Latest Reviews of The Pokémon Company Games
Review Pokémon Sleep - A Snore-Fest In Mostly The Right Ways
Is this a game to sleep on?
Pokémon Sleep has been a bit of an enigma ever since its reveal in 2019 and nobody quite knew what to make of it or even how it could possibly work. After years of silence, finally, in 2023, we have the game so we’ve fully got to grips with what's on offer, and it is definitely an interesting one. We’ve spent over a...
Review Pokemon Unite (Switch) - Pokémon Divides In Free-To-Start MOBA
Fun, in the right circumstances
Since the original release of Pokémon Red and Blue on the Game Boy, The Pokémon Company has consistently tried to take its successful monster-collecting RPG through many different iterations, genres, and applications. Pokémon has taken forays into genres such as digital/physical card games, the Mystery Dungeon...
Cold Pokémon go brrr
Pokémon Sword & Shield is now finally complete with the release of The Crown Tundra, the second part of the DLC pass to go alongside The Isle of Armor. But how does it stack up compared to its great – if inconsistent – main game? Well, we'll tell you, because we’re nice like that. We have to be honest, our first...
Review Pokémon Café Mix (Switch) - Perfectly Pleasant Free-To-Play Puzzle Action
Make the perfect Pikabrew
If you thought the only thing The Pokémon Company had in store for you this month was a new way to get frustrated while brushing your teeth, you’re sorely mistaken. Pokémon Café Mix is another free (well, free-to-play) title for Pokéfans to wet their whistle with, and this one’s an actual game rather than an app...
Mini Review Pokémon Smile (Switch) - You've Gotta Brush 'Em All
"Mee-outh, that's white"
Brushing your teeth is boring. It’s dull when you’re an adult and it’s even worse when you’re a kid, because you’d really rather be playing with your Thunderbirds toys or Cabbage Patch Dolls, or whatever cross-media property young people are into these days (look, we don’t know, we haven’t been kids for a...
Review Pokémon Sword & Shield - The Isle of Armor (Switch) - A New Wild Area Worthy Of Your Interest
Fits the base game to a TT
Whenever a series attempts DLC for the first time, you’re sure to find a select few individuals pining for the olden days when you got a whole game in a single package – conveniently forgetting the fact that Street Fighter II had no less than seven different iterations – but if a game sells well and there’s enough...
Review Pokémon Masters - One Of The Best Pokémon Mobile Games, But Still Not Quite There
Gacha catch 'em all
While The Pokémon Company has been on mobile phones doing games and apps since 2011 – long before Nintendo seriously considered going mobile – it has never jumped into what many believe is the secret sauce to securing a successful mobile game: Gacha-style mechanics. These are games where you get characters through random...
Review Pokémon Rumble Rush (Switch) - A Simple Free-To-Play Outing That Only Hardcore Fans Will Love
Get ready to rumble
Pokémon Rumble Rush is the fifth in the Pokémon Rumble series and the first to enter the mobile fray. This game takes the mechanics of the series to new levels by providing another Pokémon “Game as a Service” Experience, and unlike the previous Pokémon Rumble games, there’s not much of a story to this game. You get sent...
Review Pokémon Gold And Silver (3DS eShop / GBC)
Golden oldies
Pokémon Gold and Silver are the second generation instalments in the Pokémon series; released at the turn of the millennium, the games arrived just a few short years after their predecessors, Pokémon Red and Blue. Boasting a whole new world to explore, 100 new monsters (bringing the total to 251), and an entirely new cast of...
Review Pokémon: Magikarp Jump (Mobile)
Super weak or beloved Pokémon?
In one of the more unusual turns for Pokémon, the new mobile game Pokémon: Magikarp Jump has been released on mobile devices in a gradual international rollout. This game is developed by Select Button and is a Pokémon-themed spin on its game Survive! Mola Mola. The task? Raise a Magikarp to be as strong as it can...
Latest The Pokémon Company Articles
News New Pokémon Build-A-Bear Now Available
It's Cubone!
The Pokémon Build-A-Bear line is continually expanding with all sorts of creatures from the long-running franchise, and the latest one to join the range is a soft plush version of Cubone. Yes, another 'mon from the original Pokédex can now be purchased! As mentioned by Build-A-Bear, this particular version of Cubone won't be any...
News Pokémon Unite Ending Service In Select European Markets Next Year
"We have made the difficult decision"
The free-to-play MOBA Pokémon Unite has established a significant fanbase since its arrival on the Switch and mobile in 2021, but it will now be exiting select markets. In an official announcement, The Pokémon Company has revealed Unite will end its service in Belgium and the Netherlands as of 30th November...
