Pokémon Features
Soapbox Here's How I'd Fix The Pokémon Series
Alex decides to pika-part the mainline games
Soapbox features enable 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, senior video editor Alex Olney explains how he would "fix" the Pokémon series... Pokémon is a series that has always been extremely dear...
Talking Point Are Shiny Pokémon Too Common These Days?
One Corviknight in shining armor too many?
Shiny Pokémon are a staple of the Pokémon franchise, but as time has progressed, things have shifted and the ways to get them have become more plentiful. Here, we’re taking a look at Shiny Pokémon, their history, how things have changed and asking the question: are they too common now? What are Shiny...
Grininja
For fans of the mainline series, it wasn't the most auspicious of starts. The opening announcement from The Pokemon Company's recent 11-minute presentation likely had many a gamer rolling their eyes and wondering what the heck the guardians of the Pocket Monsters franchise were thinking by opening their presentation with a free smartphone...
February 2020 Pokémon GO events bring a plethora of pink Pokémon
February 2020 is shaping up to be one of Pokémon GO's busiest months ever with developer Niantic announcing a whole bunch of events across the month. Below we've rounded them all up in roughly chronological order (there's a lot of overlap!) so you don't miss out on catching 'em all...
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
Feature Game Of The Decade Staff Picks - Pokémon GO
Ryan's personal pick for GOTD
Following on from our reader-voted Top 50 Games of the Decade, Nintendo Life staff members will be picking their personal favourite Nintendo games between the years 2010-2019. Today, Ryan looks back at how a smartphone title took the world by storm and proved him completely wrong - in a good way... Hold it, let me...
Talking Point Why Pokémon Sword & Shield's Expansion Pass Changes The Rules For The Series
No more $40 makeover sequels as Game Freak voyages into new territory
Since Pikachu took the starring role in Pokémon Yellow, the expectation has been that every Pokémon duology will be followed by a third, slightly revamped edition. This strategy has actually changed somewhat over the past decade, with Black and White each getting a direct...
Talking Point Even Dexit Couldn't Derail The Pokémon Hype Train In 2019
But will the negative reaction change the future of the series?
In this series of end-of-year features, we're summing up some of 2019's biggest talking points. 2019 was a big year for Pokémon fans, with the arrival of Gen 8 in the form of Sword & Shield. However, for many players, the game was something of an anticlimax; for the first time in...
Feature A Pokémon Retrospective: Generation 7 - 2016 To 2019
We take a look back at Alola
Three years ago, as we approached the reveal of Pokémon’s seventh generation and its 20th anniversary, we looked back on all previous six generations of Pokémon. Now, three years later, as we approach the end of the seventh generation and the inevitable reveal of the next generation, it’s time to look back over the...
Soapbox Attacking Pokémon Creator Game Freak Isn't Cool, But Biting Back Isn't The Answer
Game Freak's James Turner fuels the fire, but can you blame him?
The negative press surrounding the upcoming Pokémon Sword and Shield shows no signs of slowing down, with rumours now floating around that morale at developer Game Freak is at an all-time low. Earlier this week, WayPoint Radio’s Austin Walker (thanks, GoNintendo) made a claim that...
Poll How Do You Pronounce These Pokémon-Related Words?
How does your PokéPron compare to the crowd?
A few months back we asked you lovely people to tell us how you say certain video game-related words and with your answers we gathered some interesting data. We know, for example, that 55% of people polled pronounce 'NES' by saying each letter rather than shortening it to a single syllable with ness or...
Review Go-tcha Evolve - The Pokémon GO Plus Killer
Auto-catching and step tracking
Accessory maker Datel has had two attempts at making the ultimate Pokémon GO companion device: the Go-tcha and the Go-tcha Ranger. Both mimic the functionality of the Pokémon GO Plus (and the later
Feature The Hall Of Shame – Games Or Series We Never Got Around To Playing
Personal confessions from Team NL
It’s a perennial problem for gaming enthusiasts, young or old: how can I play all the video games? With so many across all the systems, it’s nigh-on impossible to play them all and there’ll always be revered classics or entire series that pass you by completely simply because you never owned a particular...
Feature How Significant Is Britain's Influence On Pokémon Sword And Shield?
