The Pokémon Company has announced a handful of new apps, games, and updates during the recent Pokémon Presents held just recently.
Posted on the same day of the release of the new Isle of Armor expansion for Pokémon Sword and Shield, President and CEO of The Pokémon Company Tsunekazu Ishihara hosted the 10-minute video presentation that introduced new additions to the franchise which include Pokémon Smile, Pokémon Snap, and Pokémon Cafe Mix.
The Isle of Armor Expansion and Pokémon Go
The Isle of Armor is the first of two expansions for Pokémon Sword and Shield set to release this year. This expansion not only adds a completely new area to the game but also introduces a new Mythical Pokémon — Zeraora.
To celebrate the expansion, a special in-game challenge has been presented to players. Nintendo is holding special Max Raid Battles featuring this new Mythical Pokémon and will be held from June 17 through June 28. If one million players around the world participate and win, they will be rewarded with an elusive Shiny Zeraora.
The celebration extends to the company’s still-popular mobile game, Pokémon Go. For a limited time, Galarian Farfetch’d will be available to catch in the wild. Additionally, there will be new special avatar items that feature clothes seen in the new main game expansion.
In addition to that, Pokémon Go will soon be introducing Mega Evolutions to the game. Pokémon Go Fest, a live event held in a different city each year, will also now be a virtual paid event that can be played from anywhere in the world. During this time, they will also be introducing a Mythical Pokémon which has not yet appeared in the game beforehand.
New Pokémon Snap
The last Pokémon Snap released was for the Nintendo 64 about 20 years ago. It had players snapping photos of various Pokémon in their natural environments and then having Professor Oak rate these photos based on the size of the Pokemon.
New Pokémon Snap will retain the same gameplay but with, of course, a major graphics update. In the teaser for the game, we see various Pokémon living in rich, lush environments like jungles and beaches. The aim of the game is to take photos to complete the Pokédex and maybe even discover never-before-seen Pokémon expressions and behaviors.
The game will be releasing for the Nintendo Switch but no official release date has been announced.
Pokémon Cafe Mix
In this game, you act as the owner of a cafe whose primary guests are, you guessed it, Pokémon. It’s a unique puzzle game that will have players swirling around different Pokémon icons with the goal of linking matching icons together.
Along with the puzzles, you’ll also be able to befriend Pokémon who you can then ask to be part of your staff. They will be able to provide you with help in the puzzles with various special abilities called Cafe Skills. And the more your shop gets upgraded, the more different types of Pokémon will appear.
Pokémon Cafe Mix will launch on June 23 and is free for the Nintendo Switch and mobile with in-game purchases available.
Pokémon Smile
Lastly, Pokémon Smile is Nintendo’s newest mobile app designed to help younger fans learn to brush their teeth properly. Players are given the task to rescue other Pokémon from “cavity-causing bacteria” by properly brushing their teeth.
Using the phone’s camera, the app uses AR technology to observe the player’s movements and respond accordingly. It will help the game guide the player to brush in the right places and with the right motion. Once the player defeats the bacteria, they’ll be rewarded with a chance to catch the Pokémon.
Parents can set up Pokémon Smile with alerts up to three times per day. This will help their kids maintain a proper routine without even noticing it. Apart from catching and collecting Pokémon, players will also be awarded in-app “decorative headwear” that they can put on while brushing.
Pokémon Smile is available now and is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.
