Saturday, May 2, 2026

The Tasks of Go Passes

In order to increase the rank of a Go Pass (for monthly editions, regular events, and special happenings), Trainers earn points by completing certain actions, as I noted in my Go Pass tips about a month ago. Those actions are not the only way to increase the rank, however, as many editions of a Go Pass also have tasks that essentially do the same thing. Having mentioned the actions previously, now it seems important to go over the tasks to see how they are helpful as well as to consider how to deal with them in the best way.

The tasks are periodic and appear at certain frequencies. The most common ones with the current editions are Daily and Weekly Tasks, which appear on each day and in the current week of an active Go Pass respectively. Then there are Hourly Tasks that appear mostly during the special happenings like Go Fest and Go Tour while within the specified event hours, as well as Bonus Tasks that once appear are attached to an active Go Pass until either or both the tasks are completed and the Go Pass ends its run.

Essentially, these tasks are Timed Research tasks that solely reward points for the Go Pass they are attached to, as the points themselves are in fact items (which can also be evident when completing raids and seeing the points awarded like them). Hourly Tasks award only meager amounts of points since they are designed to be completed successively in multitude to earn many points that way, while other tasks award hundreds of points for immediate rank boosts - as in fact, it takes 100 points to go up each rank for any Go Pass.

Given the various circumstances of Go Passes, the tasks can also be quite varied yet remain thematic to that particular Go Pass. For example, the Go Pass for the Steeled Resolve event that started a few days ago demands catching Steel-type Pokémon as Daily Tasks, while the monthly Go Pass has "common" Weekly Tasks that any Trainer should be familiar with when dealing with Pokémon Go from day to day. The Bonus Tasks, reflecting their nature, can also be demanding yet rewarding for their purposes.

While the pass tasks are only a small element of Go Passes, their importance in awarding points for the Go Passes in question is not to be overlooked, and they can be the key to attaining the best possible rewards for each Go Pass by increasing the rank. They also can keep Trainers engaged within the time of an active event and/or the associated Go Pass and get all that they can get out of both. With all of these objectives, the pass tasks can indeed become a moving element for Pokémon Go in more ways than one.

Four years ago: Impulsive Conscience
Six years ago: Pervasive Pokémon
Seven years ago: Hit in the KOR
Eight years ago: Keeping the Demo Versions
Nine years ago: Cosplay Laundry
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Friday, May 1, 2026

Plans for Remixing the Remix

Dedicated players know that Pokémon Café Remix is a rehash of the game's earlier incarnation as Pokémon Café Mix, and it's a "remix" in a very true sense. Yet after the fact, it seems that more rehashing or remixing of the game is in order, and in fact, plans for that to happen have been set into motion. I'm actually somewhat late to becoming aware on this, but after gaining that awareness, I've decided to make a discussion out of it - here on this blog, of course.

According to the in-game news bulletin, which was published on April 9, the "remix-remix plan" is intended to make the game more easily grasped by more people playing the game within a more extensive time. For that, the plan has three points: merging disparate game modes into something more cohesive, making it simpler to hire Pokémon as part of the staff ("befriend", in game terms), and keeping Pokémon that are already as such by players - not to mention raised and refined ones - relevant in puzzle play wherever they're appropriate.

In order to do that, as of April 20, the events in the game are "reruns" or "replays" of older events, which also implies that no new Pokémon are to be added. Players can, of course, use the opportunity to hire or "befriend" Pokémon that they haven't done so, or raise and refine them if they already have. This then gives the development team time to work on the "remix-remix plan" and to release it as a major update... which will be sometime in the latter part of the year. As such, it may be something that players will have to look forward to very soon.

Considering the current state of the game, the "remix-remix plan" is something that is perhaps desperately needed. I had earlier discussed the game's apparent "irrelevance" a few years ago, and I also pointed out that some remaking would have to be carried out in order to resolve what is apparent in that regard. Undertaking this "remix-remix plan" then provides a perfect opportunity to do just that, and the things I mentioned in that post (as well as others that I didn't) can stand to be improved to make things relevant again, which will have to be seen.

Even in cooking, things are not perfect the first time around that something is made, and a rehash or "remix" is in order. The same has been true of this Pokémon puzzle game some years ago with its first transition from "Mix" to "Remix", and that seems to be a testament to the "cooking" theme that the game so prominently features. The next plan for a rehash or "remix" of the game will have to show that the game still has what it takes to mix things up.

