Saturday, August 16, 2025

Everywhere and Nowhere

OK, so this sounds like it might tie into the "Pokémon Is Everywhere" discussions from the past few days, but it's more of a "bonus" since it's not about a particular thing, but more of my own thoughts about Pokémon situations, both mine and others. It's also structured by way of something that I occasionally bring up on this blog for all its relevance to me and possibly other affairs, including Pokémon. With that, the rather oxymoronic title provides the insights for how things will go down in this discussion.

The phrase is actually one of my "yearly themes" from way, way back before I started this blog. At that time, I felt like I was being constrained with my activities - which I was - but at the same time, I also felt like I could go anywhere with them. That applied to my Pokémon affairs, which at the time involved fewer games and forms of entertainment than today; I couldn't or did not have the leeway to go anywhere, but by partaking in the activities, I felt like I was somewhere else - a good feeling amidst all my business then.

Nowadays, as Pokémon becomes present in literally "everywhere", as indicated by the previous posts throughout this week, fans can revel in the Pokémon experiences wherever they may be, yet also revel for other fans around the world for their other Pokémon experiences. This would be even more so if they can't go to other places for that purpose... although they may and do indeed desire just that, for which there is nothing wrong with that. The "nowhere" impressions may be as equally strong.

With that, I still have the interest to partake in other worldly Pokémon experiences - one of them being to meet certain figures who are intimately connected to Pokémon, like a certain Sarah - to break out of my "nowhere" state and allow my reach to be able to go "everywhere". For now, I still have this blog, and that's an "everywhere and nowhere" situation in itself, allowing me to provide my takes on Pokémon happenings anywhere (like the World Championships) while being confined to be present in certain locations.

It might seem that being "everywhere and nowhere" is conflicting and thus would be regarded as an oxymoron, as stated previously. Yet the phrase itself seems to present opportunities for current and future happenings, which in the context of this blog includes ones related to Pokémon. That means that even in the middle of nowhere, there is the potential to reach "everywhere", at least in a satisfactory form until one can truly go anywhere and everywhere. The hope is that Pokémon can tag along to all that.

Four years ago: Thoughts of Cards, Again
Five years ago: The Age of Post-EX Raids?
Six years ago: Capital Convergence
Seven years ago: Getting Lucky with It
Eight years ago: I Want to Splurge
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Friday, August 15, 2025

It's Everywhere Competitors Want to Be

The last stop on this current "Pokémon Is Everywhere" tour is the grandest stop of all, since this weekend is the Pokémon World Championships, and Friday today is its first day, the day I cover the festivities. Now, this annual Pokémon agenda could be considered localized and routine after all these years, but on the other hand, it is always special no matter what the year is and in recent times it has wide-ranging impacts for Trainers not even at the venue. As such, I decided to "shoehorn" it into this "everywhere" week, regardless of it making perfect sense - and I've even remarked on it (by the title of this post) in a manner that the more affluent of Trainers will recognize.

As for the location of this year's edition, that would be in Anaheim, California, making it a return to the U.S. mainland (and this city, many years ago). The city is also known for it being "hip" (in some way) or being close to other centers of "hip" people (in one way or another), and so the Pokémon also get into the vibe. Notably, that is in the form of varsity jackets that evoke such a feeling by way of association with schools or colleges, and the representing Pokémon (including the de facto series mascot Pikachu) wear this attire for the vibes. Pikachu in particular is not only present in illustrations but also in merchandise form as well as in forms that the games can make use of... but that's for later.

Speaking of the games, the lineup remains consistent with main series VGC (the classic), physical TCG (the "handy"), Pokémon Go PvP (the blitz), and Pokémon Unite (the team-spirited). All the players - that is, the competitors - have certainly qualified to be a part of this event and to duke it out against others of similar caliber, including the representatives of my local area for all of these, which are still part of an entourage with good size. They'll all surely come out fighting in their battles, whether or not in the end they'll be on top.

Now, the World Championships have been in a bit of transition in recent times - besides with regard to the venue - to something enjoyable for everyone, including those who don't compete. For that, including last year's edition, people have been able to reserve Spectator badges as well as spots at a pop-up edition of Pokémon Center, in particular to buy that Pikachu with the varsity jacket outfit. And then there's the possibility of cosplayers being present, which I don't have to say that it would be a dream for me (and Ash) to be able to go there.

In some capacity, Anaheim is also known for a kind of magic that it offers for certain groups of people, in addition to that "hip" thing I keep droning about in this specific coverage. Whether it's magic or "hip", though, Pokémon benefits from that and especially for a grand tournament like this one, returning to that city after many years and certainly with new and modern twists for competitors and supporters alike.

Many players will still dream of competing here, and now many fans too might dream of coming here just for the fun of it. Either one is a great thing, but then it would be even greater to be able to make that dream come true. For those whose dreams have already come true and are here for either, then I wish good luck as always (for the competitors) and great fun (for supporters) in that "hip" and happening place.

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Thursday, August 14, 2025

More on the New PokéPark

As part of my "Pokémon Is Everywhere" series as a "gimme five", I also thought I'd bring up something that was earlier addressed in the most recent Pokémon Presents. Indeed, that would be the new PokéPark thing (PokéPark Kanto), which as I've said is not a game but an actual, real amusement park. Information on it is still a bit scanty, particularly from the video preview, but its extrapolation and discussion should be able to pad it out to an amount that would be as attractive as the real park itself.

Now, as stated, it won't be its own amusement park, but it will be a part of another: it will reside on 26,000 square meters of the Yomiuriland amusement park in Japan - so it will be home "at home". This parcel of land will be split into two areas, a town area (Sedge Town) and a forest area (Pokémon Forest), obviously having the potential for different Pokémon in each and reflecting life as it would be in the Pokémon world, for the people to enjoy and "have fun together" as stated by Junichi Masuda himself.

He further states that the Pokémon that will be present in the park will be insightful for people and broaden their horizons about the ways that the species live and interact - certainly among themselves and given the presence of people. Although it's called "PokéPark Kanto", the species from this region are not to be the only ones present; from the video, a couple of species from Johto as well as Garchomp from Sinnoh are present, so the inclusive potential of the park will be high for Pokémon fans of all ages. 

Finally, though the park will only open in the early park of next year, potential visitors will (or should) be able to reserve their tickets soon, as that will occur closer to the tail end of this year. Given that it's in Japan, they - at least those from international areas - will have to go through the usual hoops of arranging travel, accommodations, and so on in order to make the visit. There's still plenty of time before that happens, and plenty more if travel is for later, but it is still wise to make preparations for it even now.

