Pokémon Developer Round-table News

New Communication Features, New Pokémon and more!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Reported on Bulbanews by Ryu Shoji
Originally reported on Pokémon.com Twitter

This article is breaking news. Some contents may change—be sure to check back regularly.

Today, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company held an exclusive, behind-closed-doors developer round-table about the upcoming Nintendo 3DS pair Pokémon X and Y, which were confirmed earlier today to be due out worldwide on October 12. Although the conference was not streamed, Pokémon.com's official Twitter page, as well as those of various journalists, were live tweeting the event, which has revealed the following:

When the player start up the games, they will be presented with seven language options: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Korean. These are the languages previous games in the series have been released in.

There are three new Pokémon: the Water/Poison-type Skrelp, the Water-type Clauncher and the Fire/Flying type Talonflame.

The game features a new communication feature which takes place on the lower screen of the Nintendo 3DS—the PSS (Player Search System), which allows players to search for others locally or globally to battle and trade. It will recognise other players playing Pokémon X or Pokémon Y and if you interact with anyone, they will become an "Acquaintance". Afterwards, you will be able to register them as a friend (limited to 100). This is integrated with your 3DS Friend List, so anyone who is registered as a friend on your friend list will automatically be registered onto the PSS.

A new type of battle has been announced, called a "Horde"; Horde Battles can be up to 5-on-1 battles.

Another new type of battle was introduced: Sky Battles. Only Flying-type Pokémon (and a few exceptions, such as Pokémon with the ability Levitate) can enter these battles.

The introduction of the new Fairy-type was done primarily to balance out the Dragon-type.

At the moment, there are no plans for DLC but the option is being looked into. Backwards compatibility is also being worked on.

Different areas will feature different modes of transportation, such as the roller blades, Pokémon riding and rail grinding we've seen so far. Riding Pokémon will help you traverse various terrains, such as riding a Rhyhorn across rocky areas.

You can select music before a battle begins.

Roundtable screenshot of a Pokémon battle
Roundtable screenshot of Sky Battles
Roundtable screenshot of Horde Encounters
Roundtable screenshot of PSS
Skrelp attacking
Clauncher attacking
Haunter being hit by Talonflame's attack
Haunter attacking
PSS lower screen
Language selection
The Houndour horde
The Tauros horde
The Axew horde
The PSS trade
The PSS trade
The PSS trade
VS screen during a PSS battle
The PSS battle
Talonflame using Brave Bird
Clauncher
Skrelp
Talonflame

Trailer

By pokemon

Press release

“ POKÉMON VIDEO GAME DIRECTOR REVEALS NEW BATTLE SCENARIOS AND

NEW WAYS TO CONNECT IN POKÉMON X AND POKÉMON Y

More Brand-New Pokémon Also Introduced at Nintendo’s Developer Roundtable at E3'\

BELLEVUE, WA—June 11, 2013—Junichi Masuda, Director at GAME FREAK inc., joined Tsunekazu Ishihara, President and CEO of The Pokémon Company, at Nintendo’s Developer Roundtable at E3 on Tuesday evening in Los Angeles to discuss Pokémon history and share new features debuting in the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games when they launch worldwide October 12, 2013 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS system. Mr. Masuda revealed a new communication feature debuting in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y—Player Search System or PSS. He also showcased two new battle scenarios players will come across when exploring the Kalos region—Horde Encounters and Sky Battles. These new ways to battle will require Pokémon Trainers to plan accordingly and build a Pokémon party that can withstand a multitude of Pokémon or take on flying Pokémon high in the sky.

The PSS allows players to connect, battle, and trade with other players nearby and around the world. The PSS makes it easy to find other people playing Pokémon X or Pokémon Y near you or even on the other side of the world. When the new communication feature is on, the PSS alerts players when someone nearby is playing Pokémon X or Pokémon Y and gives you the option to battle or trade with them wirelessly. Players with a wireless Internet connection can also connect with Pokémon X and Pokémon Y players anywhere in the world via the PSS, making it easy to battle or trade with others close by or thousands of miles away.

When Pokémon like Houndour, Axew, Tauros, and Miltank appear en masse in the wild in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, players will be facing a Horde Encounter. In past Pokémon titles, Pokémon battles have always involved the same number of Pokémon on both sides, like a regular one-on-one match or a Triple Battle. Horde Encounters take battling to a new, intense level that forces a player to battle against multiple wild Pokémon that attack all at once—with only a single Pokémon on the player’s side. Players will need to ensure their Pokémon has moves that can attack multiple Pokémon at once or they may quickly find themselves on the losing end of the battle.

Select Trainers you encounter in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y will challenge players to Sky Battles—fierce battles that take the action high above ground. While players traverse the Kalos region, Trainers standing high on cliffs or in other distant places will want to battle, but players can only participate if they have certain Pokémon in their party that can fly. The Sky Battle is a visually stunning battle scenario and an exciting new addition to Pokémon video games.

Never-before-seen Pokémon made their debut at Nintendo’s Developer Roundtable at E3:

An evolved form of the recently announced Fletchling, Talonflame, is a Fire- and Flying-type Pokémon that gains a whole new level of speed and firepower. Reaching speeds of up to 310 mph when diving for its prey, Talonflame can attack its foes with devastating kicks while embers spew from its body as it zooms through the sky. Talonflame knows Brave Bird, one of the strongest Flying-type moves. Use Brave Bird carefully, though, because the incredible strength of this move also does damage to the user.

The Water Gun Pokémon Clauncher uses its one oversized claw not only to seize prey but also to shoot condensed water at others as a projectile. This capability is so intense that it can crack a boulder! A Water-type Pokémon, Clauncher can also use its giant claw to crush opponents with the powerful Water-type move Crabhammer, which is more likely to land a critical hit. Critical hits against opposing Pokémon will do twice the usual damage.

Some would say that the Poison- and Water-type Pokémon Skrelp appears to be nothing more than a rotting piece of kelp, but don’t let its appearance fool you. Using its unique look to its benefit, Skrelp pretends to be a piece of seaweed, and when prey wander past it, Skrelp bathes them in poison so they can’t struggle when it attacks. Skrelp uses the Poison-type move Sludge Bomb, a move that can leave opposing Pokémon poisoned. A poisoned Pokémon will slowly take damage over the length of a battle.

It was also revealed that Pokémon X and Pokémon Y are the first Pokémon titles that allow players the choice to play the game in one of seven languages: English, Japanese, French, Italian, German, Korean, or Spanish.

Pokémon X and Pokémon Y will carry a suggested retail price of $39.99. ”

-- The Pokémon Company International