So, it's now officially here, the global release date for Pokémon X & Y; in fact, it's likely that many of you that read this are either in possession of or preparing to acquire a copy for yourself. For some it's the continuation of a long-running gaming passion, and in a few cases may be a first dabble with the franchise — whatever the case, this feature aims to give you a basic outline of the key facts and details, spoiler free.
There are plenty of spoilers out there, which can easily be found, but we'll stick to officially confirmed details that were intended to reach your eyeballs ahead of release. We can't and won't cover every nitty gritty detail that's been revealed — this would be the longest article of all time if we did — but hopefully enough to tantalise you; we have also taken the liberty of breaking down the online battles and trading, because that's what we all want to do, right?
So, let's begin.
Meet Xerneas and Yveltal
Our Y legendary creature, phonetic spelling ee-VELL-tawl.
Our X legendary creature, phonetic spelling ZURR-nee-us.
New Starters
In an exciting change of pace for the series, you'll have the opportunity to select two starters. Beginning with the new creatures that you choose from courtesy of your in-game friends, we have Fennekin the Fire type, Chespin the Grass Type and Froakie the Water type. All three will naturally evolve twice, though we'll only give you the middle evolution — the final evolutions are supposed to be a surprise!
- Fennekin evolves into Braixen
- Froakie evolves into Frogadier
- Chespin evolves into Quilladin
Generation One Starters
In these new games Professor Sycamore gives you a Gen 1 starter to choose from, which means you can have one of Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle. Even better, when you evolve them into Venusaur, Charizard or Blastoise you can prompt a Mega Evolution, though it's not that simple...
Mega Evolutions
At the end of this article you'll see a list of confirmed Mega Pokémon. These are powerful evolutions that will give you an edge in battle, but don't come easily. Trainers must track down a bracelet called the Mega Ring, which works together with the Pokémon's Mega Stone to kickstart the Mega Evolution.
Top be clear, each Pokémon needs its own special Mega Stone, so you've got plenty of hunting to do.
A new region, Pokédex and ways to explore
These fresh entries take you to a new environment called Kalos, which draws some inspiration from France in particular. Your new Pokédex for this land is split into three sections — Central Kalos, Coastal Kalos and Mountain Kalos.
Exploring the land is a little more fun than before too. There are ride-able Pokémon, which is sure to be popular — two examples of these are Gogoat and Rhyhorn. Before the 1st gym you also receive rollerskates to get around a little quicker, with skate ramps dotted around the map. Later on you'll also pick up a bicycle, which is available in green or yellow.
An all new Pokémon type
X and Y introduce the Fairy type. These are super effective against Dragons, and several existing Pokémon have been reclassified under the type — Jigglypuff, Marill, Gardevoir and newcomer blue-eyed Eeveelution Sylveon will be among the first to show off the new abilities. Bug, Fighting and Dark types are not effective against Fairy.
Super Training & Pokémon Amie
As the first of the above terms suggests, there are new ways to quickly improve and boost your 'mon's stats. These touch screen mini-games can be undertaken at any time and do not raise levels, but can nevertheless be a useful way to buff up your team.
Pokémon Amie, on the surface, may bring the interactions from Nintendogs to mind. Again using the touchscreen, in this mode you bond with your creatures by petting, feeding and playing with them. As a result of these interactions your 'mon will dodge attacks more often.
Sky and Horde Battles
There are two additional battle types for which you'll need to prepare, which are sure to influence how you assess the construction of your team.
Sky Battles — They are exactly what they sound like, in which Flying and Floating-type 'mon do battle; these may surprise as some 'mon that can levitate, such as Ghost-types, may be capable of taking part in these battles.
Horde Battles — These are an effective way of boosting your stats quickly, as five wild Pokémon will suddenly appear in a group. The idea is to represent the creatures in their natural habitat, and encourage you to observe each one's unique behaviours. These don't boost XP a great deal, and you attack the entire field rather than individual 'mon.
Team Flare
Kalos is home to a new villainous team looking to cause trouble, the rather extravagant Team Flare. Driven by a team of fashion-conscious scientists, Team Flare are easily spotted by their red-getup, futuristic sunglasses and obsession with the Pokemon Mightyena. When they're not taking over the local electricity plant, you'll most likely find them trying to make the world “a more beautiful place".
