Black Friday ‘Pokémon’ Exclusive: Releases, Locations Revealed For Hoopa Event, TV Movie, New Series
The Black Friday Pokémon event has been unleashed, and Poké-maniacs eager to “catch ’em all” will want to get in on it. Nintendo’s most social video game ever made is ready to grab some of your time this Holiday season, and the TV series and movie are about to catch even more.
Pokémon has come a long way since its launch. The original GameBoy titles Pokémon Red and Blue (originally Red and Green in Japan), offered gamers a choice of Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle as a starting partner on their long journey. Different pocket monsters could be found in each version, and only by trading via a link cable could anyone hope to catch all 150. The idea was to train Pokémon (pocket monsters) and prepare them for battle against progressively tougher new “recruits.” The goal was to have an unbeatable collection of monsters to take down in-game rivals and Pokémon gym leaders, and dominate your real-world friends.
Several generations of the game have been released over the years, often with eventual third versions which featured a few more monsters the original two hadn’t offered.
Today, thanks to Nintendo Zone WiFi, the Black Friday Pokemon event has become an annual release of new exclusives. It requires trainers to visit locations such as McDonald’s in the United States, and GameStop in other countries around the world. Players bring their 3DS, connect to the restaurant or store WiFi, select “Mystery Gift” and “Get Via Internet,” and then they can say hello to their latest addition to the game.
This year’s Black Friday Pokémon exclusive is being called the Hoopa event, named after the mystery gift of an entirely new mythical Pokémon. Its powers include Hyperspace Hole, Psychic, Astonish, and Nasty Plot, and it’s only available for Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire, according to K Pop Starz.
Other releases of the Hoopa event include GameStop and Webhallen stores in Sweden, GameStop and Neo Tokyo in Norway, and just GameStop in Finland. Those will take place between December and January, according to Serebii. In the U.S., Hoopa is being distributed at McDonald’s starting Black Friday.
Other monsters were also added to the roster this past month for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire players, but not everybody is getting them. They are likely to make an appearance in the TV movie Hoopa & The Clash of Ages, which will premiere on Cartoon Network sometime in December.
These Black Friday Pokémon additions included Zoroark and Zygarde, the first of which is a dark type Pokémon. Zygarde is a rare Legendary Pokémon which can only be obtained in Japan if certain criteria are met, according to Venture Capital Post. The code to grab Zygarde will be broadcast during the new series Pokémon XY and Z, so gamers in Japan should set their DVRs for this.
Serebii Note: The Hoopa event is now running in US McDonald’s Restaurants via Nintendo Zone https://t.co/oV6DIIA7Ub pic.twitter.com/8R0twk65pM
— Serebii.net (@SerebiiNet) November 27, 2015
Hoopa had originally been a Japan exclusive Pokemon, so it’s unknown if Zygarde will eventually see a U.S. release as well, though it may possibly be next year’s Black Friday Pokémon exclusive.
The U.K. and Germany have already seen the Hoopa event, which took place in October and early November. The U.S. release started today and will continue through December 23. True Pokémon masters will be getting a little more than a Happy Meal or a Big Mac during the Holiday season.
Nintendo seems to have a running trend of releasing new characters lately, with Cloud from FFVII being added to Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U, as previously reported by The Inquisitr.
Will you be out to “catch ’em all” and grab Hoopa during the Black Friday Pokémon distribution at McDonald’s?
[Image via Nintendo/YouTube]
