Pokémon Sun & Moon
During the week we got another ton of new information about Pokémon Sun & Moon.
This week’s four trailers show off new Pokémon, Characters, the Aether Foundation, Ultra Beasts, and Professor Samson Oak, which is Professor Samuel Oak’s cousin and studies pokémon regional variants in Alola.
You can find the new trailers, information summary and screenshots below.
EXCITING NEW DETAILS REVEALED FOR POKÉMON SUN AND POKÉMON MOON!
New Pokémon, story details, gameplay features and much more announced for upcoming Pokémon games
London—6 September 2016— Today the Pokémon Company International and Nintendo revealed exciting new information for the latest games in the Pokémon franchise, Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, coming to Europe on 23 November and available exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.Newly revealed Pokémon include:Type: Null
Type: Normal
Type: Null is a Synthetic Pokémon which was constructed to synthesize the strengths of various Pokémon, making it adaptable enough to complete a mission that requires a Pokémon as strong as the Pokémon of mythology. The mask fitted to this Pokémon’s head is a piece of equipment designed to control its power. Type: Null is the partner Pokémon of a newly revealed character—Gladion, the taciturn enforcer of Team Skull, who places a high value on being strong in battle.Jangmo-o
Type: Dragon
The Scaly Pokémon Jangmo-o has the pride of a warrior and never neglects its training in its pursuit of becoming stronger. This Pokémon uses the scales on its head as a weapon both offensively and defensively. It lives in harsh locales, like canyons, where it can train.Alolan Raticate
Type: Dark/Normal
Raticate in Alola live in urban areas, leading to a higher-calorie diet than that of Raticate elsewhere. This means they have tough bodies but have gotten a lot fatter. They stockpile huge amounts of food in their nests and prefer fresh fruit and high-class ingredients. Alolan Raticate is the Totem Pokémon of the trial that takes place in Verdant Cavern on Melemele Island in Pokémon Moon.Brand-new characters in the story were also announced—members of the Aether Foundation, an organization that works in the Alola region and conducts various research projects. Residing on Aether Paradise, the artificial island that they created, their goal is to care for and provide shelter to Pokémon that have been hurt. Members of the Aether Foundation include:Lusamine
The beautiful Lusamine is the president of the Aether Foundation.Faba
Faba can be identified by his signature accessory—green sunglasses. He is the Aether Foundation’s second-in-command.Wicke
As the assistant branch chief of Aether Paradise, Wicke has a very caring personality and supports Faba. She is loved by all of the Aether Foundation’s employees.Employees of the Aether Foundation
The staff members of the Aether Foundation appear to have various uniforms depending on which division they belong to.All over Alola, rumours speak of creatures that possess mighty powers and pose a threat to humans and Pokémon. They’re called Ultra Beasts, and there are said to be multiple Ultra Beasts in existence. It seems that the Aether Foundation is conducting research on these Ultra Beasts, referring to each of them by a code name. UB-01 is an Ultra Beast that has a body composed of a glass-like substance. It constantly changes shape, and its movements resemble that of a young girl. Whilst evidence of something like a survival instinct can be observed in UB-01, no one knows whether it has a will of its own or any emotions at all.
Whilst exploring Alola in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, players will encounter Dexio and Sina. These two originally appeared in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y as the professor’s assistants. They will give you an item called the Zygarde Cube and ask you to collect Zygarde Cores and Zygarde Cells which can be found all around Alola. If you collect enough, the path to finding Zygarde may become clearer!
A brand-new feature called the Poké Finder will debut in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon. This feature allows players to take pictures of the Pokémon they find. It’s loaded into the Rotom Dex and, when used in certain spots scattered throughout the Alola region, you can snap pictures of Pokémon. The pictures you take will be evaluated, and as you take better pictures, more features—like the ability to zoom—become available.
A huge difference between the two game versions—Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon—was also announced. In previous games, you could discover certain Pokémon in only one of the two versions of the game. Now, in addition to this feature, there will be a difference in the way time is set in the two games. The two worlds of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon are 12 hours apart and are tied to the actual time in real life. Pokémon Sun operates on the same time as your Nintendo 3DS system, but time in the world of Pokémon Moon is shifted by 12 hours. Some Totem Pokémon which appear in the trials throughout the game will also be different in each version. Players will encounter different Pokémon on the same route depending on whether it is day or night, which means players will have different experiences according to their chosen version of the game.