Online Features
Long gone are the days when you would have to trawl back and forth to the Pokemon centre or attach a link cable in order to connect, trade or battle with another player. In Pokemon X & Y a feature known as PSS (Player Search System) is readily available on the lower touch-screen to help you link-up with the outer world.
PSS is divided into three sections; Friends, Acquaintances and Passerbys. The top Friends section shows which of your friends who have been registered on your 3DS are online, Acquaintances are those you've linked with online, although have not swapped friend codes with and Passerbys are complete strangers who are currently available to duel online.
Using the PSS system you can Battle, Trade, Game Chat, Share Trainer PR Videos, use and giveaway O-powers, send Shout Outs and check your Holo Caster.
While you can click on any trainer online showing up on your PSS and invite them to an ordinary Battle, you can also select Battle Spot to take part in random match-ups or online battle competitions. To take part in a Rated Match you will need to register with Pokemon Global Link, although Free Matches are available to every trainer. Battle Spot will then connect you to another player, however the system does not always match you to a trainer with close levels, so be prepared to take on some tough challengers.
Trading is also made easier using the new PSS system. If you know that someone else online has a Pokemon you wish to trade for, you can select that trainer on your touchscreen and invite them to trade with you. However there are also two other trading options; Wonder Trade and the GTS (Global Trade System). Wonder Trade is a new system, where you select a Pokemon you wish to trade and then are linked with another player from anywhere around the world. The other player will then send you their Pokemon in exchange, however the exciting part is that you don't actually know what Pokemon you're going to get until the trade is complete, so make sure you are completely happy with giving your chosen Pokemon away!
GTS is an older system, where you can search for a specific Pokemon, find trainers who are willing to trade that Pokemon in return for a Pokemon of yours that they require. For example, we searched for the new Rock/Ice Fossil Pokemon Amaura, and found a trainer in Australia willing to trade one in exchange for our Tyrunt of a similar level.
Finally, StreetPass and SpotPass information is received using your Holo Caster, also accessible using the PSS screen. By regularly checking your Holo Caster you can obtain data about special Pokemon events or giveaways, such as the Torchic with Blazikenite Mega Stone event, where you must connect to the internet before January 15th 2014 in order to download this special distribution. Any information gained from StreetPassing other Pokemon X and Y teams will also be recorded here. When you receive a notification your Holo Caster will glow blue, and news is presented in a cool hologram style complete with a holographic news reporter.
New and confirmed Pokémon, not inclusive of those deemed to be "spoilers"
- Chespin
- Quilladin
- Fennekin
- Braixen
- Froakie
- Frogadier
- Xerneas
- Yveltal
- Dedenne
- Pancham
- Swirlix
- Flabébé
- Clauncher
- Bunnelby
- Pangoro
- Spritzee
- Noivern
- Skrelp
- Skiddo
- Inkay
- Honedge
- Fletchling
- Helioptile
- Gogoat
- Malamar
- Litleo
- Talonflame
- Sylveon
- Scatterbug
- Spewpa
- Vivillon
- Pyroar
- Aurorus
- Tyrantrum
- Doublade
- Furfrou
- Meowstic
- Tyrunt
- Amaura
New and confirmed Mega Pokémon, not inclusive of those deemed to be "spoilers"
- Mega Ampharos
- Mega Absol
- Mega Charizard X
- Mega Charizard Y
- Mega Mawile
- Mega Mewtwo
- Mega Mewtwo X
- Mega Mewtwo Y
- Mega Kangaskhan
- Mega Lucario
- Mega Blaziken
- Mega Venusaur
- Mega Charizard
- Mega Blastoise
- Mega Garchomp
So those are some basics that may be handy as you start off on your new adventure. Let us know how you're getting on with X and Y in the comments below but please, keep your posts spoiler free.
Comments 86
Already playing
Cant to get my copy~
Looks awesome.
AWWW MAN!! I'm getting the game LATER today. LOL I am so excited to play it!!!!!!!!!!!
