Raid Battles made the jump from Pokémon’s Generation VIII (Sword and Shield) to Generation IX (Scarlet and Violet). While similar, the big difference this time around is the Terastal phenomenon, where Pokémon’s type can change to one of the 18 different types available in-game. Not to mention, Pokémon will receive…
The holiday season is now just a few months away, and to many that leaves a lot to look forward to. With a vast assortment of highly-anticipated game releases just around the corner, the wait can feel almost agonizing. A good way to make that wait feel shorter is to…
Raid Hour (also referred to as Legendary Raid Hour) started as an experiment in March 2019. Initially called Legendary Lunch Hour, Niantic set aside an hour on Wednesdays for Pokémon GO Trainers to find 5-Star (Legendary) Raids easier by increasing the appearance rates. After further testing, Raid Hour was renamed…
Funko’s monthly rollout of new figures in its Day with Pikachu series continues this month, and this latest design is bringing something new to the table! Preparing for summer’s end and autumn’s arrival, ‘Charged Up for Game Day’ is giving Pikachu and football fans alike a new collectible to really…
Casetify — the popular protective case company for phones, headphones, smart watches, and other accessories — has been collaborating with The Pokémon Company over the past year to bring some never-before-seen case designs to the market. If you’re a big Pokémon fan, you’ve likely seen the ads on social media…
Pokémon fans in Japan have been able to visit Pokémon Center stores for years now, and the United States used to have one of its very own (that’s now Nintendo NY) and a fresh branch just opened in Singapore. But those of us living in Europe haven’t really had the…
Update: Good news, collectors! The life-size Mareep plush is now also up for pre-order at the North American Pokémon Center. I see a lot of Pokémon plushes as a writer for Nintendo Wire, and I’ve even been privileged enough to regularly visit Pokémon Center stores in Japan while I lived…
Back in June we reported on a new book being put together by Shigesato Itoi’s publishing company, Hobonichi, that would compile the writings of the late Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. Soon after, a worldwide audience started clamoring for the book to be released in other languages, and now it’s been…
Update: All three Kirby Dream Gear Plushes are now available to pre-order at Play-Asia. Save 5% on your entire order when you use the code NINWIRE at checkout! Kirby’s a flan of many hats, and this time around he’s getting just a bit mechanical with his headgear. Light the lamps…
Update: The Pokémon Center has updated its sales listings for Sword & Shield pre-orders. Sadly, the plush key chain gifts that are available as the three starters (Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble) will be chosen at random. So if you choose to pre-order from the PC, you will not be guaranteed…
After days of teasing the announcement and years of being the worst kept secret in the theme park industry, Universal Studios Florida has announced their third park (fourth if you count the water park) in Orlando: Epic Universe. This massive park is just as big as the entirety of the…
Funko’s monthly A Day with Pikachu releases always bring an air of excitement along with them, and July’s figure is no different! Splashing Away Summer just arrived at our doorstep today, and everyone here at Nintendo Wire is totally smitten with it. This time around, Pikachu’s making waves while riding…
As a longtime fan of Square Enix’s Mana series, I’ve scouted every niche and corner of the world for game themed memorabilia since I was a little kid. I was beyond thrilled to learn that Collection of Mana would be heading to Switch soon, and now it looks like my…
Now the live-action hybrid Sonic the Hedgehog movie has re-entered production and pushed its release date back from November 2019 to February 2020, it’s seeming less and less likely we’ll see the original movie design become a merchandise icon, for better or worse. Given the sudden delay, however, it’s likely…
The biannual Wonder Festival – the premier Japanese convention for figure enthusiasts – has kicked off in Chiba, and as always there’s a host of new Nintendo related merch shown off. From announcing an Edelgard figma from the recently released Fire Emblem: Three Houses to scale figures of Pokémon…