If PokéPark Kanto is the realized vision of some people's dreams - and it seems to be, given some people's reactions as well as the CCO himself (Masuda) - then it will definitely be a worthwhile place to visit for those who happen to be or plan to go to Japan. More than that, even with it being hosted at its "home" in Japan, its appeal is still expected to be widespread just as Pokémon is already such right now, and that means it aligns with the "everywhere" concept of Pokémon that I presently pose.

Six years ago: Who's That...
Seven years ago: Worldly Reverence
Eight years ago: All in Good (Life)Time
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Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Isyana and the World of Pokémon

Being that Pokémon can be considered to be "everywhere", as the theme I've taken for five posts this week, it certainly has affected or influenced many people. Some of those people definitely can be those from all different corners of the world, including mine. One of those is someone who had risen to fame within the past decade or so and has become a well-known "pop diva" in the country. And as expected, that goes for Pokémon affairs as well.

Isyana Sarasvati is a female Indonesian pop singer whose prime musical activities started in 2014, with her first album released a year later. A few more albums and EPs followed in the years after, which showed off her talent and versatility. She also had a "big break" several years ago by singing the cover of a famous song to an originally animated feature in its live action form. This last bit is an affirmation of the above and is effectively the lead-in to Pokémon matters.

With regard to Pokémon, she appeared last year in a performance at one of the venues of PIJ in the "big city", which I (through Ash) had happened to see. Her outfit for the festivities was a black and yellow one, which was clearly inspired by Pikachu. Later on, for the local dub of the Horizons series of the anime, she contributed a song titled "Makna Dunia" ("The Meaning of the World"), which became the opening theme of that dub. Both of these are certainly significant endeavors.

As her musical style is diverse (recognized as a multi-genre artist) and her fashion sense is a little on the eclectic side, she might draw a bit of comparison to a certain world-famous artist with similar sensibilities, but that's not much for me to discuss. What is clear, though, is that those two qualities can and do make a perfect match with Pokémon, and that has become evident with what has happened. She has certainly left her mark with Pokémon, and more could be made.

Pokémon is already "everywhere" with consideration of many respects, for which place and people are two of those. That has applied well to Indonesia in the past few years, pervading the country in many ways - including for and with the musical artist above. Having a renowned artist like her contributing to Pokémon is a welcomed and fresh take, and that is just another part of the bigger world of Pokémon with an even bigger reach in this world.

Six years ago: The Changing of Boxes
Seven years ago: Toy Block Pokémon?
Eight years ago: Cosplay Briefings
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Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Shonen Jump Meets Pokémon

Next on the "Pokémon Is Everywhere" journey is a stop at a bastion of Japanese pop culture. The weekly Shonen Jump magazine features many of the series of Japanese manga (comics) that fans in said country and all over the world recognize and read in some way, shape, and form, which includes through the magazine itself. With that, Pokémon has encroached upon this space through a special collaboration with the magazine and its associated manga series.

The illustrators of the featured manga series in the magazine have recently come up with illustrations of their characters along with a Pokémon species that they might have. Some of them are even in their Mega Evolution forms, which makes sense because the collaboration is intended to promote the newest Pokémon TCG expansion that features such forms. Still, all of the featured Pokémon and series are significant for the authors and their readers.

One of these series is in fact the "flagship" series of the magazine and one that many people know: One Piece. It's also one that I enjoy and have brought up on this blog a few times alongside Pokémon. For the purpose of this collaboration, its main character Luffy is paired up with Pikachu, the de facto series mascot for Pokémon. The "flagship" theory for matching them up thereby makes sense, not to mention due to other commonalities.


All the Pokémon appear just as expressive as the characters they are paired up with, including the aforementioned Luffy-Pikachu combo. Yet it does seem slightly odd that the collaboration came up just as another TCG realm is having problems with its art. Disregarding this situation, all the Pokémon are still emblematic of the series and characters they're joined up with, as well as the fancy of the illustrators that make them what they are.

Collaborations of this scale don't happen often for Pokémon, but when they do, they can be wide-ranging as in this case with Shonen Jump, reaching out to many of its contributing illustrators to contribute their own Pokémon fancy in the style of their manga creations. In doing so, Pokémon ventures to a place where it doesn't normally go, and its "everywhere" status is furthered for the enjoyment of fans and beyond.

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Monday, August 11, 2025

(More on) Pokémon and Quiz Shows

For this month's "gimme five", which I've decided will be within the span of this week, I'm taking a topic instead of a subject. The topic is called "Pokémon Is Everywhere" and as expected, it deals with the spread of Pokémon to certain things, places, and even people - all of which will become evident over this week. The first of these is quiz shows; in the first year of this blog, I had mentioned one such show, but the discussed link to Pokémon was somewhat indirect. This time, I have a few more of these shows and their links to Pokémon, and they're more direct and involved.

Many quiz shows involve answers to questions... or in the case of Jeopardy!, the reverse is true. In fact, this is the show I referenced in a post about those very elements a few months back but not explicitly. As for how Pokémon is (or was) involved, one episode in the past had a distinct Pokémon category with other categories referencing species names; the former had clues that certainly dealt with franchise elements. An aside to this would be the show's current host, Ken Jennings, whose facial expressions may have a faint resemblance to Ditto as I see it, and was in fact the reference and inspiration for that post. While Pokémon might only sparsely appear on the show - although its Pop Culture version may provide still another outlet - at least the mark and reference to Pokémon has been made.

Back to answers to questions, they're the heart of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, the quiz show from UK to the world. Here too Pokémon and in particular the de facto series mascot Pikachu has been involved in a number of situations, either as questions or answers. Yet for some reason, most of the outcomes just don't seem to favor either the contestants or Pokémon itself through the question-answer relationship, which seems to be somewhat more than slightly unfortunate. Still, the presence of Pokémon here and above may be a testament that it is known outside of its direct circles and its elements make sense vis-a-vis general knowledge, which these two quiz shows offer in spades.

Perhaps in consideration of all this, Pokémon decided to concoct a quiz show of its own, as a web series called the "Gotta Catch 'Em All Game Show". It was streamed on Twitch a little while ago and became available on YouTube afterwards. Its particulars will have to be put up for discussion separately as they would exceed the limits of this post, but its mention at the least serves as an adjunct to the already-established quiz shows above, bringing a very specific Pokémon flavor and unique offering to the table.

