Six Years & The Conferring of Statuses

As of today, it's been a grand six years in the making with this blog. It's been incredible to post about my Pokémon experiences (and those of others) all throughout and each and every day, through both incredible and not-so-incredible times. Just as incredible or not-so-incredible are the status conditions of Pokémon, which may be beneficial or detrimental depending on who might receive them, how they might be received, or what they might be. That becomes the Pokémon game mechanic and concept that I've elected to discuss in tandem for this year's summary post.

It is known that there are five basic (or common) status conditions - Poison, Paralysis, Burn, Sleep, and Freeze - that are mostly negative on the conferred end, but Sleep in particular may be conferred on oneself, through the Rest move, and this becomes beneficial. The events and conventions that are now occurring again this year and to where I brought my Pokémon cosplay may be said to have used the Rest move and put Sleep on oneself in the past couple of years, only waking up at this point in time. Burn and Poison notably can also be self-inflicted with certain risks but also certain advantages; the best example is for the new Scarlet and Violet games, which may be considered to have been released in a less-than-ideal state, but does further the continuation of the franchise. Such is the nature of these status conditions, which may be hard to deal with.

Then there are status conditions that are a step up in complexity, like confusion and Tailwind. The former is a status condition that often befalls opponents but also may befall oneself as a result of moves like Outrage. While there wasn't "bad" confusion, there was a good mix-up of participants and winners in the two tournaments held by my raid group this year, and that was quite pleasant. The other status condition is a truly beneficial status condition that doubles Speed of all Pokémon in a team (party) for a few turns. If anything, the local event that is going on where I am might serve as that "Tailwind", even if it's mostly for other things than the main series Pokémon games - though eventually it too might get involved in the future. Still, the good parts go on just like how the conditions play out.

It is also the case that there are conditions that are more complex, like different terrains and Trick Room. The former leads to the strengthening of different types and may even further lead to "terrain wars" with different Pokémon changing terrains at will, while the latter leads to extreme dimensional changes (mainly as inverting the Speed priority). The diverse editions of Community Day this year and the shifting formats of the Go Battle League - plus that of the Battlefields of Silph Arena Factions - could be considered a more lifelike version of changing Pokémon terrains. The changes that Trick Room make are wild, and so is the array of Pokémon merchandise that has been introduced in the past year, including some local ones. Likewise, it's the complexity of the happenings that reflects the complexity of the status conditions.

There are many more status conditions than what I've described above, but they are an affirmation of their diversity as well as that of Pokémon and the battles they are involved in. And so, some of them appear apt to be applied to what has happened during this year. No matter what goes on, they're still incredible, even if recent times have not been so. There is still something to be gained from all the status conditions in Pokémon and how their natures are reflected in the Pokémon happenings of this year as I close it up in this summary post.

(Also, one may have noticed that my recent posts might be different in style - even slightly - from the way that I've made them in previous years. But there's a good reason, and that's for later.)

Come the next year, there might be other Pokémon status conditions that might apply to Pokémon happenings as well as different outcomes that are expected from them.

Cheers to what might happen then. 💪

One year ago: Five Years - Extended Healing

Two years ago: Four Years, Taking Damage and Healing

Three years ago: Three Years: Making My Moves

Four years ago: Two Years of Evolution

Five years ago: One Year Full of Pokémon

Someday, Soon...

Someday out of the blue

In a crowded street

Or a deserted square

I'll turn and I'll see you

As if our love were new

Someday we can start again, someday soon...

-- "Someday Out of the Blue", Elton John 

As usual, I reserve this post at the end at the year for a song that captures the experiences and sentiments of my and others' Pokémon (blogging) journey over the course of that time, and this year, the song as above is what does just that. It's actually the "love theme" for an animated feature that is only very distantly related to Pokémon, but ignoring or removing the animated feature link entirely, it's still a very touching pop song, and that is what I consider it as. I've had the song in mind for a couple of months now, actually, but I thought the sentiments would continue to apply very well over the remainder of the year... and that seems to be very well the case, which is why I opted to save it for the end of the year, and now the time has come for its discussion.

With the original context removed, the song is still a very nice love song, and in fact, it has shown up in the rotation of certain adult contemporary radio stations when they play love songs. The "love" that is addressed is a lost love and/or a memory of such a love, and that is evident in the verses (not quoted above). Meanwhile, the choruses - of which the first one is quoted above - speak of the recollection of such a love and the desire to restart or relive that love. Romantically, it's a sensible message, given how love comes and goes, perhaps even in the past few years. Adding back the context of the animated feature, it continues to make sense as its plot is about the discovery of lost ruins and the forced departure from those ruins. That may be likened to lost love as above, as well as the Pokémon things that have happened throughout this year.

Some people may become nostalgic if they happened to participate in the summer Pokémon Go events and/or the World Championships, which had restarted this year; they're great moments no matter how they turned out, and those people may want to relive them with just as good if not better results. The release of new games over the course of this year has provided a wealth of new moments, and I'm sure more than a few fans would like to relive those past moments or even rediscover similar ones in the future. Toward the end of this year, there has also been an astonishing revelation for a certain Pokémon matter; it will, in a few months, incite a reminiscing of things like never before. It seems... that might be the case... for me, eventually? Anyway, all of the above embody the spirits of the song in many different ways.

The thing that ties together the animated feature to which this song is tied to and Pokémon is a sense of adventure, one that is gained in the moment but can (gradually) disappear from memory as time passes by. Aside from both, love - romantic or otherwise - may have the same nature or characteristic. The song calls to that and then makes the call for reminiscence and recall in hopes that one day, the same moments may be relived in some manner. If anything, this year has had plenty of Pokémon moments that may just deserve to be reminisced or recalled before reliving them, and my senses have been appropriate to shelve this song until it came to discuss it now, near the end of this year. And someday soon, reminiscence may very well be at hand.

One year ago: ...Is There Still Time?

Two years ago: Return to Believe

Three years ago: (Extra-)Ordinary Days

Four years ago: One Day, in Life

Five years ago: When I See You Again

The Answer for Two and Two

The answer for 1+1 is not always 2

Another matter related to my Pokémon blogging that I want to touch on is the "yearly themes" I possess and did establish for this year, as in this post. It has mathematical and numerical references, especially pertaining to the year number in question. Philosophically, though, it might be considered to be more than that, especially with how this year had turned out. For that, I offer a certain comment made by a certain musician as above, to guide the discussion of how this year turned out, given the theme that I posed earlier on.

As a matter of philosophy, it may be that the individual parts of something add up to more than the sum of the parts. To illustrate a Pokémon example, a Nidoking and Nidoqueen get together and beget more Nidoran offspring; that's an example of one plus one adding up to many, affirming the quote above philosophically. A more abstract example is the two versions of a traditional main series Pokémon game becoming something more significant, like the Scarlet and Violet games this year revealing their inner secrets and outer achievements. But then that's not exactly "two and two".

What is exactly "two and two" is "four", being the operative word that describes the generation that relates to the Sinnoh region and then Hisui, the latter being the region of Legends: Arceus, the main series spinoff Pokémon game that was released this year. And that has become established as a good thing, even in visual quality compared to the new generation games. It may seem that Game Freak had "added up" the formula correctly for this game and it may deserve to be "added on" through a future installment, making it a series with two kinds.