News Nintendo Patents Filed After Palworld's Release Suggest Lawsuit Prep Started Months Ago
Pika your battles
Last week, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company announced that they were filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Palworld developer Pocketpair. While the latter studio claimed it was "unaware of the specific patents we are accused of infringing upon," online speculation soon began to throw out various plausible-sounding submis
News Pokémon Sleep Is Now Compatible With Smartwatches
Meet even more Pokémon in your dreams
The free-to-play mobile game Pokémon Sleep has this week received an update allowing you to now pair your smartwatch. To enable this feature, you'll need to link your account to Apple Health or Health Connect. Below is a list of compatible devices. You can get detailed instructions on how to pair your...
Video Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket Gets New Gameplay Trailer, Out October
"Enjoy the Pokémon TCG in a more casual way"
Following a release date announcement at the World Championships in August, The Pokémon Company has now released a gameplay video for its upcoming mobile title Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. This new video takes trainers through the steps of joining in on the fun. It's as simple as opening a...
News Nintendo And Pokémon File Lawsuit Against Palworld Developer Pocketpair
Palworld allegedly "infringes multiple patent rights"
Update [Thu 19th Sep, 2024 11:00 BST]: Palworld developer Pocketpair has now responded to the lawsuit with its own statement. <related ids="172061"> Original article [Thu 19th Sep, 2021 00:45 BST]: Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have filed a lawsuit against the Palworld developer...
News Pokémon Wins $15 Million Copyright Lawsuit Against Chinese Mobile Game Developers
'Pocket Monster Reissue' banked around $42 million in one year
The Pokémon series has spawned all sorts of questionable copycats over the years and while many projects come to an end with a quick takedown notice, sometimes these imitations end up extending their life or even profiting in some way or form. With this in mind, The Pokémon Company...
Random New Pokémon Animated Short Is Seriously Adorable
Let me get a peek-at-you
There's no shortage of adorable animated Pokémon content out there (heck, most of it is enough to bring a smile to our faces), but The Pokémon Company's latest effort, 'Chasing the Moon,' is one of the best-looking ones we've seen in a while. Released by TPC's official Japanese YouTube account to celebrate the Mid-Autumn...
News Another Life-Size Pokémon Plush Has Been Announced
I choose you Porygon
We've seen The Pokémon Company release all sorts of life-size Pokémon plush in the past and now the latest is officially available. The catch is it is only available through the Japanese Pokémon Center (for now). It's Porygon (one of the OG Pokémon) and is available for roughly $391.20 USD (thanks, Kotaku). Here's a look at...
Anniversary Pokémon FireRed And LeafGreen Turn 20 Years Old In The US
Fans would love to see them return
Try not to get too excited, but the official Pokémon social media account has this week acknowledged North America's 20th anniversary of Pokémon FireRed Version and LeafGreen Version. These Game Boy Advance titles originally released in September 2004 in this region, and were remakes of the original Pokémon...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Pokémon Colosseum
Are you not entertained?
Are you sitting comfortably? Ready to judge some classic covers? It's time to dive into another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we matched up three different designs for Super R-Type. Despite a good variety between each, it was the North American variant that walked away with the win, taking 49% of the vote and leaving...
News Pokémon Sleep Has Double The Number Of Monthly Users In Japan Than The US
That's a lot of Zs
Pokémon Sleep has been pretty successful worldwide since its release in July 2023, and now that the game has been out for over a year, analysts in Japan have been looking into the figures. Over in Japan, Pokémon Sleep is currently the most downloaded mobile app in the Health & Fitness category and has the largest revenue...
Random 'BALLS: The Monster-Catchin' Musical Comédy' Is Already Half-Funded
A wild Kickstarter appeared!
We've seen all kinds of Pokémon-likes over the years from monster-catching visual novels to roguelikes. But a musical comedy? Like, an actual on-stage musical comedy? That's new. Curtain up on Balls: The Monster-Catchin' Musical Comédy, more specifically on its Kickstarter page, where it is a little over halfwa
Soapbox The Next Pokémon Game Should Rework Old Critters, Not Just Add Dozens More
Gotta not forget 'em all
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Lowell considers how future Pokémon games could do justice to old Pocket Monsters who got lumped in with the also-rans... We’re still a little far out from Pokémon...