Two years ago: Labors of Love
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Thursday, April 30, 2026

The State of Champions

At the beginning of this month, Pokémon Champions was released ("unleashed", in my terms), bringing about a completely new way of enjoying main series-like battles, including VGC - at least for now on the Switch. With the passage of time since its release, I thought that now I'd recap a few interesting points since that release and discuss what it means for the game, not to mention its mobile version that is still in the pipeline to allow broader enjoyment of the battles as mentioned above. 

Being that the game epitomizes main series and VGC battles, it has to conform to their many specifications... and it does. But because of its independence from the adventure aspect by virtue of it being a "battle client", it can then start to diverge (or more appropriately, vary) with regard to certain aspects, like changing some moves for older Pokémon and introducing elements for new ones - particularly brought about by Legends Z-A. Like VGC occasionally changing its format, it's a real possibility.

Meanwhile, like recent Pokémon games (and owing to the fact that Eterna City wasn't built in a day), the game has also received updates and fixes, which is inevitable since the main series aspects are complex. It's also expected since the game itself is expected to update to the changing dynamics of tournaments and competitions, and likely the entry of species from future generations... of which one is to come soon. Since this is happening for the Switch version, the mobile version is expected to be polished.

For the actual reception of the game, it looks to be pretty good - especially if recently held tournaments with thousands of participants can be considered an affirmation of that. Players (Trainers) have also come up with a myriad of strategies and team compositions, some familiar and others new, and they've been successful or attractive (or both) to different extents, appealing to different people. It is certain that once the mobile version gets rolling, the appeal will become more widespread to others.

If the above situations - taken to represent the current state of the game - are indicative of anything, it is that Pokémon Champions is already looking good as the current face of main series and VGC battling. The future will certainly be shaped by how players (Trainers) continue to strategize in the game, what will be added to and changed within it, and of course when the mobile version will manifest. It's a state that will demand improvement over time by those in this Pokémon battle path.

Two years ago: Hobby vs. Responsibility
Four years ago: Pokémon and Virtual Pets
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Wednesday, April 29, 2026

"Longer Than You Think": Some Long(?) Pokémon Waits

Earlier in January, I had discussed ways that Pokémon could be stated, expressed, or conveyed within a short time - 60 seconds. It seems like a short amount of time, but it can be quite long, which is why I also included the blurb about how it can actually feel as such according to a particular someone. For convenience, I've included the actual quote in the title of this post, and that's for a good reason: I've decided to bring up the quote again for a discussion of its essence in relation to some Pokémon "waits" that can in fact exemplify that essence.

One of those long waits is the PvP switch timer in Pokémon Go, which has a history of being somewhat long (60 seconds, like the time above) before it was shortened to the most recent 45 seconds. Still, these are somewhat greater than even a time of 30 seconds, which is incidentally the time referenced for the quote above, and it can seem like forever to wait for that switch timer to reset and thus be able to switch Pokémon - even with Fast and Charged moves still being thrown. The short time yet seemingly long wait is evocative of the quote.

Then, there is the One-Minute Cooking countdown clock in Café Remix, which starts out at 60 seconds but can and does regenerate by sidekick Pokémon effects and going into Fever Frenzy. Yet just like the Pokémon Go PvP situation above, it can be like an eternity in trying to do as much as possible within that time, even going into and out of Fever Frenzy. While it is true that players may not actually want to let the time just pass by, doing all the actions in the play can seem extended and makes things seem longer than they should be, like the time.

Meanwhile, Pokémon Unite has the move timers for playable Pokémon, and even though they are far shorter than most of the above durations, they too can seem like a long time. It is also possible to show milliseconds when they get down to the final second, but the wait to get there is still significant... which also makes the final second also significant even with the display. Likewise, there are also a lot of things going on in battle, and all of those things have a way of making time perceptions seem longer (mostly) or shorter than they seem to be.

Now, it's a given that some things, even Pokémon things, require a sense of waiting in their progressions. Yet given the above, what appears to be short timeframe can and still do take time that may be perceived as long, and that is pretty much an affirmation of the mentioned quote by that particular someone. Getting on with that wait and the processes involved in the wait will surely make the time pass by - in particular to be able to do other things - but it is necessary to keep in mind that some stretches of time are just that long, no two ways about it.