While that occurs, Pokémon Go and Pokémon Unite keep on adding on and on with more and more new content, and they are also adding up to become the new competitive pantheon of Pokémon games, also adding on this year with a renewed edition of the competition. Together, the "duo" are adding up "two" and even more, becoming something (or things) that are even more than just their parts. In the future, their competitions are likely to add on as the games themselves add on further improvements to be able to do so.

Personally, I've been able to add to my own achievements in my efforts to promote my appreciation of and interest in Pokémon. This even involved getting two prizes on the same day at a convention, which is totally unprecedented and has been a truly additive experience. Of course, I can't and shouldn't be completely satisfied with that, and I'd have to find ways to add on to that, which certainly needs to continue with Pokémon. Events and conventions will still add on and add to that, and then I'd have to find ways of making them add up for me.

Per the above, it seems that the philosophical workings of the above comment are definitely affirmed to be in play, in particular for Pokémon things this year. While two and two do mathematically equal four, as the "two" things pertain to different things, the results may just be more than what is expected - hopefully good for the most part. Even this post may have its semblance of "twos" for the most astute of readers of this blog. What is clear is that in this year of "twos", a lot more has resulted beyond mere arithmetics, even with Pokémon considered.

One year ago: Plus One, and...

Two years ago: A(n Un)Clear Vision?

Three years ago: Cosplay: MC & "Reflections of Love" End of Year Events

Four years ago: Local EX Raid (Above and Beyond), 12/29/2018

Five years ago: In Lieu of a Book

Pokémon Problem, My Problem

It's almost the end of the year, and before that comes by, I want to touch on a few matters that revolve around my Pokémon blogging. Something that I always say when I promote myself and my blog is that any problem that Pokémon might have or is related to Pokémon is also my problem as well, which essentially can be summarized as the title of this post. I like to think that I have a stake in dealing with any of those problems to the best of my abilities and with the Pokémon tools I have on hand. And with a Pokémon blog in my possession, the issue is more pertinent than ever.

Pokémon is not, never has been, and never will be free of problems. It's like many other things in life; it progresses, and with each new progress, there is always some new problem to be encountered. The glitches in the very first games, including the one that allows access to Mew, are already a testament to this. I also need not say more about those in the recent games for the new generation, because they only affirm the above further. With the expansion of Pokémon to other forms of media, they naturally beget their own kinds of problems in different ways for both the creators and the fans. Not all of these problems can be resolved easily, but there is a sense that both fans and creators need to attempt to solve them - and then of course, that's where I come in, by taking interest in them as well.

As I've said time and time again, I don't have a background in game development nor do I have the skills in this area of life. I'm also not a prominent "influencer" in Pokémon matters, or at least not yet. So the situation above does prompt a question: what can I do? Well, I can still voice the concerns of different fans, as many of them as possible as well as what pertains to us commonly and across different Pokémon media. By discovering the problems that they have, I'm able to detect the overall problems that Pokémon has and the reactions that we have to those problems. Then, the people who are truly experts in them can solve them or at least mediate the concerns. At that point, things may or may not get (re)solved - quickly for that matter - but at least it may be on such a pathway.

Voicing concerns, though, does lead to the issue of being "critical", which is often regarded as negative. Meanwhile, many of those who do discuss Pokémon do it in a positive way, essentially giving "praise", especially if they're strongly linked. I foresee that I would have to do a lot of the latter once I become a strong "influencer", but in the state that I am, some criticism may still be demanded. I don't have (or need) to go the Brandon Tan route that he took one time to voice some criticisms - as I would, if I were him - but a few criticisms every now and then interspersed among the praises that I have may be welcome and necessary. Going back to the "problems", whatever I do, the important thing is that it leads to a resolution rather than their furthering or persistence, which is definitely not the point.

The point is that besides my interest in enjoying Pokémon, I also have an interest in making it better - and first and foremost, that would involve tackling on any problem that it might have. Pokémon has existed for over a quarter century and I've been a fan for almost all of that, so it would be reasonable for me to get involved, one way of which is through this blog. While my efforts might be considered meager compared to the size of the entire fandom, it has been said that it may take the littlest of things to become big things, and I hope my little efforts with this blog can become a precursor to such.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/28/2021

Two years ago: Road to 25th Anniversary: Life Goes On

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/28/2019

Four years ago: Soul-Searching and Pokémon

Five years ago: From Journal to Blog

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/27/2022

Much always happens at the end of the year. There's the run-up to the end of the year itself, the (holiday) festivities that happen therein, the start of a new season in Pokémon Go, and of course this event rollup. The last of these remains something that by now I have to maintain a regularity of for various reasons, but all of the others should provide helpful insights as to what the events this month might entail. So, here that comes in my rollup for this month.

Kicking off the month was Hoenn Mega Raid Day on December 3, a mere three days after the start of the month and six days after the "Ultra Beast Raid Day" back in November. This was the chance to get all the region's final evolved starter forms with all their exclusive (Community Day) moves, as well as Mega Energy for their Mega Evolution forms. Those who opted for a "basic" experience got the customary extra free raid passes, while those who opted to pay - for an event ticket and an "enhanced" experience - got more free raid passes as well as Rare Candy XL, XP, and Stardust bonuses. For now, this was the only way to get the Mega Energy, and it'll be so until the end of the season when Pokémon Go Tour: Hoenn comes about; hence, this season "began with the end in mind".

To get into the spirit of the season's name, there was the Mythic Blade event from December 6 to 11. This, of course, encompassed the supplementary paid event that happened at the tail end of that period with its "nobly Mythical" reward, Keldeo. Virizion and Terrakion as two of its "musketeer" comrades shared the spotlight in Legendary raids. The rest of the event, meanwhile notably featured lots of Fighting-type Pokémon, especially in the wild, raids, and Field Research task rewards, including the debut of Crabrawler from the seventh generation. A Collection Challenge featuring many of the Pokémon also kept things hopping... or at least maintained fighting spirit for Trainers. This was the real true "first brush" with this season's theme, or at least the first half of it.

For the second half, that came through the Winter Holiday event, which like last year was split into two parts. Part 1 came about from December 15 to 23, and that heralded bonus XP from raids and increased Gift possession, along with Mega Glalie, Shiny Bergmite, and an extra paid Timed Research with some wintry gifts, plus new stickers and outfit items. Essential Ice-type Pokémon, as well as Pikachu in a festive outfit, came about during this time in the wild, 7 km Eggs, raids, and Field Research task rewards; special to this part were Spheal and Stantler in their holiday outfits, a scarf and a collar respectively. Cobalion served as a "transitional" Legendary raid boss for this event period from that of the above. Most of these would remain for Part 2 of the event...

...which continued where Part 1 ended on December 23 and will last until the end of this month. In place of the specials from above, there are Delibird and Cubchoo with their outfits (ribbons), and Kyurem as the Legendary raid boss. New perks at this time consist of Eevee (and all its evolved forms) wearing a holiday hat, as well as Beartic with a ribbon as the possible evolution from Cubchoo above. There are also "mini-events" comprising a "wishful" branching Timed Research set (throughout this part), a Raid Day for Hisuian Avalugg (December 24), a Winter Wonderland weekend with wondrous bonuses - Special Trade, Lucky Pokémon, and a Collection Challenge (December 24 and 25), and the Scatterbug family debut. That is a lot going on, and has to be an appropriate response for good wishes.