Round Up Pokémon World Championships 2024 - Is The Competitive Event At A Turning Point?
Pokémon came home
It has been 20 years since the first Pokémon World Championships took place in Orlando and in what may be a move to celebrate, the Pokémon World Championships returned to a place where it has frequently been held: Hawai’i. However, this time rather than being on the big island, it went to the island of O’ahu and the city of...
News Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks Expansion Out November 2024
Here's what you can expect
Update [Sat 31st Aug, 2024 16:30 BST]: This set (featuring over 250 cards) will include eight ACE SPEC cards, nine Stellar Tera Pokémon ex and nine Pokémon ex, 23 illustration rare Pokémon, 11 special illustration rare Pokémon and Supporter cards, and six hyper rare gold etched cards. Original [Fri 23rd Aug, 2024...
News "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" Sees Pokémon TCG Player Eliminated At World Championships
His opponent went on to win the tournament
Updated [Sat 24th Aug, 2024 00:30 BST]: Pokémon has always been promoted as a family-friendly brand, and at the World Championships last weekend, a competitor in the Trading Card Game tournament was "retroactively handed a loss" after winning his quarter-final match. This took place in the Masters...
News Pokémon Partners With WildBrain To Stream First 22 Anime Seasons
"Free ad-supported television"
Earlier this year in March, The Pokémon Company called time on Pokémon TV, with the service no longer available on the app, browsers, or devices like the Nintendo Switch. While it seemed like it might be done with this sort of service, it appears WildBrain - a "global leader in kids' and family entertainment" - has...
Round Up Everything Announced At The 2024 Pokémon World Championships Closing Ceremony
Updates for GO, Unite, TCG Pocket and more...
At the 2024 Pokémon World Championships closing ceremony, The Pokémon Company CEO and President Mr. Tsunekazu Ishihara shared updates for Pokémon GO, Pokémon Unite, the Pokémon Trading Card Game (and Pocket), and also the future World Championships locations. Here's the full rundown: Pokémon GO...
News Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket Launches This October, Pre-Registration Now Live
Announced at the World Championships
Update [Mon 19th Aug, 2024 05:00 BST]: At the closing ceremony of the 2024 Pokémon World Championships, The Pokémon Company President and CEO Mr. Tsunekazu Ishihara announced Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will launch for Android and iOS devices on 30th October 2024. Pre-registration is now open!...
Guide Pokémon 2024 World Championships - Announcements, Schedule, Digital Rewards & More
Get the full rundown of everything happening
The 2024 Pokémon World Championships are taking place in Honolulu, Hawaii this weekend, with trainers from across the globe battling each other in Scarlet and Violet, the Trading Card Game, Pokémon GO and Pokémon Unite. There are all sorts of announcements and distribution events taking place, so...
Random Pokémon And All Nippon Airways Collaborate In Airline Safety Video
Set Mewtwo to 'aeroplane mode'
All Nippon Airways, the Japanese airline headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, has collaborated with The Pokémon Company to produce a new airline safety video starring some of your favourite Pocket Monsters. As highlighted by VGC, the video will be shown on both the "Pikachu Jet NH" and the "Eevee Jet NH" aircraft starting...
Feature Here’s How Trading Card Companies Could Stop CT Scanning In The Future
"They really want to fix it"
Collecting trading cards, especially vintage cards, has gotten considerably dicier — seemingly overnight. Over the past month, multiple people have come forward to demonstrate how various X-ray technologies can reliably see inside unopened trading card products. The concept of X-raying packs has been rumored for as...
Feature The Company You Can Pay To X-Ray Unopened Pokémon Card Packs Speaks Out
"The technology is not going away, and people know what it can do"
The entirety of the trading card community — that is, people who collect, buy, and sell the Pokémon Trading Card game, sports cards, Magic: The Gathering, Disney, or literally any trading card game you can think of — has gradually become aware of what might be an existential...
News Pokémon Community And Voice Acting Industry Pays Respect To Rachael Lillis
"She will be remembered for generations to come"
There's some very sad news coming out of the Pokémon community and voice acting industry this week about the passing of Rachael Lillis - known as the voice of characters like Misty, Jessie and Jigglypuff. This information was originally shared by the former Ash Ke
News New Pokémon Build-A-Bear Now Available
It's Cubone!
The Pokémon Build-A-Bear line is continually expanding with all sorts of creatures from the long-running franchise, and the latest one to join the range is a soft plush version of Cubone. Yes, another 'mon from the original Pokédex can now be purchased! As mentioned by Build-A-Bear, this particular version of Cubone won't be any...