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Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Pokémon Go Event Rollup, 4/28/2026

The second month of a Pokémon Go season entitled "Memories in Motion" goes (or perhaps more appropriately, had gone) into motion, so now it's time to roll up the events and evaluate what has transpired in that time. Based on their content, I would say that the events this month are of the "strong movement" kind, and that may be saying something for the things that go into motion, as the season's moniker suggests. In turn, that presents strong memories as well with the way that the season is.

The first event, A Shockingly Good Time, actually began on March 31, but I consider it an April event for soon-to-be evident reasons. The main event was all about Electric-type Pokémon, with Pikachu, Chinchou, and Dedenne having Shiny boosts, and others joining them in the wild and Field Research encounters. It also saw the temporary return of Spotlight Hour... or Hours, one for each day of the event (up to April 6) with different species on each day. Now, along with Pikachu as the Spotlight Hour feature on April 1, a hooded species also accompanied it from that point onwards - and that would be Mimikyu, making its debut in the game as the "shade of difference" for April Fool's. This event also came with a Go Pass of 60 ranks with encounters, catch and Incense bonuses, and lots of items (including some for Mimikyu) plus two avatar items, one inside (by the paid Deluxe track) and one outside the Go Pass. There was both a time of shock and tomfoolery for this particular event.

April 14 saw the return of Sustainability Week, which proceeded until April 20. This edition saw the debuts of the Silicobra family, a costumed Galarian Corsola, and Shiny Toedscool - the first of which had a bit of a "habitat kerfuffle". Meanwhile, the second could be encountered on Routes along with a few other species in two-day periods, all with Shiny boosts; it too might appear in 7 km Eggs and Field Research along with yet other species. The third along with natural Pokémon species and the dynamic-by-weather Castform (with a Shiny boost) appeared in the wild wherever they are found. This event's 60-rank Go Pass had bonuses of PokéStop XP and hatch distance, along with the usual encounters and unusually luxe items, including a paid pose in the Deluxe track - all for a strongly sustainable time.

Finishing off this month is the return of the Steeled Resolve event, from April 28 (today) until May 4. New this time is the species Orthworm (and its Shiny form), which appears in raids along with other species of the Steel type, not to mention in the wild and Field Research. Meltan is also a given for this one, with a Shiny chance and more opportunities to open the Mystery Box. Then there's the event's Go Pass with its 60 ranks containing encounters and other items... but this one holds a dark secret for the event's tail end that is best discussed separately - as in next month's rollup with a different "finish".

As with last month, there were the "Community Saturdays" that took place in the month, aside from this month's Community Day on April 11. On April 4, there was a Fashion Raid Day that featured many species with costumes as found in past Fashion Week events. Then, April 18 saw a Hatch Day event featuring Lucario, a "replay" of the first one some three years ago. Finally, there was also a Max Battle Day on April 25 featuring the first four Pokémon (the three Kanto first partners plus Gengar) in the game that received the Gigantamax treatment as part of the "Go Bigger" event a couple of years ago. These are not just strong but also big in some respects - in particular the last one of these for its significance.

Facets of strength and nostalgia really seemed to make themselves apparent this month with all the events, and there were some motions too from the related Pokémon, if not also for the Trainers pursuing them. It may be the most representative month for the season, although its finale next month is not far away. 

Two years ago: Pokémon on a Budget
Three years ago: Attraction to Poké Balls
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Monday, April 27, 2026

Regional Festival Maps in Pokémon Unite

This year's Pokémon anniversary has to bring out the best of and from Pokémon, including as they are identified by the regions they hail from. Pokémon Unite has embraced this idea, and with that, the game created special maps for celebrating the anniversary by bringing out the Pokémon from specific regions. Accordingly, the special maps are called "festival" maps with regard to their celebratory nature of Pokémon in general and the species that are already featured in the game specifically - something that should now be discussed.

Earlier, around the time of the first introduction of the "Legendary Flight" as full-fledged Unite Licenses, the game had the "Kanto Festival" map, which allowed Unite Licenses for Pokémon that hail from that region. Similarly, with the current approaching introduction of the first partner trio from Johto as Unite Licenses, the game now has the "Johto Festival" map, which by implication thus allows Unite Licenses for Pokémon of that very region. Both also come with respective events. The idea is simple, but there's quite a bit more to it than the above.