And so, the year closes out - or approaches that point - as Pokémon Go gets "in tune" with its new season with the events all throughout this month. There too is the big holiday (event) as well as the other little festivities, which taken all together does seem like a lot. Yet that is still reflective of the paces that mark the end of the year, which is as regular as regular can be even with the happenings of Pokémon Go in tow.

One year ago: Road of 25th Anniversary: The Road in Kaleidoscope

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/27/2020

Three years ago: Pokémon and the Furry Fandom

Four years ago: A Tripartite Conversation

Five years ago: I Can Hear Your Voice

Cosplay: Trans Mini Fest

Goh: Oh, so it was an event - and on Christmas too!

Me: It was. This was a first for Ash and me, to send him to an event on that day. Usually I'd just spend the day in peace, but not that day.

Goh: And because of that, you had to delay discussing about it.

Me: Exactly. So this is one of the rare times I review an event not on the very same day.

Ash: I remember there was an event many years ago you sent me to, but it wasn't on Christmas - but it was still related to it.

Pikachu: Pika chu, pika pika chu. ["I remember, that was a pleasant time."]

Me: I remember that too. But I guess such an event won't fly these days, even if the event itself is on "the day". But you can take it however you like.

Goh: I want to know about the location. Where was it?

Ash: It was in an amusement park high in a mall! I've been there three years ago for one event when I was sent to two in the same day.

Me: Yes, you remember that one. It had more than a few problems, including organization. This one ought to be not as problematic.

Ash: But there was still one problem - the space was a bit small, and everyone had to squeeze in to get around and to watch! Come to think of it, it was like that the last time too.

Me: OK, so that's a venue problem. I've been there on my own, and this is not an easy thing to solve, especially since the park equipment is involved. The stage is also placed in a corner, so that is definitely part of the traffic problems.

Ash: It was just like what you said. That's a hard thing for them to solve. I wanted to play a game or two, but I couldn't with all the people around.

Pikachu: Pi, ka. ["Couldn't go."]

Goh: What did you end up doing?

Ash: I just stayed where the event was and didn't go anywhere else.

Me: That's the absolute best thing you can do. So, that's something for them to consider if they hold another one in the same place next time.

Goh: This does remind me of one event you sent Ash to that had almost the same location problems as this one.

Me: Yes, but at least that one could be solved in a better way and with less effort - this one, not so much. All right, now I have to discuss the reason why you were here.

Ash: There was a character parade and a singing competition! But that wasn't why I was here...

Me: No. You were in fact here as a "guest performer", here just to sing a song. Technically, I could have forced your way into the competitions, but the people who made this happen, I know them well and they know you - so it wouldn't fly with them and it would have been a waste of time for us.

Goh: A guest performer! People really know you that well.

Me: I guess they do. So, this was a special time, so I thought I'd have you sing something nice - "Type: Wild".

Ash: That's an interesting one! I've wondered about sending me with that one. But, um, yesterday...

Me: Uh-oh. But before you tell me more about that, tell me about how the character parade and singing competition went, even though you weren't in them.

Ash: The parade was great! I saw lots of characters, and the winners were neat. Some of them were kids too!

Goh: Oh now, this is neat. So they're kids, but they look like characters?

Ash: Yeah! I've seen them in the past too. They always get good cheer - and at the end, some of them were asked to come up on stage again.

Pikachu: Pi, pika chu. ["Well, they're nice."]

Me: This is actually a good topic to discuss, but I'll do that on my own. What about the singing competition?

Ash: Everyone sounded real nice! Many of the songs were neat, but a few I kept hearing again, even from the day that I won.

Me: I think those songs are rather trendy, but they don't have much relevance to us, so we don't need to worry about them.

Goh: How'd the schedule go? I know some past events have been off about this.

Ash: Everything ended up early! The parade was planned to be split in two, but it ended up happening just as one. But... maybe it wasn't good for some people who thought it was still going to happen in two parts.

Me: I only hope everyone got the warning that the schedule could change like that if things were early. Regardless, after that, it was time for you to perform. How was that?

Ash: Um... I did OK. But I messed up a little on the second verse and... maybe had a little pitch problem? But we practiced it so many times...

Me: It seems that even after that, the expected problems came to a head. I'll think up of a way to make this right when we have the chance to perform this again in the future. But this is fine for now, and at least it wasn't a competition, just like that one time.

Ash: Maybe it can win after that, like with "XY&Z"!

Pikachu: Chu! Pika pika chu. ["Certainly! It can happen."]

Me: Haha, maybe so. So, what did you and the others think of the event?

Ash: We thought most of it went well. The only thing I brought up was why the singing competition had only one judge - it turns out the other judge was supposed to be from the people who had the place but it fell through at the last moment. And the other judge got to perform like me! I would have loved to offer my views.

Me: Right, like that one time you were actually one.

Goh: Wow, that is an achievement!

Me: It is, isn't it? Anyway, what has happened happened, and we can only look forward to more next year. Hopefully it can be on the same scale as this, but much better.

Goh: It makes sense, since there's only a few days left in the year.

Ash: We'll keep doing the best we can! Hopefully the others too.

Me: Absolutely. Right then, we'll see you next year.

Ash, Goh: We'll see you!

Pikachu: Pika! ["See you!"]

One year ago: Pokémon Unite Holiday Event

Two years ago: My Missing Pokémon Pieces in 2020

Three years ago: More on Sunner and Me

Four years ago: Wallpaper: 20th Movie - Remember and Continue

Five years ago: The First: Episode 001 - "Pokémon - I Choose You!"

Much Ado About Christmas

Another year, another Christmas. After the past two years of having the merriment toned down, it along with other things are starting to liven up - perhaps not as close as to what they were before, but sufficiently. Still, a lot of things do occur (or have to happen) around this time of year, and some of them might just involve Pokémon. The latter would be of obvious fascination to me and many other fans of the franchise, especially if they occur in significant quantities... and that seems to be something to be finely discussed on this occasion.

If anything, much of the goings-on of the occasion may have occurred in the lead-up to this morning, which for many would involve presents. That would include their procurement, setting up, and of course their opening this very morning. As I've mentioned in my very first year of coverage (see below), I as a Pokémon fan can be and have been involved in the past; though I haven't been involved in more recent iterations, I do have a bit of a longing for when it can happen again. Even though I'm more involved in the "opening" aspect, I know that a lot goes into all the efforts above, but whether or not they involve Pokémon (but especially so if they do), they should be highly commended.

For a current Pokémon happening that's rather involved, at least closer to me rather than farther away, that would be Pokémon Festival Jakarta. According to the schedule, it has its own Christmas celebration, which should be rather involved. But then so is the entire thing with all the mini-events that occur, including the in-game ones for Pokémon Go. A lot of (heart)strings must have been tugged to make things happen, and this has to be rather evident in the press conference that occurred the day before the festivities started (December 7), way back near the beginning of this month. It detailed sponsors (some of which are now Sponsored PokéStops), the schedule, and everything relevant to it. It may seem to make sense to hold it in its current timeframe, given Christmas today - and New Year's next week consequently - fall on Sunday, the best day for everything to happen. It does make for a great Christmas that way, at a time when it's possible to celebrate with Pokémon.

Ash: I'd love to be there!

Me: I would agree, but at this point, I can't promise anything yet.

Goh: It does seem like something you should try to plan for, since this could be your only chance.