I pre-ordered online and it was shipped out on Thursday. But now it's the long weekend here in Canada, so it'll be Tuesday at the earliest that I get this.
-_-
I probably shouldn't have liked all of these Pokémon pages on Facebook... they're making me uncontrollably excited.
@CaviarMeths That sucks mate :/ That's why I usually preorder in-store, shipping is unpredictable
@B4SDR4G And, what go OUTSIDE?! Madness!
If they do decide to do dlc it would be cool that we can visit other regions from the other pokemon games
Preordered from TRU because they had a BOGO 40% sale. Ended up paying about $65 for both versions. I'll keep Y and give X to my sister, but u have to wait a week to get them in the mail. Oh well, still worth it.
going to my local walmart today to get it
I'll be getting once my Mum has finished work
ug... the roller blades are on your forever.... can't take them off unless you use the D-pad...and you HAVE to get them
Picked up mine at 9am CT this morning, so about two hours ago or there about. I'm at work now. Should I play at work? I think I will. My job doesn't involve much of anything but me talking haha!
My Amazon order didn't come this morning, now I have to wait until Monday
still haven't gotten it yet shrugs
Looking forward to the Mega Evolutions on that list above and more, though I never knew there was 3 Mega Mewtwos and 3 Mega Charizards.
My family would rather lay around than take me to get my game...
@bigbankwill Get a new family then! Really though, that's lame of them. Tell them to get moving!
Downloaded at 11:45 last night and was playing at 6:00am this morning UK GMT time. Amazing game. I also managed to be the 36th reviewer of Pokemon y on the eshop. A proud and pointless achievement haha,
@Bulby I don't want to burst your bubble, but more likely Tuesday. Monday is Columbus Day.
@Prof_Elvin_Gadd Luckily, I'm British so I have no idea what that is
I found picking the starter from the 3 generation 1 characters REALLY hard, Red & Blue was my generation of Pokemon. Was well excited when I found out I was gonna get one, didn't know about it until it happened in the game, I've read no build up to it and only decided to buy it on Wednesday.
I went for my old favourite charmander, although i do hope you can find/catch bulbasaur and squirtle later in the game.
I'm wanting my finishing team to be
Pikachu,
Mega charizard
Yveteal (whatever it's called)
Venusaur
Blastoise
Mewtwo
@bigbankwill Yeah I somehow convinced my dad to preorder it for me so if doesn't get back from his cruise with his Gamestop Card Before 9:00 pm MT I'll have a really long weekend.
AWWW I have to wait for Christmas.... but it doesn't matter I have the patience for X.
So excited to play this later!
my order from GAME was sent on Tuesday, and it hasn't come! i received the pre order bonus yesterday but no game, i think it's lost in the post
@123akis
That sucks beans. You do know you could have preorder a code for the digital
Version from game?
I did, bought it on Wednesday. It came with a free code for the pokedex pro 3D and got a code for the eshop for Pokemon y for £34.99 (£5 less than the eshop) got my game reward points AND could download it as of just before midnight last night. No post hassle.
I love how you have a Wii U in your bedroom, nice product plug by Nintendo & GameFreak, i'm sure that will raise awareness abit.
@Bulby lol! I'm jealous. It's some made up holiday because some people seem to think Christopher Columbus discovered America, which is not true. He might have been the first white man to step foot in America, but who cares about that? Basically, it's a day that there is no mail delivery service, as far as I'm concerned haha.
5 hours in, beat 1 gym and have caught around 50 pokemon.. theres so many.Loving it
@Emblem yeh, I was thinking yesterday , will there be a wii u? Guess so. Nice touch
@DESS-M-8 I like that team! Mine will probably be similar, I hope. I also got Y, mainly because the legendary is way cooler
Skipped right to the end just to comment: i started on my own knowing nothing and it's the way you get the biggest impact.
Leveling up is harder than Blue, Green, Red and Yellow and i love it. More experience get but also more experience needed, yeah that's the way to do do a great sequel for a JRPG like Pokèmon.
i got both of the games this morning at gamestop with the timeline poster
sigh ... it wasnt pokemon X at the post ofice it was the pre order bonus... im hopeing it terns up monday...
