Archives: Japan

Brand New Pokemon Game Set For 2010

Ok, so here’s an interesting one. The Pokemon Company, the main men behind pokemon, announced today that a BRAND NEW pokemon game will be released during the latter part of 2010 for the Nintendo DS. The actual release states that it is a new series, which may be one or more games, is stated to include new pokemon and is set to be an RPG. It was also said that it’s being planned so that everything is ‘born anew’

Could this mean that the fifth generation is on it’s way? Possible. It’s a new series, so it’s not restricted to one game being released, the main games are RPGs and a new generation means new pokemon.

However, the myster dungeon games have been RPGs, contained new pokemon before they were available in the main games and brought a new perspective on the pokemon games. So just because the announcement hints at the new generation, it doesn’t mean anything yet.

Also against it being a brand new generation is time. It hasn’t been a year yet since the Heart Gold and Soul Silver remakes have been released. There was a 2 year gap between the Leaf Green/Fire Red remakes in gen 3 and gen 4 being released. Not to mention we’ve yet to discover any new pokemon yet, which would be the shortest development of a generation between the release of a new pokemon and the new generation. Not to mention that there has never been 2 generations of pokemon on the same console, and this IS set to be on the DS.

The good news to take from this is that there will be a new game of some description appearing in the next 12 months and that 5th gen pokemon are on the horrizon. In fact the 13th movie’s merchandise has hinted at a new pokemon being in the movie and CoroCoro magazine is set to reveal something about it in the next issue in about 2 weeks time. Until then, it’s all guess work and speculation, but we’ll be keeping our eyes pealed for any new info we can get our hands on.

New Pokémon Ranger Game

You can tell Christmas is over as the news just won’t stop coming. Hot on the heals of Heart Gold and Soul Silver’s European release date being announced, leaked scans from this months CoroCoro magazine has revealed details of a new Pokémon Ranger game to be released this year.

Titled ‘Pokémon Ranger – Tracks of Light’ the game returns to the popular Ranger format of ‘capturing’ Pokémon with the stylus to assist you in solving problems and tasks. Set in a new region ‘Oblivia’ and against a new bad guy team called the ‘Pokémon Nappers’ the 3rd installment to the Ranger series sees several new additions to the game play. PokéAssists will now send a Pokémon out to help fight the pokemon you’re up against, but will flee when they take damage. You will be able to ride on the backs of several Pokemon, including the legendary dogs, Raikou, Entai and Suicine. Brand new is the ability to call certain Pokemon by drawing a special symbol, current known symbols are for Eevee and Croagunk.

Edit: We now know that the ability to call the Pokémon to your aid will be an add on function to your styler, though how you learn symbols for various Pokémon is not mentioned. You will be able to call the legendary dog’s via this method though, helpful since riding on them will get you past various obsitcals, like Suicune will run down a river or Entai will jump from cliff to cliff. Your partner Pokémon will be a Pichu (who seems increadibly popular with gamefreak at the moment). The Pichu is carrying around a blue Ukulele (like a small guitar if you didn’t know), although why it is nobody seems to know.

New to the Ranger games will be a Multiplayer mode, although its not clear if it will be Wi-Fi or just local wireless (most likely the latter, unfortunatly). Up to 4 players will be able to take part in special missions, and you’ll have to work together in order to capture Pokémon, as you will have to connect the lines that your friends drawn if you want to successfully capture a Pokémon.

Speaking of Special Missions, straight away as the game is released, a download mission will be available that will allow you to obtain a Deoxys, one that will be transferable to your Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Heart Gold or Soul Silver carts. There is something special about the Deoxys you will get, but that wont be revealed until next month.

According to CoroCoro, the game is scheduled for release on 6th March 2010, with a Demo apearing at DS download Stations and via the Wii Channel in Japan at the end of this month (29th Jan to be exact). Pokémon Sunday in Japan was due to have some news in their game section this week (they teased it last week with a big question mark) nothing big was made about it at the time as they’ve done this in the past and not revealed anything special or new (one time, they reveaed Magikarp… seriously, has ANYBODY not heard about Magikarp). However, with this news from CoroCoro, it means that this will likely be the special feature on Pokémon Sunday. Hopefully they’ll have something new to mention, or at the very least have some video footage.

That’s all we have for now, We’ll bring you more as soon as we know about it

Pokémon Center Event (Japan) and Official Website Redesign (USA)

Wouldn’t you just know it, just as you finish saying “there’s nothing interesting happening at the moment”, something interesting goes and happens. News out of Japan says that the Pokémon Centers (the real life ones that sell Pokémon related stuff) are handing out a new Pokéwalker Course between 29th January and the 28th February. The course is appropriately titled ‘Event’ and features Chatot, Sableye, Croagunk, Buneary, Pikachu and Pachurisu.

A little closer to home, The American Pokémon site, pokemon.com has updated their site. Along with a fresh new look (something that’s been needed for a few years), the new site brings several new features including an updated Pokédex, a TCG card dex, several free games to play and episodes of the anime you can watch online. There’s also a trainers club which will allow you to make a custom trainer and earn trainer tokens. The site also combines the old go-poekmon.com, and now serves all the TCG and Organised Play news and updates that go-pokemon.com did. The for al those that do Organised Play, part of the new Trainers Club can be used to keep track of all your OP stats.