Me: A friend said that too. Again, no promises, but let me try to make heads and tails out of it and see what happens. For now, Ash, you have a bit of something to do for me today.

Ash: Nice!

Pikachu: Pika! ["Great!"]

Me: But I can't say much about it now, since I have to finish up this Christmas discussion. It's the main thing for me each year. Yet it does add to the affairs of our day.

Goh: I wonder what this could be. Anyhow, we understand. Christmas is big after all.

Ash: I can wait, but I can't wait at the same time!

Me: I can have it by tomorrow, in any case.

The point - in addition to what Goh said - is that Christmas has many affairs. Even something as remote - in both location and relation - to Christmas as the current ongoing local Pokémon event has a lot of things going for it. It's something that won't change even if the world changes like it had in the past few years. Hopefully, that goes for the appreciation that Pokémon fans have for the franchise, especially during this very special time of year.

Now, the multitude of regular affairs or things for Pokémon or otherwise continues as the year approaches its end and turns over into a new one. That too is a certainty beyond this hallowed day.

Have a merry Christmas, however many affairs or things may be had. 🎄

One year ago: Keeping the (Pokémon) Christmas Spirit

Two years ago: Merry Christmas... in Fantasies

Three years ago: I Like Christmas, Merry Christmas

Four years ago: Christmas Bash: Concept Album?

Five years ago: Merry Christmas!

It's Gotta Be... A Big and Red Guy

Ash: Who very soon will come our way?

Misty: Santa very soon will come our way

Ash: Eight little Stantler pull his sleigh

Brock: Santa's little Stantler pull his sleigh

All: Stantler sleigh – come our way

Ho-ho-ho – cherry nose

Cap on head – suit that's red

Special night – beard that's white

Must be Santa, must be Santa

Must be Santa, Santa Claus...

...Ho!

-- "Must Be Santa", from Pokémon Christmas Bash

It's the day before Christmas, and somewhere over yonder, a big red guy is preparing to make tomorrow's festivities, well... festive. Like mistletoe from last year (see below), it is also perpetuated through tradition and music. Likewise, it was something that just had to be for Pokémon Christmas Bash, and the album makes use of the ditty that I've quoted above, which for the purpose of the album was covered by Ash (Veronica Taylor), Brock (Eric Stuart), and Misty (Rachael Lillis), by their classic voice actors.

Now, the song itself is, just like The Christmas Song (also see below, two years ago), a bit of a classic, but a more modern one. Hal Moore and Bill Fredericks wrote the song, and the first recording of it was from 1960. It is a simple song for anyone - particularly children - to sing, because it takes a call-and-response form, evident in the character exchange above, as well as as a cumulative form, with the list of features just after, then followed by the chorus. By the above, one could be able to determine the preceding remaining lyrics.

Also like with The Christmas Song, the song (at least, in its original form) lacks Pokémon flavor and for most intents and purposes may be construed to have little to do with it. The solution is the same as the previous song - make it so related, by changing "reindeer" to Stantler. That happens in the last "cycle" of the song, and so it is that I've quoted above. It might have been purely for this reason that the song was put in the album, which seems kind of cheap even though it sells with Pokémon in the mix.

Those in the know about contemporary music might recognize that there is a popular cover of this song by Bob Dylan, which is a frenetic polka version. That cover, though, came out a few years later after this particular cover, and while I've listened to it and find it entertaining, I prefer to think of this cover as my "definitive" version. Of course, a remix of the Pokémon Christmas Bash version in the style of Bob Dylan's version can't hurt, and I'd appreciate it as much as the originals of concern.

Regardless, the presence of the "big red guy" - however one believes about the figure in question - is something to behold at this time of year. Ash, Brock, and Misty singing about the case may be considered to make that even more so, complementing those beliefs; they also suit the whimsical approach of the song. And now, shortly, that "big red guy" will make things festive; by this song, it shouldn't be hard to tell that it's that figure. Whatever Pokémon things the figure might have in store... that might be fully dependent on other certainties.

One year ago: The Mistletoe Dangled Over...

Two years ago: Christmas Song, Really

Three years ago: Let's Go Play with Buddies

Four years ago: Keeping Homes in Hearts

Five years ago: Cool Wintry Song

Café Remix: Pay to Win?

I've discussed many points about features, tips, and issues regarding Pokémon Café Remix throughout this year since I finally divulged that I have a Nintendo Switch. Yet there seems to be one more issue that I haven't discussed, and it could be described as the "Donphan in the room". It's an issue that applies equally well to Café Remix as it does to the mobile games of today, for which they share the common thread of having purchasable items. This fact therefore begs the question that addresses the issue: is Café Remix a "pay-to-win" game?

The most natural way to answer this question would be to consider the items that are (currently) purchasable with real money, particularly in the game's shop as I've discussed previously. Besides the customary main currency of Golden Acorns (and the weekly Stamina pack that is purchased with them), there is an outfit pack, the monthly Premium Pass, and the "daily ticket" pack for an additional delivery by Pelipper (read: another gacha draw). Most of the effects from buying these packs involve access to more items and aspects that are useful in many ways but may or may not be necessary to achieve success, even with the increased engagement that they demand. In other words, they enhance the experience but are not necessarily the precursor or prompt to success.

Yet, the stinker remains the Premium Pass as above. Besides allowing access to the exclusive Pokémon in the monthly goals as I had outlined, it does affect certain events by providing bonuses. With the Premium Pass purchased, it becomes possible to earn more points in relevant events, including team events with its points gained in various ways and "legendary visits" that use the One-Minute Cooking framework. It becomes clear that with all other things remaining the same, the extra points given by purchasing the Premium Pass might just provide the edge to help oneself and others, and therefore paying for it could make the winning move. Still, it may be that a number of other factors play into making things a success, with or without the Premium Pass being purchased.

So to answer the question posed above, it may be that for some, "paying to win" becomes readily apparent, while for others, it may just be irrelevant and/or inconsequential. As such, the overall answer could be considered to be inconclusive, being that the effects may not be guaranteed for one person compared to another. However, the experience may still just be better to a certain extent by paying, and for certain people, that may or may not be considered the "victory" to be achieved.

Café Remix is regardless much like a number of games of the current era that provide the "bones" for free while reserving some of the good stuff for those who are willing to pay (and therefore support its development). In the case of this game, it means the items and bonuses that might just make a difference, provided that a person properly takes advantage of them in addition to what that person brings to the table. "Victory" may just shape itself through both as much as through what the game already offers even without payment.

One year ago: 2021 Pokémon Center Merchandise Highlights

Two years ago: Playing Pokémon on the Quick

Three years ago: December for Love

Four years ago: Quick Ball Tin and Pokémon Coin

Five years ago: Perspective

Mixing In and Out of GBL

This month begins a new season in Pokémon Go, and that automatically begets a new season for its Trainer battle system, Go Battle League or GBL. Now, in the past, its various formats have thrown in some novelties in the form of "remixes", and that continues to the present season. In fact, it has (or by now, had) done so early on in this season within the first couple of weeks, which I do have to cover for posterity and their bits of significance. And their current significance is that they appear to mix in as well as mix out particulars, making them fascinating indeed.