A new trailer that showcases all of the new features and Pokémon can be found here: https://youtu.be/bCTj-04gfMM
For more information, please visit Pokemon.co.uk/SunMoon.
“Samson Oak does research on the regional variants that have taken root in the Alola region. He’s a cousin of the Professor Oak—the famous authority on Pokémon research in the Kanto region. The two could practically be twins!”
Note: In the Train On #2 Trailer you can see what appears to be Cutiefly’s evolution at arond 1:00 minute. It hasn’t been officially announced yet.
Finally, the official Japanese website has shared that the next wave of new information will be released on Wednesday, September 14th, at 10 PM JST / 3 PM CEST / 9 AM EDT / 6 AM PDT. This new info will likely be delivered in the form of a new trailer as usual.
Moreover, the upcoming issue of CoroCoro magazine is set to be released next week as well, and previously teased that it would reveal Rockruff’s evolution.
Pokémon GO
Niantic has recently rolled out a new Pokémon GO update. The game is being updated to version 1.7.0 on the iOS, and version 0.37.0 on Android.
The latest patch implements the Buddy Pokémon system as well as support for the Pokémon GO Plus accessory. You can find the full notes and announcement by Niantic below:
Pokémon GO is in the process of being updated to version 0.37.0 for Android and 1.7.0 for iOS devices. Below are some release notes and comments from our development team.
– Implemented Buddy Pokémon: Trainers will now be able to choose one of their Pokémon to be their buddy. A Trainer can earn – Candy for their Buddy Pokémon by walking a certain distance.
– Made it easier to select smaller Pokémon on the screen.
– Fixed an issue where Eggs would sometimes hatch without displaying the animation.
– Improved performance reliability when a device switches networks to no longer cause the application to hang or stop updating.
– Pokémon GO Plus support
– Minor text fixes.We continue to focus on eliminating bots and scrapers from Pokémon GO. Rooted or jailbroken devices are not supported by Pokémon GO. Remember to download Pokémon GO from the official Google Play Store or iTunes App Store only.
Meanwhile, Niantic also stopped by Apple’s recent event to reveal that Pokémon GO is heading to Apple Watch.
Here’s a summary of what we know so far:
– This version of the game is based on activity goals set by the player
– During a walk, it registers the distance and calories burned
– Players can also collect items, visit PokéStops and attempt to catch eggs as they travel along
– Everything is shown on the watch’s screen with a simple user interface
– A summary screen at the end of the walk will detail all of the items collected during the walk, and show how much you exercised
You can take a look at that part of the event below:
https://youtu.be/unMd_IRvJM0
John Hanke, CEO of Niantic, also stated that Pokémon GO has been downloaded over 500 million times worldwide, and players have walked over 4.6 billion kilometers.
App Annie also reported that the game has earned over $500 million in worldwide customer spending across iOS and Android. It seems like Pokémon GO is the fastest title to reach that mark, as Candy Crush Saga took over 200 days and Clash of Clans and Puzzle & Dragons took over 400 days. Pokémon GO hit the mark in question in just over 60 days. Incredibly, it’s also on track to reach $1 billion in revenue by the end of 2016.
Finally, Pokémon GO Plus is now scheduled to launch on September 16 in most countries, according to Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Some territories in South Africa might have to wait for later in the year.
Here’s an overview of the accessory:
“Pokémon GO Plus is a companion device that connects to your phone over Bluetooth Smart (the Bluetooth low energy connection designed for health and fitness applications), allowing you to keep your phone in your pocket and go about your day-to-day activities while still being able to collect valuable resources and capture even the most elusive Pokémon. We’ve been testing it here at Niantic and we love the way it allows you to blend Pokémon GO even more seamlessly into family and fitness activities. Now you’ll be able to play and enjoy your walk, run, hike, park trips or visits to the library without having to look at your screen all the time.
As you pass by a PokéStop, Pokémon GO Plus will vibrate and light up and alert you to the location. You’ll even be able to collect new items just by clicking the Pokémon GO Plus. If there’s nearby Pokémon hiding in your area you’ll be alerted with lights and vibrations; catch the Pokémon with a button on Pokémon GO Plus and then continue on your way (later, you can check your Journal to see which Pokémon you’ve just caught).”
