1. more ex raid testing at sponsored gyms
EX Raid field testing continues! In addition to several new EX Raids in Japan and Taiwan, all the Sprint stores that had sponsored Gyms hosted a Mewtwo Raid on Friday. Although many American Trainers did get passes, many did not. The best strategy seems to be doing every Raid you see at Sprint or other sponsored Gyms for the next round of EX Raids that will likely come out soon.
2. first round of the safari zone events
The first round of Safari Zone events took place yesterday in Paris, Oberhausen, and Barcelona. From screenshots from trackers and attendees reveal crazy spawns similar to Pokémon GO Park in Japan. Kangaskhan, Larvitar, Mareep, Chansey, starters, Magikarp, Unown (spelling out "Safari Zone"), and Pikachu seemed to be spawning everywhere.
3. a new, silent update to the game
The next update to Pokémon GO was silently distributed this week. There is a glitch (what else is new) that impacts the evolution animation. The glitch, which Niantic has acknowledged, greatly slows the end of the animation down, causing a significant amount of evolutions under a Lucky Egg's time to be lost. The rest of the actual improvements are listed below:
- Differentiated between the different Safari Zone event dates on the medal
- Glitches impacting sprites have been fixed
- Able to search for "Defender" and "Legendary" in the search bar
- Updated the pre-loading screen with the Niantic and Pokémon Company logos
- Various bug fixes
- Differentiated between the different Safari Zone event dates on the medal
- Glitches impacting sprites have been fixed
- Able to search for "Defender" and "Legendary" in the search bar
- Updated the pre-loading screen with the Niantic and Pokémon Company logos
- Various bug fixes
4. ultra sun & moon: new z-move for lycanroc and new ultra beasts
The latest Nintendo Direct kicked off with a bang of new information for Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon.
NEW DETAILS ON THE NEW SOLGALEO-LUNALA-NECROZMA FUSIONS: The new box-art Pokémon now have some information behind them. It is now confirmed that these forms are of Necrozma and indeed fusions with Solgaleo and Lunala. The Solgaleo-like form is known as Dusk Mane Necrozma, and the Lunala-like form is known as Dawn Wings Necrozma.
The new forms are able to use either Solgaleo or Lunala's signature move: Sunsteel Strike and Moongeist Beam. From the gameplay shown, it seems that Necrozma attacks the player at the Altar of the Sunne or the Altar of the Moone. Our Solgaleo / Lunala seems to defend us, but is defeated and then possessed by Necrozma. And, at the very end of the Nintendo Direct trailer, we see Dawn Wings Necrozma fly into an Ultra Wormhole. It seems the player might have to somehow travel to Ultra Space to save our Solgaleo / Lunala or catch the new form.
A NEW EXCLUSIVE Z-MOVE: Lycanroc is the next Pokémon to receive an exclusive Z-Move. It's new move, Splintered Stormshards, is linked to Stone Edge and usable by all three of its forms.
The animation for Midday Lycanroc's style of Splintered Stormshards is the same jump-into-the-sun animation from the original Ultra Sun & Moon trailer that was accompanied by interesting gameplay of Mimikyu and Togedemaru. This seems to "confirm" that these two Pokémon will also receive exclusive Z-Move (although Mimkyu is already so powerful and used that it does not need one).
NEW EVENT-ROCKRUFF DETAILS: More details about the event Rockruff have been revealed. This Rockruff will only evolve into the new Dusk Form, but will only evolve between 5:00 and 6:00 P.M.
It also has the Own Tempo Ability, which Rockruff does not normally have. In Pokémon Ultra Sun, the Rockruff will have an event-only move: Fire Fang. In Pokémon Ultra Moon, the Rockruff will have an event-only move: Thunder Fang. In both games, the event Rockruff will also have Happy Hour.
A NEW CELEBI EVENT: By purchasing the relaunched versions of Pokémon Gold and / or Pokémon Silver you will be able to receive a Celebi for Pokémon Sun, Pokémon Moon, Pokémon Ultra Sun, or Pokémon Ultra Moon. These relaunches are on the virtual console, compatible with Pokémon Bank, and will launch on September 22 (along with Pokkén Tournament DX for the Nintendo Switch).