United Kingdom of Great Litten and Noivern Ireland
We’re only a couple of months away from the release of Pokémon Sword and Shield and the games’ trailers have given us plenty to get excited about. For us, the very best thing about Sword and Shield is that they’re set in the UK-inspired Galar Region. As a British site, we've always imagined...
Feature Pokémon World Championships 2019: Bidding Farewell To The Nintendo 3DS
A report from the front line
Pokémon is an ever-changing beast, but there is currently one constant: The Pokémon World Championships. This year was the 16th event and it was the biggest one to date, with over 8,000 people in attendance. This did cause some delays in starting the Opening Ceremony as people were still outside, but after that,...
Feature Pokémon's Dark History In 11 Shocking Moments
"Nintendo turned me into an evil, occult Pokémon character"
Pokémon is a worldwide phenomenon. Since its inception in the '90s, it has spawned an endless series of video games, movies, merchandise and even a massively successful smartphone game in the form of Pokémon GO – and this year, we'll get to play Pokémon Sword and Shield on our...
Feature Inside The World Of Pokémon ROM Hacks
"I just wanted to make a game people would enjoy"
Games often inspire their fans. Sometimes they make tournaments. Sometimes, players bring themselves into the world of the game. The core of this inspiration, though, is when players take a game they love and mould it into something completely new. This is the way of the Pokémon ROM hacking...
Soapbox Why Sword And Shield's Pokémon Purge Will Benefit Everyone
And how the cull draws focus from more significant issues
When you're trying to please a fanbase that's been around for over 20 years, any major change to the status quo will always divide opinion. Pokémon is a series that’s kept under heavy scrutiny by its loyal community, with each minute detail studied under a Silph Scope with no place for...
Hands On Pokémon Sword And Shield’s Dynamax Mode Has Us Shook
Adding a whole new dynamic to battling
As our first Galar stadium demo battle began – our on-screen character stepping into the crowded arena to a roar of cheers – the ground was quite literally shaking beneath our feet. No, that’s not a metaphor. Thanks to the subwoofers installed in our station at Nintendo’s E3 booth, and the more...
Guide Pokémon GO Adventure Week - Research Tasks, Rewards, Shiny Pokémon And More
Bonuses, new shinies, new eggs and more!
It's Adventure Week in Pokémon GO, and that means there are plenty of uncommon Pokémon to catch, research tasks to complete, and other lovely bonuses to find while out and about. In this guide, we'll go over everything you need to know to make the most out of Adventure Week. There are new shiny Pokémon to...
Guide Pokémon Rumble Rush Tips - Ores, Gears And Guide Feathers
Just starting out? Allow us to help...
Pokémon Rumble Rush is the latest in a line of Pokémon Rumble games, where players are tasked to battle through short stages with their pint-sized buddy Pokémon, attacking hostile 'mon along the way in the quest to catch ‘em all. Despite this not being the first Pokémon Rumble game, it’s the first to...
Feature Eevee x Tamagotchi Is A Surprisingly Resilient Virtual Pet For A New Generation
Your very own pocket-sized Pocket Monster
A while back, we reported on the news that two of the world's most famous 'virtual pet' brands – Pokémon and Tamagotchi – were joining forces in the form of Eevee x Tamagotchi, a keyring-sized gadget which contains (you guessed it) your very own monochrome Eevee to look after. Now, several months after...
Talking Point The Pokémon Trading Card Game Is In Desperate Need of An Evolution
The famous card game is in danger of being left behind by its rivals
Ever since the release of Pokémon GO in the summer of 2016, the Pokémon brand has been going through a period of transition. There’s been a handful of mobile games ranging from the simplistic Magikarp Jump to the surprisingly complex Pokémon Duel. We’ve seen the company’s...
Talking Point Which SNES Games Do You Want To See On Nintendo Switch Online?
What are your must-have picks?
While it's by no means written in stone, a recent datamine suggests that we may soon be playing SNES games on our beloved Switch consoles via the wonder of Nintendo Switch Online. The games uncovered in this datamine are Super Mario Kart, Super Soccer,
Guide Sinnoh Stones In Pokémon GO - How To Get Them And What They're For
Bag those Rhyperior, Electivire, Togekiss and Honchkrow evolutions
Evolution items in Pokémon GO aren't anything new – we've had items like Metal Coat and Dragon Scale for ages – but the recent introduction of the Sinnoh Stone has caused quite a stir, mainly because this exclusive item is the only way to evolve several different 'mon into more...
