Pokémon turns 22 on February 27.
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Prepare for Pokémon Day
Celebrate memorable Pokémon adventures past.
February 23, 2018
Another exciting year with Pokémon is almost in the books as Pokémon Day approaches. Whether you’re a fan of the Pokémon TCG, video games, Pokémon the Series, or anything in between, it’s a great time to be a Pokémon Trainer. A lot has happened since the last Pokémon Day, so take some time to reflect with us on some of the things that make being a Pokémon Trainer so much fun.
We’ll be updating this page with more memories every day, so keep checking back for more. And don’t forget to tell us about what you love about Pokémon on social media with #PokemonDay.
Seven Superb Regions
The distinctive regions help make each Pokémon adventure new and exciting. Trainers fondly remember Johto’s traditional architecture, Kalos’s regal chateaus and towers, Unova’s city lights and marvelous bridges, and of course, Hoenn’s plentiful bodies of water. And who could forget the new teams of villains that seem to appear with each new region?
The Kanto region first exposed Trainers to fiery Gym battles in its iconic Gyms. Trainers also met lifelong friends in Kanto. From the lovable Pikachu to the fearsome Mewtwo, from the majestic Charizard to the pathetic Magikarp, Kanto’s Pokémon are known and loved by Trainers all over the world.
The spotlight is on the Sinnoh region in the recently released Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon—Ultra Prism expansion. Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, and their Evolutions stand tall, and the Mythical Pokémon Shaymin makes an appearance in both in Land Forme and Sky Forme.
The story of the Alola region is expanded in the recently released Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon video games. Alola’s laid-back atmosphere, the enigmatic Necrozma, a new trio of first partner Pokémon, and mischievous little Nebby make for an adventure too large to hold in even the roomiest Bag.
Six Pokémon Make a Team
A Pokémon team consists of only six Pokémon, and with more than 800 species of Pokémon discovered, every team you make is sure to be truly your own. Different Trainers have different philosophies on how to build a strong team. Some try to build teams using favorite Pokémon, composing their team of members that reflect their personality. Others try to make teams as powerful as possible using strong Pokémon from many types. Others build teams based around different restrictions—like Gym Leaders, who use Pokémon that all share a single type.
The teams that Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak brought to their match in the Johto League championship tournament in Pokémon the Series followed a similar strategy to that used by many Trainers. Each savvy young competitor created a well-balanced team featuring six Pokémon of many different types.
The team Sejun Park used to win the 2014 Pokémon Video Game World Championships is one of the most famous of all. His team shows off the importance of team synergy by including both traditionally powerful Pokémon and more surprising Pokémon (like Pachirisu!) to support them.
Five Cards from the Fifth Expansion
The recently released Pokémon TCG: Sun & Moon—Ultra Prism is the fifth expansion of the Sun & Moon Series. Each expansion has brought cool Pokémon from the Alola region, fun new strategies, and great new art. Check out five of our favorite cards from the newest expansion.
The new Prism Star cards from Sun & Moon—Ultra Prism are so powerful that they have special rules! Lunala Prism Star can quickly get lots of Psychic Energy back into play to turn the tide of the match.
Sun & Moon—Ultra Prism celebrates the Sinnoh region. Not only does the expansion include many Pokémon originally discovered in Sinnoh, it also includes some of its most famous Trainers. Honchkrow features both—check out Cyrus inspiring Team Galactic in the background!
Dusk Mane Necrozma and Dawn Wings Necrozma joined the Pokémon TCG for the first time in Sun & Moon—Ultra Prism. Dusk Mane Necrozma-GX is especially exciting—keep an eye out for a deck article featuring this powerful card soon.
This adorable version of Pokémon Fan Club is one of the cutest cards we’ve ever seen. It’s a great card for any collection, and it’s not too shabby in a deck, either!
Tapu Lele is no stranger to Pokémon TCG matches thanks to Tapu Lele-GX, but the new Tapu Lele could make a mark of its own. Players have been looking for something like its Magical Swap attack for a long time, so it’ll be exciting to see which decks make use of it.
Sun & Moon—Ultra Prism has something for everyone, whether you’re looking to collect or compete. Check out its flashy Pokémon-GX and great art, and look for cards to supplement your deck.
Four Elite Trainers Stand Above
Few Trainers are more iconic than the members of each region’s Elite Four, powerful Trainers who serve as the player’s final test before battling to become Champion. The Elite Four often provide extra challenge by using rare and high-level Pokémon, more than most other Trainers. They’re also known for using plenty of powerful healing items.
The Alolan Elite Four includes Olivia, Acerola, and Kahili, with Hala serving as the other member in Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, and Molayne taking his stead in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon.
Kanto’s Elite Four were portrayed in both Pokémon Origins and Pokémon Generations. Unfortunately for them, Red and Blue proved to be pretty capable challengers…
Three First Partner Pokémon
In a Pokémon journey, one of the first choices you make is also one of the most difficult. You can normally pick only one of each region’s three first partner Pokémon, and you usually won’t find the others unless you trade with your friends! Trainers tend to be passionate about which of these Pokémon they prefer, and your journey is sure to be very different depending on which Pokémon you start with.
Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle—the three first partner Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region—remain among the most popular Pokémon to this day.
More recently, Trainers have had to select among Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio in the Alola region.
But don’t be late—only Trainers who show up on time get one of these special Pokémon!
Two Versions, Two Adventures
Right from the beginning with Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue, Pokémon video games have usually come in pairs. Many Pokémon appear in only one of the paired games, so Trainers have to trade Pokémon with each other to catch ’em all. Whether you remember trading Vulpix for Growlithe or Oranguru for Passimian, paired versions have always been a way to bring Trainers together.
Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue had their share of exclusives, and plenty of Pokémon that were much more common in one version than the other, too. Pokémon Eggs hadn’t been discovered yet, so specially obtained Pokémon like Eevee, Kabuto, and Omanyte were one of a kind.
Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire were the first games to introduce Legendary Pokémon that were available only in one version and not the other. The two games also featured differing antagonists, with Team Magma working against the player in Pokémon Ruby and Team Aqua opposing the player in Pokémon Sapphire.
The most recent games, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon, have some significant differences. Nebby’s final Evolution, either Solgaleo or Lunala, and the form Necrozma takes when combating the player changes completely depending on which version you play. The other Legendary Pokémon available also change between versions, but the good news is that you can get the ones your version is missing with this year’s Legendary Pokémon distributions.
Just One Champion
One of the ultimate goals of any Pokémon journey is to rise above all the other Trainers and become Champion. In the Pokémon video games, this comes as part of defeating the Elite Four and the current Champion. We also celebrate another kind of Champion—the players who win the annual Pokémon TCG and Video Game World Championships. Thousands of players compete throughout the season, but there can be only one victor in each tournament.
Masters Division Pokémon TCG World Champion Diego Cassiraga was ecstatic after his victory in Anaheim, California. “I’m going to spend time with all my friends. And I’m going to call my wife. She’s at home, eight months pregnant! I’m excited to fly home tomorrow. Everyone watched on the stream…my friends, my family, my co-workers. My phone won’t stop ringing!”
Masters Division Video Game World Champion Ryota Otsubo was excited after his victory. “It was a really intense battle, but it was really fun. I’m really happy I could come out and become the Champion.”
This year’s Pokémon World Championships will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, and it’s not too late to qualify. Will you become the next Pokémon World Champion? Let us know how you’re preparing with #PokemonDay and #PlayPokemon!
— Pokémon News
Source: Pokémon.
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