Pokémon X & Y News
January2021
Random Pokémon Fan Finishes Challenge To Play Every Game Without Using Pokémon Twice
It took two and a half years to complete the series
Pokémon fans love making things harder for themselves. There's the Nuzlocke Challenge, in which you can only catch the first Pokémon you meet in every area, and fainted Pokémon are considered "dead" and must be released. There's the original Twitch Plays Pokémon, which keeps popping up with...
December2020
Feature What Can We Expect From Pokémon’s 25th Anniversary?
2021 marks 25 years of catching 'em all
It’s Thanksgiving and time for the Macy’s Parade in New York. After float upon float showing various things, in comes a familiar yellow friend. Multiple Pikachu have come and started dancing to celebrate Thanksgiving. However, at the end, something is uncovered... the Pokémon 25th anniversary logo...
February2020
Feature Best Pokémon Starters From All Gens, As Voted By You
You voted, we counted
At the end of last year we asked you to pick your favourite Fire-, Grass- and Water-type starter Pokémon from across the Pokémon series to discover y
November2019
Poll Which Starter Pokémon Is The Best? Choose Your Favourite Water-Type Starter
Pick from this pool
And we come to the final stop on our journey to find out the best multi-generational mix of starter Pokémon before we ultimately reveal your dream team of starters. We've previously asked your opinion for the best Fire- and Grass-type starter Pokémon from the eight generations that comprise the mainline
Poll Which Starter Pokémon Is The Best? Choose Your Favourite Grass-Type Starter
Best in grass
A wild PokéPoll appeared! Continuing our quest to find the ultimate cross-generational triumvirate of starter Pokémon, here we present the 8 Grass-type starters from every generation for your consideration. The Rock-Paper-Scissors choice of Fire-Grass-Water-types to kick off your adventure is a series tradition, but we're eager to...
Poll Which Starter Pokémon Is The Best? Choose Your Favourite Fire-Type Starter
Trouble starters, punkin' instigators
We're going to go out on a limb and guess that you've probably heard about the new Pokémon game coming out very soon. Yes, we're on the cusp of Gen VIII with the release of Pokémon Sword and Shield and very soon you'll be able to choose between Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble before embarking on a journey...
August2019
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 17th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Another busy week has been and gone, this time bringing with it hints at SNES games coming to Switch and the revelation that Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma teased the upcoming Zelda: Link's Awakening remake years ago! Well... As we've finally reached the weekend, it's time once again to sit back, relax, and chat...
March2019
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (March 16th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
We've made it to yet another weekend and it's finally time to relax with some of our favourite games. After the excitement of the physical Hollow Knight release and the horror of seeing Zelda: Breath of the Wild without its cel-shading this week, team Nintendo Life has gathered to talk over our weekend gaming...
January2019
News The Top 10 Best-Selling 3DS Games (As Of December 2018)
Pokémon here, Pokémon there
As part of its Q3 2019 financial update, Nintendo has provided up-to-date lists for its best-selling games across current consoles. We've already shared the current top ten best-selling Switch games, but what about the 3DS? Well, as it happens, the top ten 3DS games are exactly the same now as they were three month
November2018
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (November 24th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Another Saturday has crept into view, with yet another chance for us to discuss our weekend gaming plans. Just like last week, you can expect plenty of Pokémon entries from Team Nintendo Life this time around, although we also have a healthy dose of competitive online play and even world domination to attend...
May2018
News Legendary Pokémon Xerneas And Yveltal Distribution Begins Tomorrow
Add them to your game
The Pokémon Company International has announced that Xerneas and Yveltal will be the next legendary Pokémon to feature in the yearlong celebration of the series' mythical creatures. The best part of all this? You can grab both 'mon for your game files in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon. First appearing in...
January2018
Soapbox What The Upcoming Pokémon Switch RPG Can Learn From Recent Pokémon Games
Feeling jaded by recent Pokémon outings? You're not alone
Soapbox features allow our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Pokémon fanatic Arjun talks about his recent disappointment with the mainline titles in the series, and his hopes for the...
January2017
News Pokémon Bank Update Adds Support for Pokémon Sun & Moon
Praise Helix!
An update is now available for Pokémon Bank that will enable the service to be compatible with the most recent series entries, Pokémon Sun and Moon. This update can be accessed through the Nintendo eShop, where players can then proceed to transfer Pokémon they have captured in Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, X and Y over to the new...