Quiz (as a subset of game) shows will always be around to test the knowledge of contestants who compete in them, in return giving the people a good bit of entertainment. Pokémon is more closely associated with entertainment than knowledge, but a few of its aspects might just tie into (other) knowledge, and so its appearances on the quiz shows above seems validated, enough for fans and people in general.

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Sunday, August 10, 2025

Seeking for (My) Pokémon Unite Friends

If there is anything that is clearly understood about Pokémon Unite today, it is that it's a game for friends to play with friends - certainly being that it's very much a MOBA with maps that require three to five players. Of course, it is also clearly understood that the landscape of the game is very different today than it was when it started, including those who play the game, which also implicates the friends that are made by and for the game. I thought it would be fascinating to discuss and reflect on this, particularly by my own experience.

Those who play the game like me will probably have gotten their friends from being randomly matched up with others in the various of matches of the game. It is a quick and easy way of linking up with others as friends, especially for play within the short term, but it might not necessarily guarantee that they'll still be able to play in the long term. In my case, I've rarely encountered those who have become friends with me early on, so this seems to affirm such a state of affairs. Seeking for these friends now might be a case of futility, even if in the past they provided some utility; it's anyone's guess if that utility might become suddenly useful now.

Meanwhile, the rest of the friend lists might be composed of those who players have obtained through certain groups and especially added through the use of codes. Finding the groups and then the codes may not be the easiest thing, but inputting them to make friends is still the easy part. Yet even then, it may sometimes be hard to determine if the players that were sought in the past can still play in the present, much like the above. In fact, the same thing has been true for me as well, and the difficulty of seeking them to play now seems to have become as great as the difficulty of seeking them in the first place.

As for physical friends for playing the game, they might be the ones who are the hardest to seek and then play with, since they come and go, and the methods of contact may not have been ascertained. But as with other MOBA games, players will certainly meet them during tournaments and have the chance to make friends with them... which sadly hasn't happened for me, having never been to a physical tournament, but I do think it can and will happen someday, which would be good for continuing my game efforts.

Friends in the game can clearly be sought and gotten through various ways - some easy and some hard - though the act of playing with them afterwards may not be the easiest thing, even in my case. They're obviously still needed by the nature of the game and what it demands, so the challenge of seeking them for play is also an ongoing one, just like the changes in the game are ongoing for me and other friends.

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Saturday, August 9, 2025

Tournament: Local Gym Battle, 8/1/2025

I had almost forgot that a certain happening occurred a couple of weeks ago, and a few things hindered me from being able to cover it earlier as intended. It was only after looking back at an important aspect of it that I was promptly reminded that I hadn't covered it. So it is that a couple of weeks after the fact, I'm finally able to cover it as intended in order to take up space on this blog... but also to broaden my horizons of Pokémon itself.

That happening would be a Gym tournament that is (was) set up by my local group of players, the same one that hosted another nearly a year ago. This time, it was a more casual ("friendly") tournament, so I didn't have to use my TCG account, but the paid entry requirement and what I get in return out of that was still the same - though obviously the cards are different, due to the progressively changing nature of the TCG.

For that, I was also set up with a different deck based on Ethan's Pokémon (who in Japanese is named Hibiki), specifically the Cyndaquil species family, along with other tricks provided by the Gimmighoul family and Fezandipiti, to name a couple. I had seen parts of it by having logged in to TCGL recently, so I was already slightly familiar with it; it took this meetup and the tournament for me to get familiar with the rest of the deck, especially the play mechanisms that the deck very much relied upon - not to mention the local cards.

With that, the tournament proceeded with four Swiss rounds... and I lost twice and won twice. However, of the two wins, one was a bye (by the odd number of competitors), and in the other, the opponent forfeited; as for the losing rounds, they were sound losses due to me not being able to take advantage of some of the parts of the deck due to oversight of my own or technicality not of my own. In fact, in the second of the losing rounds, the Fezandipiti card ended up in the worst place possible, which would of course be the Prize Card pile.

A friend, who graciously set me up with the deck, says that it's one of the simpler decks to deal with at present, and I'm inclined to agree. Even so, with the way of the deck being what it is, I'd still need to deal with its finer points a bit more, and that's a task that the TCGL platform should be up to the task for, especially with regard to collecting the necessary cards. After that, it's the way I play that will make or break a deck - although it always seems more of the latter.

Being that I had two wins (by technicality) and two losses, I was close to the middle of the standings in sixth place, in the middle among those with the same results. That still had no bearing on the booster pack and special card, which were given to me regardless. In fact, these items were indeed the things that prompted (and reminded) me to finally make this post, even a couple of weeks after the fact.

Even with subpar results, I still managed to make it to a meetup of my local TCG player group and play with them after some time. Incidentally, this one had more than a few people who I know very well, who would be some good friends of mine. That may very well be the important thing aside from having a chance to deal with the cards.

Overdue as this post is, it's still a significant Pokémon happening and experience for me, as an infrequent player and collector of the TCG. The understanding I possess at least helps me to scrape through in situations like these while having a good time with friends, which evidently has happened with this Gym battle edition.
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Friday, August 8, 2025

Album: Pocket Monsters Sound Anime Collection

I've actually never done a discussion about a full Pokémon album, let alone one that is of Japanese origin; I have always preferred to discuss individual songs or music pieces instead for all their significance. In this case, though, the whole is more than just the sum of its parts, and thus I've decided to discuss the entire album as a single post. So, the album is called "Sound Anime Collection" because it's effectively the soundtrack to the Kanto saga of the Pokémon anime, certainly with the unabbreviated name of the franchise. Yet it has a few finer points, which are to be elucidated by way of this discussion.

For starters, the album is "bookended" by two Japanese theme songs from the anime, as the ever-popular "Mezase Pokémon Master" in its full version and another titled "Pocket Ni Fantasy" in a cut version. The former is also the album's only music track that is significantly over two minutes long, as the rest of the album is made up of practically the entire musical suite for this saga - 40 tracks in all, many of which should be familiar to viewers on both sides of the pond for their extensive use in the episodes.

Notably, each of the 40 tracks contain audio commentary - specifically, spoken - in Japanese following a "ping", which might not be of interest for those not fluent in the language. Some fans might be interested in having versions of these tracks without the audio commentary for pure listening purposes, and that's something good to go for. These tracks are also subdivided into 16 "chapters" of tracks with certain themes of journeys and adventures, including ones associated with Team Rocket, covering all the bases.

