Saturday, September 5, 2026

Returning for Mega Opportunities

September 5 is the day is when I usually discuss my return to playing Pokémon Go since nine years ago (see below), and in that regard this post will be no different. What becomes the differentiator this time - aside from the topic that I choose to tie into the discussion, also the case for past years - is that the post also becomes a tie-in for a certain Pokémon affair to come, and will be separately detailed in a post and discussion all its own. Yet that topic is pretty much already indicative, given the title of this specific post.

But first, there is the "return" aspect to deal with. Every point I make about my return to Pokémon Go in past years is essentially an opportunity in some form, and the posts from the past years may be construed to be indicative of some of the forms that those opportunities may take. Even I'm still discovering them, especially last year and this year, when I've taken some big steps in dealing with how I play the game - particularly by the twists of the game itself and others who play it. That could be considered something "mega" to deal with.

Then there's the topic at hand. The game has had Mega Evolution for the better part of six years now, and there have been a lot of opportunities for introducing novelties related to it as well as the species related to it, including some of the newest ones (Dragonite, Victreebel, and so on) and the ones that Trainers have long waited for (Mewtwo, and previously Metagross and others). For that, the game has done a somewhat good job of implementing as well as preserving the concept for past and present Mega opportunities.

Now, with all the species of the "first batch" having their Mega forms and the "second batch" being gradually introduced, Trainers are given a great opportunity to feel like they're playing the original sixth-generation games and the new "add-on" Legends game alongside their real-world adventure. What's left is the future for the ones that haven't been introduced, and as or before that happens, it is a good idea to make sure one is caught up with what is present; the opportunities to make that happen may be either fortunate or remarkable.

Many years after I've returned, a whole lot (or by this post's descriptor, "mega") has developed for Pokémon Go, and that goes for the player side and the technical side - even if it's just as rough as it is pleasant. By extension, that also means a whole lot of opportunities for a lot of facets related to Pokémon, which at present admittedly has quite a bit to do with Mega Evolution and whatever Trainers can or have mustered for that. For other opportunities and returns (by other people), the efforts and results could be "mega" as well.

Two years ago: Wishing Others' Return
Three years ago: Point of (No) Return?
Six years ago: Returns Come and Go
Eight years ago: A Happy Return
Nine years ago: Here I Go (Again)
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Friday, September 4, 2026

TCGP: Team Rocket Takes Over, with Ambition

Team Rocket seems to have a way of getting into different Pokémon games and particularly ones beyond their region of concern (Kanto, and sometimes Johto). Their latest foray is now the Pocket version of Pokémon TCG, by which their entry is through an expansion of their own. Actually, it's substantially more than that, and thus the entry can be considered a "takeover" in line with other games with their presence. As such, this coverage of the new expansion will be comparatively more substantial, even "ambitious" in that regard.

With that, the new expansion is a Themed Booster Pack that is titled "Team Rocket's Ambition", which has a red accent that is as red as the Team Rocket "R". Its 72 numbered cards and 38 overnumbered cards (110 in total) hold some dark secrets, including the three Legendary birds of Kanto but belonging to the nefarious team (which indeed appear on the pack image), and the expansion's only "immersive" card being not a Pokémon card, but a Supporter card. The topsy-turvy possibilities are highly apparent.

Among the 66 Pokémon cards in the numbered section as well as their "full art" variants in the overnumbered section, many of them are indicated as "belonging" to Team Rocket, making them the first cards in TCGP with this distinction. Then, the pack also introduces 2 Item cards, 3 Supporter cards, and 1 Stadium card - not much to speak of, but what effects they may have could be quite detrimental to the player or opponent, especially when coupled with the attacks that the Pokémon of this expansion already possess.

Of course, the "takeover" is much more than that. The title or splash screen has been modified to have a scarlet aura with cards of the expansion. Then, there is an accompanying event for the time that the expansion is prime, which includes a special shop that is accessed by secret means that some main series players will find familiar. Some battles involving cards of the expansion will also have special music instead of the more common pieces. In more ways than one, this certainly makes for a "total takeover" of things.

Perhaps it may be apt to describe the presence of Team Rocket anywhere they may be present as an "organized chaos"; that description seems to be quite appropriate for their current presence in TCGP as well, thanks to this new (minor) expansion or Themed Booster Pack. Its elements are elegantly crazy - including for the background "takeover" event with which it comes along - and that can be something that some players can take advantage of to make sure that some (better) ambitions can be fulfilled.