Nintendo also shared details about iPhone and Android-compatible devices and operating systems, and a few screenshots showcasing the look of the game when connected to the accessory:
iOS
Compatible OS versions: iOS 8 – 9
Compatible with: iPhone® 5/5c/5s/SE/6/6s/6 Plus/6s Plus
Android
Compatible OS versions: Android 4.4 – 6.0
Compatible with: Android 4.4 or higher that have Bluetooth® Smart（Bluetooth v4.0 or higher) capability and RAM2GB or more.
Mario Party: Star Rush
Below you can find several videos with more gameplay footage from Mario Party: Star Rush, mostly covering the modes Coinathlon and Toad Scramble.
Paper Mario: Color Splash
The latest episode of Nintendo Minute features Kit and Krysta playing some Paper Mario: Color Splash and trying out the Golden Colosseum level. Check it out below:
Besides that, USGamer recently interviewed Risa Tabata, the co-producer of Paper Mario: Color Splash.
During this conversation, Tabata talked about various topics such as working with Wii U and having more power, limited resources in battle in the form of cards, and giving Toads personality.
You can find the interview over here, at USGamer.
Super Mario Run
Nintendo recently announced a brand new mobile game called Super Mario Run. The reveal took place during a conference held by Apple. Shigeru Miyamoto attended the show, with Bill Trinen providing translation, to show off the title.
You can find an overview of the mobile game below, explaining the basic gameplay features.
KYOTO, Japan, Sept. 8, 2016 JST –At an Apple event in San Francisco, CA earlier today, Nintendo announced that the leading man of video games will star in Super Mario Run, a full-sized Super Mario Bros. action platformer that has been developed specifically for mobile, and will be available first on the App Store this December. Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto took the stage at the event and put Mario through his paces in a multi-level demonstration instantly familiar to millions of fans worldwide. In the game, Mario runs forward on his own, but relies on the touch of a single finger to jump over obstacles, avoid pesky enemies and capture the flag pole to complete levels.
“We have created Super Mario Run to be perfect for playing on your iPhone,” said Mr. Miyamoto, who first devised the Mario character more than 35 years ago. “Super Mario has evolved whenever he has encountered a new platform, and for the first time ever, players will be able to enjoy a full-fledged Super Mario game with just one hand, giving them the freedom to play while riding the subway or my favorite, eating a hamburger.”
“The App Store has made so many things better in our lives – the way we communicate, the way we work and the way we have fun,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “But for gamers of all ages, the story just hasn’t been complete without Mario, so we are thrilled that Nintendo is bringing him to iOS for the first time this December.”
Super Mario Run has a mode in which the player collects coins and heads for the goal, and a mode in which the player competes against the acrobatic moves of other people who have completed the same course. In addition, there is a mode in which you create your own Mushroom Kingdom based upon these play results.
iOS users will be able to download and enjoy a portion of Super Mario Run for free and will be able to enjoy all of the game content available in this release after paying a set purchase price. More details will be disclosed at a later date. The game has been developed with Mr. Miyamoto as lead creator for Nintendo. Nintendo is also continuing its partnership with DeNA for the launch of Super Mario Run. It will be offered on the App Store this December in more than 100 different countries, and nine different languages.
To help iOS users get ready for the launch of Super Mario Run, a free Mario-themed sticker pack for the App Store for iMessage will launch this month. iMessage users can easily access and use these stickers in a variety of ways, bringing a bit of Mushroom Kingdom flavor to their conversations.
Super Mario Run represents the next phase of Nintendo’s expansion to mobile platforms, following the release of Miitomo earlier this year. After the launch of Super Mario Run in December, Nintendo plans to deliver its previously announced mobile device titles in the Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem series before the end of March, 2017.
Keep in mind that Super Mario Run won’t release on Android until next year according to Miyamoto.
You can also find the announcement, a trailer, and some screenshots below, and get more information about the game on the official website over here.
Finally, you can find several interviews with Shigeru Miyamoto about various aspects of the game in the links below:
Metroid Prime: Federation Force
Metroid Prime: Federation Force has now released in Europe, and Nintendo has released a new launch trailer for the game which you can find below.