At the start of the season, there was another edition of the Great League Remix. Like my previous coverage, it disallowed (banned) 20 Pokémon; also as before, these Pokémon had been extensively used by Trainers that had achieved the Ace rank (rank 21) or higher in the previous iteration of the Great League, though now the list is different. Compared to then, 13 species remain on the list, while seven species were replaced with new ones. Some of the highlight new bans are Nidoqueen (a veritable force, past and present), Walrein (still a threat for many, even with removed emphasis), and Trevenant (a menace in and out of Halloween formats). It may be safe to say that things will keep on remixing in this area.

One week later, there was the Fighting Cup Remix, a return of the format with new twists. The Psychic type is still not allowed, and this time, there is a short "ban list", comprising Hakamo-o, Kommo-o, Buzzwole, and Sneasler. Though not every Trainer has access to any or all of these, the ones that do have been shown to have "unchecked power", so the "ban list" makes sense. Even so, based on its top species ranking, Toxicroak is still the menace for this format, with Galarian Farfetch'd and Hisuian Sneasel closing in. Evolved forms of Machop and a few multi-type surprises (like Poliwrath and Blaziken) round out the species ranking. This new format may or may not have mixed in (or out) enough to present a new challenge, however.

Finally, there was an announcement about formats that in itself is not about a specific format, but deals with particular ones. This season will be the last for "Classic" formats that disallow Pokémon powered up with Candy XL (that is, above level 40); the rationale is that more Trainers can access Candy XL now and earlier, and thus it is not as limited as before. In lieu of this, more "Premier" (non-Legendary) formats will be run instead. This announcement therefore indicates that this is the last time they are "in the mix", and they will be "mixed out" soon. The formats themselves can be considered "remixes" in some ways, and there is a sense that they will be missed, though it may be just as well and that their time has come.

Whether remixed or not, Go Battle League continues with this season. Yet by the above, some remixes are already apparent in their nature; they can continue trends established by previous remixes or bring (a little bit) more life to an "ornery" format by mixing in things, or give way to new possibilities by way of mixing themselves out of the running. And all of this has happened early on in the season, keeping Trainers on their toes during that time until other formats in this season rise to the occasion. Such may also be considered the case for GBL format remixes for all the ins and outs they may allow.

One year ago: Getting in the Mood with Pikachu

Two years ago: Muscle Memory and Pokémon Games

Three years ago: Cosplay: Chibi Daisuki! Japan Fest 2019

Four years ago: A Pikachu Hand Puppet

Five years ago: I Claimed My Team

My New Current Pokémon Unite Role Preferences

Speaking of Pokémon Unite, I saw this post from last year and I thought it would be well to do to update it, to show my current preferences or "mains". Pokémon Unite has changed so much in the past year from its updates, so to update this post makes total sense. Even so, there may or may not have been much change in them, but steps may have been taken toward that change, and as such, I'll be noting them a little differently here. As before, I include all five roles for equal representation of what makes me "me" in Unite.

All-Rounder. For this one, much hasn't changed - my main is still for the one and only Charizard. I've even gotten a Pokémon ribbon for it, which shows how much I depend on it for many, many purposes. Yet on the side, I've been toying a bit with Lucario, for which I might be able to use effectively but in a different style - though I have not gotten to that yet. For now, Charizard is tops in my book and has become a general "main" (along with the role) as its primary definition, and there's not much reason to change what works.

Attacker. Meanwhile, this one has a radical change. Nowadays, this role is something I'll take up sometimes, and when I do it, I do it with Pikachu - while I've left my previous main Cinderace to languish. Likewise with the above, I've been toying with the role and retrying my hand at Sylveon. It seems that it may have just a little bit to go to become an on-par main, but maybe not quite. Pikachu is quite workable as it is and I've built much strategy around it, and it's my choice for most usual situations.

Defender. Because of the above, it's clear that my main role has shifted from this one. Yet when push comes to shove, I would now take Slowbro for this role, also something that I went back to. On the "experimental" side, perhaps in part inspired by a certain meme provider, I took it upon myself to try out Blastoise; at this point, it feels like the above combined with my previous main, Mamoswine. This role may still have some uses, and I feel I have prepared for that with a definitive choice.

Speedster. In the some-things-don't-change department, there is this role with my previous pick Zeraora being maintained. Still, in some cases, my usage of this role has increased quite a bit, and as a result, I also experimented with adding Absol to the mix. Not much has been borne out of that effort, but much has been reaped from Zeraora that I continue to depend on it for primary usage. It may be said that I've gotten slightly accustomed to the speed of the Pokémon that not much else has become an issue.

Supporter. The last of the five roles, like the one just above, has not changed much for me personally, though now this has become my most infrequent role by the way I play. My choice is still on the veritable Wigglytuff with its surprising capabilities when I want to put myself to the test. Of course, I also would like to test myself, and my target for testing would be its Fairy-type kin Clefable. All would have to be in due time, I suppose, just like the opportunity to put this role into action wherever it may.

After one year, many things have definitely updated (changed) in Pokémon Unite, and that also goes for my preferences on the Pokémon roles above. Experimentation may be described as something that plays a key part in those changes or updates, and it may be something that is a prelude for more change as I try to incorporate more Pokémon into my Unite skill set. The spirit of going with my "mains", though, remains the same, even if it may be different at different times - especially now with all the developments of Unite.

One year ago: Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Uptake

Two years ago: What If Pokémon Didn't Exist?

Three years ago: New Innovation, New Problems

Four years ago: Dreaming Big, Making an Impact

Five years ago: Friend Faves

The Contribution and the Results

Looking at a post I made a couple of years ago, I discussed much about what a certain game maker demands for potential "contributors" to a certain Pokémon game it had planned and how those potential contributors can respond to those demands. The one thing - well, two things - that I didn't discuss were the game maker and the game in question, other than their efforts certainly being related to Pokémon. And yet this is now a pivotal and important matter, and therefore I consider it a "loose end" that I should tie up.

So, that game maker is... Tencent TiMi, and by (obvious) extension, the game in question is Pokémon Unite, which now has a foothold among Pokémon fans and fervent competitors of their games despite being only still a fledgling game in comparison to the others that have been established for longer. It's an amazing feat for such a game, and that feat has to be owed to its development, which has taken its twists and turns. Yet considering the above, all those twists and turns would have their sources in the contributions that were made early on, which was the point of the call for contributors way back then.

The results of that call for contributors has been evident in the variety of elements that are now present in the game. Some are taken from the main series games, while others are abstracted from other sources - one of the most likely ones being the anime. And yet, they all still make sense within the framework of Pokémon games in general, for both longtime fans and more recent ones. That speaks highly of the game maker's demand for knowledgeable Pokémon people in different areas of Pokémon knowledge. Though the specifics might never be known exactly, at least to the non-developers, much can still be surmised about them.

While I'm still not in the position to contribute to any Pokémon game, much less from a development perspective, I still find the need to appreciate the efforts and contributions of those who had done so, specifically for the game in question above. The call for contributors for its development was totally warranted, and the results have indicated the vivacious quality of the game - especially true as I and other Pokémon fans continue to pick it up and play, and even further to compete. It is indeed a lively scene for them and us.

Now that Pokémon Unite has taken the world of (Pokémon) gaming by storm, and will continue to do so as competitions for it spring up and be established, it becomes important to recognize the contributions that were made for the game. It may be hard to believe that something so big as the Unite movement started from a little thing like the call above, but then that's quite the case for things that snowball into popularity. And like the in-game item in one of its maps, it now has the potential to make further hits.