December2016
Video The Final Episode of Pokémon Generations is Now Live
All good things come to an end
The Pokémon Generations video series has been hugely popular, with high-quality animations telling the story from all of the main series releases up to Pokémon X & Y. Now the final episode is live - The Redemption. It's a rather nice way to end the series, albeit lacking the over-the-top explosive battles that...
Video Pokémon Generations Moves Into Gen VI With Lysandre and His Crazy Hair
Less action, more corporate malarkey and chatter
Pokémon Generations is heading towards its finale, after many weeks of entertaining videos that have proven to be hits on YouTube. The story has shifted to recent times, too, with Pokémon X & Y. Episode 16: The Beauty Eternal is focused on Lysandre and his hair, and adopts more story-building...
Reminder There's Another Chance to Pick Up Arceus for X, Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
It's time for judgment
It's been a year of awesome Anniversary Legendary distributions in the last-gen Pokémon games (as they are now), with some neat 'mon given away for X, Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Most were distributed via the Nintendo Network, but some were more awkwardly tied to store distributions. One of these was Arceus in August,...
News Meloetta is Now Being Distributed to the Gen 6 Pokémon Games
Get it while you can
With all the hype around Pokémon Sun and Moon, it seems that the earlier games on 3DS have largely fallen by the wayside. All the same, the Pokémon Company has been regularly distributing Legendary and Mythical Pokémon each month via the mystery gift to Pokémon X and Y and Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Now the time...
October2016
News Mythical Pokémon Genesect Confirmed for Anniversary Distribution in November
That doesn't bug us at all
With Pokémon in its 20th Anniversary year we've been getting one Mythical Pokémon every month for the current-gen games, each available for a few weeks. The November offering will be Genesect, which will arrive on 1st November and be available until the 24th of the same month; it'll be a store distribution, with the...
News Volcanion Distribution Kicks Off in North America and PAL Countries
It's all heating up
If you remember the unveiling of Volcanion in late 2015, kudos for the good memory. Details of Pokémon number 721 were given, but the actual distribution was only outlined as something to look forward to. It's taken ten months, but the Fire / Water type is now rolling out for the current-gen games. It's a retail-led...
News North American Pokémon Trainers Now Have a Second Chance to Pick Up Hoopa
Not as big a hoop-la as last time
Hoopa is a Pokémon that had a rather interesting emergence in the current generation of games, originally being a mystery that had online communities intrigued before arriving as a key 'mon and getting distributed in varied ways. While the Mythical Pokémon was distributed through public places in late 2015, it's...
September2016
News Mythical Pokémon Keldeo Confirmed for Anniversary Distribution in October
An inclusion that's definitely justified
With Pokémon in its 20th Anniversary year we've been getting one Mythical Pokémon every month for the current-gen games, each available for a few weeks. This month's offering is Keldeo, which will arrive on 1st October and be available until the 24th of the same month through the Nintendo Network; it...
Reminder Darkrai is Now Being Distributed in North America
Sweet dreams...
This is certainly the year of Pokémon, what with the release of Pokémon GO and the impending release of Pokémon Sun and Moon, but the main games have been getting some love, too. For the past several months, a new Legendary or Mythical Pokémon has been distributed to the 3DS games, offering players a chance to get rare Pokémon...
News Mythical Pokémon Victini Now Available in Latest Anniversary Distribution
This is what winning feels like, Pokémon fans
With Pokémon in its 20th Anniversary year we've been getting one Mythical Pokémon every month for the current-gen games, each available for a few weeks. This month's offering is Victini, which is available until 24th September through the Nintendo Network; it originally appeared in Pokémon Black and...
August2016
News 3DS Claims Top Spot in July NPD US Results, Helped by Pokémon and Monster Hunter Generations
Capcom scores another hit with the monstrous IP
Although there were informal mutterings around results last week, the NPD US sales details for July are starting to go public; Nintendo, in a break from recent convention, has news so good that it's leapt out with a press release to sum up its successes. Bear in mind the NPD results only account for...
News Mythical Pokémon Arceus is Now Up for Grabs From Store Distributions
Time to nip out to the shops
With Pokémon in its 20th Anniversary year we've been getting one Mythical Pokémon every month for the current-gen games, each available for a few weeks. This month's offering is Arceus, which is up for grabs until 24th August and originated in Pokémon Diamond & Pearl. It's level 100 in this distribution, of...