Kirby: Planet Robobot
The third “Kirby: Planet Robobot Ask-a-thon” was recently hosted on Miiverse.
Once again, director Shinya Kumazaki answered various questions from fans, including topics such as copy abilities, characters, difficulty, and much more.
You can find the full interview below in image form.
Splatoon
Last month, Nintendo hosted a special Splatoon “Fan Fest”. The event featured a live day of challenges, held at London’s Gfinity Arena.
You can find a couple of videos from the event below, including The Great British Splat Off Grand Final.
Moreover, ESL and Nintendo have shared that they will be hosting weekly ESL Go4Splatoon tournaments starting last Sunday for players all across Europe. Six months of tournaments will be held, ending with a final showdown next year where the winning team from each month’s cup will compete to win an NX system.
This past weekend, players on the cup-winning team earned an item of official Splatoon clothing signed by members of the development team. The top teams of each weekly tournament will earn Go4Splatoon ranking points. Each calendar month, the eight teams with the most ranking points will proceed to the following month’s Europe Monthly Final, with September’s highest-ranked teams going through to the monthly cup in mid-October.
If you are interested in participating you can sign up for the tournaments on the ESL Go4Splatoon website here.
Finally, Hisashi Nogami, producer of Splatoon, was recently interviewed in Famitsu, and even though there weren’t any major revelations, Nogami shared some interesting information about those who have been playing Splatoon online.
The ratio between Turf War and Ranked Battle players is roughly fifty-fifty. New players tend to concentrate on Turf War while those who have played for long time usually focus on Ranked Battle. The recent update increased point bonuses for Turf War, which perhaps made some people go back to that mode.
The interview also states that there were many players during the end of 2015 and start of 2016, which may have been due to the holidays and start of the new year. The current numbers have dropped off in comparison, but there is still a stable number of players.
Miitomo
Miitomo has once again been updated with new content for Miitomo Drop and Miitomo Shop.
Below you can find all the recently added items.
Straight grillin’! BBQ Blowout #2
– Ketchup bottle cap (set)
– Ketchup bottle suit (set)
– BBQ tee
– Shorts + tied-around shirt
Straight grillin’! BBQ Blowout #3
– BBQ grill-lid hat
– BBQ grill suit
– BBQ apron
– BBQ-tongs tights
The show must go on! Miitomo Concert #1
– Acoustic guitar
– Violin
– Saxophone
– Synthesizer
Miitomo Shop
– Round glasses
– Angel wings hairclips
– Angelic toga
– Front-tied shirt
– Fine-knit turtleneck
– Roll-up chino pants
– Precious gemstone pumps
– Piano brooch
Miitomo also has a new Nintendo franchise collaboration going on, this time with the Kirby series. You can find more information about that on Miitomo’s official page, over here.
Other Mobile News
During the recent Super Mario Run announcement, Nintendo said that the company now “plans to deliver its previously announced mobile device titles in the Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem series before the end of March, 2017”.
Super Mario Run is the next mobile game Nintendo will be releasing, which will be out on iPhone and iPad in December. We can then expect Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing between the launch of Super Mario Run and sometime in March.
Nintendo also told an IGN representative the following:
“Based on a variety of factors, we felt it was most appropriate for Super Mario Run to launch ahead of these other two apps. Our Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem titles for mobile will launch before the end of our fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2017.”
Miyamoto also told TIME that there are no longer plans to launch a fifth mobile game until the of March 2017. In his words:
“We’ve consistently stated a plan to launch approximately five mobile apps by the end of this fiscal year, including Miitomo. Given market conditions and the development process for each title, our current plan is to launch four total mobile titles in that period.”
Moreover, while speaking with IGN, he also shared an interest in bringing amiibo compatibility to mobile devices:
“There’s nothing we can announce today but it’s certainly an area we’re interested in, and today Apple announced some new news about their NFC technology.”
Finally, when USA Today briefly interviewed him about Super Mario Run, they also asked Miyamoto how he felt about VR. This was his answer:
“I would agree that adapting Mario to new platforms is a key to keeping him relevant. But we want families to play together, and virtual reality (which requires players to be closed off from the real world) doesn’t really fit well there. We also like people playing for a long time, and it’s hard to do that in VR.”