One year ago: Merchandise over Games?

Two years ago: Pokémon Go: Tap... Tap... Tappity-Tap...

Three years ago: Sitting Pikachu Keychain

Four years ago: Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 12/20/2018

Five years ago: Movie Manga!

Scarlet and Violet Uptake

I've dwelt on this post long enough, and now it's time to make it. About a month ago, the ninth-generation games for the main series games of Pokémon was released, as the Scarlet and Violet games. Since then, I've only covered its "dark side", as the slew of problems related to those games. But that's just one side of things, as there is a "bright side" as well, even if it may be relatively muted in comparison. Regardless, that's where the "uptake" of the game lives, and it's time to highlight that.

Being that they're new games with wholly new content for a very popular franchise, it wouldn't be a surprise if the games raced to the top of the sales charts. And they did so in their initial weeks of release, becoming comparable to or surpassing certain games that other people play. Admittedly, though, this was before many of the games' problems surfaced or became evident, so by now they may have made some dent. At least, this is still a testament to the popularity of the franchise in light of anything else.

Still on the subject of "racing", some fans as usual may have taken their time to "race" through the game - to finish it quickly - for certain reasons. One of them may be for posterity, as I found out from a fellow fan who managed to rush through Violet in just a mere two days, even with a somewhat (or perhaps, very) rough team for which one of the Pokémon practically became the linchpin of that entire team. The intent in doing so may be an inspiration to those may want or need to do the same for one or more reasons.

Those reasons may be to stream, make content on various media, and certainly to compete in the illustrious field of VGC. The first of these may be done in such a rapid manner, even if one stream I watched didn't make that evident and seems to go much more casually. Media content is a given, as people seek guides or even amusement with the games, the latter I've also seen somewhat recently. And of course, VGC gets going as the games themselves do, and one of my fellows has even posited a team for that very purpose.

Perhaps it may be said that the uptake of these games is not appreciably more different than, or is comparable to, the games of the previous generation. Yet the circumstances are in fact quite different, with these being the real "second run" of the Pokémon main series games on the Switch. Both the "dark side" and "light side" have presented themselves over the course of the first month of the games' release, and at this point, the uptake should be defining of how players (Trainers) are to regard both sides and take in what they will from the games.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Weekend, 12/18/2021 and 12/19/2021

Two years ago: What It Takes to Contribute

Three years ago: Creations Without Drama: Cosplay Teaser for 12/22/2019

Four years ago: The Four Pillars of Pokémon

Five years ago: Nostalgic Returns

Pokémon Go Community Day Weekend, 12/17/2022 and 12/18/2022

Goh: Oh, it's Community Day. But... there are two days...?

Me: Yeah. The last Community Day of the year is always a summary of every Pokémon involved this year, and the previous year too.

Ash: That's awesome. So that's why I saw a lot of different Pokémon yesterday. And I guess I'll see more of them today.

Pikachu: Pi pika chu. ["Yeah, surely."]

Me: Indeed that's the case. So this year, we had Spheal, Hoppip, Sandshrew (Kanto and Alolan), Stufful, Alolan Geodude, Deino, Starly, Galarian Zigzagoon, Roggenrola, Litwick, and Teddiursa.

Goh: That's a lot of Pokémon from all around.

Me: And last year, we had Machop, Roselia, Fletchling, Snivy, Swablu, Gible, Tepig, Eevee, Oshawott, Duskull, and Shinx.

Ash: I like that list too!

Me: Now Ash, you should have seen many Pokémon, mostly of the first five (six if you count both Sandshrew forms separately) from this year yesterday before the event in the wild, from 2 PM to 5 PM - although you could see all of them any time before or after that, specifically after 9 AM.

Ash: I did! There were lots of them.

Me: You should be seeing or have seen the other six today in the same way at the same times, up to 9 PM today.

Ash: Like you said, it was mostly all of them.

Me: Also, there is an addition. This year we had Community Day Classic, the return of past editions but "modernized". Bulbasaur, Dratini, and Mudkip were the ones involved. Did you see any of them in the wild?

Ash: I saw them a few times, but they were so rare.

Goh: I guess it makes sense that they're rare, since everyone has been seeing them all this time.

Me: I would think that's the reason too.

Goh: What about the ones from the past year?

Me: Oh, those are different. Instead of them in the wild, they appear in raids and 2 km Eggs instead. Always has been that way.

Ash: I saw the raids but didn't have a chance to battle in them, and your Eggs didn't stand a chance of being hatched quickly.

Me: Sorry about that. But in lieu of that, you should have been able to work on a Timed Research set that rewarded them also, along with this year's.

Ash: The tasks really needed some work, but I got them done. They almost seemed to go on forever when I talked about them to your friends.

Me: That's OK. The more the merrier.

Goh: It's good that there's at least more than one way to do things.

Me: You're right about that. Speaking of Research, I arranged a special (paid) task meeting with Professor Willow and Rhi from the Ultra Recon Squad - titled "December Community Day 2022" - so you can get a few more assisting items for me.

Ash: That worked out great! Enjoy the items - there are some good ones in there.

Me: Will do, thanks. Since this is the end-of-year edition, it would be fitting if we have every general bonus under the sun - and we should. There would be doubled XP, Stardust, and Candy for captures, doubled Candy XL chance, and extended Lure Modules and Incense during the "prime hours" of 2 PM to 5 PM, plus discounted trades and an extra Special Trade for half a day each day.

Ash: I got a lot out of those bonuses for you!

Me: I'm sure you did. We have to try to make use of them as much as we can.

Goh: I guess with all of the Pokémon up there, if we evolve them, we can get all the exclusive moves like with previous ones.

Ash: I did get them. I chose the best ones for you, especially from the ones I caught yesterday and today.

Me: I expect no less. OK, now as to why I chose to send you today and not myself, the reasons are long and varied, but the most important one is getting together with my friends, having a good time, and getting a few goodies, like it has been all throughout this year. How was that?

Ash: We had a great time! It was in a covered place around many buildings, but I didn't mind taking it easy and not doing a lot of walking. We still got to catch many Pokémon with the Incense and Lure Modules.

Goh: Oh, I wish I could have seen that.

Ash: I have a picture. Here you go:

Goh: That is festive. It seems it keeps getting more and more crowded each time.

Me: With all the people, it seems a given that more and more are flocking back to capture Pokémon.

Ash: Some people caught a Roggenrola with the best stats - and I did too! It wasn't Shiny for me, but one person did get a Shiny one.

Pikachu: Pika! Pika chu. ["Neat! Very nice."]

Goh: That must have been spectacular! It must have been a commotion when that happened.

Me: It usually is, when that happens.

Ash: I evolved a few more Pokémon that you think you might need, but mostly today I just caught to add to what you already have.

Me: That's perfectly fine. So, I'm glad that you got to experience this one too, the Community Day at the end of the year.

Ash: Yeah! It's a really great one with all the Pokémon, not just one.

Goh: A lot of things do happen in the year, even with all the Pokémon that break out.

Me: And they'll keep happening next year too. Whether or not you're able to join in, there should always be something to keep us going for Pokémon.

Ash: I gotta thank you for making things happen! You did a great job yourself this year with all that you have.

Goh: You're absolutely right. If it continues to turn out like what we talked about this year, who knows what next year will have?

