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A Parent’s Guide to Pokemon Home

by Stephen Duetzmann February 4, 2020

The Pokémon Company has finally revealed the details for Pokémon Home. It will launch in February 2020 on iOS, Android, and on Nintendo Switch.

The Pitch

Pokémon Home is a subscription service that acts as a replacement to Pokémon Bank. The service is both a mobile and switch app. The core purpose of the service is to allow players to start the Pokémon they have captured or bred in various Pokémon games in the cloud and upload them into compatible games.

How Does it Work?

Subscribers can connect their Pokémon Home account to a Nintendo account. Once that is complete then they will be able to connect to compatible games and services to transfer Pokémon into their “home.” They can then transfer those Pokémon from their “home” into compatible games.

The games that Pokémon Home can currently connect to are:

Pokémon Sword

Pokémon Shield

Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu

Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee

Pokémon Home cannot currently connect to Pokémon Go, but that functionality will be added in the future.

Pokémon Home can also connect to Pokémon Bank. This is the only way for players to bring their Pokémon from Pokémon games on the 3DS and earlier into Home.

Features

Trading

Pokémon Home serves another purpose aside from acting as cloud storage for your Pokémon collection. It allows you to trade your Pokémon to help fill out your Pokedex through a bunch of different methods.

Wonder Box

Wondertrading in Pokémon is the act of offering up a Pokémon from your collection in exchange for a random Pokémon that someone else has offered up using the same feature. This is one of my favorite features in Pokémon games because I am always surprised at the interesting things that people are willing to give away. A lot of times I will end up receiving Pokémon that competitive players have been bred that don’t have perfect stats. This is great for casual fans who aren’t concerned with stats and just want to build a collection.

The free version of Pokémon Home allows you to Wondertrade one Pokémon at a time. The premium version bumps that number up to three.

GTS

The Global Trade System (GTS) allows you to offer up one of your Pokémon and list it online requesting to trade it for another specific Pokémon. This is a good way to build your collection if you are looking to catch ‘em all, because you can put up duplicates of rare Pokémon you own to trade specific Pokémon that you need to complete your collection.

The free version of Pokémon Home allows you to put one Pokémon at a time into the GTS. The premium version bumps that number up to three.

Room Trade

Another of Pokémon Home’s great features is Room Trading. You can use the apps to create rooms that nearby friends can join to trade their Pokémon. Anyone can join a Room, but only Premium Subscribers can create one.

Friend Trade

Friend Trade is a feature that allows you to trade Pokémon with players who you have become friends with on the service.

Other Features

Trading isn’t all though. There are several other useful features in Pokémon Home to consider.

National Pokédex

Any Pokémon you bring into Pokémon Home will be registered to your National Pokedex. This will bring you one step closer to catching them all!

Mystery Gifts

Mystery gifts are a big part of the Pokémon experience. The Pokémon Company regularly distributes them as part of events and sometimes just for fun. The Pokémon home service lets you redeem the gift codes you find without having to get out your Switch. There will even be Mystery Gifts that exclusive to Pokémon Home.

Judge Pokémon

Premium subscribers have access to the Judge function. This is a tool that lets you carefully examine your Pokémon to determine how strong they are. This is a must for competitive players who are looking to build the perfect team.

How Much Does it Cost?

There are three purchase options for the Premium Subscription.

1 month (30 days) – $2.99
3 months (90 days) – $4.99
12 months (365 days) – $15.99

Advice

The free version of Pokémon Home is a no brainer for anyone with more than one Pokémon game. It adds limited functionality to your games for no charge.

The premium version of the service is a tougher nut to crack. You need to evaluate your activity level and your enthusiasm for Pokémon to determine if it is worth it. I think the biggest question is if you have Pokémon in the Pokémon bank. If you do, then the premium service is the only way to access them and bring them forward.

Do you have a question we didn’t address here? Leave your question in the comments and we will reply and add to the guide!

