Pokémon

Ultra Sun and Moon Shouts Out The Time Iwata Helped Save Pokémon

Last week, fans discovered that the latest Pokémon games reference beloved Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, who died in 2015. The easter egg is touching, but it’s also kind of brief. Here’s the full story behind how Iwata saved Pokémon—and a closer look at why the man became so legendary. Joe Merrick, proprietor of Pokémon site Serebii,…

It’s Late 2017 And Pokémon Go Can Still Draw Massive Crowds In Japan 

When Pokémon Go launched in Japan (and, well, everywhere), hordes of folks were playing it. The numbers of active players have dropped, but the game still has a dedicated following. Of course, Japan isn’t alone. The game is still played and enjoyed by people all around the globe. From November 24 to November 26, there…

Ash From Pokémon Sets A New Strength Record 

Earlier in the new Pokémon TV anime series, Pokémon: Sun Moon, Ash was shown as a wimp. He’s always been superhuman strong, so this depiction was a break from tradition. Good news! The most recent episode is a return to form. Herculean Ash is back and stronger than ever. Over the years, the Pokémon anime…

A Small, Disturbing Side Story In Ultra Pokémon Sun and Moon

The original Sun and Moon are famed for having surprisingly dark story elements that redefined how we understood beloved monsters, along with core features such as Mega Evolution. Ultra Sun and Moon take that ball and run with it. One of the best examples of this actually happens early on in the new games. Not…

Ultra Pokémon Sun and Moon Make Hunting Shiny Pokémon Way Easier

Pokémon fans know just how rare finding a “shiny” is: you can play multiple games across generations and never encounter monsters in a special coloring. Typically, you have a 1 in 4,000 chance of finding a shiny, which is pretty low. Ultra Sun and Moon change the odds by giving you another sure-fire way to…

Streamer Suspended From Twitch For Playing Pokémon Game That Came Out Early In Australia

Australian streamer Mark “Werster” McKenzie received a temporary ban from Twitch last week, because the service said the Pokémon game he was playing was “unauthorised pre-release content”. Even though he’d bought the game from Nintendo’s own store. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were released in the US on November 17, but because of time…

The World of Pokémon Sun and Moon Is Kinda Bullshit

Playing through Ultra Pokémon Sun and Moon over the last couple of weeks gave me a chance to reconsider the major characters and story beats, and I’ve walked away believing one thing: the world of Alola failed Guzma. (Get the MP3 here.) In the latest episode of the Favecast, embedded above, Gita Jackson and I…

14 Things That Are New In Ultra Pokémon Sun and Moon

A third version of 2016’s Pokémon Sun and Moon drops today for the 3DS, so you may be wondering what, exactly, has been changed this time around. Should you play Ultra Sun and Moon if you already enjoyed the original games? If you’ve never played any version before, is this the best game to get?…

Twitch Plays Pokémon’s Creator Says He Is Stepping Down Following Alleged Doxing

Over 3 years ago, one developer started a whole new genre of streaming with Twitch Plays Pokémon. In these streams, the chat took control and played the game, rather than the streamer. The resulting craze had views in the millions. Yesterday, the creator of Twitch Plays Pokémon, referred to as “Streamer” by the TPP community,…

Pokémon Fans Are Losing Their Minds At The End Of The New Movie

There is a weird thing about the new Pokémon movie that is kind of a spoiler, so if you’re sensitive to that stuff, look away. If you’re not, here is a room full of adults losing their shit over what happens at the end of the newest movie in the series, I Choose You! WARNING:…

A New Version Of The Classic Pokémon Theme Song

When the English-language version of Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! opens, the movie will get a new version of the iconic theme. The “Pokémon Theme” debuted in 1999 and is also known as “Gotta Catch ‘Em All.” Here is how the theme will sound when Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You! comes out in…

The Pokémon Show Introduced A Generation To Anime

Next week, the Pokémon anime will air its 1000th episode. The show and game are still capturing the hearts of children around the world, just like they captured mine 20 years ago. When I was eight years old, every day I’d hurry home as fast as possible to catch Pokémon on TV. I didn’t have…

The Pokémon Anime’s 1,000th Episode Is Next Week 

The first episode of the Pokémon television anime aired on April 1, 1997 in Japan. Next week, the show will reach the 1,000th episode milestone. The name of the 1,000th episode is “Lilie and Silvady, the Resurrected Memory!” and will feature Silvady’s TV anime debut. Broadcasting on November 9, the episode looks like a tearjerker…

20 Years Of Pokémon Villains Join Forces In Ultra Sun And Moon

The biggest, baddest Team Rocket ever is blasting off into the Alola region in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Moon later this month, with an all-star cast of series villains headed up by the original baddie himself, Giovanni. It’s unclear what exactly Pokémon Red and Blue boss Giovanni and his team of ne’er do wells are…

Now, This Is An Excellent Pokémon Costume 

The bar for Pokémon costumes has been raised. Just look at this Lugia outfit. It’s wonderful. Twitter user Shuuto created the costume, uploading the clip below and wishing everyone a happy Halloween. This isn’t the first time he’s created a Pokémon themed Halloween costume. Check out the outfits of years’ past.  Can’t wait to see…

Here’s A Good Pokémon Figure

Good Smile is releasing a Figma next year based on Sun & Moon trainer Selene. The figure itself is great, but even better is that she comes with all three of Sun & Moon’s starter Pokémon: Rowlet, Litten and Popplio. Selene is out in April 2018.

One Of The Creepiest Pokémon Ever 

It’s Spooky Weekhere at Kotaku, and what better time to look back at Parasect, one of the most unsettling Pocket Monsters to date. The Bug/Grass type evolves from Paras, and its name appears to be a portmanteau of “parasite” and “insect.” Hence, Parasect. What makes Parasect so unsettling is that it’s been taken over by…

This Overwatch/Pokemon mash-up shouldn’t work, but it totally does. I’m not sure I’d want to play iDeViL360‘s Pokemon-style Overwatch game if it existed, but it’s a fertile, monster-ridden field for humor. Speaking of fields, of course patches of tall grass would be lousy with annoying level one Hanzos.

I Drank Pikachu Soda, And It Was Good

Taiwanese soda company Ocean Bomb has a huge range of Pokemon-themed drinks out at the moment. This one, with Pikachu’s face and the word “cider” on it, convinced me it was the one to try. Now, where I’m from in Australia, “cider” is an alcoholic beverage you drink in the summertime. I get that for…

How To Make Pokémon Coloring Books Horrifying

If you want to make Pocket Monster coloring books scary, don’t just color between the lines. Draw stuff between them. These wonderful doodles were done by Twitter user Bankokukun. They are brilliant nightmare fuel. We have seen this kind of thing before. It was frightening then, and it’s frightening now. For more of Bankokukun’s art,…