Me: We can only find out. Enjoy the rest of this year, and let's let the next year unfold.

One year ago: Let's Talk About Making Teams Work

Two years ago: "Seasonal" or "Occasional" Gamers

Three years ago: A Cosplay Departure

Four years ago: Screenplay Writing

Five years ago: Good (Life)Times, Again

Cosplay: IR X'Mas + Cosplay Party

Me: Well, as I've said. It's a surprisingly busy month for events, Pokémon or otherwise.

Goh: Boy, when they go for it, they go for it.

Me: This month seems to be a way of getting back for all those times that events and conventions were absent.

Ash: And I'm here in this one, right?

Me: Right you are.

Pikachu: Chu, pi pika. ["Hmm, interesting."]

Me: Since the event is brief, let's try to make things brief as well for this review. Before this one happens, I sent you on a Pokémon errand. How was that?

Ash: I got things going for you! I hope you like what I caught.

Me: Nice! After that, you should have gotten to the place of the event.

Ash: Oh! I know the place. You've sent me here a few times, the last time for an interesting one.

Goh: Did it have a clothing bazaar like last time?

Ash: It didn't - it seems this one was to celebrate a place to eat that just opened.

Goh: Oh, so a different purpose, but the same place.

Ash: But it looks like it has the same people as the club event I was sent to last month - even almost the same way things were held!

Me: That can't be a coincidence. To have the same things be held the same way, there must have been coordination.

Pikachu: Pika, pika chu pika. ["Yes, there had to be."]

Me: Speaking of, I tried to coordinate you for the singing competition but I was too late for that, sorry. So once again it's just the character parade, and like last time, it's something I don't have to break out.

Ash: My Kalos outfit! That's just fine. I'll do what I can.

Goh: I want to know what it's like before you got to do your stuff.

Ash: It was crowded when I was called to the backstage. The dance group was there, the place to eat was there - I think they were trying to cook live - and the characters were there.

Goh: Don't you think they were trying to do too much at once?

Me: That's definitely a sign. Things must have run late.

Ash: It did. I saw the schedule. Everything ended up late by an hour.

Me: Well, it can't be helped. How were things on stage?

Ash: I think I did just fine. But I didn't win anything.

Me: I guess that's to be expected when we're on short notice. Anything else I should know about?

Ash: I tagged along with more of your friends again. We had a nice time with everything!

Pikachu: Pika! ["Yeah!"]

Goh: How many friends do you have?

Me: A lot. If I told you, you probably wouldn't believe.

Ash: And this was a "X'Mas" party, so the entertainment had some of that.

Goh: Isn't it a little too early?

Me: It seems people are never too early for anything. So the verdict for this one is...

Ash: It was good! But it could be a lot better.

Goh: Maybe trimming things down a bit would help.

Me: Both of these I would agree with. Now, I want to go back to that Pokémon errand. For that, it actually continues tomorrow. Are you ready for that?

Ash: Sure!

Me: Make sure to get your Poké Balls ready.

One year ago: Pokémon Lectures?

Two years ago: Quibbles with Candy XL

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Weekend, 12/14/2019 and 12/15/2019

Four years ago: Raid Dramas

Five years ago: Hoenn Pokémon Are Go!

Performance Critique: CHoCoDays 2022 Fun Karaoke Challenge

Now that events and conventions are getting back into "the swing of things" to an extent, there are more opportunities for me to take part in competitions - which for me would be cosplay and singing - as before and to deliver great performances, the best I can muster. And if I can conjure up recordings of those performances, then I can also make personal critiques on them even though the moments have passed. And so I did, for one that happened on the very best of days just a few days ago.

On that day, I chose to perform "XY&Z" - something I've always had in mind, as two friends of mine had already covered and/or performed the song prior to me, and I didn't want to "lose out" to them. Faithful readers will note that I had actually performed the song before, close to two months ago, but that was a non-competitive "guest" performance, whereas this one was an actual competition; and a recording does exist of that... or would have, since it is now lost to the annals of time and data storage problems, and not on my end. Yet it didn't matter, since it wasn't perfect and could be considered "practice". This recent one, on the other hand, is undoubtedly even more than that, and competitive no less.

"Hey, Kalos wo terasu ano asahi no you ni..."

First up, there are always the good points. This time, I did not "blank out on" (fail to remember) what I needed to sing, unlike last time, where I had made an error in the "bridge chorus". The performance was another very much on-point performance, at least in terms of lyrics. The background image on the screen may also be considered a fortuitous and unplanned benefit. Although I could have submitted a video instead, I chose not to because of certain concerns, and yet the background image from where I got the karaoke version of the song was retained and displayed on the screen on stage. It effectively made use of the screen and enhanced my performance, which was perhaps a key point in this one.

The start of the "call-and-response" of the second verse.

Even so, I've watched and re-watched the performance (a number of times, believe me) and identified a few mishaps that I didn't count on, especially after rechecking myself and the song. One of these is a slightly early start in the middle of the second verse after the quiet part - but that seems to be so me today. Astute speakers of Japanese might also notice something a little odd in the first chorus, which is also repeated at the end after the bridge. The parts of the verses that are the "responses" to "calls" also may have turned out a little lower in pitch than I would like, but this seems to be an effect of my "stage range", which is something persistent beyond this performance.

The mid-song bridge and "break".

So, it seems that the performance isn't quite as perfect at further glances beyond the first. Yet in a way, I also managed to "gloss over" many of those imperfections during the performance, which made them less apparent... or else it can be said that I took a few acceptable "liberties" for the performance. In that way, it made the performance a good one, especially in terms of how it turned out, to make me one of the prize winners. I know that I once said that I would like to pursue both perfection and appreciation, but at least the "appreciation" part came first and I caught it, something that Vince Lombardi says is just as well. I may be able to contrive the "perfection" part later, with some creative ideas to modify the performance.

"ARIGATO GOZAIMASHITA!!"

The recording of this performance also makes it the first winning performance that I have a recording of, after years of recording ones that didn't win and failing to record winning ones. That makes the recording extremely valuable and a testament to my abilities to perform on stage. Of course, it will go up on my YouTube channel eventually... though I want to make it presentable as well in doing so. Having been beset by recording problems over the years, I'm considering ways to contrive recording solutions that are workable, independent, or both. The planning of this will surely have to proceed with the planning for other performances entered into competitions like this one.

It's amazing what and how much I've conjured up in the performance of this song. From the drive to stay level with my friends as well as to expand my capabilities, to the struggle of getting to sing the song properly, and the effort that was put in for the recent performance, all of that has begotten the best results that I've ever had. Some imperfect aspects still remain, but that may be up to be responded by later performances. For now, I can take this one to heart - even with self-criticism - and know that I can present great things on stage.

One year ago: Salim Group and Pokémon

Two years ago: Perking up Holidays, Pokémon Style

Three years ago: PvP: After One Year

Four years ago: Pokémon Asia McDonald's Happy Meal Toys, Waves 3 and 4

Five years ago: Balanced Systems Stimulate Civilization

My "Friend Experience" in Playing Pokémon Unite

I've had the experience of playing Pokémon Unite with many friends, and they all have different backgrounds and personalities while playing. Predictably, they all result in different experiences while playing the game, all of which have their own facets and quirks. I feel that others may want to know about them and to compare them to their own experiences of playing with their friends in the game. And so it is that I've decided to take a post to explain about those "friend experiences" that I've had for all to digest and comprehend, especially vis-a-vis their own.