Getting it after work! I have some homework to do that I've been putting off, but I'll find time to play this at some point today. I'm so excited!
I downloaded it on to my 3DS and I'm playing it now! Graphics are amazing!
Yet, I want to know how to get the Torchic Distribution, I can't figure it out and everyone is going on about how amazing the Torchic is and I WANT it so bad!
Does anyone know how to get it?? Please help!
I had a pre-order on this but changed it for Watch Dogs on PS3
thank you for this i was just thinking i needed pokemon guide
Roms are fy fy, its illegal!
@CanniblPikaGirl before loading your save game. There is some other options to choose from. Pick the one below the game save which says 'Mystery Gift'. Pick check mystery gift and choose connect to internet.
massive amount of spoilers. You need spoilers to get started?
@Rei7 Thank you thank you thank you!!!
@Thunderbird We've stuck to pre-release details, stuff that Nintendo has shared in some form or another. We added the Online section as a bit of a mini guide, too.
One more question..... Can you got to Professor Sycamore once you find his town and get the First Generation whenever?? I still need to find his town, but at the moment my game is still searching for mai Torchic oAo
Keep resetting your game until you get a starter that is female. You'll need it to breed to get another of that starter so you can trade for one of the others. Don't settle for a male Starter.
got mine,
picked the fire fox pokemon "called it Moz short for mozilla {get it?},
Now i have the torchic and pikachu (and soon charmander) feeling a little guilty for abandoning my starter so soon.
going to try and put to gether a team of all skybattle compatible pkmn when i get more. I really want a gardevour though i wonder how far through the game they are
where did you find pikachu from?
CAN'T WAIT TO GET POKEMON Y
Froakie bulbasaur torchic master race reporting in
played all day today and i have to say this is the best pokemon game yet! and ive played them all
A very fun game so far! The 3D models are defiantly way better than the blurry sprites used in the generation 5 games.
I got pikachu in the forest at the start, in the last patch of grass not long after a battle with the Lass with a pikachu
I Want Full RPG for Wii U or i will sell me Wii U and never never will buy that poopsiedoodlecacapoopiedoggiedoodoos what im have play only mario? No sense...
Please watch the profanity — TBD
MEH! it's a bit of a babies game like Animal Crossing and I don't get what all the hoopla is about... WiiU 4 LYFE BABY!
My older sister got Pokemon Y for me... I love it!!! I already start playing game 4 hours ago.
Duel online, not 'dual' online.
I might be married and moved out, but I made my mom and dad pre-order and pick it up for me for my birthday yesterday. lol
@MadAussieBloke You really don't like the 3DS do you?
My first comment!
Well, I know what I'm getting after work today.
@MadAussieBloke: Don't knock it 'till you've tried it.
Cheers, but I have enough to keep me occupied so I will let you guys play those kinds of games
I picked this up yesterday, my first poke game ever. I must say I'm already hooked, its very good for anyone of any age, its just good plain fun!
You forgot to add Mega Gengar
About 9 hours in. Game is so fun.
i remember my first pokemon game. i asked for pokemon heartgold even though black and wight were allready out because of the pokewalker. but my mom got me peral. i didnt play it very long before selling it. a long time after (when b&w 2 was out) i bought my 3ds from ebay and there was a copy of pokemon soulsilver inside (thank you person on ebay!). i played it until i got the legendary and completed the first 8 gyms. i diddnt know about the other riegon and thought i was almost done with the story. but when i talked to my best friend who loves pokemon he told me about the other riegon. that was when i ragequit. ill play this when there is no other games i busy playing kus i always got sucked into those games.
the info about hordes isn't exactly accurate.
hordes work like double battles, most attacks target only 1 opponent but large attacks like surf, razor leaf, and earthquake hit all opponents.
a fun detail about hordes is that if rival pokemon appear together in 1 horde they will fight among themselves too(like a seviper among zangoose)
i'm a bit annoyed that i can't use my sitting duck or flying sword in sky battles.
they can both fly.
pikachu is rare, and can be caught in viridian forest, just like in R/B/Y(not the real name, but when you get there you'll understand why i call it that)
This is my first tine playing pokemon ... First time i buy a nintendo handeld and i dont regret it at all !! This game is sooo addictive ! I love my 3DS
Jeez, I pre-ordered it and it never came, please come on Monday! All my friends say it's really fun!