Deals Catch Yourself A Sweet Pokémon Inspired T-Shirt
Currently 25% Off
It's been a huge month for Pokémon with the release of Pokémon: Let's Go launching on Nintendo Switch. Whilst we reviewed the game positively, some fans were annoyed with the game despite the developers making it clear that the next real Pokémon game will be due next year.
Soapbox Don't Listen To The Pokémon: Let’s Go Haters - The Game Has Definitely Found Its Audience
Serebii's Joe Merrick looks at the facts
Soapbox features enable 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, Serebii owner and Nintendo Life contributor Joe Merrick finally addresses the topic of Pokémon: Let's Go sales figures... Pokémon Let’s Go...
Guide How To Transfer Pokémon From Pokémon GO To Pokémon: Let's Go On Nintendo Switch
What are you waiting for?!
Niantic has made no secret of the fact you can connect Pokémon GO to Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, allowing you to transfer your favourite monsters between your phone and Nintendo Switch. There are numerous benefits for doing this, like earning bonus XP and Candy, the Mystery Box item, and to see...
Review Poké Ball Plus - The Most Imperfect Perfect Accessory You Could Imagine
Balls up?
Nintendo – perhaps unlike any other games company – understands the connection between video gaming and the physical world. That might sound like a rather silly statement to make as every firm involved in the making of interactive entertainment has to consider how the player will interact physically with the game itself, but with...
Let’s Go!
The moment we’ve all been waiting for is nearly here. Undoubtedly, one of the two biggest Nintendo Switch games of the year, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! launches in just over two weeks, so there’s not long left to ensure you’ve got yourself a copy. Uber fans will probably want more than just the game...
Let’s Go!
The moment we’ve all been waiting for is nearly here. Undoubtedly, one of the two biggest Nintendo Switch games of the year, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! launches in just over two weeks, so there’s not long left to ensure you’ve got yourself a copy. Uber fans will probably want more than just the game...
Guide Pokémon GO Stat Changes - The October 2018 Gen 4 Update Explained
Life is Blissey
Pokémon GO finally received its hotly-anticipated Gen 4 update yesterday, introducing a bunch of new monsters into the various facets of the game for you to catch all over again. Not all of the 107 Gen 4 Pokémon are available from the get-go, though. Instead, the rest will roll out intermittently, just like Niantic did with the...
Gallery Pokémon GO Gen 4 Update: A List Of All Pokémon From The Sinnoh Region - Updated
The Sinnoh region comes to Pokémon GO
Wed 17th Oct, 2018 12:00 BST: We've updated this list to highlight the gen 4 Pokémon that you can currently find in Pokémon GO. Luxray and below are not currently available, while everything above is. We'll keep this updated. Niantic has confirmed that Gen 4 Pokémon will arrive soon in Pokémon GO, and we...
Guide Pokémon GO - Save Your Candies Now For These Upcoming Gen 4 Evolutions
It never ends
Niantic and The Pokémon Company has just announced that Gen 4 will make its way into Pokémon GO soon, sparking a frenzy of excitement in all fans. For the uninitiated, that's the collection of monsters from the Sinnoh region that first made an appearance in Pokémon Diamond & Pearl. We don't know exactly when the new Pokémon...
Feature Why Pokémon: Let's Go Is The Perfect Entry Point For Pokémon GO Players
The upcoming Switch duo present the ideal route in
The new main series Pokémon games, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!, have divided fan opinion since they were first revealed. While many core fans feel things have been simplified too much, the fact that this pair of Switch exclusives are so approachable opens things up to...
Feature This Year's Pokémon World Championships Showcased The Positivity Of The Games Community
Serebii's Joe Merrick gives his on-site report
Since 2004, the Pokémon World Championships have been a place where the best Pokémon players from all over the world have come to see which player is the very best, like no-one ever was. This year, the event took place in the Music City itself: Nashville, Tennessee. This year, to go with the...
Feature Let's Go On A Parade With Pikachu And Eevee In Yokohama, Japan
Spectacular summer festival of Pokémon
The annual Pikachu Outbreak event held in Yokohama, a Japanese city south of Tokyo, had extra significance this year with the release of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! coming up on Nintendo Switch in November. It should come as no surprise then, that the games' mascots Pikachu and Eevee were...