Speaking as a matter of fact, this album also can be regarded to be a complete collection of the music for any segment of the Pokémon anime. Actual background music pieces from different segments or sagas of the anime seem either hard to find or incomplete, or perhaps even both. As such, the existence of this album with all its music tracks is somewhat a rare wonder for even Pokémon itself, with specific regard for the anime. The commentary is a plus for those who might want to dig deep into the music.

As far as the album is concerned, it's a treasure trove for those interested in the Pokémon anime and specifically the music used in it - at least for the earliest of ventures in this regard. The whole of this album may be considered to focus on the background music tracks, which is very true, but it's the other niceties on the album as well as its comprehensiveness that make it more than what it is, making it fit for a discussion.

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Thursday, August 7, 2025

Delving into Team Rocket's Motto

Though they now have also departed from the Pokémon anime along with Ash, the villainous trio that is Team Rocket may still be on some fans' minds, including this one. Having been reminded of them, I've decided to gloss over something that is characteristically theirs: the motto they recite practically almost every time they appear. Though the motto is geared toward less savory deeds, there may be room to interpret its terms in a better light, which becomes the point of this post. 

While the initial part of the motto remains "dicey", at least the middle parts of the motto have that possibility for better interpretations. The objective of "protect[ing] the world from devastation" is certainly a prerogative - especially with consideration of today's real world - for continuing the team's efforts, at least if those haven't led to actual "devastation". Then, "to unite all peoples within our nation" becomes a very utopic objective, which as fans of other speculative fiction can attest, it becomes very difficult to achieve, whether with good or evil.

Continuing on, "to denounce the evils of truth and love" is actually a pretty good objective, knowing how truth and love in the real world has evils of their own. For "extend[ing]... reach to the stars above", that's an objective that's always on par with efforts in space exploration, in both the Pokémon world and otherwise. After that, it's just a matter of "blast[ing] off at the speed of light"... and as with the beginning, the last part doesn't really matter for a "better light". Overall, the room for that interpretation seems to be quite wide.

As an aside, it has been said that the form of the motto is actually "misread" by the trio (to a certain extent), which means that the motto is not in true form... making the one read by Cassidy and Butch to be reputedly more true in form as well as "sinister", leaving no room for a "better light" interpretation. That might also explain why quite a bit of the motto as above can be rendered with the "better light" interpretation, perhaps becoming a reflection of the "better side" of the members, given their backstories.

Even if further stories of the Team Rocket trio may not be heard anymore, some of the stories they leave behind are still worth looking into, like the motto they frequently recite by way of their frequent appearance. It might seem that the story of this motto presents an oddity with them being villainous, intending that in the motto yet having the chance for it to be seen in a better light. In a more perfect world, that "better light" may just be theirs for the taking... but until that is realized, trouble and a fight are still on the menu.

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Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Measuring Up Costs (and Travel) for Pokémon Go

It's somewhat obvious by now that for Trainers to get somewhere in Pokémon Go, at least some spending may be in order. The problem may be in quantifying at least some of that spending for what it takes to do just that - travel, get somewhere. With that, I thought I'd take on this topic and provide my own takes for that quantification, to measure up costs for the game and undertaking its activities with the results of those activities.

For example, today is a Wednesday, meaning that there is a Raid Hour. I can choose to deal with that with others in my immediate vicinity, but that can't happen since they're absent. This means I'd have to travel to a place where I can cooperate with others - and there's certainly a cost for that. The specific costs of getting to that place (and then back) may be considered a quantifier of how many raids I should battle in at the very least to get the most out of the travel. This would also include the free passes, which would be quantified equal to a Premium Pass for this purpose - but that's my personal take.

Considering the above, paying more for a trip to go somewhere to play Pokémon Go - like for a special event such as Pokémon Go Fest - would certainly dictate that one would need to go through more activities (raids, Max battles, Egg hatches, and the like) compared to if one didn't go or had alternative arrangements. As for where remote passes fit into this situation, since they can be used anywhere and anytime, they may be considered as "extras" to whatever costs that one incurs for playing Pokémon Go, particularly the travel or transport.

Speaking of, since transport cost is absolute, irrespective of whatever discounts were incurred for that, it is also wise to consider game items in their full costs (also irrespective of discounts) relative to that cost. That would mean getting the at least the same money's worth of items as travel, and then certainly to exceed that to a certain acceptable amount to ensure the worth. It's a bit hard to explain from this point onward, but the gist should be clear that there is an incentive to make parity between play and travel costs.

At any rate, spending seems to be paramount to any accomplished achievements in Pokémon Go, whether for the in-game items or moving from place to place to do the things that make those accomplished achievements possible. The logical step from there is to quantify them and ensure that they're (at least) on par with each other and with the efforts that one takes to do that. It's a challenge that is as challenging as the game itself.

Three years ago: Cosplay: "Seventeen Fest"
Five years ago: The Look of Pikachu
Six years ago: There Is Always a Way
Seven years ago: (More) Plastic Poké Balls
Eight years ago: Cosplay: Tomodachi 2
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Tuesday, August 5, 2025

The Little Big Problems of TCGP

As discussed in the preview for the latest expansion to enter TCGP, this newest addition has a happening that didn't happen as it should, resulting in a "vagueness". Not only that, it also becomes a problem - and a big one at that - for this fledgling TCG platform. As it turns out, not everything has been perfect for this game either, with other little issues prior to the current happening. This post serves to discuss all of that, with a bit of a significant emphasis on the former since it's so profound for the game, not to mention Pokémon itself.

The big problem concerns the "immersive" three-Star cards in the expansion for Lugia and Ho-Oh. Their art, which includes the "immersive" animation, was found to have problems of - dare I say - "authenticity", and was pulled within mere hours prior to the expansion's release; it was replaced with a colored background showing the words "New Art Coming Soon", and going into the animation results in a brief black screen. As indicated, both of these cards will have new art (and conceivably animation), but only time will tell when that will happen. It's a really major issue impacting a really major part of the game's experience, and it has become a literal meme weeding into other areas of Pokémon, including a Pokémon Go infographic. In a way, it's "ridiculous" as well since it couldn't have been developed right in the first place.

Meanwhile, other issues in the game - that have been resolved since - are (or were) much more benign. They involved problems of translated texts for the cards not showing up properly for some people or in some circumstances, graphic issues (but minor ones) for some cards and effects applied to those cards, and a few gameplay oddities where certain cards were in play. Overall, if players never heard about them - or had experienced them directly - they might have not known that there were issues. The exception would certainly be the card art above, which definitely affects everyone and anyone playing the game - and, unfortunately and evidently, those who are "neighbors" to the game as well.

