RIP 3DS Online: all Pokémon trapped by the closure

Pokémon Horizons Part 2 - coming soon

Author

Cooltrainer Ace
April 11, 2024 • Estimated Read Time: 7 minutes

Welcome to our newest Cooltrainers! If this is your first or fiftieth Victory Road email, pull up a rock, dust off the moss and sit down by my campfire. Sorry about the smoke, it keeps the Parasect away. Can I interest you in a fried Zubat wing?

This week’s rundown (estimated read time 5 minutes):

  • Pokémon Horizons Part 2 releases in the U.S. next month

  • Big RIP for 3DS Online - what it means for Pokémon fans

  • Cooltrainer Chronicles

  • Card of the Week

Pokémon Horizons Part 2 Netflix release schedule

After waiting for an Eternatus (hint, hint) for Part 1, Horizons Part 2 is coming to U.S. Netflix on May 10, 2024.

No word on how many episodes we’ll get (or release info for Canada or Australia as far as I can tell) but here’s the official synopsis. Looks like we’re off to a new region!

If you’re all caught up and waiting, you can check out an official teaser here.

Liko, Roy, and the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers are charting a course toward the Galar region, seeking the truth about the legendary Ancient Adventurer and his Pokémon known as the Six Heroes. Along the way, Roy and Fuecoco find a new Pokémon partner, but an attack by the Explorers leaves Liko and Sprigatito feeling lost. Later, Dot and Quaxly team up, Roy and his Pokémon take on special training, and Friede reveals how he met Captain Pikachu. And when the Brave Olivine finally lands in Galar, friends both old and new await—along with fiery challenges from a Gym Leader and a seriously angry Galarian Moltres!

Photo credit: OatmealDome

Online functions for 3DS are no more

Pour one out for Patrat, Watchog, Pansage, Simisage, Pansear, Simisear, Panpour, Simipour, Furfrou. Unless you transfer them from GO to HOME, these poor Pokémon are unavailable on Nintendo Switch with the recent shutdown of online functions for Nintendo 3DS.

As of April 9, all online features for X & Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Sun/Moon & Ultra Sun/Moon no longer function.

Local gameplay, including local trading and battling still functions, as well as the ability to QR code scan to acquire Magearna, Pikachu, and Secret Base swaps. In addition, Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter still work. Nintendo hasn’t announce any plans to discontinue these services (yet) but if you haven’t already downloaded Pokémon Bank, you’re out of luck.

This shutdown marked the end of an era for many Pokémon trainers with some staying online to the bitter end to Wonder Trade and hang with friends.

The Cooltrainer Chronicles, pt. 6

The sound of the distressed Pokémon stopped me in my tracks. I glanced back in the direction I heard the Spearow swarm coming from. 

A debate raged in my conscience. Should I turn back and help the poor Pokémon? Or let nature run its course?

I already knew the answer. Fully acknowledging what an idiot I was, I booked it toward the shrieking Spearow and squeals of pain. 

In a small forest glade, a half-dozen Spearow diving at a small, huddled purple figure: a Nidoran ♂️. The poor Pokémon squealed in pain, too hurt to fight back each time another blow landed. A single Spearow flopped around drunkenly on the ground from Nidoran’s Poison Point ability.

“Hey!’ I shouted, hurling a stick through the air. It struck a Spearow diving at the Nidoran. The Spearow squawked and tumbled out of the sky. 

The rest ignored me.

“Hey!” I shouted louder, now grasping for any sticks, rocks, or other projectiles I could find. Several frantic throws went wild but enough landed that I finally had the Spearow’s attention. 

In the brief moment before they turned on me, I saw the Nidoran, lying on its side, drawing shuddering breaths.

And then they attacked.

“Wagh!” My battle cry turned to a screech of panic. I swung a branch all around, fending off the enraged Spearow. My world filled with screaming Spearow, feathers, beaks and talons. 

I chucked the branch away in a final act of desperation, stumbling toward the Nidoran. Without thinking, I yanked a Poke Ball from my belt and pressed it to the injured Pokémon. Nidoran disappeared inside in a red flash.

The ball twitched in my hand once, twice. I never heard the ding, focused as I was on escaping the Spearow apocalypse raining down on me. Assuming I’d made the catch, I shoved the Poke Ball into my pocket and ran for my life.

Clearing the forest, the grassy open hills stretched out before me. My legs thundered beneath me, careening to an out of control speed that only a flight from death by a thousand Fury Attacks can summon.

There it was, shining like a beacon through my Spearow storm: the Indigo Academy bus stop.

Card of the Week

As a rural good ole boy, this countrified Mudsdale full art from the upcoming Temporal Forces expansion speaks to me on a different level. Illustrator: MINAMINAMI Take.

Random encounters around the internet

Obscure Pokémon Fact (from u/Mx_Toniy_4869)

Until next time,
Cooltrainer “Koga before Sabrina” Ace