There is a friend that I've played with for the longest time, and when I play with that friend, the experience is mellow but sometimes gets a little tense at the end. In a sense, that friend is also a good Pokémon fan, having been involved in several Pokémon matters - though not the main series games - and I've even thrown the name of that friend around on this blog. I find that whenever we play, the experience is always enjoyable no matter how the results of our matches turn out. It's something I look forward to, even if I'm not sure when we will be able to play together again.

A recent friend, meanwhile, offers a very different experience. When we play together, the session inevitably becomes quite tense, more so near the end of a match and especially ranked matches. That friend may be described as a "fledgling" Pokémon fan, with the barest of experiences with most things Pokémon - though that friend is also a partial authority on MOBA games, which definitely includes Pokémon Unite. Though the matches may turn out to be OK in some ways, the high tension that results from us playing together may be something we'd like to suppress.

Groups of friends are also no stranger to my experiences. One of the past groups I've played with had an overall pleasant demeanor, even as the results of our matches went up and down. I'm not able to discern much about their experience with Pokémon in general, but I'm sure they know different things that I also know and have experienced. From the few matches that we had at that time, we felt that we could try to understand each other as we played, even though we didn't for reasons of brevity. Likewise, though it may be hard to determine when we'll play next, I desire it somewhat.

More recently, I've had the chance to play with a different group of friends for the first time, which involves a masterful Pokémon Trainer in many Pokémon areas (including, of course, Unite) and a few other people who relate to the masterful Trainer - myself included certainly. The one match that I've had was rather cheery despite being a very tense ranked match, which was evidenced as we talked over voice chat, and it turned out in our favor. It was a completely different experience compared to the others above. While it may be hard to guarantee this will happen again, more plays should turn out in much the same way.

Different people will surely play Pokémon Unite with different approaches and react in even more different ways. This is evident without having to play with many different people as I have done, but in doing so, it is still an affirmation that every match and the reactions involved in those matches work out as such. Yet the interactions and reactions are still something I enjoy pursuing and discovering as much as I pursue and discover my progressions and skills in the game - and others can do so as well. It makes for a richer experience in knowing ourselves as we continue to deal with the game.

One year ago: "My Pokémon Collection" in Indonesia

Two years ago: On the Statistics for My Blog

Three years ago: Cosplay: Panniversary 3

Four years ago: Only for You, For Your Eyes Only

Five years ago: The First-Generation Surfing Theme

Monthly Goals in Café Remix

Of all the features that Pokémon Café Remix has, the one I'm about to discuss in this post might be the easiest to overlook. Yet it's still a vital part of the game as much as anything else in it, so I feel it has to be discussed to some extent. Each month, Café Remix has a set of established rewards that are called its "Monthly Goals" and earned by playing and collecting stars in various stages. As expected, the rewards change from month to month, although some rewards are essentially unchanging in some regard.

These goals are accessed from the main menu by tapping the upper-right corner, and they consist of a set of 30 rewards. More and more stars are needed to collect the rewards that are farther to the right, but with frequent play, all of the rewards should be able to be earned and then claimed. Individual rewards can be claimed at any time, but some (like Stamina Crystals) are best to be claimed when ready, as they automatically activate upon being claimed. Regardless, it is good to claim them as they are earned, and certainly within the month.

By purchasing the Premium Pass for the month, even more - and more effective - rewards can be earned. It is not necessary to purchase the pass as the primary "free set" rewards are sufficient for casual play or slightly above that, at least in my view, but those who do will unlock a secondary "premium set" of rewards that are greater and more effective as above. The pass may be purchased any time and the rewards may be claimed at any time as well, even after the "free set" is completed.

As for those rewards, they comprise among others the usual slew of experience tarts, useful "enhancers" like Heaping Helping Tickets and Delivery Tickets, and (in the past, at least) outfits for certain Pokémon. Of late, though, the "premium set" of rewards have started to include exclusive Pokémon that can only be gotten through purchase of the Premium Pass - certainly, as the purchase would be devalued otherwise. This is a segue into other relevant matters, but it is certain that the "premium set" rewards are something much more.

Each month of playing Café Remix presents a different challenge, but at least the rewards gained from the Monthly Goals may be of some use to overcome those challenges. Those who can throw money on a Premium Pass may even gain additional benefits for doing so. They remain useful insights for a feature that is neatly tucked away in a corner of the main menu of the game, yet which when accessed, ought to open up new possibilities for continuing to serve Pokémon as they visit the café. 

One year ago: Buying Games Ahead of Playing?

Two years ago: For the Sake of Something or Another

Three years ago: Putting Things on Hold

Four years ago: Local EX Raid (Double or Quits), 12/14/2018

Five years ago: Tears of Life... and Being Moved to Tears

Indonesia's Own Pokémon Event

In the past few days, I had suggested that Pokémon matters might become a bit more "happening", from an in-person Pokémon Go tournament (PvP, necessarily) to just other matters in general. A lot of that would have to do with my current locale - more specifically, my resident country - of Indonesia. And presently, it has a Pokémon event that can be said to be proud to be called its own, with a lot of benefits for a lot of players (Trainers) of contemporary Pokémon games and more.

That event would be called Pokémon Festival Jakarta, and as can be discerned, most of it takes place in the nation's capital and largest city. The festivities (ahem) actually kicked off five days ago on December 8 with great fanfare, and will run up to early next year on January 8. Specifically, its location is PIK Avenue, a shopping mall on the northwestern tip of the city, which could be quite reachable for some and somewhat distant for others; all in-person events and meetups will certainly occur there, and it comes complete with a bazaar for merchandise and relevant booths and activities, befitting its "festival" moniker.

For the festival, there is of course the game-related content. One of those is the PvP tournament as above, which was three days ago and was dubbed as an "Invitational". Unite didn't miss out either, and it had an Open tournament the next day after. TCG will have its spotlight soon enough with a national league tournament this weekend, while Community Day for Pokémon Go is certain to have its "live edition" as well. For those who can't get to the venue but do have Pokémon Go, they can still enjoy a local in-game event titled "Waktu Indonesia Nangkep" ("Capturing Indonesia Time"), which runs during the time of the festival and coincides with the addition of the namesake language support for the game.

Even so, there seems to be one glaring omission, and that would be for the main series games and the associated VGC tournaments. Though the festival image does feature the ninth-generation starters, which are presently on those games, there are no indications of the games' involvement. It may be that the problems of the country's past with these games still haven't been resolved (an issue for a separate discussion), even though they have their fans and valiant competitors, and they're the root of many things about Pokémon. It seems to leave something to be desired for those who do (or will) play them.

Still, no matter what is involved, a Pokémon event here in this country has to be a major affair for all its major fans, and this one is indeed as such, certainly becoming a precedent for major Pokémon events in the future. Right now, though, fans have an entire month (a little less at this point) to revel in all the things that the current Pokémon festival offers. The event does make it quite indicative that Pokémon affairs in this country are very much happening, and for fans, it can only and has to get better from there.

One year ago: The Bugs of Unite

Two years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Weekend, 12/12/2020 and 12/13/2020

Three years ago: Performance Critique: Pokémon Theme feat. Otaku

Four years ago: Trainer Battles Are Go!!!

Five years ago: Will You Be There?