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Other Guides

There are a ton of other premium video game services out there so we wrote guides for all of them. Take a look below:

A Parent’s Guide to EA Origins Access

A Parent’s Guide to EA Access

A Parent’s Guide to the Xbox Game Pass

A Parent’s Guide to PlayStation Now

A Parent’s Guide to PlayStation Plus

A Parent’s Guide to Nintendo Switch Online

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

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February 4, 2020 2 comments

Parent Resources Console / PC Gaming

Pokémon Sword and Shield: What Starter Should Your Child Choose?

by Stephen Duetzmann December 14, 2019

written by Stephen Duetzmann

Choosing your starter Pokémon is one of the biggest decisions your child will make while playing Pokémon Sword and Shield. They get to choose one of three Pokémon that each have two evolutions: Scorbunny, Grooky, and Sobble.

At the end of the day, any of the three starter Pokémon will be viable choices to help finish the game. If you fully evolve your starter then they will most likely be the most powerful Pokémon of the appropriate type in your party.

However, their different types do lend some advantages in the way you handle the first few gyms. In order, the first three gyms are Grass, Water, and then Fire.

Scorbunny

If they choose Scorbunny, then it means that they elected a fire type Pokémon.

This means it will be super effective against the Grass type gym that comes first. But, it will be weak against the the next gym which is water type, so there will be a sharp spike in difficulty. It’s a good idea to make sure you catch a Yamper (a yellow and brown Pokémon that looks like a corgi) because he is electric type or any of the grass type Pokémon on the routes leading up the the Second gym. Electric type and grass type Pokémon are both super effective against water type Pokémon. The third gym you encounter is a fire type gym. Obviously, Scorbunny, being fire type, is not very effective against its own type. Fortunately, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to catch water type Pokémon on the way up to and leading away from the second gym. Water type Pokémon are super effective against fire so you’ll want to make sure to catch and use one.

Sobble

If they choose Sobble, then it means that they selected a water type Pokémon.

This means that the first gym will be particularly difficult because the grass type Pokémon there will be super effective against your starter. This makes it very important that you collect a flying type or bug type Pokémon in the very early game. One good flying type Pokémon the capture is Rookidy. This is a flying type Pokémon that will remain strong throughout your time with the game. Sobble is also not very effective against its own type, so you will have another difficult time against the second gym. Just like if you chose Scorbunny, It’s a good idea to make sure you catch a Yamper (a yellow and brown Pokémon that looks like a corgi) because he is electric type or any of the grass type Pokémon on the routes leading up the the Second gym. Electric type and grass type Pokémon are both super effective against water type Pokémon. Sobble, gets its chance to shine in the third gym where it is super effective against the fire type Pokémon there.

Grooky

If they choose Grooky, then it means they selected a grass type Pokémon.

This means it will not be very effective against the grass type Pokémon in the first gym you come across. This makes it very important that you collect a flying type or bug type Pokémon in the very early game as they are both super effective against grass types. One good flying type Pokémon the capture is Rookidy. This is a flying type Pokémon that will remain strong throughout your time with the game. Grooky is super effective against the water type Pokémon in the second gym. The third gym will be particularly difficult because the fire type Pokémon there are super effective against your starter. Fortunately, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to catch water type Pokémon on the way up to and leading away from the second gym. Water type Pokémon are super effective against fire so you’ll want to make sure to catch and use one.

This choice is ultimately a matter of taste. There are players who will swear by one type or another and others that will choose a different type every game based on which Pokémon is the cutest.

What do you think? What Pokemon are you choosing?

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

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December 14, 2019 0 comment

Parent Resources Console / PC Gaming

Parents guide to Pokemon Sword and Shield

by Stephen Duetzmann December 14, 2019

written by Stephen Duetzmann

Pokémon Sword and Shield are finally available to the public and they are incredibly popular. Lots of kids will be asking for them, and we suspect a lot of parents will need help. If you happen to be one of those parents, then this is our guide for you. Bookmark this page and refer to it if you need help with your kids’ newest favorite game.

What is the ESRB Rating?

Pokemon Sword and Shield are rated E for everyone by the ESRB.