Compared to the bugs or issues in TCGL as the other virtual Pokémon TCG platform - and the one that reflects physical play - the ones here are or were not really game-breaking, but again, they do have their impact on the game's experience. Players in TCGL could obviously carry on before these bugs were fixed (and certainly after), unlike in TCGP, where carrying on may not have been feasible. Yet every bug or issue, minor or major, deserves and necessitates to be fixed, and the efforts in both of these games are certainly ongoing as they are also updated, in particular for the currently discussed case of TCGP. 

Every game will certainly have its share of bugs and issues that demand attention for their scope as well as ways of fixing them. In the case of the TCGP platform, its time seems to be at hand and majorly so with the visual problem above. Given how past issues are rectified, there is no doubt that the visual issue will also be rectified - somehow and whenever - and that will remain a due process for this game.

Three years ago: The Hisui Cup of GBL
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Monday, August 4, 2025

Collecting Stars in Café Remix

By now, those who play Café Remix should be quite familiar with the action of collecting stars as they complete different kinds of puzzles. It seems like an obvious action, but there's also a few more related things and finer points about and involving this action that deserve at least some explanation. It might also help and inspire others to make more progress within the game, which is why I've decided to write up about it.

First up, for those who haven't realized it, stars are essentially items as well. While they're marks for achievements in orders (stages), they can be accumulated, as in the case of main order stars (seen in the Past Orders screen) and for the Monthly Goals or Special Passes (seen in the respective screen). The earned stars are equivalent to however many are earned for completing an order or stage, and if they happen to be from Staff Training and multiple Stamina Shards were used, they'll be multiplied accordingly; this latter bit is especially useful for those who need lots of stars right away. Because they're items, they can be collected outside orders too - but this is more of a special case to be explained shortly.

Stars effectively come in two colors, yellow and blue. Yellow is pretty much reserved for stars that are collected from main orders, including ones that haven't been collected by replaying them through Past Orders and earning them. Blue is for the stars obtained through Staff Training, event orders, and other means outside orders, particularly for use in the Monthly Goals or Special Passes. In any case, yellow stars also contribute to those tracks just like blue stars do, so those efforts do not go in vain - as long as they're made.

The means of earning stars outside of orders is the Collect the Stars Challenge, which presently runs at the beginning and the end of the month (previously, it ran only at the end of the month). Completing its tasks allows one to earn many stars for the tracks as above, even more than from certain orders. The challenge is certainly directed for those who rarely open up the game - furthermore taking part in its run of events - allowing them at least to earn things from the tracks and especially if they paid for things like the monthly Premium Pass. Outside of this, stars have to be collected through the conventional manners as above.

Collecting stars is part of the usual routine for Café Remix and is evident in many ways. But then again, a few parts of it might not be so evident, and it helps to elucidate them in order to be able to take advantage of them for certain gameplay purposes. Regardless, the purpose of obtaining stars as best as possible remains the primary directive.

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Sunday, August 3, 2025

Quickies: What Would Professor Oak Build?

Sometimes, one may need to make do with the things that one has in order to perform specific tasks. This state of affairs might also apply even to Pokémon Professors, with all the things that they do. Every Pokémon fan will recognize Professor Oak, who can be attested to be very knowledgeable, yet is sometimes a little "janky" as well; he might be considered the perfect (and foremost) candidate for having to make (build) things out of practically nothing in order to deal with problems that occur in the area of his laboratory and beyond.

For example, it may be necessary for the professor to keep two distinct groups of opposing Pokémon separate from themselves and even himself while he deals with them for purposes of studying them. Fences and/or separate rooms may already work well for this purpose, but it's also that he will need something more for this purpose. That probably could mean building an effective form of diversion (like artistic arrangements of everyday objects) to get the Pokémon to forget about their separation and confinement, let alone about attacking each other. It's a fascinating challenge and one that the professor may have to readily tackle.

Meanwhile, it is somewhat well-known that some (of Ash's) Pokémon are quite "attached" to the professor, so he would often need to keep them in check while the professor does other activities that don't necessarily involve these Pokémon. That doesn't necessarily mean separating and distracting them as in the previous case, but it could mean having something to make sure that they keep themselves in line and still get what they need - for example, a "feeding time" activity using a Pokémon feeder along with other items that accomplishes the purpose of providing them sustenance while keeping them entertained.

The above situations might be somewhat idealized, yet they are also somewhat realistic given the demands of the activities of Professor Oak. Being a Pokémon Professor who knows a lot about the ways of Pokémon might demand him to combine that knowledge with that of other ways of life in deterministic ways. The question as posed in the title of this post then becomes a way to reflect on all of the knowledge that the professor poses while at the same time being able to express his "janky" side that works and plays well with many other Pokémon.

Two years ago: Let's Go on Routes
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Saturday, August 2, 2025

TCGP: Looking for Sky-High and Deep-Sea Wisdom

The recently continued pumping out of expansions in Pokémon TCGP game has been amazing and sensational, as described previously. Yet it seems to also give pause, in that there is the concern that some things are not (as) happening as they should be. For that, it appears that the latest expansion may (need to) invoke an introspection of some sort, to look for insights. The given places to look for those insights are the deepest sea and the highest sky, and that becomes the heart and soul of this new expansion.

"Wisdom of Sea and Sky" is aptly the title of this expansion. For those who haven't figured it out by the clues above, the highlight Pokémon of this expansion are the Legendary duo from Johto: Lugia and Ho-Oh. Appropriately, most of the other Pokémon in this expansion are also from the region of concern. As with previous expansions, these two Pokémon have golden cards of the Crown rarity and immersive cards of the three-Star rarity... which has been clear in previous ones but now has a "vagueness" to it.

Meanwhile, there are 161 numbered cards in this expansion, which is quite a lot, and it makes it practically a major one. Besides new Pokémon species, there are also a few new Pokémon Tool cards as well as Trainer cards with truly new and wild effects; then, there is the usual boatload of full art cards and Shiny Pokémon cards, padding out the expansion to over 240 cards. This new expansion might keep players busy for quite some time and developers for a bit more due to a certain regrettable state.

For that, regrettably, the above concern has been proven true. The "vagueness" I also referred to above concerns two of the highlight cards for the highlight Pokémon species, and unfortunately, they are the most "highlighted" cards as well. The rest of the details I actually want to save for a discussion in a separate post along with other goofs that the game has had up to the present. It seems rather apropos ill-timed for such a major goof to happen with a scintillating title for an expansion, but that's the way these cards fell.