News Pokémon Unite Ending Service In Select European Markets Next Year
"We have made the difficult decision"
The free-to-play MOBA Pokémon Unite has established a significant fanbase since its arrival on the Switch and mobile in 2021, but it will now be exiting select markets. In an official announcement, The Pokémon Company has revealed Unite will end its service in Belgium and the Netherlands as of 30th November...
News Nintendo Patents Filed After Palworld's Release Suggest Lawsuit Prep Started Months Ago
Pika your battles
Last week, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company announced that they were filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Palworld developer Pocketpair. While the latter studio claimed it was "unaware of the specific patents we are accused of infringing upon," online speculation soon began to throw out various plausible-sounding submis
News Pokémon Sleep Is Now Compatible With Smartwatches
Meet even more Pokémon in your dreams
The free-to-play mobile game Pokémon Sleep has this week received an update allowing you to now pair your smartwatch. To enable this feature, you'll need to link your account to Apple Health or Health Connect. Below is a list of compatible devices. You can get detailed instructions on how to pair your...
Video Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket Gets New Gameplay Trailer, Out October
"Enjoy the Pokémon TCG in a more casual way"
Following a release date announcement at the World Championships in August, The Pokémon Company has now released a gameplay video for its upcoming mobile title Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. This new video takes trainers through the steps of joining in on the fun. It's as simple as opening a...
News Nintendo And Pokémon File Lawsuit Against Palworld Developer Pocketpair
Palworld allegedly "infringes multiple patent rights"
Update [Thu 19th Sep, 2024 11:00 BST]: Palworld developer Pocketpair has now responded to the lawsuit with its own statement. <related ids="172061"> Original article [Thu 19th Sep, 2021 00:45 BST]: Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have filed a lawsuit against the Palworld developer...
News Pokémon Wins $15 Million Copyright Lawsuit Against Chinese Mobile Game Developers
'Pocket Monster Reissue' banked around $42 million in one year
The Pokémon series has spawned all sorts of questionable copycats over the years and while many projects come to an end with a quick takedown notice, sometimes these imitations end up extending their life or even profiting in some way or form. With this in mind, The Pokémon Company...
Random New Pokémon Animated Short Is Seriously Adorable
Let me get a peek-at-you
There's no shortage of adorable animated Pokémon content out there (heck, most of it is enough to bring a smile to our faces), but The Pokémon Company's latest effort, 'Chasing the Moon,' is one of the best-looking ones we've seen in a while. Released by TPC's official Japanese YouTube account to celebrate the Mid-Autumn...
News Another Life-Size Pokémon Plush Has Been Announced
I choose you Porygon
We've seen The Pokémon Company release all sorts of life-size Pokémon plush in the past and now the latest is officially available. The catch is it is only available through the Japanese Pokémon Center (for now). It's Porygon (one of the OG Pokémon) and is available for roughly $391.20 USD (thanks, Kotaku). Here's a look at...
Anniversary Pokémon FireRed And LeafGreen Turn 20 Years Old In The US
Fans would love to see them return
Try not to get too excited, but the official Pokémon social media account has this week acknowledged North America's 20th anniversary of Pokémon FireRed Version and LeafGreen Version. These Game Boy Advance titles originally released in September 2004 in this region, and were remakes of the original Pokémon...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Pokémon Colosseum
Are you not entertained?
Are you sitting comfortably? Ready to judge some classic covers? It's time to dive into another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we matched up three different designs for Super R-Type. Despite a good variety between each, it was the North American variant that walked away with the win, taking 49% of the vote and leaving...
News Pokémon Sleep Has Double The Number Of Monthly Users In Japan Than The US
That's a lot of Zs
Pokémon Sleep has been pretty successful worldwide since its release in July 2023, and now that the game has been out for over a year, analysts in Japan have been looking into the figures. Over in Japan, Pokémon Sleep is currently the most downloaded mobile app in the Health & Fitness category and has the largest revenue...
Random 'BALLS: The Monster-Catchin' Musical Comédy' Is Already Half-Funded
A wild Kickstarter appeared!
We've seen all kinds of Pokémon-likes over the years from monster-catching visual novels to roguelikes. But a musical comedy? Like, an actual on-stage musical comedy? That's new. Curtain up on Balls: The Monster-Catchin' Musical Comédy, more specifically on its Kickstarter page, where it is a little over halfwa
Soapbox The Next Pokémon Game Should Rework Old Critters, Not Just Add Dozens More
Gotta not forget 'em all
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Lowell considers how future Pokémon games could do justice to old Pocket Monsters who got lumped in with the also-rans... We’re still a little far out from Pokémon...