July2016
News Monster Hunter Generations Holds Top 10 UK Spot as Pokémon Titles Enjoy GO Benefits
A welcome boost in the quiet shopping season
The UK chart results are in, and they bring some positive news for Nintendo UK and also Capcom, with the quiet Summer months not doing too much harm to 3DS releases in particular. Monster Hunter Generations, which had an impressive debut in third place, secures 9th in its second week in the all-format...
News Retailers Expect Pikachu And Pals To Be Big Sellers This Christmas Thanks To Pokémon GO Fever
Pokémon 3DS games sales rose by 145 percent last week
We already know that Pokémon GO has caused a spike in sales at retailer GameStop, but it would appear that the beneficial effect of the mobile title is bigger than previously assumed. The increased interest in Pokémon has triggered a spike in 3DS hardware and software sales in the UK, with...
Reminder Mythical Pokémon Shaymin is Up for Grabs Until 24th July
And... relax
With Pokémon in its 20th Anniversary year we've been getting one Mythical Pokémon every month for the current-gen games, each available for a few weeks. This month's offering is Shaymin, which is up for grabs until 24th July and originated in Pokémon Diamond & Pearl. It's level 100 in this distribution, of course, and has the...
June2016
Reminder Mythical Pokémon Manaphy Is Up For Grabs Until 24th June
Drink it in
As part of the Pokémon 20th Anniversary celebrations various Mythical 'mon are making their way into the current-gen games. There are monthly distributions to that effect, and the June 'mon should be dropping into the games right about now - it's the turn of Manaphy this time around. This one originated in Pokémon Diamond & Pearl,...
May2016
News Pokémon Trainer Club Newsletter Subscribers to Have Another Chance to Collect Mythical Mew
Sign up soon
Earlier this year owners of Pokémon X & Y as well as Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire had an opportunity to pick up a special Mythical Mew 'mon as part of a limited distribution. The distribution was mostly through serial codes, with the Mew having the following details: LEVEL: 100 TYPE: Psychic
Reminder The Shiny Yveltal Distribution is Now Available in North America
A sucker punch
In early May The Pokemon Company launched a campaign with three single-week distributions in X / Y / Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire in order to promote the current series of the anime. In case you've missed it so far, it's worth noting that the final distribution in this promotion is running now, and will disappear on 26th May. This...
Soapbox How The Evolution Of Pokémon Can Unexpectedly Influence Play-Through Experiences
Arjun Joshi used Reflect...
Pokémon is amazing. It's cemented itself in my top three video game series', often switching positions between Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. It truly was a franchise I grew up with, and I owe a great deal of my current successes and overall well-being to its games - but that's another story for another time...
The spirited Level-5 series needs time
The Yo-kai Watch franchise is enormous in Japan, to the point that in late 2015 Level-5 was able to reference 10 million games in the series being shipped. That number will have also included some sales from the first game's launch in North America, though based upon its absence from NPD's results and...
Reminder The Shiny Xerneas Distribution is Available Now in North America
Shining so bright...
Back in early May, The Pokemon Company kicked off a run of three single-week distributions in X / Y / Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire. We're now into the second distribution which is running from 11th to 17th May. This time around it's a Shiny Xerneas up for grabs in the 'Mystery Gift' area of the game; you can see its details...
News The Pokémon Company Confirms Live Streams of National Championships Events in Europe
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire have passed three million sales in EU
We're stepping into the big leagues in the year's competitive Pokémon tournament circuit, with key National Championships happening over the next few weeks throughout Europe. The Pokémon Company has confirmed that there'll be three new Twitch channels to show the events live,...
News Three Legendary Pokémon Birds Are Now Available Through the Pokémon Trainer Club Newsletter
Check that inbox
A while ago The Pokémon Company began some tentative distributions of Articuno, Zapdos or Moltres, all with their hidden abilities. In some countries, including the US, it was confirmed that the only way to get hold of these 'mon for X, Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire would be to sign-up to the Pokémon Trainer Club Newsletter,...
News Legendary Pokémon Zygarde, Shiny Xerneas and Shiny Yveltal All Coming to the US as Gifts
Grab Zygarde now
Just recently we shared the news that Legendary Pokémon Zygarde was released as a gift in Europe; now it's arrived in North America, with more to come as special rewards in May. The Pokémon Company is releasing three enticing Pokémon in the US this month as Mystery Gifts through the Nintendo Network, to be found in Pokémon X/Y...
Reminder Distribution is Underway for Mythical Pokémon Darkrai
Time to hit the shops
Players of Pokémon X & Y and Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have been given regular goodies by The Pokémon Company this year. On a monthly basis there have been new Mythical Pokémon available, and now Darkrai is up for grabs until 24th May. This time around it's all down to distributions, however, so you'll need to head...