Along with the fresh new look, the site also has news on the Pokéwalker, confirming that the peripheral will be coming out to with the US versions of Heart Gold and Soul Silver. The article explains nothing new for anyone who’s been following HG/SS since their announcements, explaining that the walker is used to level up Pokémon when not playing the game, it can be used to catch additional Pokémon and items and can communicate with other Pokéwalkers in a feature reminiscent of the original Mystery Gift option in the original Gold and Silver games, giving both users a free gift via infra red, but only once per person, per day and up to ten maximum.

Still no info on Heart Gold and Soul Silver in any form for Europe, nor has the UK official Pokémon site had a refresh (something its needed doing longer than the US one). We’ll bring you more news when we learn about it.

Twelfth Movie Preview Shows Glimpse of Thirteenth Movie

An early screening of the Twelfth Pokemon movie shown yesterday revealed a glimpse of Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver footage, as well as a sneak peek at the thirteenth Pokemon movie. Not much is known about this movie so far, apart from the fact that it features Lugia and Ho-Oh, which is almost certainly in reference to the Heart Gold/Soul Silver games. The trailer also featured the three legendary dogs and the Red Gyarados from Gold/Silver in 3D. This would seem to suggest Red Gyarados will be present in Heart Gold/Soul Silver.

Arceus: To the Conquering of Space-Time will be released on 18th July across Japanese cinemas and is undated elsewhere. To see the full trailer, click the link below.

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New Pokemon to be revealed?

It’s been a while since we learnt about any new Pokemon, even longer if you don’t count the aditional forms some Pokemon can turn into on Platinum version. However we could be finding out about 3 new Pokemon really soon.

The 12th movie’s official site has updated with info on Arceus and the Pikachu coloured Pichu. It’s also updated with some promotional merchandise for the film, including a range of 14 keychains. Howerver 3 of the keychains are blanked out, with question marks covering them (as shown in the picture bellow) 

Shadow_keychains

Could this be a hint as to three new Pokemon going to be revealed in the new movie? Well yes, revealing new Pokemon for the next generation of games has been a tradition of the Movies since the very first one came out revealing Marill and Snubbull (ok, so it was actually the little Pikachu short that went with the movie, but the point is valid). Alternativly, the keychains could contain new Forme’s for Pokemon to turn into, as apposed to being brand new Pokemon.

As soon as we learn what those three are, we’ll let you know about them.

Heart Gold and Soul Silver dated for Release

The Official site for Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver got a very small update today, but it was with some important information. The release date for the Japanese launch of HG/SS will be September 12th (a Saturday, if your interested). They will be on sale for ¥4800 each. This is around the same time as the past few years when Pokemon games have been released (Diamond/Pearl and Platinum all were released in September in Japan). If the US and European releases follow the same as they have for the past couple of years, the US should see the games around early Spring/Easter time while Europe should see it around late Spring/early Summer. Those are guesses however and as soon as we know the actuall release date’s for those two areas, we’ll let you know.

In other Pokemon news, Pokemon Center stores in Japan are giving away some special Jirachi merchandice in celebration of the Tanabata festival in August. From 21st July to Aug 26th, Showing the special Jirachi knowing Draco Meteor (available for download over Wi-fi on all Japanese Diamond, Pearl and Platinum games between June 19th to July 17) will get you the special Jirachi merchandice. The store will also be selling a special Jirachi Plush Doll on July 1st for ¥980

That’s all we have for now – we’ll bring you more when we learn about it

Mac de DS and Melee! Pokemon Scramble Codes

This will be my last update for a couple of weeks as I am off travelling, but don’t worry! The Pika Club will still be updated so be sure to keep visiting us, you’re sure to find the latest Pokemon news here. That said, there’s really not that much news to report on at the moment, this is only a minor update.

As previously reported on, Nintendo and McDonalds are now offering a DS WiFi service in McDonalds across Japan. Here’s the TV ad for that deal, showing off the Jirachi download event:




Also, for those of you out there that have Melee! Pokemon Scramble, you might be interested in knowing that a secret code has been given out for a Chimchar. That code is 0331-4118. Enter that and you’ll receive a Chimchar that knows Ember.

mpschimchar

On a side note, the forums have just got a new summery theme based on Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. Check them out!

Oha Suta releases new Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver info

Japanese television show Oha Suta aired recently giving us some more insight into how events work in Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver.

Pichu event in action

Pichu event in action

When players travel to Ilex Forest with Pikachu coloured Pichu (a movie event download) tagging along, Notch-eared Pichu will jump out from behind the shrine. An old man then comes out and explains things in more detail.

Pichu battle

Pichu battle

More information about Arceus has also been revealed. The Arceus given away at cinemas in Japan will unlock a new region called Shinto Ruins if traded to Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver. However to unlock the region Arceus must first be brought along to the Ruins of Alph where Cynthia will be waiting.

arceusunown

Unown swarming Arceus

The Unown will then gather around Arceus before an egg is made of either Dialga, Palkia or Giratina.

Hit the jump for the video of Oha Suta.

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Official Japanese Heart Gold/Soul Silver Site Opens

The official Heart Gold/Soul Silver site section of pokemon.co.jp has opened, bringing not much new information but some nice quality screenshots and pictures. Click on the pictures below for bigger versions.