Pokémon Games Are Making A Comeback!

With Pokémon Day (February 27^th) just passed, there is a renewed excitement for the upcoming and existing games in the Pokémon universe. New games will be coming to mobile and the Nintendo switch in 2024 and 2025 for Pokémon, so without further ado, let’s get into what was announced and/or hinted at through Pokémon’s cryptic iconography.

The biggest announcement from Pokémon Day was the next part of the Pokémon Legends series, that is also part of the generation nine games, Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Named after the legendary Pokémon, Zygarde, players will be transported back in time to the beginnings of the generation six Kalos region, where they will explore and assist in the construction of the iconic Lumiose City. First released in 2013, the story of Pokémon X and Y will be shown in a new light through Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which is set to be released in 2025.

However, Pokémon theory crafters and data miners believe that there is more to the announcement of Pokémon Legends: Z-A than initially meets the eye. Just like PokémonLegends: Arceus, there was a remake of generation four games (Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum remade into Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl) roughly a year before the release of Legends: Arceus. Using this line of thought, many Pokémon fans believe that there is an unannounced remake of generation six games that will be released in late 2024 to lead players into the Pokémon Legends: Z-A in 2025. That being said, this is all complete speculation by Pokémon fans.

To wrap up the Nintendo Switch announcements, the already released games in Pokémon Scarlet/Violet and Pokémon Unite are receiving new in-game events, the first parts of which are playable right now. Lastly, another Pokémon spin off, Pokémon Café Mix, is also getting a more major update that will add more content to the game.

Moving into the mobile Pokémon games, the biggest announcement was Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket for late 2024. While the name is lacking creativity, this app will do exactly what its name says – allows players to collect and play with Pokémon cards via mobile instead of through purchasing physical packs. It’s touted to be a more cost-effective way to collect Pokémon cards that also allows playing and immersing into of each unique card. Just by downloading this app once it is available, players will be able to open two Pokémon card packs per day for free.

Another mobile app, Pokémon Sleep, is the first gaming app of its kind, rewarding players with Pokémon sighting for sleeping well. If understood correctly, it is like Pokémon Snap but with the involvement of sleep. The community consensus for this type of game is generally that is unnecessary and corny, but nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how a game like this plays and performs for the player. It is set to be released sometime this month, March 2024.

Finally, the mobile app Pokémon GO is having a small event that allows players to capture Captain Pikachu (a Pikachu with a sailor hat on) from March 5^th to 11^th 2024. And the browser game, Pokémon Masters Ex, which is the current version of the Pokémon Trading Card Game that Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will likely replace, is receiving two AI bosses (Silver and Geeta, the Pokémon Champions of the Switch Games) as an event in-game event.

In summary, the most exciting announcements at Pokémon Day 2024 were Pokémon Legends: Z-A set for release in 2025(with the potential for a generation six remake in 2024 that was not announced), and Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket for mobile that will be released in late 2024. All the other games were minor content updates or smaller game releases that allows hardcore Pokémon to immerse themselves into the Pokémon universe.

So how are Pokémon players expressing their excitement for these upcoming games – they are replaying the old games and adding their own challenges to it. Whether it be speedruns of other Pokémon games; hardcore nuzlocks of older generation games; or modded versions of the game like Radical Red, Ironmon Kaizo, PokéMMO, or Pixelmon, hundreds of thousands of players are logging into their favorite versions of Pokémon and replaying them in preparation for releases that are set to come in 2024 and 2025.