I pre ordered and got it day one but sheesh...MEGA GARCHOMP! It just sounds Game breaking, unless you have a fairy type mon
Pokem on!
@Polaris Ah yes, ta
Ok geting realy enoyed naw.. posteman came but no Pokemon X still... -_-
Ate, slept, and played Pokemon over the weekend with my son Lucas. Skylanders Swap Force distracted me a little yesterday, but mostly put it in Gamepad mode for my little boy to play so I could get back to Pokemon. Such an amazing game. Saying this is the best one is almost an insult. After looking forward to Fennekin for so long, kind of sad he's a 58 Delphox atm.
Hey, I was just wondering if I were to reset my game. Would I still be able to torchic again? Thanks
Got my first badge I can say right now this will be one of the best pokemon games or has the potential to be!
@Hiya-all "If you get torchic and then reset you're game 'you should not be able to get it again with that game card. That's how these events work. Whenever you get a event pokemon like Torchic from Nintendo or whatever, as you're getting it,it registers that your card game already gets the event and is not allowed to get it again." Basically its a 'one event per game card kind of thing.'
Don't risk it man!!
If a friend, that has Pokemon Y, a of mine gives me, I have Pokemon X, an egg from charizard does he does mega evolution in my game?
I have a spoiler: 90% of the game is in 2D!
I think Nintendo Bamboozled Millions of 3DS owners with the recent release of Pokemon which 90% of the game is in 2d. So disappointed! I also feel its the soul reason they brought out the 2DS. Just my own observation. I am mad at you nintendo but you don't care I think most people will enjoy pokemon but I feel totally bamboozled and a little betrayed. I kept wondering why there were no 3D trailers of the game. I guess we found out
I have a spoiler.
spoiler For people that LOVE TO CHAIN!!!!!! The Pokeradar is back baby!!! This is awesome, I can finally chain for shinies again. I knew Game Freak loved me!!! end spoiler
@Windy Don't take it too hard, it must have taken a lot of time to implement 3d in a game as big as Pokemon, I'm sure we'll have a fully 3d Pokemon game on the 3ds in the near future. Think of it as a taste of what is to come. I love the 3d feature and I did miss it but the game stands great without it, and how they used it truly is grand. The one disappointment I had from the game was the lack of numerous new things, I think they revealed too much before the games came out. Won't say the number,don't wanna spoil that for anyone.
@eaglebob345 I found myself liking the game last night. I was pretty upset the first day and swore to never touch the game. But here I am enjoying myself with it. Would have still preferred a full 3d extravaganza. But in the end what are games good for? Plain and simply put, FUN
Don't think your off the Hook Nintendo! Your still in my doghouse! LOL I'm Watching You!
@Windy You're right, .this game is very addicting. I can't wait for my shinies to make the trip over, but until then I am going to try to master chaining in glorious 3d. Also, I knew it was going to be good because they said they put the effort into making the game look good without the 3d, I'll admit, I had doubts but none of them ever made me second guess getting the games. Also, why are they in your doghouse, was it because of the delays or lack of games for a while? They are still kinda in mine for the very low storage capacity, I think 50 gb and 100 gb would be reasonable, not 8 gb and 32 gb... I still want a Wii U though, just need money...
Every time I try and get torchick it says no gift found help?! Please
@Marioocampos mystery gift>receive via internet>your gift will be there>after completion, go to game>go to ANY pokemon center>delivery lady should be there a little bit to the left, but next to the nurse
@eaglebob345 They are still in my Doghouse for Many reasons. The 3d in Pokemon. I love the game but would have preferred is the full deal. Another reason is not insisting Square bring out Dragon Quest X to Wii-U. I truly feel it would have been a system seller. Then there is the 2DS. It just might be the reason to cop-out on making 3d games for them.....but I'm watching lol
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