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Thursday, September 3, 2026

Collection Challenges, Wherefore Art Thou?

By now, it's clear that a post with a title appended by the three-word question as with this one will deal with something that's been curiously missing for some time. This time it's in the realm of Pokémon Go, something that rarely has missing things, but in this case it's something that may be of certain significance. Since 2021, Collection Challenges have graced the game as an optional part of events that may also be engaging for those events. However, the feature has been curiously absent since early this year, and that becomes a prompt for writing up this post and discussing what may be the relevant circumstances to explain its absence.

Recall that last March, events started to be organized differently by adding Go Passes to them and/or making them less frequent (although the former then becomes another source of complaints, which may be discussed later). The Pokopia event then also happened to be the one which last had the feature, after which the absence occurred. Then in June and earlier, there was the reorganization of Today View, which was perhaps more vital than adding an instance of Collection Challenge. All these may or may not be the reasons that the feature went absent, but some of their complications at least may have had a hand.

The feature's absence also demands a reflection of its implementation all these years. Some of the instances have been challenging (which suits its name), but others have also been way too challenging, like the rather large ones of early editions of Go Tour or ones where multiple Pokémon need to be hatched out of Eggs that have poor chances (or the Trainers themselves were simply not fortunate enough). Yet others could be completed within timescales that are rather short, perhaps making them not "challenging" enough for what they are.

Perhaps for all of those possibilities, a break in its action may be well-deserved for the feature and Trainers who have expected it. Still, the break seems to have gone on long enough and they are interested in another instance of the feature. And by reports, that seems to be about to happen sooner rather than later, which could be regarded for fans of the feature (like yours truly) despite its share of "challenges" regarding its challenges (ahem). Thus, the return of the feature is and would be also very well-deserved for affirming its provisions.

Challenges constantly exist in Pokémon Go, with or without the above feature that explicitly provides that element, but the challenge in having to deal with the above feature's absence is quite a different one and is perhaps revealing of the elements of the game. With that, its recent absence is one that has to be duly noted and reasoned out, for the hope that its return can bring about challenges that are more receptive to Trainers and Pokémon Go.

One year ago: TCGP: A Visit to the Secluded Springs
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Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Technology Collaborations with Pokémon

This year is a special anniversary year for Pokémon, being its 30th year, something that bears repeating even now as it's transitioning. With such a lengthy presence, many entities outside of the franchise now also want in on it - as in, they want to collaborate with it. That includes some entities that deal with technology, specifically companies that produce certain devices, for whom Pokémon appeals to them for collaboration. Now (as well as further back), those companies have made their collaborations for Pokémon fans to enjoy.

Sandisk, the external storage company, recently came up with external drives that have motifs of certain Pokémon species. They comprise a flash drive featuring Mew and a portable SSD featuring Mewtwo - billed as emblematic of "mystical" and great power, for which the drives should allow for that. Even a little further back, they also came up with SD cards featuring Pokémon with additional Nintendo Switch branding, possibly for use in the consoles. Either way, the appeal and power of Pokémon is recognized.

Meanwhile, Polaroid as the company known for instant photos came up with new cameras for instant photos decked out with Pokémon colors - specifically those of Pikachu, Poké Ball, and Sylveon. To complete the gear, there are also camera cases, straps, and album cases with the Poké Ball motif, as well as instant photo films for use with the cameras that have some familiar (and favorite) Pokémon species on them. These instant photos are certainly all about making memories, and now they come with a neat Pokémon touch.

For the one that's somewhat further back, that would be Razer, the company of gaming peripherals. Their "Pokémon Collection" spans the gamut of keyboards, mice, deskpads, and headphones or earpads in terms of devices as well as Pikachu, Gengar, and more in terms of the featured Pokémon. These devices are primarily PC-centric, a realm where Pokémon is hardly present, but with Pokémon, their gaming flavor remains evident; the devices are a welcome addition for different Pokémon fans.

Whether they are of this year or were from past years, any collaboration with Pokémon is surely welcomed by its fans, especially for a special year like this one and if it involves products that are relevant to them. The case of the above technological products by the respective companies in collaboration with Pokémon makes it clear that they can acknowledge fans of this franchise and serve their (technological) needs, with or without a direct relationship to Pokémon but still having the particular flair of that very franchise.

