Back in January, thousands of Pokémon trainers flocked to several different US cities with their copies of Pokémon Black and White 2 to compete in the Pokémon Video Game Winter Regional Championships. Each region had three different age divisions to compete in and the winners are now preparing for the 2013 Pokémon US National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Trainers will come together on the 5th-7th July to battle it out for supremacy, but this isn't just an exclusive tournament for the elites, anyone can head to this open and free-to-play event - there are sure to be plenty of people of all abilities available for a battle and there will be Pokémon League events, where people can earn special Pokémon-themed prizes.
It's not all about the video game either as the top trading card players will also be in attendance, all of which will be vying to be crowned the best player in America.
There will be six trainers crowned US National Champion - one from each age group in both the video and card game categories - and these super players will then be given the opportunity to represent their nation on a global stage at the Pokémon World Championships this August in Vancouver, Canada.
As if you need any more incentive to head down to the event, those who do go along with their copy of Pokémon Black and White or Pokémon Black and White 2 - and their DS or 3DS of course - will be able to receive a special 'mon in the form of Metagross.
This is no ordinary Metagross though, it's based on the one used by World Champion Ray Rizzo in the 2012 Pokémon World Championships.
Will any of you be heading down to the Indiana Convention Center for this one? Let us know how it goes if you do!
Comments 21
As cool as it would be to go to this, I don't think it's really worth it to go to this. I do play competitive Pokemon and all, but as I and probably many others on here feel about this, I don't think any of us really have what it takes to participate in this.
I live in asia and ive always felt companies like nintendo spit on me, no matter how much i respect them or value their games. Do i not feel like acquiring such items, or play with fellow gamers in fun filled avenues? whats my mistake?
Needs a Florida event. >.>
@Luigifan141
I'm playing, I've won $1,200 in travel money from regionals.
@Erica_Hartmann
Why didn't you go to the Lake Buena Vista regionals in January? Nationals are always in Indiana.
@Raikoo
...you paying for gas/transportation?
@Erica_Hartmann
Yes, I'm driving there. Estimated costs are around 700 including gas and hotel, so we're making money by driving there, and we'll have fun too.
@Raikoo That's pretty cool! Good luck at the Nation Championships then, you're going to need it.
Like I said, you're paying to take me...I have little money, and no vehicle, lol.
Would love for something like this to come to Atlanta, Georgia. I can't make that drive but would love to attend.
@SphericalCrusher - There was a regional event in Athens to qualify. I was testing my finalized team, breeding my 'mons, getting IVs straight, going to move tutors... it was sad when I lost my game. Went in 2011 to the Southeast regionals (Also stationed in Athens, as it is every year~), and lost in the second round of Juniors, the competition not being Swiss. And I fell to someone who placed third at Nationals... that hurt. Although he did post a regional warstory (Nice for a ten year old, huh?), and I came closest to beating him. No EV training, it was a cool year, I guess. The events are lots of fun.
Anyone around the area can still play in the Last Chance Qualifier, too, then earn themselves a ticket into Nationals the next day!
Can't wait for VGC 2014, and X/Y haven't even arrived. And with them, a whole new metagame... >:3 (This year I will be downloading, so I can't go and lose my game again
Can Pokemon be distributed with EVs/Natures (And possibly even IVs) premade?
@Luigifan141
Thanks, but as worlds 2011 finalist, I don't need luck
(I probably do because those critical hits and paralysis can really turn the tide of a game...)
I've top cut in all regionals except for 1, 2nd in Houston, 8th in St. Louis and then I got 9th in Atlanta...
@RedPanda Thank you for this info! Wishing one would be soon, I would love to test my team out. No clue how good it is. What is the best place to find out when this event occurs? The Pokemon website? or? Thanks again!
@Raikoo Holy crap... you were a finalist? O_O
Just curious, but what was your team?
@Luigifan141
Mhm.
It was thrown together at the last minute, Whimsicott, Terrakion, Chandelure, Jellicent, Amoonguss and Zoroark.
I got a pretty cool hat for being a finalist. http://puu.sh/3qEwo.jpg
@Raikoo - Fighting a Terracott team is very frustrating >__> Juniors, Seniors, or Masters? The guy I lost to actually had the same team, iirc o_0
@SphericalCrusher - No problem, VGC is fun to talk about~ VGC 2014 won't have any news anytime soon, seeing as it will be with X/Y. But when dates and locations are announced, I usually find them at places like Nugget Bridge, Smogon, and Marriland's site (They're all competitive battling communities). I'd say that, unlike this year where there was a Fall and Spring regional, next year will have only a Spring event, so there's still a good year. There's no real chance to get into the event this year, though, it's a bit too late.
If you want to test out your team for general competitive purposes, though, you can always use a simulator. I'm using Pokemon Showdown (Pokemonshowdown.com) right now, I highly advise checking it out. Requires no download.
@Raikoo Are you a Smogonite by any chance? Wish I could head to the Nationals, but it's not in my budget this year. Looking forward to the X/Y metagame next year though.
@TwoSmoove
I go on smogon occasionally, but I don't have an open room, sorry!
I do have a friend who can take a few people along depending if you're near his route or not.
@RedPanda
Juniors at the time. My team was a bit standard except for the zoroark.
@Erica_Hartmann
I thought you meant I was paying to take myself, not you...
@Raikoo - Did you possibly win first at Athens? If so, I lost to you in the second round... o__o
There's basically a one-in-three chance, here, since the year I was in, there were only three well-educated, serious Juniors contending...
@RedPanda
Nope. At Athens I was playing in seniors. And I got 9th while top cut was 8th...
At Athens I was using Thundurus/Tyranitar/Tornadus/Sableye/Hitmontop/Volcrarona
@Raikoo - I'm speaking of 2011, sorry. Did you earn first there then?
@RedPanda
Yeah, but I didn't go to any regional in 2011 I went straight to worlds on my first year and got 2nd.
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