Considering other aspects aside from the goof, this is a great expansion that many players will have surely waited for with its two highlight Legendary Pokémon, now being here in (almost) true form in the same TCGP style. There's a lot of wisdom to be taken from these two Pokémon, where they reside, and everything in between those levels, with the rest definitely coming from the fallout of the goof. The next step is then introspection to make these cards and later ones the best they can be, wherever they are.

Three years ago: (This Is) Just the Start
Five years ago: Let There Be No Lies
Six years ago: Topic Balancing, Again
Seven years ago: The Music of Magikarp Jump
Eight years ago: Pokémon Is Everything
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Friday, August 1, 2025

On Making the Winning Moves

Something that is common to Pokémon species and the games they appear in is that they use moves of all different kinds and types. Of course, not all of these moves have good results, and some of their necessary qualities are questionable. Yet the fact of the matter is that some of these moves can truly be the keys to victory, and those would be considered good and necessary. Those moves are then the subject of this discussion with regard to their properties and in particular their execution.

Quite a few of these moves are big and explosive - in fact, most (moves that are) Charged attacks in Pokémon Go are like that, and they often finish up a battle with a victor for the side that used one. As for the moves that actually bear these characteristics, being Self-Destruct and Explosion, they may only rarely get their use as finishing ones and in particular winning ones due to their effects, but they might just work out that way in some rare situations. In either case, things may just work out.

Moves that become winning moves, however, may just result in that way as a result of other moves - perhaps, through a "calculated" approach. Dream Eater as a successful winning move would require a cascade of earlier moves that result in a Sleep status for the one the move is inflicted on. More broadly, some winning moves may be the way they are due to stat changes, like those from Flame Charge as a direct contributor or Acid Spray as an indirect one instead. The process is then just as important as the move.

Then, there is a saying out there that a winning move may not be to make any move, which is a respectable manner for certain contexts that involve specific conflicts. In the main series, HP drain of a defending Pokémon by a status might just be the crux of a victory if an attacking Pokémon chooses to go defensive instead. By and large, though, moves have to be made in Pokémon battles, and something eventually has to give, resulting in definite wins and losses that the moves make to happen in their ways.

Whether the moves are good or necessary (or both), they essentially become, well... "essential" to the turnouts in Pokémon battles and in particular for a victorious one. They still depend on their properties to result in massive outright damage, minor "calculated" damage, or even just "collateral" damage, possibly among other situations as well. It's certain that Pokémon species will have their moves, and that much can be depended on, even if the results of the battles themselves may not be as dependable.

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Thursday, July 31, 2025

The State of Nominations, Part 35

Being that the end of the month is at hand, and being that it's been two months since the last one, it's time to update on how my nominations for new PokéStops in Pokémon Go have progressed. I always strive to have some progress before I make the update, and there has been at least a little bit of that. Perhaps, depending on the (relative) scale of that progress, it might also be considered a lot of progress even if it doesn't look like it amounts to that.

Speaking of amounts, there are the hard numbers to get to as usual. With this update, I have 179 Accepted nominations, which is an increase of 7 from last time. Then, the number of Not Accepted nominations remains at 66, keeping it in check while the former keeps increasing. The progress is relatively minimal - being in the single digits - but the results may turn out great for Trainers in the areas of concern with the new PokéStops.

The most significant progress may be that I've checked all of my Accepted nominations and determined their presence. I've found that 164 are actual (live) PokéStops, while 7 of them have not been found (that is, are absent), and 8 of them have been found as Power Spots instead, disappearing and appearing with time. While the resolution of the former as the latter may almost be a certainty, it still helps to keep both of these separate for now.

For newly made nominations, I've dumped 5 more into the Wayfarer system, and they're going to go through the usual In Queue and In Voting hoops to determine their resolution... yet it seems that some of these could already have their resolution be determined, which might be a major hurdle. That seems to also apply to their preparation, which always seems to be dumped only just before I make this update; it's something that I hope could be changed.

With the way that PokéStop nominations are, it seems that progress may indeed be expected in amounts of "a little" or "a lot", as well as depending on the perspective that one views them in. For the current update, it is very well that the nominations have continued to proceed and the successful ones have been qualified. It's certainly something to look into in the period between now and when the time comes to make these updates again.

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Wednesday, July 30, 2025

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 7/30/2025

If past years are of any indication, July tends to be a "hot" month for Pokémon Go, whether it's coming and going off its traditional anniversary celebration or the annual festive celebration that is Pokémon Go Fest. That is in fact still true for this year, even with Go Fest all in the previous month - and then there's the anniversary in this one. With the end of the month at hand, it's definitely time to roll them up in order to see what went on. 

Certainly, the month kicked off with the Anniversary Party event from July 1 to 6 - concluding right on the day. Joining the celebration this year were Ivysaur and Venusaur with party hats - meaning that the existing Bulbasaur with a party hat can now evolve into these - as well as a Gimmighoul with a special coin and background (through Field Research) plus regular Shiny ones. They're joined by other first partners in the wild and Field Research encounters, plus Pikachu and Eevee with hats in raids. In Timed Research, a free set offered items and more encounters, while a paid set through the event ticket offered even more. Those who haven't gotten the Special Research set for a Shiny Jirachi can also purchase it and enjoy extended bonuses along with those who have. Other bonuses pertained to increased friendship perks, Gimmighoul perks, increased Shiny chances for Pikachu and Eevee from raids, overworld party hat surprises, and "daily double" perks. Other novelties of the event were new avatar items (a party hat and wristbands) and new stickers, making for a particularly massive celebration.

Where Go Fest goes, Ultra Unlocks will surely follow, and the first one of these was an event called Hisui Celebration from July 8 to 13. Certainly, all the Pokémon were of this dynamic region, including the debuting Hisuian Zorua family. The rest of the Pokémon were found in the wild and raids, including dimensional guests through space-time anomalies (appearing every few hours) and Unown U in raids; they're also encountered through Field Research and the subject of two Collection Challenges. For bonuses, catch XP and Stardust were quadrupled, and Hisuian Qwilfish and Voltorb plus Unown U had their Shiny chances increased. A Raid Day for Hisuian Lilligant on July 12 added to the festivities of this region's wonders.

More celebrations followed the above, by the Water Festival event from July 15 to 20. This returning event brought back favorite Water-type Pokémon (including scarf Lapras) through the wild, raids, and Field Research encounters, and introduced the "sushi dragon" that is Tatsugiri (by raids), with each of its three forms being regional and inspiring new avatar items. They were complemented by bonuses of extended Rainy Lure Modules, more Candy for better throws, increased Shiny chances for Staryu and Tirtouga, and backgrounds for some scarf Lapras from raids. Three Collection Challenges put Trainers through a watery time, and the event ticket had a paid Timed Research with bonus items and Pokémon plus a pose. Topping things off was a return of Gigantamax Lapras through a Battle Day on July 19 (but without a scarf) that brought harmony and wonder through this regular event.