The content descriptors are Comic Mischief and Mild Cartoon Violence.

The rating summary reads, “This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of a Pokémon trainer trying to become champion. Players explore the fictional Galar Region and engage in turn-based combat with other trainers. Players select various attacks (e.g., fire, lightning/electricity) from a menu to defeat Pokémon. Melee-style attacks (e.g., rolling, scratching, bouncing) are also used, as impact sounds, light effects, and diminishing health bars indicate damage. One creature is seen with a large drop of mucous hanging from its nose.”

What are the differences between the two games?

The Pokémon Company and Game Freak always release two different versions of their Pokémon games. The biggest differences between the two versions has always been in the available Pokemon, but this time around there are version exclusive gyms to battle in as well.

Pokémon Sword Exclusive Pokémon

Deino
Zwellous
Hydreigon
Jangmo-o
Hakamo-o
Kommo-o
Gothita
Gothorita
Gothitelle
Seedot
Nuzleaf
Shiftry
Rufflet
Braviary
Swirlix
Slurpuff
Scraggy
Scrafty
Sawk
Basculin (Red stripe)
Mawile
Solrock
Passimian
Turtonator
Galarian Farfetch’d
Sirfetch’d
Galarian Darumaka
Galarian Darminitan
Flapple (new Generation 8 Pokemon)
Indeedee (Male)(New Generation 8 Pokemon)
Stonjourner

Pokémon Shield Exclusive Pokémon

Version Exclusive Gyms

The fourth and sixth gym that you battle in during the game are different based on which version you play.

In Pokémon Sword the fourth gym features Bea and her party of fighting-type Pokémon. The sixth gym is run by Gordie and his squad of rock-type Pokémon.

In Pokémon Shield the fourth gym is run by Allister who uses ghost-type Pokémon and the sixth gym is led by Melony and her ice-type Pokémon.

All of the other gyms are identical in both versions.

The differences in the gym lineups means that you’ll need different Pokémon in your party to help overcome the gym challenges and, ultimately, the gym leader.

Legendary Pokemon

Each game features a different legendary Pokémon that is pictured on the front cover of the game. You are able to capture them after you complete the main story arc of the game.

Pokémon Sword has Zacian who is fairy type. When you find the rusted sword and give it to him he becomes fairy/steel type.

Pokémon Shield has Zamazenta who is fighting type. When you find the rusted shield and give it to him he becomes fighting/steel type.

Do you need Nintendo Switch Online?

Nintendo Switch Online isn’t mandatory, but it does a lot to enrich the experience. Nintendo Switch Online is required for online battling and trading. You also need it in order to participate in Max Raid Battles with other players. (The game will provide you with AI controlled teammates, but it just isn’t the same.)

How do you reset the game?

Sometimes you will just get stuck and feel the need to start over. The Pokémon Company, knowing that its target audience is largely made up of children, makes it relatively difficult to delete a save game so you can start over. They don’t want it to be something that can be done by accident.

In the case of Sword and Shield, you use the data management settings in the Switch menu.

Turn on your Nintendo Switch
From the Nintendo Switch Home Screen, select System Settings
Find Data Management on the next screen
Navigate down to the Delete Save Data option
Choose Pokémon Sword & Shield to delete your file for your current profile.
- Note: Make SURE that you are deleting the save file for the correct profile.

You can then restart your Pokémon Sword or Shield game.

What starter Pokémon should they pick?

What is the difference between Dynamax and Gigantamax?

One of the key new features in Sword and Shield is the Dynamax mechanic. Pokémon have the ability, in specific situations, to grow to a massive size and power up each of their attacks. This is similar to the mega-evolution that was introduced in Pokémon X and Y (Generation 6), except that the dynamax has a maximum duration of three turns. The attacks your Pokémon uses while in dynamax form are called Max Movs and are very similar to Z-moves that were introduced during Pokémon Sun and Moon (Generation 7).