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Tuesday, September 1, 2026

The Season of Twilight Trails

Certainly, the post that wraps up last season also has a preview or tease of the next one, and what that season entails is a walk on the less brighter side of the day, but one that still has its own way of captivating people and Pokémon species alike. Appropriately, the new season is called "Twilight Trails", and by its title and its timing for this stretch of the year, some things related to it could already be discerned. Regardless, the role of this start-of-season post remains to elucidate (ahem) as much of those things as possible.

As I'd mentioned, the new season will come somewhat late - to be precise, a week from today - as the previous season has to wrap up its "forever forward" path in a certain way to make way for the low light path. On the flip side, the new season is slated to end on time (that is, by the usual time I cover its end), so that would be the first in a long time... but I'm getting way, way, way ahead of myself, and the season itself hasn't even yet started. It is then appropriate to let the low light season run its course of things first.

Those things, as usual, will apply to Pokémon Go first and foremost because that's obviously its season title. Yet given the way things are for this time of year and the rest of Pokémon in general, it is not inappropriate to consider that there may be some overlap in the happenings for both Pokémon Go and other areas of Pokémon. That said, the path is still long at this point for the approximately three-month span that it is, and then of course there is the "shady" aspect that still needs to be considered.

On the seasonal emblem or logo, the part that is as crucial to the season as its content, it has all the colors of the dusk time, which is expected given the season's title. It also has some other elements that could be considered "mystical", in addition to the typography, which in itself is also "magical" in a way. That should be a rather big clue on the things that this season will entail, even if it is still necessary to prove their appearance now or later on in the season. The shady path may or may not all be laid out.

Now, it seems inevitable that any path in life will go through some rather shady times, and that includes some related to Pokémon, in this case Pokémon Go. The choice, plan, circumstance, or whatever that includes the next season that seems aptly titled to reflect that path also seems to have to be taken in stride (ahem) with the low light. That low light, though, can also be a "glimmer of hope" in a way with the possibilities that might just occur, and it may be up to everyone traversing that path to find it and light things up.

Two years ago: The Season of Max Out
Four years ago: The Season of Light
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Monday, August 31, 2026

The Peak of Forever Forward

This end-of-season post will be one that truly defines it, with the fact that I've always called it a "peak" rather than an "end". For starters, it needs to be said that today is in fact not the end of the season yet, and it's going to be rather delayed (by several days) from the usual time I bring it up for certain reasons. But things go on, times carry on, everyone moves on - somehow - and all of those make for pretty good points to discuss, especially since I've mentioned them way, way back at the beginning of the season, and now again at its end.

For this season, its origin as the game of Pokémon Go had brought about its usual mid-year run of celebrations, which of course would involve Go Fest and its anniversary, as well as other pertinent game events. All of them offered slices of things one might have moved on from but luckily (or not) can get to experience at least one more time before actually and finally moving forward. Given the season's title, it's a time to be reveled - in particular concern for the game's own anniversary - and then looked back on with kindness as time moves on.

Meanwhile, for other Pokémon happenings, they may be considered to have certain essences of moving on. That applies to the regular schedules of VGC and TCG (the latter even including TCGP), the seemingly foreboding demands of Unite, and the continuing "gap year" of Café Remix among other things. They carry over to (and even beyond) the big happening of this year's World Championships, and fans carry (or carried) on with them. 

With that, if time is to be considered as the answer from and to this season as I've mentioned earlier, then it allows for every purpose (ahem), including Pokémon ones as above, to occur. The common denominator is that they all develop in various ways with regard to time, and as that happens, a forward motion is incurred. In a way, the Pokémon Go season may just have been an affirmation that its Trainers (and beyond) needed for them to go on.

Something else that moves forward is the day, which moves on into the night and back into the day ad infinitum. Those who move throughout them - and many Pokémon fans will surely do - will also move on and through paths in them, and if the conditions are right, the light will be down low, but their excitement stays high even with forward movement.

Two years ago: The Peak of Shared Skies
Three years ago: The Peak of Hidden Gems
Four years ago: The Peak of Go
Five years ago: The Peak of Discoveries
Eight years ago: Solidarity Making
Nine years ago: Reunions!
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Sunday, August 30, 2026

Cosplay: 60 Seconds to Tokyo 2026

Me: Well, I can't be at (or send you to) PokémonXP and/or Worlds, but I can send you to a festival instead. 

