will still recognize what you’re referencing. You show somebody an electric rat and, nine times out of ten, they’ll understand you’re talking about Pikachu. But can the franchise survive being filtered through the internet’s vast library…
By Ian Walker Published April 7, 2021 -
ReviewsBacklogWelcome To Backlog Month
April’s pretty thin as far as new game releases go. So we at Kotaku are taking the moment to focus on something shared among every gamer: a backlog. You could call it a month…about backlogs…surely there’s some sort of cutesy phrase we could use? Aha! Backlog Month! Look, it’s not like April is literally devoid…
By Ari Notis Published April 7, 2021 -
CulturePokemonVullaby Wears A Skull To Protects Its Ass
Every Pokemon is interesting and worth talking about. I don’t play a ton of Pokemon, but I do enjoy the universe and I love learning more about the creatures in it. So, Here’s Another Pokemon! It’s Vullaby! Vullaby Details Type: Dark / Flying Average Height: 1′ 08″ Average Weight: 19.8 lbs. First Added In Generation…
By Zack Zwiezen Published April 3, 2021 -
OpinionAsk KotakuWhat’s A Game You Like That Doesn’t Get Enough Love?
It’s Monday and time for Ask Kotaku, the weekly feature in which Kotaku-ites deliberate on a single burning question. Then, we ask your take. This week we Ask Kotaku: What’s a game you like that doesn’t get enough love? Alexandra It’s Bionic Commando (2009). The game famously bombed and sure enough, there’s plenty wrong with…
By Alexandra Hall Published March 29, 2021 -
CultureAnother Charizard Card Sells For Over $300,000
Pokémon cards have been having a bit of a boom lately, and nowhere is that more obvious than in auctions for the holographic Charizard card that acted as the base set’s crown jewel in 1999. A third card featuring the fire lizard recently sold for over $300,000. The eBay auction, which closed Sunday evening, started…
By Ian Walker Published March 29, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanMan Arrested Following Daring Pokémon Card Robbery
A 28-year-old Tokyo resident has been arrested for allegedly breaking into a trading card shop atop a six-story building to steal Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards, after climbing over the side of the building with a rope. Mainichi reports that in the early morning hours last week, Kensuke Nakanishi anchored a rope to a railing on the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 29, 2021 -
CultureFinally, A Video Game About The Boat
You’ve no doubt heard by now about (literally) the largest story in the world. Three days ago, the Ever Given, a 1,300-foot freight liner, grounded on both shores of the Suez Canal, blocking any passage for any other boats. Despite the best efforts of engineers, tugboats, and one very determined bulldozer. It’s still stuck. As…
By Ari Notis Published March 26, 2021 -
OpinionImpressionsNew Pokémon Snap Is Like Old Pokémon Snap, Only Much Prettier
Pokémon Snap for the Nintendo 64 is a game about rolling through islands, leisurely taking pictures of pocket monsters. All the upcoming sequel needs to please fans of the original is more of that with nicer graphics. I am pleased to report New Pokémon Snap is exactly that. Nintendo recently held a preview event where…
By Mike Fahey Published March 24, 2021 -
CulturePokemonClauncher Sucks At Swimming, But Packs A Powerful Water Gun
Every Pokemon is interesting and worth talking about. I don’t play a ton of Pokemon, but I do enjoy the universe and I love learning more about the creatures in it. So, Here’s Another Pokemon! It’s Clauncher! Clauncher Details Type: Water Average Height: 1′ 08″ Average Weight: 18.3 lbs. First Added In Generation VI The…
By Zack Zwiezen Published March 20, 2021 -
CultureResearchers Name Newly Discovered Insects After Legendary Pokémon
Two entomologists decided to name their recently discovered new species of Australian beetles Binburrum articuno, Binburrum moltres, and Binburrum zapdos, bringing Pokémon full circle back to what originally inspired the hit video game series. In the world of scientific research those who do the hard work of delivering new findings also get to name them,…
By Ethan Gach Published March 19, 2021