You might hear your kids using the term Gigantimax in relation to these battles. These terms are NOT interchangable. Any Pokémon can Dynamax, but there are only certain Pokémon that has a Gigantimax form. This means that they have a special form and access to super powerful G-Max Moves that are unique and powerful.

The only way to find Gigantimax Pokémon is in Max Raid battles. These are special battles that you enter by finding circular rock formations in the wild area.

Tips for catching Pokémon

Make sure you are using the right Pokeballs. You start with access to regular Pokeballs. But, as you defeat gyms you’ll have access to Great Balls and Ultra balls in the PokeCenter shops. You’ll get the best results from using the higher levels Pokeballs. You get a single Master Ball After defeating all of the gyms and completing the story. That should be reserved for catching the game’s legendary Pokémon Zacian or Zamazenta.
Reduce the opposing Pokémon’s HP as low as you can without making it feint. This can be tricky, but you can buy a move called False Swipe at the PokeCenter on the way to Route 3. (False Swipe will never reduce a Pokémon to 1 HP.)
Use status effects! Pokémon who are under status effects are easier to catch. Ideally, you would use one of your Pokémon to put them to Sleep, but poison, paralysis, and frozen work as well.

Was this guide helpful? Leave your comments and questions below! We can add more to this document as time goes on!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

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December 14, 2019 0 comment

Video Games

Kids React – E3 2018: Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu! Trailer!

by Stephen Duetzmann July 27, 2018

written by Stephen Duetzmann

E3 2018 is over and the EFG Staff has gone out of our way to share OUR thoughts. But, we wanted to reach out to some kids and see their thoughts!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXWfdLhTy6o[/embedyt]

Evan – 12 years old

Pokemon is awesome. I think We’re going to get Pokemon Lets go Pikachu. A lot fo the things I have to say about this one I already said on the podcast, Integrating Pokemon go into the core RPG style sounds pretty cool.

Jacob – 9 years old

It’s kind of like Pokemon Go and a normal Pokemon game all in one. I’m sad that the Pokemon catching is different from a normal Pokemon game. The Pokeball Plus looks cool! I hope we get one!

Brynne – 8 Years old

I really, really, really, really, really, really, really like Pokemon. The Pokeball Plus is a real pokeball where you can put a Pokemon in it and take it with you!

Jeremiah – 9 years old

Boring.

Asher – 7 years old (From The Family Gamers!)

It feels like you walk into the Pokemon world and you go to the doctor and they give you your starting Pokemon. But it’s always Mew before you get there. It’s really cool. I like the Pokeball and that you get an actual ball and can have Mew.

Claire – 9 years old (From The Family Gamers!)

Can we get it?

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

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July 27, 2018 0 comment

Video Games

The Pokemon Company Announces New Games for 2018!

by Stephen Duetzmann May 31, 2018

written by Stephen Duetzmann

The Pokemon Company has announced Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu!, Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee!, and Pokemon Quest during a press conference in Japan.

Tuesday night started quiet enough. I was driving home from my sister’s house when I got a frantic phone call from a friend. They told me to pull over and watch a trailer for a new video game. They were being coy (and kind of annoying if I’m being honest), but it is E3 season so I pulled over at a local gas station and pulled up the trailer on my phone. It took a matter of seconds for my emotional state to go from mildly annoyed and sleepy to full hype mode.

They announced a new Pokemon game. The funniest part about the whole thing is that they had already told everyone that a Pokemon game would be coming in 2018. So, I knew, but it just didn’t feel right until I *knew*.

Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee!

These are two versions of a game that has been heavily inspired by Pokemon Yellow. Players control a young Pokemon Trainer who partners with either Pikachu or Eevee to go on an adventure in the Kanto Region.

The key features in the new game are as follows:

Pikachu and Eevee

“Explore the iconic Kanto region like never before. You can embark on your adventure together with Pikachu as your partner in Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! or choose Eevee as your partner when you play Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee!”

Play in a whole new way

“Experience intuitive controls by using your Joy-Con to throw Poké Balls at wild Pokémon you encounter. Need some help? Your friend can grab a second Joy-Con to join in on the fun and even boost the chances of catching Pokémon for the first-ever collaborative gameplay in a Pokémon RPG.”