As an intervening event, the Summer Concert was held from July 19 to 22. Every evening on those days from 5 PM to 8 PM, Lure Modules were extended to one hour in length and attracted some musical Pokémon, one of which is Chatot with increased Shiny chances. Field Research also had tasks that rewarded Spinda encounters with all patterns except the heart pattern. Being a concert, selected pieces from Junichi Masuda also played during that time and allowed Trainers to be entertained while they continued their regular play.

Next on the Ultra Unlock agenda was the Steel and Scales event from July 22 to 27. True to its name, it featured Pokémon of the Steel and Dragon types, and this brought in the Honedge family as a debutant in raids and Go Battle League encounters, the latter continuing beyond the event. Select species of the above types made themselves present in the wild, raids, and Field Research encounters, and became the subject of Collection Challenges; Stardust and XP were quadrupled from captures, and Shiny chances were increased for Bagon, Beldum, and the returning Unown U. The event's final days (July 26 and 27) also brought in Dynamax Latias & Latios as a Battle Weekend throughout both days, serving as a supreme and friendly finale to a week of some potentially strong Pokémon.

The last event of the month takes things into the next, as Adventure Week started on July 29 and will proceed to August 3. With bonuses of double XP for captures and two-hour Incense, this becomes the venue for the debut of the Toedscool species family in forest and grassland habitats (plus Shiny Wiglett in beaches), while certain Pokémon will appear more frequently in others along with rare appearances. Field Research has usual item and encounter rewards, while Timed Research has special rewards in a free set and extra-special rewards in a paid set by the event ticket. This one can be said to encapsulate the spirit of Pokémon Go.

Of all the months in the year, the "hot" quality of July has always been evident for Pokémon Go, and it's especially true for this year, with events pertaining to passing Go Fest festivities, its anniversary celebration, and other special offerings for Trainers in the game. Their goings-on may just be the way that Trainers need to keep going on here.

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Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Under a Cloudy Sky

Trainers of Pokémon Go will definitely recognize the Cloudy weather, which becomes the time for Pokémon of the Fairy, Fighting, and Poison types to appear in greater numbers as well as greater strength. It might be a frequently encountered kind of weather in certain parts of the world, one of which happens to be my corner of the world. At times it might be a fine weather to have, although it can get a bit dreary, and that makes it something from which insights can be drawn, especially right this moment, for Pokémon or otherwise.

For some reason, today has been a rather cloudy day, and Pokémon Go has reflected that mostly well through the in-game weather and appearing species - save for Spotlight Hour, for which today is the occasion. The Pokémon of the three expected types above came out to be caught, along with "guest" Pokémon of other types. The (real) cloudy weather might have been the dreariness that it was, but at least the in-game weather was pleasant enough for its purposes, and so were the Pokémon that appeared to make that so.

Regardless, the cloudy sky might have provided a few other indications - for Pokémon and beyond - that I needed to be (or should have been) aware of. In particular, that would mean being on the lookout for the wiliness of some Pokémon of the mentioned types above while seeking the comfort of others of the same types. It is said that even on a day where no rain falls, which might be like this cloudy, tears are still shed; in this case, they could be by the happenings or by the recall of better times on non-cloudy days.

Some days will inevitably be cloudy ones just like this day, and the gloom may be as much in the mind as it is in the clouds that hang over in the sky. Yet as evidenced by Pokémon matters, some Pokémon can enjoy and take advantage of those days with cloud cover, and their human counterparts can do so as well. That would make it a fine weather for all who are involved, despite all the dreary impressions; they might just be left in the mind, and under the same skies, all things go around, in and out of Pokémon matters.

Now, it seems I may need to excuse myself to deal with some other "cloudy" matters...

One year ago: Crossover Holowear?
Four years ago: P25 Music for Life?
Five years ago: The Values of Posts
Eight years ago: Under 100 Hours?
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Monday, July 28, 2025

Dealing with Losing Streaks in Pokémon Games

Any game with battles and thereby results of wins and losses is prone to generate streaks of either one, the latter unpreferable and the former quite the opposite. Many Pokémon games of the present day obviously have this property, and every once in a while, losing streaks do come up - even to the best. Given how evident and ubiquitous this is, and especially to yours truly recently, I thought I'd write up about it and in particular how to regard or deal with it when it does happen.

In some games, it is possible to switch play modes and complete other objectives, even if the primary objective is not fulfilled. The Go Battle League in Pokémon Go, for example, often offers more than one format, and one of these might just be able to break losing streaks that may just be incurred by another. Meanwhile in Pokémon Unite, although Ranked matches only really come in one form, at least other matches can help to achieve other objectives without having to incur more Ranked matches if a losing streak does occur.

For those who play the main series and VGC, the format is likewise a straight-through matter, so a losing streak might also be quite tiresome. In that case, it may be time to try to raise other viable Pokémon and/or (in more recent installments) take on raids with friends. Something like Café Remix may not have losing streaks per se, but subpar results on certain stages may present themselves like losing streaks, and they might prompt a play shift to other kinds of stages for a possible rethinking. In short, it's the shifting that matters.

When all else fails, though, it may be that if losing streaks continue to occur (specifically in one game), it may be time to shift to other Pokémon games and/or entertainment - or possibly even others outside of that - to refresh perspectives. And if that's not enough, then it may be necessary to do other things and/or take (relaxing) breaks, just as in the case of when one is fed up with other things in life. After that, things might just make themselves clear and one can then shift back to whatever it is that generated a losing streak.

The ways of battling games, like many Pokémon games are, are likely to result in wins and losses depending on what happens - and sometimes runs of either. It's the latter that becomes the most excruciating part of the efforts for these games, and the sure chances of them occurring also needs sure ways of dealing with them. Fortunately, those same Pokémon games may also offer ways to do that in addition to normal life ways, and they merit consideration for when things do get hairy.

One year ago: Cosplay: Arto Fest
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Sunday, July 27, 2025

Cosplay: I-Zone @ Chifest

Me: And wouldn't you know it, there's a festival today.

Goh: It's as if you timed it right.

Ash: That works.

Pikachu: Pi pika. ["Seems like it."]

Me: Yeah, uh... So anyway, this one might be somewhat different even for Ash this time around. It starts with a visit of certain "friends" in another place for some things.

