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CultureOdds and EndsPeeled Pokémon Are Disturbing, But I Can’t Stop Looking
Nothing really prepares you for stumbling upon a Lopunny that has had parts of its fur and flesh peeled off it, leaving a smooth monstrosity. And yet, that happened to me one day on Twitter. Now I can’t stop looking at all the other peeled Pokémon. (Peeled Pokémon gave me permission to share their artwork…
By Zack Zwiezen Published March 14, 2021 -
OpinionPokemon Go‘s Eggs Aren’t Lootboxes, They’re Fun Presents
Pokémon Go developer Niantic is testing a feature that lets players see what might be inside the game’s eggs before they walk the many miles to hatch them. It appears this is a response to the argument that the game’s eggs are akin to lootboxes. There is an awful lot that could be better about…
By John Walker Published March 12, 2021 -
Kotaku EastOfficial Pokémon Sunscreen Coming To Asia
When you think of Pokémon, you probably don’t think of sunscreen. Well, maybe you do. I know I don’t! Yet, Shiseido is rolling out Pocket Monster emblazoned Anessa sunscreen in its native Japan as well as in mainland China and Hong Kong. The concept seems to be that the Pokémon sunblock protects wearers as they…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 12, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsFan Reimagines The Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Remakes
Earlier this year, Game Freak announced Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. These remakes use a chibi-3D art style, but still kept the top-down point of view while exploring the Sinnoh region. Some liked the art style, while others were less thrilled. You can see how the remakes compare with the original Diamond and Pearl.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 11, 2021 -
CultureTwitchA Twitch Streamer Unearthed Cards From A Fake ’90s Pokémon Ripoff, And Fans Are Pretending The Series Was Real All Along [UPDATE]
There’s elaborate performance art, and then there’s what renowned Twitch jester Jerma did over the weekend. In a truly inspired stream, he parodied the recent Pokémon booster pack craze by going out into the Nevada desert and pretending to excavate a chest seemingly full of unopened Pokémon cards from 1997. They turned out to be…
By Nathan Grayson Published March 8, 2021 -
CultureKotaku Game DiaryBravely Default II’s Beastmaster Job Is Basically Pokémon
Creating your party in Bravely Default II is less about the characters you use than it is the jobs with which you equip them. It’s a smart strategy to always have basic healers and damage-dealers on hand, sure, but when it comes to my party, I don’t foresee ever not having at least one Beastmaster…
By Ian Walker Published March 8, 2021 -
CulturePokémon Go Holds Make Up Event For Letting In Players Without Tickets, Lets In Players Without Tickets
It’s now officially a trademark move for developer Niantic. Last month Pokémon Go players were accidentally let in for free to the ticketed Kanto Tour event. To make up for it, Niantic announced there would be a special bonus event for those who’d paid. That started today, and guess what: They let people in who…
By John Walker Published March 5, 2021 -
CulturePokémon Go‘s Professor Willow Is Coming To The Pokémon Card Game
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Pokémon Trading Card Game. What better way to celebrate that than sticking Professor Willow from Pokémon Go in it? This summer, which will be the fifth anniversary of Pokémon Go, the professor will appear in the card game. According to the official announcement, Professor Willow’s card will…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 5, 2021 -
Kotaku EastJapanOfficial Pokémon-Themed…Fishing Lures
The amount of Pokémon branding in Japan is intense. And with the arrival of these fishing lures, it seems the pocket monsters can be slapped on just about anything. As Go Nintendo points out, Japanese fishing equipment company Duo has teamed up with The Pokémon Company for made-in-Japan Pikachu and Kygore-themed lures. One is a…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 4, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsAn Ode To My Favorite Flavor Texts
More than the set piece battle or the final showdown between hero and villain, it’s the quieter, smaller moments in video games that get me. In some games, those tiny moments can be a sudden expression on a character’s face or a short piece of dialogue from an inconsequential scene. But more often than not,…