April2016
News Legendary Pokémon Zygarde is Now Available as a Special Gift in Europe
The 50% Forme has just landed
The Pokémon Company and Game Freak like to keep gamers on their toes, and appears to have done so with a surprise Nintendo Network gift for Pokémon X & Y as well as Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Seemingly the Legendary Pokémon Zygarde has arrived in Europe, dropping in as a gift with little warning...
News Distribution Details Emerge for Mythical Pokémon Darkrai
It'll be your May treat
Eager players of Pokémon X & Y, in addition to Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, have been receiving monthly gifts of Mythical Pokémon this year. So far we've had Jirachi, Mew and Celebi, and next up - as you can see in the image above - is Darkrai. The Pokémon Company has done a mix of online and serial code...
News Three Legendary Pokémon Birds to Take Flight in the US in May
You need to sign up for the Pokémon Trainer Club newsletter
Not long ago we highlighted how Pokémon fans in the UK can get hold of a legendary bird from Smyths Toys Superstore outlets; other stores are doing distributions throughout Europe. For those without a local participating store in the EU, though, codes will eventually go to those signed up...
News Mythical Pokémon Jirachi is Up for Grabs in Current-Gen Releases
TCG and plushes also on the agenda
Over a number of months The Pokémon Company is releasing Mythical Pokémon to eager fans, one per month. It's now released Mythical Pokémon Jirachi, which will be available in Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire until 24th April. To get this 'mon you need to go to 'receive gift' (there's a guide at the...
March2016
News UK Gamers Can Now Catch a Legendary Pokémon Bird
Beautifly and Zebstrika and moonbeams...
Though the main 3DS Pokémon releases are now getting slightly long in the tooth, they continue to stay interesting courtesy of regular distributions. Now another neat giveaway is underway in the UK for those that either head to a Smyths Toys Superstore or wait for their Pokémon Trainer Club Newsletter...
Only in Japan, obviously
Volcanion & The Ingenious Magearna is the latest Pokémon movie to surface in Japan, and those who pre-book tickets for this cinematic event will get a Volcanion to use in Pokémon X & Y or Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. As revealed in CoroCoro magazine, pre-booking runs from April 16th through July 15th,...
News Three 'Solid' Pokémon Offered as Free Extras to Pokémon Bank Users
You have to regi-ster...
Pokémon Bank may not have had the most auspicious of starts, with the success of its festive launch in Japan causing the infamous Nintendo Network Christmas meltdown of 2013, but it's become an integral part of the Pokémon experience. For a relatively small annual fee ($4.99 in the US, for example) players can store their...
Reminder Mythical Pokémon Celebi Is Now Available to Download in Current-Gen Games
Just download it
As part of the Pokémon 20th Anniversary celebrations various Mythical 'mon are making their way into the current-gen games. Mew was the first of the monthly distributions, and now Celebi is joining in. Originating on the Game Boy Color, this modern iteration has the same moves as it did in Silver & Gold, including the ability...
February2016
Feature Nintendo Life's Favourite Pokémon Games - 20th Anniversary Edition
They all want to be the very best...
Not too long ago we asked you, the Nintendo Life community, to vote for your favourite Pokémon games, in order to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the franchise; to say that the voting was close would be an understatement. As for the rules, only 'main' or 'core' games were included, which was nevertheless a...
Reminder The Current-Gen Mew Special Distribution is Underway
X & Y and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire included
The Pokémon Company has plenty going on for the franchises' 20th Anniversary, and the first of a number of monthly special distributions - Mew - is now up and running. We've covered some details in separate posts, but as serial codes are now available in multiple countries we thought it'd be worth...
January2016
News Current-Gen Pokémon Mew Distribution Details are Confirmed for Europe
Legendary
When The Pokémon Company unveiled some of its 20th Anniversary plans it confirmed that Mew would be included as a serial code in the upcoming first-gen Virtual Console releases, and also as a distribution in the current-gen releases - Pokémon X & Y and Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
News Pokémon the Series: XYZ Airing On Cartoon Network In February
Could this finally be Ash's year?
The Pokémon hype train won't be stopping anytime soon, for there's more Pocket Monster content on the way in the coming weeks - in addition to Pokkén Tournament and 20th anniversary goodies. The Pokémon Company's official website confirmed earlier this month that the latest animated television series, Pokémon...
