In just 20 minutes, Nintendo delivered a Pokémon conference that answered many questions those nostalgic about their current crop of Pokémon have longed to hear - with a little extra Pokémon news to boot - when they live broadcast a Pokémon Direct conference earlier at noon today. If you missed it, you can catch up with the video below - our summary is after the break.
Pokémon Bank
Satoru Iwata started the Direct with a nostalgia trip; before then moving on to what he feels is one of the biggest limitations in Pokémon games: Lack of storage. While all Pokémon games have always featured enough storage to have one of every Pokémon available at the time, they don't accommodate well those who store multiple of the same Pokémon or like to specifically arrange their Pokémon due to the amount and sizes of boxes on offer. As mentioned later in the Direct, previous attempts to rectify this include Pokémon Box: Ruby & Sapphire, which provided larger boxes stored to Gamecube if you connected up your GBA via a GBA-to-GC link cable; and for Gen IV, the probably best-forgotten My Pokémon Ranch.
For the newest generation, Nintendo is going one better. 3DS users will be able to download a software called Pokémon Bank. With this new software, players can register to have online storage - Nintendo are setting up dedicated servers by which players can store their Pokémon online. Pokémon Bank gives you the tools to deposit and withdraw your Pokémon between X & Y and your online storage boxes and arrange them as you like, freeing up space in your game for catching new Pokémon as well as giving you the means to show off your collection on the internet. Though box sizes remain at 30 Pokémon per box, Pokémon bank will at launch offer 100 boxes, for a total of 3,000(!!!) storage slots - allowing you to make HUGE collections.
Unfortunately, although it was not mentioned by anyone in the Direct, small print shown in the video overlay suggests this will NOT be a free feature; and instead will require an annual fee. While this is understandable to support the service, as the dedicated servers will need to be maintained, this change may outrage certain Pokémon players who may feel this brings Pokémon too close to a subscription-based model, rather than the pay once, play any time game-play that has defined Pokémon to date.
Poké Transfer
But what of you who want to keep your Pokémon from previous generations? After I heard some months back of the technical incompatibilities that prevent DS and 3DS consoles from communicating directly with each other, the question of how Nintendo would provide transfers for Pokémon from your Gen V games (Black, White, Black 2 and White 2) to X and Y is one that I've constantly wanted an answer for - and luckily, Nintendo have provided it today.
In addition to Pokémon Bank, Nintendo will be providing a second downloadable app for 3DS consoles called Poké Transfer. This app connects to a Gen V game you insert into the 3DS and acts as the bridge between it and X and Y. Simply put, using this app, you can transfer Pokémon from your Gen V Pokémon games to your Pokémon Bank in a similar means to using the Pokémon Bank itself. Later, you can withdraw the Pokémon using the Pokémon Bank software to bring them into your game of Pokémon X or Y. As you may expect from previous generation-skip functions, these transfers are one way; but also requires you have an active Pokémon Bank account to transfer the Pokémon to.
Now, this is where Nintendo could potentially be seen as being evil. If Pokémon Bank requires an annual fee to utilise the storage; but having one is required to transfer your Pokémon from previous generations - then nostalgia fans are likely going to find themselves forced into making at least one additional payment to Nintendo for a feature they got for free on previous generation games. Yes, maybe the technology is different and Nintendo need to support their servers - but I can see such a move polarizing a lot of the community.
Reintroduction of Kanto Starters
What might make nostalgia fans happier, though, is if they had the ability to get one of the very first Pokémon from the entire franchise directly from the game. Well, you can!
In a rare departure from tradition, it was made known a while ago that in X and Y, your choice of starter Pokémon is NOT given to you by the Professor of the game, but by a NPC described as your "friend". Your friend's bag contains three Poké Balls, each containing one of Chespin, Fenikkin or Froakie; and he gives you the option of taking one of your own. Many assumed that with this change, the game's professor would no longer offer Pokémon at all, instead being simply a major storyline feature.
Oh, how we were wrong. As revealed today, the Professor WILL offer Pokémon to the Trainer, but it will be an additional starter Pokémon from a different set. What set is that? Why, only Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle! So each player will get to start their game with starters from Gen VI AND Gen I - bringing the old and new together in a perfect harmony.
But don't think Charizard, Venusaur and Blastoise will be the ultimate goal for your new Kanto starter, oh no. All three of the original Starter Pokémon will feature their own Mega Evolution in X & Y, which pleasingly makes very little change to their actual appearance when used - Blastoise just gets a head cannon; Charizard an extra horn, that sort of thing - but offers them enhanced strength and secret skills temporarily for that battle.
Mega Evolutions are triggered by a Mega Bracelet worn by the Player Character; and a Mega Stone held by the Pokémon that's compatible with their species. With the two in combination, during a battle an animation plays with the Player Character lifting their arm, which reveals the bracelet with its gem glowing. The Pokémon in question then also glows and is then covered in a ball cocoon, from which the Mega Pokémon bursts out. Satoru implied during the Pokémon Direct that forming a bond with your Pokémon will be essential for its Mega Evolution; as greater friendship between you will strengthen the power of the Mega Evolution and bring out more of your Pokémon's untapped potential.
New 3DS XL designs
To commemorate the launch of X and Y, some time ago Nintendo announced an exclusive 3DS LL (as the XL is know in Japan) design to be sold in Japan soon, which has a blue faceplate emblazoned with a black Xerneas and white Yveltal sketching atop the faint capital letters X and Y. To finish the Pokémon Direct, Nintendo announced that Western players weren't going to miss out on this exclusive - the same 3DS XL design, as well as a Red faceplate variant, will both be available in North America and Europe on September 27th.
Wow, what a crazy 20 minutes...