TWO NEW ULTRA BEASTS: The Nintendo Direct's Pokémon-releated information ended on a big high-note: two new Ultra Beasts. They are version-exclusive Beasts, like Pheromsa and Buzzwole were. The clown-like Beast, codenamed UB Burst, is only obtainable in Pokémon Ultra Sun. The fortress-like Beast, codenamed UB Assembly, is only obtainable in Pokémon Ultra Moon.
UB Assembly appears to be a Rock- and / or Steel-type, and is capable of using Iron Defense. UB Burst appears to be a Fairy-type and either a Fire-, Electric-, or Fighting-type. UB Burst was also shown using some sort of move, one that appears to be new and exclusive to it.
NEW DETAILS ON THE NEW SOLGALEO-LUNALA-NECROZMA FUSIONS: The new box-art Pokémon now have some information behind them. It is now confirmed that these forms are of Necrozma and indeed fusions with Solgaleo and Lunala. The Solgaleo-like form is known as Dusk Mane Necrozma, and the Lunala-like form is known as Dawn Wings Necrozma.
The new forms are able to use either Solgaleo or Lunala's signature move: Sunsteel Strike and Moongeist Beam. From the gameplay shown, it seems that Necrozma attacks the player at the Altar of the Sunne or the Altar of the Moone. Our Solgaleo / Lunala seems to defend us, but is defeated and then possessed by Necrozma. And, at the very end of the Nintendo Direct trailer, we see Dawn Wings Necrozma fly into an Ultra Wormhole. It seems the player might have to somehow travel to Ultra Space to save our Solgaleo / Lunala or catch the new form.
A NEW EXCLUSIVE Z-MOVE: Lycanroc is the next Pokémon to receive an exclusive Z-Move. It's new move, Splintered Stormshards, is linked to Stone Edge and usable by all three of its forms.
The animation for Midday Lycanroc's style of Splintered Stormshards is the same jump-into-the-sun animation from the original Ultra Sun & Moon trailer that was accompanied by interesting gameplay of Mimikyu and Togedemaru. This seems to "confirm" that these two Pokémon will also receive exclusive Z-Move (although Mimkyu is already so powerful and used that it does not need one).
NEW EVENT-ROCKRUFF DETAILS: More details about the event Rockruff have been revealed. This Rockruff will only evolve into the new Dusk Form, but will only evolve between 5:00 and 6:00 P.M.
It also has the Own Tempo Ability, which Rockruff does not normally have. In Pokémon Ultra Sun, the Rockruff will have an event-only move: Fire Fang. In Pokémon Ultra Moon, the Rockruff will have an event-only move: Thunder Fang. In both games, the event Rockruff will also have Happy Hour.
A NEW CELEBI EVENT: By purchasing the relaunched versions of Pokémon Gold and / or Pokémon Silver you will be able to receive a Celebi for Pokémon Sun, Pokémon Moon, Pokémon Ultra Sun, or Pokémon Ultra Moon. These relaunches are on the virtual console, compatible with Pokémon Bank, and will launch on September 22 (along with Pokkén Tournament DX for the Nintendo Switch).
TWO NEW ULTRA BEASTS: The Nintendo Direct's Pokémon-releated information ended on a big high-note: two new Ultra Beasts. They are version-exclusive Beasts, like Pheromsa and Buzzwole were. The clown-like Beast, codenamed UB Burst, is only obtainable in Pokémon Ultra Sun. The fortress-like Beast, codenamed UB Assembly, is only obtainable in Pokémon Ultra Moon.
UB Assembly appears to be a Rock- and / or Steel-type, and is capable of using Iron Defense. UB Burst appears to be a Fairy-type and either a Fire-, Electric-, or Fighting-type. UB Burst was also shown using some sort of move, one that appears to be new and exclusive to it.