Play even when on the GO

“Connect your game for Nintendo Switch with the mobile game sensation Pokémon GO. Players can capture a Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region in Pokémon GO and transfer it into their Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu! or Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee! adventure.”

Have a ball

“Take your Pokémon journey to a whole new level with the Poké Ball Plus. More than just a controller, the Poké Ball Plus features motion controls, lights up with a variety of colors, vibrates, and plays sounds. When catching a Pokémon in the game, you will be able to feel it moving within the Poké Ball Plus. The Poké Ball Plus also works as a Pokémon GO Plus for those playing Pokémon GO. Using the Poké Ball Plus, you can bring one of your Pokémon from Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu! or Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee! with you as you explore the real world, even when you’re not playing the game. Additionally, you can receive a variety of rewards once Pokémon are returned to the Nintendo Switch games.”

Release Date

The games will be released on November 16th, 2018 (just in time for the holidays)!

Pokemon Quest

Pokemon Quest is a free-to-start action RPG that where you get to play with adorable, cube-shaped Pokemon! You explore Tumblecube island with your new friends to find hidden treasure!

Pokemon Quest is available on Nintendo Switch right now, but will be coming to mobile devices this summer.

The key features are listed below:

Familiar Friends

The Pokémon you know and love from Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue inhabit Tumblecube Island, become your buddies, and appear on your adventures.

Power up

Use Power Stones you find on expeditions to help your Pokémon improve their moves and change their characteristics. Power up your favorite Pokémon in your own unique way!

Battle by tapping

The simple controls make for lively and fun battles! Danger is lurking, so you’ll need the help of your Pokémon team on your expeditions. When wild Pokémon appear, your Pokémon will battle ferociously to try and knock them out one after another!

Befriend Pokémon to make your own unique team

You can use the items you get from your expeditions to befriend more Pokémon or make your Pokémon stronger. Cook up dishes that Pokémon love, and you’ll befriend more of them. Create a team that’s all your own and head out on more expeditions!

Basecamp decorations

Your base camp is your home for this adventure, and you can spruce it up however you like with decorations that look good and also provide in-game benefits.

What do you think? Are you picking up any of these games? Sound off in the comments!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

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May 31, 2018 0 comment

Video Games

Celebrate a Year of Legendary Pokémon in 2018!

by Stephen Duetzmann January 18, 2018

written by Stephen Duetzmann

The Pokémon Company International announced today that 2018 is going to be a Legendary year for the Pokémon franchise. This is all because of a suite of announcements that include video game distributions of legendary Pokémon , TCG products, mobile game updates, and animation features that will launch throughout the rest of the year.

The Legendary Pokémon Announcements

Pokémon Video Game Distributions

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNnaJZ8Z4EY[/embedyt]

Players will be able to receive a different Legendary Pokémon each month this year from February until November. The distributions will be made through as of yet unannounced Pokémon brand partners, but we can assume that there will be download cards from places like GameStop, Toys ‘R” Us, and more.

Owners of Pokémon Sun, Pokémon Moon, Pokémon Ultra Sun, and Pokémon Ultra Moon for the 3DS family of systems will be able take advantage of the free promotions. Unfortunately, this means that players who are still hanging on to previous generation Pokémon games will be left out in the cold this time.

The Pokémon Company was very vague with the details so far, but the following Legendary Pokemon will be available:

February: Dialga, the Steel- and Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon, or Palkia, the Water- and Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon, from the Sinnoh region

March: Regigigas, the Normal-type Legendary Pokémon, or Heatran, the Fire- and Steel-type Legendary Pokémon, from the Sinnoh region

April: Raikou, the Electric-type Legendary Pokémon, or Entei, the Fire-type Legendary Pokémon, from the Johto region

May: Xerneas, the Fairy-type Legendary Pokémon, or Yveltal, the Dark- and Flying-type Legendary Pokémon, from the Kalos region