For these maps, they are played as Casual matches using the latest iteration of Theia Sky Ruins as their base. The wild Pokémon that are present in that map are the same as for the regular version of that map, so they remain as generational "outliers", in a way only "supporting" the actual celebration by what players play. As well, they allow multiple players to choose the same Pokémon, which is evidently currently needed as there are very few Pokémon to use for the Johto Festival map, at least until the first partners fully show up.

Since not all Pokémon from these featured regions have shown up in the game, these maps can definitely stand a chance to be repeated at some point in time, when more of them do show up as Unite Licenses. Furthermore, the two maps as introduced above also provide a base framework for future regional "festival" maps - a Hoenn map comes to mind and may be scintillating to think about, especially since a few Pokémon from the region has shown up. Yet that's only for the future to consider.

It's only natural to consider the regions of particular Pokémon species in featuring them, as that is a non-removable part of their identity. Considering that, Pokémon Unite has a good thing going with the regional "festival" maps to celebrate and play with the Pokémon of select regions, even if the celebration only exists in this specific form. Still, that should be a good thing for this Pokémon anniversary and beyond, as great Pokémon hail from great regions, and both deserve a rightful celebration in their play.

One year ago: Cosplay: Nakama Fest
Four years ago: TCG, My Past and Future
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Sunday, April 26, 2026

Let's Talk About Our Favorite Snacks

Goh: Oh, just a plain talk today?

Ash: Well, we did talk on Sundays all this month for conventions...

Me: That's one way of looking at it. Another is me just wanting to get my (and our) ideas out there.

Goh: Yeah, I guess that's not too bad. 

Ash: So, I heard we're going to talk about food today!

Pikachu: Pika pika! ["Good stuff!"]

Me: Yes - we're talking about food, specifically snacks, the stuff we eat between meals and the like.

Goh: I'm sure you have your own for that.

Me: Certainly. Potato chips are a big thing for me. I can hardly resist a bag of them.

Ash: You must like chip-type snacks a lot too.

Me: Depends on the chip, but yeah. I'm big on chips. How about you two?

Ash: I guess sometimes we see it and have it, but other than that...

Goh: ...we don't see it all that often. Isn't that right?

Ash: When we're out on the wild and stuff, we just snack on what's there.

Goh: Right - it's when we get to cities and towns that we get "people food".

Ash: Oh, like the snacks from the different regions. Lava Cookies, Castelia Cones, Malasadas...

Pikachu: Pi pika pika... ["Hey, hold on there..."]

Goh: All the stuff from the regions! Now those are snacks we could really get our hands on when we're there.

Ash: Yeah!

Goh: But then again, we like Berries and Apples from the wild...

Ash: Sure. We all need to eat fruits every so often.

Goh: Don't you (our friend) eat fruits too?

Ash: Well, I heard he ate Pinap Berries in juice form (or drank it, it seems)...

Me: Good ear. I like Pinap Berries - not just to give to Pokémon to get more Candy for them. And then there are others too.

Goh: I guess you're selective about them.

Me: I guess I am. Even for things like the previous ones above, I'm a bit selective of those too - but I'll give some things a try on the first go.

Ash: But we can all say that there's so many different kinds of snacks.

Pikachu: Pika chu. ["So many."]

Goh: The question is having the patience to try them.

Me: I'll say. Like this one chip snack that's sort of like a waffle, which is good but also a little "oily".

Ash: Wow.

Me: And recently, that's been pushing Pokémon stuff too.

Goh: Interesting. Aren't you going to get some?

Me: Actually, I have gotten some - but I'll need to deal with them later. And today...

Goh: Oh, I see it now. I think?

Ash: Hmm.

Me: Maybe we don't have to bring it up too much.

Goh: OK... 

Pikachu: Pi... ka? [in a curious sound]

Me: As Ash said, we make our point - lots of snacks out there, even Pokémon ones.

Ash: Something we could try every now and then.

Goh: And sometimes makes us happy.

Me: What would life be like without food - even little bites - to keep our spirits up?

Three years ago: Slow Living with Pokémon
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