Goh: Aren't they still "hot" with you? Um, "cold" to you, rather?

Me: Well, there was still free food to be had, and you know I don't like wasting food.

Ash: They really did. But then the early things dragged on a bit...

Me: Oh. Well, let's get on with the festival, then, and I'll leave this other matter for later.

Ash: So I got there (a bit late), and it was really like a big festival - at a big school! But it was also a bit... different?

Me: According to what I can find, this is actually a Chinese festival - the school is like that, you see - but they chose to have a "Japanese day" for its second day. It's a two-day thing too.
 
Goh: Let me guess - it's for bringing in people.

Me: Probably so. Anyway, since you came late, you missed a lot of the early stuff... 

Goh: ...but it looks like they're all dance groups, by the schedule here.

Ash: I guess I didn't miss much, then.

Me: That much is true, and it explains why today was called "I-Zone" (using part of "idol", of course). I hope you didn't miss meeting my other friends, though.

Ash: I met them, and I was with them for the rest of the day.

Pikachu: Pika pika. ["As usual."]

Goh: How about the stands?

Ash: A lot of them were food stands! I wish I could eat all of them. But I did try a couple of things.

Me: I do too, but we have to hold back for one reason or another. At least the ones you tried should be good. 

Ash: Yeah! And then the communities were all in the back. A lot of people gathered there.

Goh: That's nice. Also, I see "awarding" in the schedule. That must mean there was a competition.

Ash: There was, for characters - I think it was like last week, but I wasn't sure if I'd be included. I don't think I got in since I wasn't called.

Me: That's OK. It might make sense due to you (us) being late.

Ash: So everything was great! But then, yeah, there was the free food thing from your "friends", and the place was a bit far, even if it was still in town.

Me: I wouldn't blame you. I've only been there once for another purpose, and I'd prefer not to go there unless I really need to, like for this thing by sending you.

Goh: Oh, by the way, what outfit did you wear this time? We didn't talk about that last week either.

Ash: My Kalos outfit. But I think our friend needs to fix it up a little.

Pikachu: Chu pika... ["I see it..."]

Me: I noticed that too. I'll see what I can do.

Goh: This day was a mixed bag of things - the same seems to go for the festival.

Ash: Yeah. But the "friend" thing and the festival things worked out. 

Goh: I think you'd have spent more time in one or the other if they weren't together.

Ash: Sure. 

Me: Time seems to be always of the essence, whether it's this festival or other things.

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Saturday, July 26, 2025

Odd Pokémon Items from Conventions

Aside from matters of meeting people and cosplay (IC: "characters"), I also get - mostly through Ash - a few odd things (but still related to Pokémon) from time to time. In this case, "odd" does not mean "weird", but disjointed or unrelated, like the contents of some drawers in some homes - even I have some. As a result, sometimes I don't know what to do with them or how I'd put them up on this blog for discussion - the latter until now. I thought of rounding them all up in one post as the odd things that they are.


Seen here are three kinds of those odd things. Perhaps the oddest thing would be the Team Rocket sticker that features the well-known trio from the anime, inset in a large "R" and illustrated in a monochromatic line-art style. It's a very expressive sticker, though it's not one that I would have chosen by myself for my own collection - hence introducing another oddity element. Regardless, through a convention, the sticker is now in my possession, and it's still a Pokémon thing to be appreciated.

The next odd thing would be the mini figure of Pikachu. It came to me by way of one of my good friends in the last convention I sent Ash to. Pokémon figures are pretty common, of course, but then again, this one is in an uncommon state: it could use a bit of help in the painting department to restore some of its lost details - similar to some mini figures from a long time ago. The figure being given to me is still a nice and appreciable gesture, and it may be up to me to find a way to improve on this token of friendship.

Last up is the selection of TCG cards. Like the figures, cards are pretty common, especially if they were extracted from a booster pack. But these didn't come from one, and they instead came from a goodie bag given out by a certain someone from a major recent convention. Though there are exactly five cards and one of them is a Basic Energy card, one of them is actually a promo card and the numberings are all different, which practically shoots down the possibility. So, oddities are abound in this usual fare.

I expect to obtain more odd Pokémon things from conventions (and festivals) as I attend them through characters as proxies, so these odd Pokémon things may only scratch the surface of the possibilities. Certainly, though, if they can't all be discussed at length and they might seem disjoint to each other as well as Pokémon merchandise itself (both mine and in general, then there would be a place for write-ups such as this one. The wonders of Pokémon things may never cease - even with odd possibilities of them.

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Friday, July 25, 2025

The Electrode Volleyball in Pokémon Unite

As part of its anniversary event and festivities, which were also referenced in the recent Pokémon Presents, Pokémon Unite also introduced a new play mode. Now, the game is known for having some greater resemblance to certain ball sports compared to other MOBA, but this new play mode takes the cake as it references a sport outright - and its influence. As indicated by the title, the play mode is called "Electrode Volleyball", and its dynamics are emblematic of both the referenced sport as well as the game in general.

The play mode is a Quick match... because it literally is that. Two teams of three Pokémon duke it out as in normal volleyball on a rectangular map, trying to smash an Electrode to the other team's side. They'll have to bump it back and forth - possibly even to an outer edge - to be the first to score three points by smashes, or to just stay on top within five minutes of play. In doing so, one team can attack the other with their items and moves to block their attempts at defending the ball from being smashed into their side.

Since the Pokémon need all that they can muster to volley and run in this play mode, they are immediately leveled up and moves need to be chosen for them at once. The gameplay then escalates into a fast and frenzied status, especially during the designated "final stretch" moment - the match point, where one side has already scored two points - at which point HP recovery and speed are increased and barriers close to the outer edge are lowered, opening up the rest of the field to the mayhem.

In my experience, some matches are really fast and seem to be over before they could begin, while others need the full five minutes in order to be resolved. Of course, that might be because earlier on players were still grappling with the restrictions and dynamics of the new play mode, and later matches have resulted in them (and/or me) being put on the spot in order to defend the ball and others in the team while attacking to fend off threats and actually make the much-needed score to (try to) win.

Pokémon Unite will probably never shed its association with ball sports by its partial and uncanny resemblance to certain ones, so having a play mode that actually does flat-out resemble one plays off of this nicely. It also couldn't have come at a better time, with this time of the year being the anniversary celebration for the game. The fast pace and explosive (ahem) nature of the play mode may demand a different way of thinking for the players, especially with consideration of MOBA and ball sports alike.

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