June: Zygarde, the Dragon- and Ground-type Legendary Pokémon with three distinct Formes, from the Kalos and Alola regions

July: Tornadus, the Flying-type Legendary Pokémon, or Thundurus, the Electric- and Flying-type Legendary Pokémon, from the Unova region

August: Groudon, the Ground-type Legendary Pokémon, or Kyogre, the Water-type Legendary Pokémon, from the Hoenn region

September: Latios or Latias, the Dragon- and Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon, from the Hoenn region

October: Reshiram, the Dragon- and Fire-type Legendary Pokémon, or Zekrom, the Dragon- and Electric-type Legendary Pokémon, from the Unova region

November: Ho-Oh, the Fire- and Flying-type Legendary Pokémon, or Lugia, the Psychic- and Flying-type Legendary Pokémon, from the Johto region

Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG)

The Pokémon TCG will have a number of Legendary-themed products released during 2018. The details are non-existent now, but the press release did indicate that more details would be forthcoming closer to the actual product launches.

Pokémon Mobile Games

Pokémon Shuffle for Android and iOS will be a part of the action as well. Players will have two new event stages featuring Legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia available for play between February 6th and 13th.

Pokémon Go

The smash hit Pokemon Go would never be left out when it comes to these types of promotions. There will be special Legendary themed events spread throughout the celebration. Details will be revealed soon.

Pokémon Animation

The Pokémon TV app for Android and iOS will feature Pokémon movies that feature Pokémon movies each month that feature the Legendary Pokémon currently being distributed. For example, Augusts Pokémon Movie will feature Groudon and Kyogre.

Pokémon The Movie: The Rise of Darkrai, which features the Legendary Pokemon Dialga and Palkia, will be on the app during the month of February.

Fans can also expect to see these movies appear on broadcast partners like Disney XD.

A Legendary celebration indeed. Will your family be partaking in any of the Pokémon fun? Let us know in the comments!

January 18, 2018 0 comment

Parent Resources

Teaching Math By Making Up Your Own Rules for the Pokemon TCG!

by Guest Writer July 25, 2017

written by Guest Writer

Guest Writer: Nicole Tanner

Lots of games are designed specifically to teach something. But often, you can find ways to teach with otherwise “un-educational” games. My daughter’s interest in Pokémon has provided us with an opportunity to teach math. The main Pokémon TCG is a great way to teach addition and subtraction, but we had to improvise a bit and the result ended up teaching multiplication.

Ana had been asking for Pokémon cards for a few months, so when Emerald City Comic Con rolled around my husband came home with a slew of cards, picked up willy-nilly from multiple booths. Not having played the game ourselves, we had no idea we had to have a “Trainer’s Kit” in order to play the game properly. Ana still wanted to play with her cards until we got one, so my husband designed a variation on “War.”

Here’s the basic idea. Each player has a deck of Pokémon – no Trainer Cards or Energy – just Pokémon. The number of cards in the deck doesn’t really matter as long as each player has the same amount. Evolutions and special powers don’t matter either. Taking turns, each player picks a Pokémon from their deck to play. The other player then selects a Pokémon from their own deck to do battle. You have to figure out how many hits it would take for your Pokémon to beat the other one using the highest scoring attack on each card. The Pokémon that would use the least hits to knock out his opponent wins. Once the match is over, the winner gets both cards. You continue playing this way until the decks are empty. Then the player with the most cards at the end is the winner.

Ana picked up the gameplay rules after just a few play-throughs, and she was able to figure out the math with little help pretty quickly. We now have all the pieces to play the real thing, but the official card game is a bit too complicated for her to understand at this age. This game suits her skill level and doesn’t mean the hundreds of Pokémon cards have to go unused until she can understand the real thing.

Oh, and it’s helping her learn math.

July 25, 2017 0 comment

3DS

EFG Kids’ Corner: Pokemon Y

by Stephen Duetzmann July 18, 2017

written by Stephen Duetzmann

Our kid reviews are back! This time we have a review for Pokémon Y from Seamus!

