Latest news with #PokemonLegendsZA
Forbes
21 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
You Can Now Pre-Order A Switch 2 Bundle With ‘Pokémon Legends: Z-A'
Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Nintendo's Switch 2 console launched last month in two distinct purchasing configurations: One was a vanilla base package, priced at $449.99, which only contained the device itself and no extras. The second option was a bundle that contained the Switch 2, plus a digital copy of Mario Kart World. I'm sure the base offering will stick around for the foreseeable future, but it seems there's already another unique bundle on the horizon, perhaps deploying to replace the current Mario Kart World variant. Nintendo has announced that you can now pre-order a brand new first-party Starter (apropos, given the pack-in software here) kit: A shiny Switch 2 with a fresh copy of the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Switch 2 Edition. The bundle is priced at $499.99, just like the MKW version, and is due to release alongside the new Pokémon game on October 16. Interestingly, Z-A is simultaneously launching on the legacy Switch, but apparently there isn't an OLED or Lite bundle arriving for either. It's not like the Switch needs any more damn sales, however. Still, I do worry about the performance of this last-gen version, given the track record of Pokémon titles on the Switch 1. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder The copy of Z-A included with this new bundle will be digital in nature, so if you're wanting a physical copy, it might be advisable to buy these products separately. That said, you're getting a discount with the bundle, seeing as Pokémon Legends: Z-A is separately priced at $69.99. You're saving $10 less than with the Mario Kart World bundle, though, which is currently going for $79.99. But it's better than nothing. From a financial perspective, I think these bundles are great, but I do wish Nintendo would make the consoles themselves more compelling. At the end of the day, you're really just buying a standard Switch 2 and saving some money on a single game. It would be cool if these systems boasted limited edition paint-jobs to match the particular game they're shipped with. Perhaps a rainbow, Earth-themed Switch 2 for Mario Kart World, or a Switch 2 with a Poké Ball aesthetic for Pokémon Legends: Z-A. We'll no doubt see special edition Switch 2 consoles down the road, though. I'd have considered pre-ordering this new bundle had I not literally snagged a Mario Kart World edition of the Switch 2 on Target's website late last night. That said, you can reserve the Pokémon edition from the My Nintendo Store and various other retailers today.
CNET
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
This New Free Mobile Pokemon Puzzle Game Lets You Weave Digital Plushes
The Pokemon Company unveiled a host of Pokemon content at its Pokemon Presents event on Tuesday. We saw a new trailer for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, a release date for the second season of the Netflix series Pokemon Concierge and a free, new mobile game you can play now, called Pokemon Friends. The latest Pokemon mobile game is a puzzle game where you untangle threads of yarn in order to weave Pokemon plushes for your in-game collection. You can play it now on iOS and Android devices for free, or you can buy it for $10 on the Nintendo eShop. Here's what you should know to get started with Pokemon Friends. Puzzles, yarn and Pokemon To earn yarn, you have to solve puzzles in the game. To get to these puzzles, tap the Psyduck tile with the word Untangle near the bottom of the screen in the main room of the game -- poor Psyduck is always tied up in knots. Some of the puzzles include connecting a string of lightbulbs using only one line and rotating a box in order to free Pokemon, like Slowpoke, from the box. Slowpoke are always getting themselves into some kind of mess. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET After solving the series of puzzles, you are rewarded with a certain number of inches of yarn. Your reward depends on how quickly you solve the puzzles, so if you want the most yarn to make more Pokemon plushes, you have to be faster than an Electrode. How much yarn you get depends on how fast you solve the puzzles. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET Once you have your yarn, you'll stamp your calendar, which shows all the days you've solved puzzles for. You can use your calendar to keep track of what days you've solved puzzles, and you can use it to go back to older puzzles and try to beat your high score. You can revisit old puzzles from your calendar. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET When you have your yarn, tap the Plush-O-Matic -- the machine that looks like a giant Pokeball -- and you'll be able to make plushes with your yarn. Then tap Make and you can choose which yarn to create a Pokemon plush with. Certain yarns are used to make a handful of Pokemon, but it only took one bundle of yarn to make my first few Pokemon. However, I can't see a way to make one particular Pokemon. For example, when you select Fiery Yarn, you can tap Plush Rates in the bottom right corner of your screen to see what Pokemon that yarn can create. I found that my Fiery Yarn could create a Charmander, Charizard, Scorbunny or Fuecoco plush, but I had a 25% chance to make any of those Pokemon -- I got a Scorbunny! It's a cute little Scorbunny! The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET After tapping the Plush-O-Matic, you can also tap Catalog to see details of which plushes you've created, like their size, how many of them you own and what yarn it takes to create them. Decorate with your new Pokemon friend After you've woven your Pokemon plush, it's time to decorate. From the main room of the game, tap the tile in the bottom left corner of your screen that has a Scorbunny on it -- it was like that before I got my own Scorbunny. This will take you to your own room, which you can decorate with your plushes. Once in the room, tap the tile with the Pawmi and Buneary in the left corner of your screen to pull up all the plushes. Tap the plush you want to decorate with and then you can drag and place it anywhere in the room. Scorbunny and Pikachu are friends so they are sharing the basket. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET You can also tap the green chair under the Pawmi and Buneary tile to add or change furniture in the room. Beneath that tile is an hourglass icon. Tap and hold the hourglass to rewind your room, kind of like an Undo button. And in the bottom left corner of your screen is a toy chest with Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly Pokemon. This is the Tidy Up button. Tap this and then tap Pokemon plushes or furniture around the room to remove them from the room. And if you accidentally remove something, no worries, tap and hold the hourglass to undo the change. After decorating, tap the green door in the top right corner of your screen to go back to the main room. The mobile version is free but… The mobile version of Pokemon Friends is free up to a point. I could only solve the second series of puzzles the first time I played the game, but that might be different for you. After you solve your daily puzzles, Pokemon Friends says you can buy DLC to keep playing. To do so, tap Shop in the top left corner of your screen and you can buy different bundles. You might have to buy DLC at a point if you want to continue in Pokemon Friends. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by CNET The Basic Pack ($10) lets you play puzzles as often as you like. Other packs include new puzzles, wallpapers for your plush room and more, and those packs start at $15. It's unclear if you can solve a limited number of puzzles every day without issue, or if you'll have to buy the Basic Pack at some point to continue playing. The Pokemon Company did not immediately respond to my request for comment. For more on the July Pokemon Presents, here's all the free stuff you can get from the event.
CNET
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Gets Release Date, New Mega and Rogue Mega Evolutions
Mega evolutions are back in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, but the new game is also introducing some twists on the battle gimmick that first appeared in the X and Y games. We got a sampling of new info about the upcoming game in a Pokemon Presents video, which walked us through a few different features of the game. Mega evolution, which allows you to temporarily evolve certain Pokémon if they're equipped with a corresponding stone, is coming back in Legends: Z-A. But we're also getting new twists on this mechanic from Gen 6. Here's what we've learned about the game so far. Pokemon Legends: Z-A release date Legends: Z-A will be available Thursday, Oct. 16 on Switch and Switch 2. Z-A adds new mega evolutions and rogue mega evolutions Mega evolutions were a focal point of the X and Y story, and a big part of the competitive scene until Gen 7 came out. X and Y introduced 28 mega evolutions, with another 20 coming in the Gen 3 remakes, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Mega evolution allows you to give even fully evolved Pokemon a temporary stat boost, a new ability and sometimes even a type change. Legends: Z-A is adding to the list of megas, prominently featuring the new Mega Dragonite in the trailer. No details yet on whether Mega Dragonite has a change in type or what its new ability is, but I would guess it has something to do with the eight different wings all over its body. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by Adam Benjamin The other big change with mega evolution is the addition of rogue mega evolutions -- wild Pokemon that are able to mega evolve on their own. It's an interesting change from the Gen 6 games, where mega evolutions were only encountered in battles against gym leaders and similarly powerful trainers. Legends: Z-A brings back Lumiose City's fashion scene, detective work In Pokemon X and Y, trainers could shop at various cities to customize their attire, from hats and hoodies to socks, shoes and skirts. You could also change your hairstyle by visiting salons. That kind of customization is back in Legends: Z-A, as the trailer showed its trainer in a variety of styles from sporty to chic. Sign me up for new styles in different Lumiose districts. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by Adam Benjamin Part of X and Y's postgame content was the Looker Detective Agency, where players could help a Lumiose City detective investigate some mysteries. Players will get to work with Emma, "the best detective in Lumiose," and seemingly the grown-up version of a child who featured prominently in the Looker Bureau missions in X and Y. Detective Emma on the case. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by Adam Benjamin Detective work in Legends Z-A appears to be a system for accepting quests from people around the city who need help with their problems, like trash Pokemon hanging out on restaurant tables outside. Other Pokemon stables return, like a Pokemon researcher, Mable, who needs you to catch Pokemon to help with her research, and a shady criminal organization -- in this case, Corbeau and his Rust Syndicate. Overall, Legends Z-A seems to be leaning into the city life of Lumiose, which could be a fun flavor for the game. But more than anything else, I hope we'll see more new mega evolutions and other expansions to returning mechanics. Bonus: New Pokemon Champions info Today's Pokemon Presents also gave us some new details on Pokemon Champions, the upcoming battle-focused game that will be available on both Switch and mobile devices. The game seems to be pretty exclusively a battle simulator, and we've now learned that it allows you to pull in your teams from Pokemon Home or recruit new Pokemon either temporarily (for free) or permanently, using in-game currency. Try out Pokemon for a week for free, or recruit them permanently for a cost. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by Adam Benjamin You can also train your Pokemon within Champions, allowing you to adjust competitive-focused stats like individual values and effort values -- which affect stat numbers -- and natures -- which boost one stat and lower another. The Pokemon games have made a lot of changes to make training easier and less time-consuming, and this appears to be another step in that direction, though I have several questions about the in-game currency and how players can earn it. The trailer showed moving stat points from one stat to another, at a cost. The Pokemon Company/Screenshot by Adam Benjamin Pokemon Champions will be available sometime next year, with no precise release date set. I wonder if this will be an attempt to split the competitive scene from the mainline games, making it easier for people to collect and train them for competition, and removing the pressure of robust competitive systems from the mainline games. We'll find out whenever we get info about Gen 10.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Every Pokémon Presents July 2025 announcement, including Mega Dragonite
The latest Pokémon Presents stream on Tuesday featured a variety of fun and interesting announcements from the world of Pokémon at large. The event brought new announcements to the table — including the unveiling of Mega Dragonite — while also ushering in some updates and news about upcoming games fans have been looking forward to. The July 2025 Pokémon Presents stream lasted just 25 minutes, but there was a lot of information to digest from the event. Especially with regards to the upcoming entry in the franchise Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which releases on October 16 on both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. In case you missed the event or you want a refresher on all the news, let's dive into every announcement made at Pokémon Presents July 2025! A new look at Pokémon Legends: Z-A, including a new Mega Evolution Pokémon Legends: Z-A got a new trailer ahead of its October release. But more interestingly, the trailer showed off newly announced Mega Dragonite for the first time, marking the latest entry to the line of Mega Evolutions. More information on Pokémon Champions was released One of the major tenets of the Pokémon franchise are the battles, and Pokémon Champions gives you the chance to put your battling skills to the test in this new title launching in 2026. Pokémon Friends brings the puzzle action to the Pokémon franchise Who doesn't love puzzles? Pokémon Friends was an interesting announcement from the stream, as it's a daily puzzle game featuring everyone's favorite pocket monsters. The game is out now for all you puzzle heads out there. New animated show announcements First announced was Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd & Pichu, which is an upcoming stop-motion animated series from Aardman. The teaser trailer for the show — which comes out in 2027 — doesn't show much, but the animation is so adorable. Pokémon fans also got a new look at new episodes of Pokémon Concierge on Netflix, set to release on September 4! Other announcements from Pokémon Presents July 2025 This article originally appeared on For The Win: Every Pokémon Presents July 2025 announcement, including Mega Dragonite
WIRED
a day ago
- Entertainment
- WIRED
A Surprise Pokémon Game Just Dropped for Switch and Mobile
The Pokémon Company is releasing a new, unexpected game today: Pokémon Friends, a daily puzzle game you can download now for mobile devices, Switch, and Switch 2. The company revealed the game as part of a Pokémon Direct presentation that included new details on Pokémon Legends: Z-A and a Switch 2 bundle, Pokémon Champions, and more. In Pokémon Friends, players untangle yarn—essentially solving different puzzles, like freeing pokémon from a box or fixing tracks—to make and collect plush toys. Once you've made a toy, you then get to decorate your room with it. Much like with typical games in the series, collecting is important. The yarn you earn from puzzles, which are randomized between a few different possible outcomes, dictates which plush toys you're able to make. Early puzzles, which are touched based, are pretty simple. Completing a route while drawing only one line, for example, isn't much of a challenge when it's the only line you can draw. Pokémon Friends is free to download oniOS and Android, with puzzles offered daily. Players who want to unlock more puzzles will need to buy DLC packs for $15 each, or as a package for $26. On Switch platforms, the game costs $10 and includes the DLC. The Direct also showed off more gameplay for Pokémon Champions, an online, battle-focused game, and the highly anticipated Pokémon Legends: Z-A, launching October 16. New to the Pokémon Legends universe: rogue Mega Evolutions, where creatures evolve on their own and wreck havoc; players will need friends' help to take them down. Nintendo is releasing a special Switch 2 bundle alongside Z-A, which includes the game and console, for $499.99. Notably, that price is the same as the system's launch bundle with Mario Kart World. The company will raise the price of the original Switch in August for some regions.