Review Go-tcha Ranger - A Worthy Upgrade For The Ultimate Pokémon GO Accessory?
Easy auto
The Pokéball Plus may be the year's hottest accessory for Pokéman fans, but peripheral maker Datel has released a device which, if you're only looking to play Pokémon GO, could end up being more appealing. The Go-tcha Ranger is the sequel to the standard (and totally unofficial) Go-tcha, which b
Hands On Catching A Curveball With The Poké Ball Plus, The Switch's Latest Must-Have Accessory
I Choose You!
Since my first playthrough of Pokémon Blue back in 1998, I’ve had a bit of an on-again, off-again relationship with Game Freak’s monster-collecting magnum opus. I certainly consider myself to be a fan, but I haven’t finished a main game since SoulSilver, and a 2016 summer spent scouring the countryside for Kanto critters in...
Hands On Revisiting Kanto With Pokémon: Let’s Go! Pikachu And Let’s Go! Eevee On Switch
Blending the new with the old in fresh ways
Suffice to say, fans were suitably surprised when Nintendo lifted the lid on Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!; instead of the follow-up generation to Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon that many expected, Nintendo teased a reimagining of one of the first games, with some Pokémon GO...
Guide Pokémon Switch: Rumours, 2019 Release Date News, And Everything Else We Know So Far
Switching how we play
Update: Updated with The Pokémon Company's President Tsunekazu Ishihara's recent reveals in Famitsu magazine. If there's one thing we know for sure about Pokémon on the Switch, it's that it's definitely happening. In fact, The Pokémon Company already announced it back in 2017, during the E3...
Guide Pokémon Quest Cooking Recipes And Ingredients List
Master Chef
If you want to 'catch 'em all' in Pokémon Quest, you've got to learn to cook. Curiously, that's the way you lure and subsequently catch Pokémon in this iteration. You gather ingredients while out on expeditions, and combine them together at your base to create a bunch of different recipes. Each recipe will attract a different type of...
Soapbox Pokémon GO’s ‘Casual’ Influence On The Mainline Series Is A Good Thing, At Least For Now
A chance to rediscover the magic?
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In today's article, staff writer Ryan explores the new approach to gameplay found in the upcoming Pokémon games and why they might just be the moment of relief the...
Guide Pokémon Quest - How To Get Free PM Tickets And What To Spend Them On
A quest for free-dom
Pokémon Quest is a free to start game, which means that at some point you're probably going to have to drop a bit of cash to get the most out of it. You can comfortably play for free, but your progress will be super duper slow unless you buy an expedition pack or three. There is a way you can mitigate this though, and that's...
Guide Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu And Let's Go Eevee: Everything We Know
Let's Go!
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have finally revealed more of their plans for the future of Pokémon at the Pokémon 2018 Video Game Press Conference, and it looks very bright indeed. While we were all speculating about the announced Pokémon on Switch, Nintendo hoodwinked us and announced a whopping three titles for the hot new...
Catch 'em all with our help!
Pokémon Quest is a brand new free to play RPG on Nintendo Switch that challenges you to collect your favourite Pokémon and send them out on adventures. During these, they'll battle other Pokémon and gather items you can use to increase their power or discover new Pokémon. It's a simple affair that hides an...
Soapbox What Pokémon GO And The Pokémon Main Series Could Learn From Each Other
Serebii's Joe Merrick shares his opinion
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In today's article, resident Pokémon expert and webmaster of Serebii Joe Merrick ponders if Pokémon GO and the mainline Pokémon games can...
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...
Feature We Learn More About the Ambitious 'Cycle Across Kanto' Pokémon Documentary
"I love that developers find inspiration from the world around them"
Earlier this month, production company Gravity Dog launched a Kickstarter campaign to make a documentary exploring the real world locations from the immensely popular Pokémon video games series. Travelling across the Kanto region in Japan by bicycle over the course of 40 days, the...
Guide Essential Tips to Reach Level 100 in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
Time to evolve
Levelling up Pokémon can always be such a pain. While battles will often bring your Pokémon down to Level 50 or up to Level 100, there are many reasons to get your Pokémon to higher levels. Some Pokémon, such as Zweilous, don't evolve until they hit Level 64. Although the Move Reminder can also teach your Pokémon moves late in...