3DS-era Pokémon games go offline

Howdy Cooltrainers and Happy Detective Pikachu Eve to those who celebrate. While you’re waiting to bust out your magnifying glass tomorrow, let me give you a clue: it ain’t no mystery that Victory Road is the best Pokémon news source this side of Ryme City. Now let’s over-caffeinate and get after it!

Here’s this week’s rundown (estimated read time, 4 minutes):

• It’s the end of an (online) era for 3DS Pokémon games.

• The Pokémon Illustration Contest is back.

• A breakdown of this weekend’s new 7-Star Tera Raid in S/V

• Detective Pikachu arrives in Pokémon GO.

Nintendo 3DS Online Services are shutting down

It’s the end of an era. Come “early April 2024” Nintendo 3DS online goes dark. For us Cooltrainers, this means online play for X & Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Sun & Moon, and Ultra Sun & Moon are soon a thing of the past. Aside from battling, this also includes features like the Friend Safari in X & Y.

A specific date and time for the closure is to-be-announced.

While Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter are confirmed to work beyond that date, it’s unsure how long. If you’ve still got Pokémon in the Bank, consider this your warning to get them out ASAP. Better to do it now than wait and forget about it until it’s too late.

Remember, Pokémon Bank is free to use. Here’s a handy guide to walk you through the transfer from Bank to HOME.

Does sunsetting 3DS online play mean we’re getting a Gen 5 remake next year? You decide 😉.

P.S. Dear Nintendo, where all the Pokémon Ports for the Switch store?

Pokémon Illustration Contest 2024 kicks off

Artists: ready your Smeargles! (Or whatever drawing instrument you use that isn’t a Pokémon tail).

The Illustration contest is an opportunity for artists to design what could become an official Pokémon card (either a standard card or a Pokémon ex card). This year’s theme is “Magical Pokémon Moments” and the Pokémon you can choose to include in your masterpiece are Charizard, Pikachu, Eevee, Feraligatr, Flygon, Absol, Bidoof, Melmetal, Amped Form Toxtricity or Koraidon.

A grand prize winner receives $5000, one best standard card and one best Pokémon ex card winner each receive $3000, six first runners-up receive $1000 and fifteen Judge’s Award winners each receive $500.

For the first time artists in the U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand can join, in addition to the U.S. and Japan. Get all the deets and enter the contest here.

Hisuian Decidueye comes to 7-Star Tera Raids

After a premature announcement via YouTube ads, Hisuian Decidueye is indeed here, both this weekend, October 6-8, and next, October 13-15.

The Scarecrow Owl has the Grass Tera, giving it an even bigger punch with its moveset. While we won’t know exactly what we’re dealing with until tomorrow, PKMNcast has done some fantastic homework to prep for the raid event. Here are the best counters he suggests and their builds.

• Iron Moth (role: attacker)

• Charjabug (role: supporter)

• Armarouge (role: attacker)

• Torkoal (role: all arounder)

Pokémon GO celebrates Detective Pikachu

Detective Pikachu Returns arrived in Pokémon GO today at 10 a.m. local time through Monday, October 9 at 8 p.m. local time.

The headline event is (of course) Pikachu wearing detective hats (shiny unlocked). A personal highlight for me is that you can evolve them into Raichu with the detective hat. Does anyone else get bugged by special appearance event Pokémon in GO that can’t be evolved? I WANT A CHARIZARD WITH THAT SKULL MASK.

Slowpoke are also donning cowboy hats for the event, in addition to a number of Pokémon one must assume will be featured in the game, including:, Growlithe, Alolan Exeggutor, Magikarp, Lotad, Chimecho, and Bronzor (all shiny unlocked), and Xatu, Bellossom, Ducklett, Cutiefly, and Falinks (shiny locked).

Field Research task rewards include Sudowoodo and Snivy (shiny unlocked) and Rowlett (shiny locked).

Event Bonuses include a surprise encounter with detective hat Pikachu once per day by taking a snapshot (a nice perk for ultra-rural players) and 2x XP for spinning PokéStops during the event.

Card of the Week

Take a gander at the brand new Suicune Ex, featuring in the upcoming Pokémon Trading Card Game Classic. This ultra-primo set is what they’d use if they played

Pokémon in Vegas (foldable game board, stackable damage counters, and a case to hold all that plus the three pre-made decks).

Retail is $399. They’re already sold out on the Pokémon Center ahead of the November 17 release. Ah well, at least I can gaze at Suicune’s watery majesty and dream.

Random encounters around the internet

• The Pokémon Company is going HARD on Mismagius this week. Check out the purple ghostie’s episode from Beyond the Pokédex. Side note: was anyone else traumatized by Alpha Mismagius in PLA?

• Check out the first trailer for the live action Pokémon-related show, PokéTsume:

Obscure Pokémon Fact of the Day (from u/Mx_Toniy_4869)

Until next time,
Cooltrainer “still having nightmares about Alpha Mismagius” Ace