Round Up Pokémon World Championships 2024 - Is The Competitive Event At A Turning Point?
Pokémon came home
It has been 20 years since the first Pokémon World Championships took place in Orlando and in what may be a move to celebrate, the Pokémon World Championships returned to a place where it has frequently been held: Hawai’i. However, this time rather than being on the big island, it went to the island of O’ahu and the city of...
News Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks Expansion Out November 2024
Here's what you can expect
Update [Sat 31st Aug, 2024 16:30 BST]: This set (featuring over 250 cards) will include eight ACE SPEC cards, nine Stellar Tera Pokémon ex and nine Pokémon ex, 23 illustration rare Pokémon, 11 special illustration rare Pokémon and Supporter cards, and six hyper rare gold etched cards. Original [Fri 23rd Aug, 2024...
News "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" Sees Pokémon TCG Player Eliminated At World Championships
His opponent went on to win the tournament
Updated [Sat 24th Aug, 2024 00:30 BST]: Pokémon has always been promoted as a family-friendly brand, and at the World Championships last weekend, a competitor in the Trading Card Game tournament was "retroactively handed a loss" after winning his quarter-final match. This took place in the Masters...
News Pokémon Partners With WildBrain To Stream First 22 Anime Seasons
"Free ad-supported television"
Earlier this year in March, The Pokémon Company called time on Pokémon TV, with the service no longer available on the app, browsers, or devices like the Nintendo Switch. While it seemed like it might be done with this sort of service, it appears WildBrain - a "global leader in kids' and family entertainment" - has...
Round Up Everything Announced At The 2024 Pokémon World Championships Closing Ceremony
Updates for GO, Unite, TCG Pocket and more...
At the 2024 Pokémon World Championships closing ceremony, The Pokémon Company CEO and President Mr. Tsunekazu Ishihara shared updates for Pokémon GO, Pokémon Unite, the Pokémon Trading Card Game (and Pocket), and also the future World Championships locations. Here's the full rundown: Pokémon GO...
News Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket Launches This October, Pre-Registration Now Live
Announced at the World Championships
Update [Mon 19th Aug, 2024 05:00 BST]: At the closing ceremony of the 2024 Pokémon World Championships, The Pokémon Company President and CEO Mr. Tsunekazu Ishihara announced Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket will launch for Android and iOS devices on 30th October 2024. Pre-registration is now open!...
Guide Pokémon 2024 World Championships - Announcements, Schedule, Digital Rewards & More
Get the full rundown of everything happening
The 2024 Pokémon World Championships are taking place in Honolulu, Hawaii this weekend, with trainers from across the globe battling each other in Scarlet and Violet, the Trading Card Game, Pokémon GO and Pokémon Unite. There are all sorts of announcements and distribution events taking place, so...
Random Pokémon And All Nippon Airways Collaborate In Airline Safety Video
Set Mewtwo to 'aeroplane mode'
All Nippon Airways, the Japanese airline headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, has collaborated with The Pokémon Company to produce a new airline safety video starring some of your favourite Pocket Monsters. As highlighted by VGC, the video will be shown on both the "Pikachu Jet NH" and the "Eevee Jet NH" aircraft starting...
Feature Here’s How Trading Card Companies Could Stop CT Scanning In The Future
"They really want to fix it"
Collecting trading cards, especially vintage cards, has gotten considerably dicier — seemingly overnight. Over the past month, multiple people have come forward to demonstrate how various X-ray technologies can reliably see inside unopened trading card products. The concept of X-raying packs has been rumored for as...
Feature The Company You Can Pay To X-Ray Unopened Pokémon Card Packs Speaks Out
"The technology is not going away, and people know what it can do"
The entirety of the trading card community — that is, people who collect, buy, and sell the Pokémon Trading Card game, sports cards, Magic: The Gathering, Disney, or literally any trading card game you can think of — has gradually become aware of what might be an existential...
News Pokémon Community And Voice Acting Industry Pays Respect To Rachael Lillis
"She will be remembered for generations to come"
There's some very sad news coming out of the Pokémon community and voice acting industry this week about the passing of Rachael Lillis - known as the voice of characters like Misty, Jessie and Jigglypuff. This information was originally shared by the former Ash Ke