Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 1/29/2022

It's a new year, and life goes on, Pokémon goes on, and Pokémon Go also goes on, even after all the oddities of the past couple of years. In order to get through those oddities, one will likely have needed a boost of power, which is always energetically helpful. This month's events in Pokémon Go can all be described to have an element of "power", and that should have helped Trainers get through the start of this year up to today.

Like last year, there was a New Year's event that actually started on December 31 at 10 PM local time, but for all intensive purposes, it should be considered a January event instead. If last year there was the debut of the 2020 Slowpoke that can then evolve into a 2021 Slowbro, that same Slowpoke can now evolve into a 2022 Slowking (on its shell crown), or the Slowking itself may be caught through raids. Also new this year is the debut of Shiny Hoothoot, first with a golden top hat during this event, then normal afterwards. As for other elements of this event, they involved the return of other Pokémon wearing party hats, some of which were in the wild, raids, Field Research tasks, and 7 km Eggs - the usual channels - along with doubled hatch bonuses, new fashion items, and a Timed Research set. This lasted to January 4, lending power to the New Year transition.

Returning to the Season of Heritage, the next event from January 7 to 13 was called "Mountains of Power", based on the great mountains of certain Pokémon regions; this event also furnished a bevy of Pokémon of the Rock and Steel types. A number of them were featured in the wild, raids, and Field Research tasks, including the debuts of Mega Aerodactyl and Shiny Slugma. For this event, Buddy Pokémon heart distance was halved, and the included Timed Research set had many tasks that demanded walking, as earning Buddy Candies and hatching Eggs. The event essentially simulated a hike or a trek through the mountains - along with one's Buddy Pokémon - in search of the Pokémon of the featured types, as well as to power through them and the accompanying challenges.

After a break of a few days, then there is the Power Plant event, which started on January 19 and will end on February 1. Likewise, this event takes inspiration from the same locale in certain Pokémon regions. The big debuts for this one are the Helioptile species family as well as Shock Drive Genesect with the exclusive move of Electric-type Techno Blast and Regice with the exclusive move of Thunder in raids. A bevy of Electric-type Pokémon (including Helioptile) along with a scattering of Pokémon of other types can be found in the wild, raids, and Field Research tasks. In many ways, it is as much a "show of power" as it is an effort to gain power through the main featured type.

Yet, it seems that Team Go Rocket wants a piece of the action (and an amount of power as well), so during the second half of the Power Plant event starting on January 24, they instituted another Takeover. In doing so, the Leaders now have a different array of Shadow Pokémon, while a few more species have been turned into Shadow Pokémon - most notably the second-generation starters. Some Pokémon with a shady nature are also available from Field Research tasks. For this purpose, their balloons also appear twice as often, while prospective Trainers can also elect to remove Frustration with a Charged TM. All this will happen until tomorrow (January 30), at which point the power of "good" returns.

Good power is still good, of course, and that along with different kinds of "power" have been evident throughout this month's events in Pokémon Go. With all this power and the boost that it provides, this month should have been jumpstarted really well for Trainers. Of course, there might still remain the oddity of current life to deal with, but it's still quite possible to be able to power on through even after this month has passed.

One year ago: Road to 25th Anniversary: One More Month

Two years ago: Expecting the Contrary

Three years ago: Color Me (Shiny) Groudon

Four years ago: More Pokémon Hanging Things

Five years ago: Fire Power!