• Pokémon X & Y: Marriland's thoughts on the new update!

    With yesterday's massive Pokémon X & Y update, there's now plenty to show off for Pokémon X & Y! Here's a video I whipped up going through some of the new developments, including the four new Pokémon — Helioptile, Gogoat, Pancham, and Fletchling (note: it is Fletchling, not Fletching as previously reported; that was just a typo, whoops!) — as well as some more stuff throughout the Kalos Region and Lumiose City.

    Enjoy the video! But don't stop there: get in on the discussion! What's your favorite part of the new update? Which of the new four Pokémon is your favorite? Let the world know by leaving a comment here and join the discussion!

  • TONS of new Pokémon X & Y details officially revealed!

    Pokémon sure has been busy with updates this morning regarding Pokémon X & Y! That's right, they've revealed a TON of information about the new games! The trailer above shows some of the gameplay in action, as well as the four new Pokémon, who have also had their English names revealed in this update.

    Helioptile is the official English name for the previously revealed Elikiteru. It's an Electric/Normal-type Pokémon standing 1'08" tall and weighing 13.2 lbs. Its Parabolic Charge move heals the user for half the damage it inflicts. An interesting note is that this means the limit of 12 characters for move names has finally been lifted!

    Fletchling is the official English name for the previously leaked Yayakoma. It's a Normal/Flying-type Pokémon standing 1'00" high and weighing 3.7 lbs. It's confirmed to learn the move Flame Charge as well.

    Pancham keeps its Japanese name that was revealed in the last update. Its trademark leaf always sticks out of its mouth, plus it tries to intimidate its foes by glaring at them, albeit to little success. It is a Fighting-type Pokémon standing 2'00" high and weighing 17.6 lbs. One new move it has is Parting Shot, which lowers the foe's Attack and Special Attack, then switches out for another of your Pokémon.

    Lastly, we have Gogoat, who also keeps its Japanese name. Gogoat is a pure Grass-type standing 5'07" and weighing 200.6 lbs. It's large enough for Trainers to ride on Gogoat's back. Not only that, but it is capable of using Horn Leech for some solid damage as well as recovery.

    There are tons of additional screenshots and information that will go far beyond the scope of a news update, so I'll work on getting all of the Pokémon X & Y information compiled into a page later on. However, there are a few more details that need to be covered here.

    The new region is known as the Kalos region, more or less keeping its Japanese. The star-shaped region is home to many different locations, but the grandiose Lumiose City (Miare City in Japanese) in the center of it is a bustling metropolis.

    On top of that, it has been confirmed that your character is customizable, both in appearance as well as clothes and accessories. You can go back and change your style whenever you like, too!

    Finally, there are much better images of the boxes for Pokémon X & Y — in English, no less! Take a look!

    I'll have more of the screenshots and such posted to the site throughout the day, but in the meanwhile, you can find out a ton more about Pokémon X & Y on the official website, which has been updated substantially.

    EDIT: Fixed Fletchling's name. It's Fletchling, not Fletching.

  • Four new Pokémon X & Y Pokémon plus the region and more revealed!

    Guess what was recently leaked? That's right, the newest issue of CoroCoro, which finally reveals some new Pokémon! That's right, it's the first batch of new Pokémon unrelated to existing Pokémon since the initial reveal of Pokémon X & Y. On top of that, there are other details as well!

    First and foremost, here are the scans, courtesy of @huuraibou108 on Twitter (Japanese). You can click any of them to view it larger:

    Let's start by taking a look at the new Pokémon. Keep in mind that these are their Japanese names; their English names will likely be different and will most likely be revealed next Saturday or Sunday, to coincide with an important Pokémon X & Y announcement on the Japanese show Pokémon Smash.

    Yancham (ヤンチャム) is a Fighting-type Pokémon that seems to resemble a panda bear with a leaf in its mouth. It's classified as a Naughty Pokémon.

    Gogoat (ゴーゴート) is a pure Grass-type Pokémon resembling a goat. It's classified as a Ride Pokémon, which is particularly true, as one of the screenshots shows the player character riding a Gogoat throughout town. It also knows the move Horn Leech.

    Elikiteru (エリキテル) is an Electric/Normal-type Pokémon, giving it a very unique typing. It's classified as a Generator Pokémon and has the new move Parabola Change, which apparently heals itself while also doing damage.

