After covering Amazon’s October sale for the last few days, only one item found its way into my shopping cart, and, lucky for you, it’s still on sale after the event’s conclusion. Pokémon Legends: Z-A for the Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 is $39.88 (usually $59.99 for Switch or $69.99 for Switch 2) at Amazon. The last Pokémon game I played was Let’s Go Eevee!, and Pokémon Moon prior to that, but the unique Lumiose City setting and real-time battles in the latest game have piqued my interest.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the first game in the main series with a real-time battling system instead of the traditional turn-based formula. You’re still catching pokémon, leveling up, trading, and battling in the game’s Paris-inspired setting, but the more action-oriented battles and smooth performance (on the Nintendo Switch 2) are very welcome.

Where to Buy:

• $69 $39.99 at Amazon (Switch 2)

We reviewed Pokémon Legends: Z-A close to its release last October, and felt like it continued the “Legends” series reputation for overhauling core aspects of the games that many find to be outdated. If you want even more content, Mega Dimension is available as paid DLC (it costs $29.99). A new Switch 2 Edition game bundle that contains the base game and DLC will drop on October 29th, 2026 for $99.99, so I suggest grabbing the game while it’s cheaper.

Read our Pokémon Legends: Z-A review.

Pokémon Pokopia is still going strong months after its launch and dedicated players who are still exploring the cozy game and its DLC can now cash in a new Mystery Gift code for some new free items.

Mystery Gift Code Delivers Resort Furniture to Pokopia

Pokemon Pokopia players can now celebrate the start of a new gift distribution cycle. According to Serebii, the new gift package was recently announced in a newsletter sent to players of Pokémom Pokopia in North America.

The new collection of free items is all themed around resort furniture and includes a Resort sofa, Resort table, Resort hammock, Resort stool and a Twisted Potted Plant.

Players who want to add the new items to their collection can do so by using the code: D1VE1NTHESEA.

This Mystery Gift code should work from now through February 29, 2028. That gives players plenty of time to login, enter the code, and claim their resort furniture-themed items.

In order to claim a gift in Pokopia, players can follow these steps:

• Start Pokémon Pokopia from the HOME Menu.
• Press the A Button on the title screen.
• Walk to the PC in your town and press the A Button to check it.
• Select Get Items.
• Select Mystery Gifts.

The first Pokopia DLC, Bubbly Basin, arrived in August and players have been exploring and building underwater since that major update. More content is scheduled to arrive in late 2026 with the new accessories and clothing options. Then, the third part of the Expansion Pass DLC will arrive in 2027 with a whole new town to explore and rebuild.

“Expand your world with more areas to explore, Pokémon to meet, and items to decorate your homes with! The additional content from the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass paid DLC* will be released in three parts, but one purchase gets you access to everything.”

The full Pokemon Pokopia Expansion Pass is a $34.99 add-on to the base game.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Pokemon and Pokémon Pokopia news and updates.

Pokémon Pokopia is available now exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2.

The post Pokémon Pokopia New Mystery Gift Code and Item Rewards appeared first on VICE.

Team Rocket is taking over Pokémon GO once again and fans of the mobile game will want to update their counter rosters to prepare for the big incoming battle against Team Rocket’s leader.

Giovanni Harvest Festival LineUp and Best counters

Pokemon GO players are celebrating the Harvest Festival this week, but Team Rocket is trying to show up to ruin the fun. Trainers will need to prepare for some intense battles throughout early October during the Taken Over event.

To find Giovanni this month, players need an unused Super Rocket Radar. This item can be earned through GO Pass: Harvest Festival.

The Team Rocket battles will culminate in a fight against Giovanni. The Team Rocket leader has updated their roster once again and players should take some time early this month to study the changes and prepare an effective counter roster for the big fight.

Giovanni’s Roster (October 2026):

• Slot 1:
  • Shadow Persian (no change)
• Slot 2:
  • Shadow Rhyperior
  • Shadow Machamp
  • Shadow Kangaskhan
• Slot 3:
  • Shadow Zekrom

Players who manage to successfully defeat Giovanni’s whole lineup will have a chance to catch Shadow Zekrom. In order to do that, they’re going to want to bring a strategic counter roster to the battle.

Shadow Rhyperior is a Rock and Ground-type Pokémon. It has a double weakness to Grass and Water-type attacks, and is also weak to Fighting, Ground, Ice, and Steel.

Shadow Machamp is a Fighting-type Pokémon that is weak to Fairy, Flying, and Psychic-type attacks.

Kangaskhan is a pure Normal-type Pokémon, so it is only weak to Fighting-type attacks and resists Ghost-type moves.

Shadow Zekrom is a Dragon and Electric-type Pokémon. It is weak to Dragon, Fairy, Ground, and Ice-type attacks.

With all that in mind, players will want to make sure that their counter roster includes some heavy hitters that crossover to help take advantage of as many of those weaknesses as possible. The number crunchers in the community suggest that Lucario is the best option to lead the charge.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Pokémon GO news and updates.

Pokémon GO is available now in most regions on mobile devices.

The post Pokémon GO – Giovanni Lineup and Best Counters for October 2026 Takeover appeared first on VICE.

A new rumor claims to reveal the Pokémon Winds and Waves starter evolution lines, including their names, types, and Pokédex descriptions. Here is what the anonymous post says about the Pokémon Gen 10 starters, along with why fans should be cautious about the alleged leak.