By Ash Parrish Published March 2, 2021 -
CultureKotaku Game DiaryBravely Default 2’s Level Up Screen Is So Satisfying
Sixty hours later I still love watching these numbers go up. Like many other JRPGs, Bravely Default II is extremely long and extremely grindy, but the game is also full of small touches that occasionally punctuate the tedium with joy. One of those is the level up screen. After killing a mob of enemies you…
By Ethan Gach Published March 2, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsPokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl‘s Graphics Compared To The Original Games’
Late last week, Nintendo announced remakes of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The original games were released in 2007 on the Nintendo DS, while the remakes will be out on the Switch this year. Plus, the new versions will not be developed by Game Freak, but rather, ILCA (the games’ original director, Junichi Masuda, will be…
By Brian Ashcraft Published March 1, 2021 -
CulturePokemonPikachu Gets More Powerful The More It Sleeps
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 Pikachu! Pikachu Details Type: Electric Average Height: 1′ 04″ Average Weight: 13.2 lbs First Added In Generation I Happy…
By Zack Zwiezen Published February 27, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsHappy 25th Birthday, Pokémon
Dear Pokémon, Ah, my beloved game series. Happy birthday! Man, 25, huh. That’s a big one. It seems like yesterday you were just a little Red and Green version, entertaining gamers of all ages with your signature mix of 151 adorable monsters and your compelling take on rock-paper-scissors. But look at you now—from 151 to…
By Ari Notis Published February 27, 2021 -
CultureMorning CheckpointNew Pokemon Games, New Final Fantasy VII Spin-Offs, Anthem Is Done, Call Of Duty Is Way Too Big, And More
This week on Morning Checkpoint we learn about the next terrible thing involving Cyberpunk 2077, learn the future of Anthem, check out a new trailer for more Hot Wheels in Forza, talk about some good dads and watch Destiny 2 players jump off a cliff over and over. Great Kotaku Content From The Past Week…
By Zack Zwiezen Published February 27, 2021 -
OpinionNow That’s How You Do A Damn Game Reveal
After being utterly underwhelmed by BlizzCon, last week’s Nintendo Direct, and yesterday’s PlayStation State of Play, I wasn’t expecting much out of today’s Pokémon 25th Anniversary presentation. But it feels like The Pokémon Company took a good look at the competition and said, “Alright, now watch a master work.” No shade at all to those…
By Ash Parrish Published February 26, 2021 -
CultureOdds and EndsHmm, That New Pokémon Game Sure Looks A Lot Like Breath Of The Wild
Today during a Nintendo livestream we got our first look at Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a new open-world Pokémon game. Almost instantly after it was revealed folks on the internet began comparing it to Breath of the Wild. In fact, one particular shot in the new trailer caught the eyes of many fans for how similar…
By Zack Zwiezen Published February 26, 2021 -
CultureHere’s How The New Pokémon Snap Works
The original Pokémon Snap, released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999, saw players riding the Zero-One buggy across the generically-named Pokémon Island at the behest of Professor Oak. New Pokémon Snap gives players a whole new region to explore, a new professor to guide them, and new ways to edit and share endless photos of…
By Mike Fahey Published February 26, 2021 -
CulturePokémon Legends: Arceus Is A New Open-World Game Coming In 2022
Set in the Sinnoh Region of old, Pokémon Legends Arceus is a new approach to open-world Pokémon games coming to the Nintendo Switch in early 2022. In Pokémon Legends Arceus, players travel to the Sinnoh Region, choose Rowlett, Cyndaquil, or Oshawott as their partner, and set about filling out the region’s very first Pokédex. There’s…
By Mike Fahey Published February 26, 2021 -
CultureSwitch Is Getting Pokémon Brilliant Diamond And Shining Pearl Remakes In Late 2021
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl for the DS are getting “faithful” remakes in the form of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on Switch later this year, the Pokémon Company announced in a livestream today. The games take place in the Sinnoh region, one of the series’ more naturalistic settings, with players adventuring while accompanied one…
By Ethan Gach Published February 26, 2021