    Lastly, we have Yayakoma (ヤヤコマ), which is a Normal/Flying-type Pokémon and is classified as a Japanese Robin Pokémon (as in the variety of robin in Japan, of course). It appears to use the move Flame Charge in the bottom left battle scene.

    The name of the new region has been revealed as well (at least its Japanese name). The region is known as "Karos", and it is indeed based off of the real-world France, with the massive "Miare City" set right where Paris would be.


    On top of all of that, as shown below, there are several different looks for your main character on top of the standard look, allowing you to choose to play as a blond-haired character or a darker-haired character with a darker skin tone.

    It's unknown if these are the only looks for your Trainer; it's possible they are just showing some examples of customization, but even if you only get to choose from three, it's great to have at least somewhat of a choice.

    Finally, here's a closer look at the Japanese boxes for Pokémon X & Y. The source scan was very small and even at that, it's small on the cover picture itself, but it at least gives an idea of what it will look like. I've lightened it up and applied a filter or two to hopefully make it slightly clearer.

    Well, everyone, what are your thoughts on this big new update for Pokémon X & Y? Be sure to talk about it in the comments! There's certainly a ton that's been revealed, yet I have a feeling we're just at the tip of the iceberg.

  • Deoxys available over Wi-FI, plus Plasma Freeze TCG set is released!

    Good news, Trainers: the Mythical Pokémon Deoxys is now available over Wi-Fi for all English-language Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 games! This Deoxys comes at level 100 with the moves Psycho Boost, Dark Pulse, Nasty Plot, and Recover, plus it is even holding a Life Orb to add to its destructive power.

    You can receive the Deoxys in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 by following the instructions on the official website.

    Additionally, the newest Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion, Black & White—Plasma Freeze, is now for sale in stores! There are over 110 new cards in Plasma Freeze, including six new Pokémon-EX and two new ACE SPEC cards. The Pokémon-EX featured in the set are Tornadus-EX, Thundurus-EX, Latias-EX, Latios-EX, Heatran-EX, and, of course, Deoxys-EX.


    The press release for these two exciting Deoxys-related events can be found after the break!

  • Pokémon Update: Deoxys Wi-Fi Event, Plasma Freeze, and League Dragonite!

    Had a busy week? A lot of you going through finals know all about being busy, so why not catch up on all of the news that's happened over the past two weeks in this week's Pokémon Update with Jess! It'll bring you up to speed! Don't worry, Eyjafjallajökull isn't a new Pokémon for Pokémon X and Y — it's a volcano in Iceland! And you thought Yveltal was hard to pronounce...

    As a side note, while the Deoxys event was previously reported as being available for Pokémon Black and White as well as Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, it appears that the official website has removed the text referring to it being available for the original two versions — the Deoxys will be available only for Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 on May 8th until May 31st. Additionally, the Deoxys distribution has been confirmed for the UK and will most likely be available in Australia and New Zealand, as well as any other English-language countries, as well. Still no word on the rest of Europe, though.

  • 2013 Spring Friendly Tournament; Registration from May 9th - 16th!

    Looking for a fun way to wind down after a series of International Challenge tournaments and the 2013 Spring Regional Championships? Well, you're in luck, because the 2013 Spring Friendly tournament on the Pokémon Global Link is slated to take place in the middle of the month, with registration open from May 9th until May 16th!

    The rules for the 2013 Spring Friendly mix things up a bit by featuring only Pokémon from the Unova Pokédex in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. Here are some more highlights from the rules of the 2013 Spring Friendly:

    • All battles will be played in the Single Battle style.
    • Only Pokémon in the Unova Pokédex in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 may be used. (#000–#300.)
    • The Soul Dew item may not be held.
    • The moves Sky Drop and Dark Void may not be used.
    • Pokémon's levels are automatically set to level 30 for the tournament.

    Every player that participates in at least five battles that end in either a win or a loss (in other words, no disconnecting) will be entered in the rankings and will receive two special Kyurem-themed C-Gear skins for their Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 versions.

     

    The tournament itself runs from May 17th until May 20th, with registration running from May 9th until May 16th. You can register while signed in to the Pokémon Global Link. Good luck to everyone participating, have fun, and enjoy the game!

  • Pokémon League Nimbasa Gym Season Dragonite now available!