Ash: And there's one today!

Me: Right. It's a little far away, but I think it satisfies the travel need.

Goh: And it's got an interesting name too. It almost seems unreal.

Ash: Don't you think? Not unless you use...

Goh: The Psychic Teleport! But even then that's also limited - I think.

Pikachu: Chu pika? ["Maybe?"]

Me: Well, that's a reasoning. Anyway, I wanted to send Ash today at the behest of one of my friends...

Ash: ...who runs (ran) the whole thing!

Goh: Really?

Ash: We talked about it off and on while I was there. But maybe we can save that for later.

Goh: For starters, how did you get there?

Ash: With a couple of our friend's other friends - we met along the way.

Goh: That's pretty nice!

Me: I'll bet that saved a load of effort.

Ash: It did - and on the way back too.

Goh: So, what about the festival, then?

Ash: It was in a hotel! Not where you'd usually find a festival.

Pikachu: Pi pi pika! ["Luxurious!"]

Goh: Ooh!

Me: Well, sometimes you find conventions at a hotel. I've been to ones myself that are such. But that's a different matter.

Ash: Would that be in a big room, just like this one?

Me: Yes! That's all I can say, though.

Goh: If it's a festival, were there communities and food?

Ash: Just one community - Bocchi Noizu - and three food stands. One of them has the exact same name as the festival.

Goh: Oh, your friend must have asked them to come.

Me: I'm sure he did. Oh, yes: I heard from some of my other friends that a hotel in my town also wants something going on as the same name of this festival, but I don't think it's a festival. And they canceled it.

Ash: I'm sure the hotels are all together! I saw a poster for that with lots of hotel names.

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["A good deal."]

Me: I would think so too.

Goh: OK, and I'm sure there had to be competitions.

Ash: A character parade, and a photography one. I got in the first... but your friend wanted me in the second one too. So I came up with something for that with the food they sold.

Me: I saw that. It's exactly what I would make for that myself. It's also an excuse to eat.

Ash: Haha, yeah!

Goh: And then for the character parade, you had your world outfit. ( I wish I was there.)

Ash: Yeah. Our friend told me to "recycle" it from last week. So I "recycled" what I did there too.

Goh: And how'd everything work out?

Ash: Didn't get anything for both - but I did get a certificate from your friend.

Me: That was one of the points my friend sold me on, so there you go.

Pikachu: Pika pika. ["Pretty nice."]

Ash: Oh yeah! I also got in a minigame, and I got a little something - by answering Pokémon questions! They were all about Trainers and their Pokémon.

Me: Well, that would be another point... anyhow, that's pretty good.

Goh: So... entertainment - I'd guess song and dance.

Ash: You're right. There were a couple of dance groups and a bit of singing too.

Goh: Pretty standard.

Ash: I even filled in with "Mezase Pokémon Master" - but I got distracted a bit in the middle...

Me: Huh. Don't worry about it. At least it's not competitive.

Ash: Yeah, I guess you're right.

Goh: So I guess we can call this one a success - what do you think?

Me: I think you're quite right. Hey, maybe that local hotel of mine might just get things rolling.

Pikachu: Chu pika chu! ["Marvelous!"]

Me: Even so, did you tell my friend that it might not be so easy for him to do it all on his own?

Ash: I did. That was part of our talk after the festival.

Goh: Maybe there's something odd about it?

Ash: Um... I hate to say this, but I saw "The Forbidden One" wandering about the festival.

Goh: Wait, so he might have been involved?

Ash: From what I got, he might have put money into it and tried to control it.

Me: Uh-huh. See, that's the kind of threat that my friend might face. Now I think I might know why the local happening got axed.

Ash: Your other friends also stepped in and tried to help a bit - which I think did the trick.

Me: Well, I hope that whatever comes next will be free of his "influence".

Pikachu: Chu... ["Hmm..."]

Me: In the meantime, in the spirit of the festival's title, perhaps 60 seconds might be all you need to think you're somewhere.

Ash: I think that was all in a song there! You just have to close your eyes.

Goh: And then, our friend might just get to Tokyo or anywhere else in the world.

Me: Perhaps for the next World Championships, you and I can be there in person instead of just in spirit.

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