Pokémon Winds and Waves Rumor Reveals Alleged Starter Evolutions

The Pokémon Winds and Waves starter evolutions have reportedly leaked online. Before you get too excited, though, this latest rumor comes from an anonymous post on 4chan. Yeah, so it’s not exactly backed up by a trustworthy source.

The post lists two evolutions each for Pombon, Browt, and Gecqua, alongside what it claims are their Pokédex entries. According to the rumor, their final evolutions would be Fire/Fairy, Grass/Ground, and Water/Psychic, respectively.

All this said, take this latest Pokémon Winds and Waves “leak” with a major grain of salt. Still, the descriptions offer an interesting look at what the Gen 10 starters could become if the claims turn out to be accurate. Below are the alleged evolution names, types, and descriptions:

Pombon Evolution Line

The alleged Pombon evolution line keeps its Fire typing through its second stage before becoming Fire/Fairy. Its rumored final evolution, Bombulu, is described as a friendly Pokémon with a large, heated mane that shelters smaller Pokémon in winter.

• 1029 – Pombon – Fire
  • The area below its throat glows faintly from the heat-generating organ within its lungs. This Pokémon is guileless and friendly.
• 1030 – Barklava – Fire
  • Barklava is always happy and loves to play rough. Sometimes it does not notice that its playmate has already fainted.
  • It fends off anyone who threatens its friends. It is said to have guarded temples in ancient times.
• 1031 – Bombulu – Fire/Fairy
  • In winter, small Pokémon nest in Bombulu’s large mane to stay warm. It regulates its temperature using its heat organ, which can get hotter than 7,200 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • An extremely friendly Pokémon. However, if it smells malice, this Pokémon will attack those who harbor it with its mighty claws.

Browt Evolution Line

According to the rumor, Browt evolves into Ruffstrum before reaching its final form, Kasquake. The alleged Grass/Ground evolution uses powerful kicks and headbutts in battle, while also creating ground vibrations to communicate with its herd.

• 1026 – Browt – Grass
  • This Pokémon runs about energetically while photosynthesizing using the leaves on its brow. It’s lively, but it can also be a bit clumsy.
• 1027 – Ruffstrum – Grass
  • Ruffstrum practices its kicks on trees in the forest. New branches are said to grow from the marks left by its claws.
  • It uses the crest on its head to absorb sunlight. Its body blends in with the foliage, making it hard to spot.
• 1028 – Kasquake – Grass/Ground
  • In battle, it knocks down opponents with powerful headbutts and uses its strong legs to stomp them. It can fell a tree with a single kick.
  • Kasquake can create tremors in the ground with its sturdy legs. These vibrations allow it to communicate with its herd over great distances.

Gecqua Evolution Line

Gecqua’s rumored evolution line focuses on precise water attacks and heightened awareness. Its alleged final evolution, Cereguana, gains Psychic typing and has a forehead marking described as a third eye.

• 1032 – Gecqua – Water
  • This Pokémon launches springy balls of water from its tail. Gecqua is very intelligent and maneuvers shrewdly while putting on airs.
• 1033 – Flotokay – Water
  • Flotokay communicate with each other using a distinctive sound. This sound is calming and soothes anyone who hears it.
  • It controls the orbs of water produced by its tail to attack with precision. It uses graceful motions to maintain focus.
• 1034 – Cereguana – Water/Psychic
  • It can sense even the slightest change in its surroundings. Legends say the mark on Cereguana’s forehead is a third eye that grants it psychic powers.
  • This Pokémon is very mindful and does not get distracted. It never loses its temper and neutralizes opponents with swift attacks.

Is the Pokémon Winds and Waves Starter Evolution Leak Legitimate?

There is a lot of reason to doubt the latest Pokémon Winds and Waves starters leak. First off, it doesn’t come from the infamous TeraLeak files, or from the usual trusted Pokemon leakers. And secondly, there is the obvious fact this was posted on anonymous board without any major sourcing to back it up.

There have also been claims that another circulating Gen 10 Pokémon list borrows from existing fan-made Pokémon. However, it’s unclear whether these starter descriptions belong to that same list or are a separate rumor altogether.

For now, we’d be pretty wary of this rumor. Pombon becoming Fire/Fairy and Browt gaining Ground typing are certainly realistic possibilities, but we’ll need stronger evidence before treating Barklava, Bombulu, Ruffstrum, Kasquake, Flotokay, or Cereguana as genuine Gen 10 Pokémon.

The post Pokémon Winds and Waves Starter Evolutions Reportedly Leak appeared first on VICE.

After 30 years, Pokémon remains among the most desirable collectible franchises in fandom and auctions regularly prove the cards' growing value. But one scalper went too far in his efforts to acquire the latest Squirter or PewPew or whatever, attaching a GPS tranceiver on a delivery driver's vehicle and using it to track her movements. — Read the rest

The post Pokémon card collector used GPS device to track delivery woman appeared first on Boing Boing.

A couple of years ago, the Pokémon Company clarified that Poké Balls are not tiny pocket monster prisons, but rather like a "high-end suite room in a fancy hotel." Japanese company NOT A HOTEL is a sort of high-end timeshare/fractional ownership company specializing in unique architecture and picturesque locations. — Read the rest

The post A giant Poké Ball hotel room is real, and it's in Hokkaido appeared first on Boing Boing.