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It’s Pokémon Day! It was on this day 30 years ago that Pokémon Red & Green released in Japan. While we celebrate Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, this is a good time to look forward as we appreciate the past! As always, the whole direct itself is on YouTube and I recommend watching it as there are things I won’t mention or spend much time on in this article. Besides, it'll be more fun to see what surprises are in store that way.
Old Favorites, New Updates
Let’s start off with updates to various mobile games. First, Pokemon TCG Pocket is getting a new Scarlet & Violet themed set called Paldean Wonders, which highlights the starter trio from Paldea. Additionally, special limited time missions and accessories to celebrate 30 years of Pokémon are happening right now. If TCGs are your thing, this is a good time to tune in.
Pokémon Sleep also has new research available relating to the mythical Pokémon Mew. Fans might remember Mew as being the first ever event exclusive Pokémon going all the way back to the first generation. Might be worth it to catch a few Z’s if it gets one closer to meeting this rare Pokémon.
Speaking of rare Pokémon, Kanto’s Legendary Bird Trio are flying into Pokémon UNITE! Get their licenses through a limited time event now. Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres are waiting to be unlocked and used. There are more Pokémon and an Electrode Volleyball world tour coming soon as well.
There’s a lot more Kanto love coming too. Pokémon GO is celebrating its 10th anniversary. From March 7 to March 9, a large number of Pokémon are going to appear. Leading up to this will be a Kanto themed event from March 3 to March 9. A promo code GOTOURKALOS can be entered on the web store to get a Kalos starter in-game. Time to go out and explore!
Pokémon Masters EX is celebrating its 6.5 anniversary along with Pokémon’s 30th. This means new featured Sync Pairs. Including a 1996 version of Red(Based on the original Ken Sugimori artwork) & Pikachu as well as Florian & Ogerpon and Juliana & Terapagos. Special photo missions where you can get a 30-year celebration photo frame will also be available.
The last update I’ll mention involves Legends Z-A. A new mystery gift is now available where players can get their hands on the Garchompite Z! That’s right, a new mega evolution for Garchomp has become available and it looks awesome. Be aware that you need the Mega Dimension DLC previously released in December to access it as it involves a special distortion appearing in Lumiose City. Friendly reminder that mystery gifts for Diancie and Mewtwo(which don’t need the DLC) are still active.
Fresh Releases on the Horizon
Now for the big announcements, and oh boy, were there some BIG ones. Starting with Pokémon Champions. Pokémon Champions was announced last year on Pokémon Day and the Nintendo Switch version is due to release in April of this year, with the mobile version coming at a later, unspecified time. Champions will feature connectivity with Pokémon HOME and allow players to battle with their favorites in thrilling matches. Those who download the game early will receive a Dragonite in their in-game mailbox and there will be a special campaign where players can obtain Mega Stones for Mega Evolutions from Z-A. Look forward to more of our coverage on it soon!
Champions is set to become the new face of the competitive scene. That’s right. The 2026 World Championships will use Pokemon Champions for the first time as competitors battle it out to become number 1! This event will take place at the Chase Center in beautiful San Francisco alongside the newly announced PokémonXP festival. Fans can expect all kinds of panels and fun activities. Set your calendars for August trainers!
Also releasing soon is Pokémon Pokopia, where you play as a ditto that arrives in a ruined town. The new video for Pokopia showcased two new faces. The first being DJ Rotom, who can be given CDs in order to play classic tunes - such as Road to Cerulean City, Mesagoza and more. The second is Chef Greedent who can teach the player how to cook and prepare treats for the town inhabitants. The player will also be able to connect with up to three other players and visit other towns Animal Crossing style. Look forward to visiting Pokopia as it releases on March 5 for Switch 2, right around the corner.
Two beloved classics are also seeing a re-release of sorts. The first are Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen versions, now available on eShop as separate purchases for both Switch and Switch 2. Originally released in 2004, these beloved remakes of Red and Green take players back to where it all started: the Kanto region! Battle Gym Leaders, take on shady organizations and catch over 100 different kinds of Pokémon in this classic Pokémon experience. FireRed and LeafGreen also uniquely feature the Sevii Islands, an explorable archipelago post-game where players can encounter Pokémon that originally debuted in Gold & Silver versions. To top it all off, FireRed and LeafGreen will also feature connectivity to Pokémon HOME, allowing players to transfer Pokémon from those games to more modern entries like Scarlet & Violet and Champions.
The second classic is Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. Originally released in 2005 on the Nintendo GameCube and developed by Genius Sonority, XD: Gale of Darkness is a sequel to Pokémon Colosseum, taking place about 5 years later. The villainous Cipher is once again up to trouble in the Orre region and it’s up to the player to stop them. Catch and purify Shadow Pokémon as you put an end to Cipher once and for all. Coming to the GameCube library as part of the Nintendo Online + Expansion Pass subscription for Switch 2. Keep in mind that unlike FireRed and LeafGreen, Pokémon caught in XD will NOT be able to be transferred out.
Last but definitely not least, the final video of the presentation showed a look at the future. Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves have officially been announced and will be releasing exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027! Taking place in a breathtakingly beautiful tropical looking region, players will be able to embark on a brand new adventure alongside the newly revealed Browt, Pombon, or Gecqua. They’ll also encounter a special looking Pikachu as well as some returning faces like Oddish, Ledyba and Wingull. Winds & Waves looks set to continue the open world gameplay style of Scarlet & Violet and I couldn’t be more excited to see more of it. Expect to see additional coverage on these games as we get closer to release!
As they say, “The Adventure Continues”
Whew! That was a lot. From highly anticipated news, to some pleasant surprises. 30 years of Pokémon celebrated in style. What are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments and get ready for more Pokémon fun in the future! Happy Catching and Battling! See ya next time trainers and thanks for reading!