This review is all about Pokémon Y. It is one of the Kalos region games as opposed to the more recent Sun and Moon. I am here to drop-kick back to X&Y.

Pokémon Y is the partner to Pokémon X, while being partners it’s surprising how they compare. But they are similar enough that you can get the same tech specs for X so don’t worry if you bought it and are reading this. The only real differences are the Legendary Pokémon and certain mega evolutions. Both Charizard and Mewtwo mega-evolve differently cross game. But, mega stones can be traded from game to game so you can easily get the opposite mega in your game. The legendary is the real determining factor. But again you can trade (but who on earth would trade their legendary even for another legendary? You probably picked the game because you like the legendary better). But that’s just me talking on and on. (I went with Y because my awesome uncle gave it to me as a gift. I had no choice in the matter but Y is cooler in my opinion and surprises are great so thank you so much uncle Pete!) I just love Yvetal.

I played this on a 3Ds and I feel that Nintendo didn’t take advantage of the 3D factor as much as they could have. If you only had a 2Ds you wouldn’t be missing much at all. They only put it in on battles which is only half of the game. The story makes up for that though going far from just battle gyms as you spend good amounts of time battling team flare. I won’t give much away on that but they are an evil organization you must stop. You also get to travel with four other trainers two of which are you next door neighbors. They are Shauna, Serana, Tierno, and Trevor.

This game is a wonderful play with plot twists, puzzles, action, and awesome exploration. Everything a game needs!

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July 18, 2017 0 comment

Parent Resources

Pokémon Crafts for Kids

by Linda Wrobel July 11, 2017

written by Linda Wrobel

Pokémon has been around for more than 20 year and in that time has been a collectible card game, cartoon, handheld games, and mobile game. It is wildly popular with kids of all ages (and kids at heart) across all its format.

There are a huge range of craft ideas available with a simple search online. However, the challenge is to find a craft that is kid friendly without driving parents and caregivers crazy. Many crafts that were “for kids” were clearly too complicated to get a quality result. The goal was to identify crafts that seems simple and relatively easy to recreate the sample, and avoiding the “pinterest fail” categories.

Pikachu

Pikachu is an iconic character and fan favorite there is a plethora of ideas to create your own with a wide range of materials and skill levels.

Pikachu Mug

DIY Pokemon GO Sharpie Pikachu Cup...

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/576108977315690761/

Pikachu mug: This craft involves finding a yellow mug and using black and red sharpie pens to trace a printed template onto a mug. One significant change you should make is to acquire sharpie paint pens,then you can set the paint in the oven to help it last longer. Otherwise the regular sharpie will just wash off. Here are directions for using paint pens on mugs: http://gluedtomycraftsblog.com/2013/12/diy-painted-mugs-that-wont-wash-away-craft.html

Pikachu pony bead

pony bead Pikachu keychain

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432275264223176804/

Kids love to have decorations to hang on their backpacks and this pony bead Pikachu is the perfect simple design. Two strings are utilized to create this adorable accessory.

Origami Pikachu

For older grades - Pokemon is very popular now thanks to Pokemon Go. Students will love creating things that connect with lessons they've learned in class with a twist on their favorite things such as Pokemon, Harry Potter, Minions, etc....

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432275264224055246/

For slightly older children, origami is great for children with good dexterity, or with support to help develop their dexterity.

Pokeball

A second iconic image from Pokemon is the Pokeball, and there are a wide array of crafts in a range of skill levels.

Pokeball Paper Plate

Opening pokeballs made from paper plates and construction paper. Then had the kids pick out their favorite Pokemon, color them, and tape them inside. The kids were so excited for this project that one child threw a tantrum when his mom said they weren't coming so she had to come to the gym just so he could come to Playcare.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432275264223176548/

This is a cute activity that using the standard thin paper plate, a kids crafting staple, and turns two of them into a pokeball that opens to reveal a Pokemon. Construction paper was used to create the red portion of the Pokeball and the black and white circle. To complete the look white construction paper could be used for the white portion. Additionally to make the ball hinged, youn can use a brass fastener to attach the two plates.