    If you've participated in your local Pokémon League and have set up a Trainer Club account that's linked to your Pokémon Global Link account, you'll be able to visit the Promotions page on the Global Link in order to receive a special Dragonite for your participation in the Nimbasa Gym Season of the Pokémon League!

    What is a Pokémon League, you ask? It's not quite the place where you fight the Elite Four like it is in the video games, no, it's actually a real-life "club" where Pokémon fans gather and play Pokémon with each other! It's for both the Trading Card Game and the Video Games, and is a great experience for any Pokémon fan. If you want to learn more about it, check out the official page explaining Pokémon Leagues, and also use the Event Locator to find any leagues in your area! There are thousands of local Pokémon Leagues set up all over the world!

    This Dragonite comes at level 55 and has the moves Dragon Rush, Safeguard, Wing Attack, and ExtremeSpeed, as well as the Hidden Ability Multiscale, which reduces the damage it takes from attacks so long as its HP is full, ensuring it will have some extra endurance against the first hit it receives in battle.

  • Deoxys available on May 8th in Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 Wi-Fi Event!

    From May 8th through May 31st, the Mythical Pokémon Deoxys will be available on Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 through Mystery Gift, using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to receive the rare Pokémon.

    This Deoxys comes fully trained at level 100 and knows a quartet of powerful moves. It is likely that these moves will be the same as the Deoxys from the event held locally in Japan — Nasty Plot, Dark Pulse, Recover, and Psycho Boost.

    While at the time of this post, this distribution is confirmed only for North America, but as it is meant to coincide with the release of the Black & White: Plasma Freeze Pokémon TCG set (also on May 8th, internationally), it is quite likely that it will be available in Europe and Australia as well.

    Speaking of which, Black & White: Plasma Freeze is the newest Pokémon Trading Card Game set and it will be released on May 8th, although special Prerelease tournaments will be taking place across the world this weekend (25th – 26th) and next weekend (4th – 5th). These Prerelease tournaments cost some money, but you get packs from the new set that you can open on the spot and build a deck using only those cards to play against other people doing the same. These events are a lot of fun, and you should use the official Tournament Locator to see if there's one near you! (Be sure to select "Plasma Freeze Prerelease" from the "Premiere Event Series" drop down after entering your location.)

    You can find the press release after the break.

    UPDATE: The official website's news update lists the original Pokémon Black and White games as able to receive the update as well, as opposed to just Pokémon Black 2 and White 2.

  • Pokémon Update: Mewtwo, Hugh, Tournaments, and Charity Water!

    As promised, the first episode of Marriland.com's new bi-weekly series — Pokémon Update — is now up! This week's Pokémon Update talks about the new form of Mewtwo for Pokémon X and Y, the exclusive Hugh Pokédex Skin for Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, an overview of some of the recent tournaments, such as the Spring Regional Championships and the International Challenge April, as well as The Elite Four: Charity Water stream going on, to which Curse will donate $500 to the cause.

  • The Elite Four: Charity Water, streaming Pokémon for Charity!

    From April 22nd until April 29th, Sephazon on YouTube (host of The Elite Four) is bringing together some of the biggest Pokémon Let's Players and most influential people in the Pokémon community for a united goal: livestream playing Pokémon and Pokémon-related games for charity! What charity are they playing for? Charity Water, which is a charity to help supply clean water to developing nations.

    Their goal is to raise $50,000 for charity over the whole week. While that may seem quite ambitious, with some big names in the Let's Play community such as SuperSkarmory, Haydunn, JWittz, Shofu, and even myself, Marriland, as well as over nearly 30 more awesome Let's Players with at least as much talent and passion, it is certainly possible that goal can be met, although not without your help!

    You'll be able to watch the stream live on The Elite Four Twitch.tv channel starting April 22nd. Since the stream is divvied up into three hour shifts, there's a schedule available online showing you when everyone is streaming, as well as what game(s) they'll be playing. What am I going to be playing? I'll be streaming Pokémon Puzzle League on Sunday, April 28th, from 6:00pm Central Time to 9:00pm Central Time.

    Definitely be sure to tune in during the stream and to donate whatever you're able to. It's all for a good cause!

    How do YOU game? Are you loyal to Nintendo or do you branch out to other systems and platforms as well? Do you prefer handheld games such as Pokémon, console games, or PC games? How much time would you say you spend gaming each week? We would love to hear what gaming is to you, so check out this short survey by Curse to let your voice be heard!