Pokeball Suncatcher

Pokemon craft for kids - make a Pokeball suncatcher from And Next Comes L

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432275264223176617/

This is a cute activity that can be scaled down to young children easily, and uses red and white tissue paper, black construction paper or card stock, and contact paper. This also is a great fine motor activity for children when they tear the tissue paper.

Pokeball Ornament

Find Pokeballs in your Christmas tree!!! DIY Christmas hand-painted ornaments are easy to make with these instructions from Arisu Crafts.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432275264223177016/

This is a relatively simple way to create poke balls to decorate your Christmas tree (or anywhere you want to hang them) There are multiple steps involved, but none are too complicated. The directions are in French, but the pictures explain the process well without using the written explanations.

Pikachu and Pokeball Bookmarks

DIY Pokemon Bookmark And Pointer:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432275264220743079/

Perler Beads

Perler Beads are a great way to make designs for just about anything. There are many patterns that can also be used for other crafts, such as crochet, quilting, and embroidery for more advanced crafters.

Pokémon ball Perler Beads

pokemon ballen

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432275264223176642/

17 Pokemon Perler bead patterns

DIY 21 Pokemon Perler Beads Patterns For more Perler Beads DIYs go here: unicornhatparty.com/tagged/perler-beads U Create Crafts has listed 21 Pokemon Perler Beads Patterns on their site here. • Pokeball • Charmander • Ekans • Pikachu • Bulbasaur •...

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/164522192616666738/

Pokemon Logo Perler beads

My neighbor would love this. I should make it for her!

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/165014773820427811/

Pikachu Perler Beads

Pikachu - Pokemon perler bead pattern by BEADS.Tokyo

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/444167581984203769/

Lego Card Holder Tray

LEGO playing card holders for kids card games

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/432275264223176746/

This is a great activity that crosses over the interest in Pokémon cards and Legos. This tray is a great inspiration for any “Master Builder”.

These are great crafts for kids to create Pokémon crafts. There are crafts that have a wide range of skills, depending on the child and the level of support desired by the adult, and are a fun ways to tie in the love of Pokémon with crafting activities.

July 11, 2017 2 comments

News Updates

Big News Coming from the Pokémon Direct!

by Stephen Duetzmann June 6, 2017

written by Stephen Duetzmann

The Pokémon Company held a Pokémon themed Nintendo Direct today that was eight minutes long, but packed a big punch. They made three significant announcements regarding Pokémon games that we can expect to be playing by the end of the year.

The announcements went as follows:

Pokken Tournament DX

A deluxe edition of Pokken tournament will be coming to the Nintendo Switch on September 22, 2017. The game will be a full port of the Wii U game, but will include new characters and game modes.

At this point we should be confident that every halfway decent Wii U game will be ported over to the Switch with some bonus content. I’m glad to see Pokken Tournament given that treatment because it was a great game and went largely unnoticed thanks to its place on the Wii U.

Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon will launch on the Nintendo 3DS on November 17, 2017. They are new games in the Alola region that feature new Pokémon that weren’t available in the original. The announcement for these games was very short, but the Pokémon Company indicated that more information would be coming later on this year.

This would not be the first time that a mainline Pokémon game was given a sequel if that’s what these games turn out to be. They released Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 towards the end of the DS life cycle as well. On the other hand, these could very well just end up being special editions of the original games that don’t include much new content. It is tough to say now, but we’ll find out soon enough.

Pokémon Gold and Silver

The Generation 2 classics, Pokémon Gold and Silver, will be coming to the Nintendo 3DS eShop Virtual console this fall. These games are considered by many to be their favorite games in the series.

These virtual console releases are particularly interesting to family gamers like us because we may very well have kids who have squeezed all the juice out of Pokémon Sun and Moon and might be hungry for something else. These will be budget friendly options to do just that.

Downtown Condos

arnold classic 2016 ergebnisse

zyzz

June 6, 2017 0 comment

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