Culture
13 CommentsFarewell Majesco, makers of the greatest piece of E3 swag
I'm sad to hear the Majesco name is no more and the company, which dates to 1986, has been bought up and will leave the video games business altogether. They gave me the greatest and most useful piece of video game swag I've ever received.
For everyone waiting to pounce on ethics, let me clarify this fits an originalist interpretation of SWAG — (S)hit (W)e (A)ll (G)et. It was an oven mitt for Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic, handed out to anyone who came up to hug a mute, foam-headed Cooking Mama mascot at E3 2011, whom I found patrolling the food court outside the show floor. Theoretically, someone without an E3 badge could have walked into West Hall and gotten this thing.
I still have it. In fact, I used it to take a spiral sliced ham out of the oven today at noon (pictured above. Also:...
Culture
6 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon players just want this rare Pokémon to stay put
By now, weeks after launch, most have seen Pokémon Sun and Moon’s story to its end. No matter where they are in the plot, though, one thing has stuck out to fans on social media: Nebby, aspiring trainer Lillie’s tiny and mysterious Pokémon companion, needs to get in the bag.
First, some context. Players may experience Pokémon Sun and Moon from the perspective of their silent protagonist, but it’s Lillie who’s really at the games’ heart. Sun and Moon are about the steps she takes on her journey: to prove herself to her mother, to her friends, to herself. She’s also the catalyst for many of the more dramatic events, although it’s not totally her fault.
Know who’s to blame for the trouble Lillie inadvertently causes for the player character and everyone else? It’s Nebby, who lives in...
Cover Story
Issue
24
November 4, 2016
Blizzard’s prodigal son returns
How one of Blizzard’s co-founders left the company, why he decided to come back and what it means for the future.
Read moreNews
8 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon files hide a long-lost favorite feature
Dataminers have found code for what looks like a feature cut from Pokémon Sun and Moon, the latest entries in the franchise. Walking and running animations for every Pokémon are hidden within the games, with fully rendered models in-action hitting social media.
YouTuber SleepingJirachi made the compilation above of various models unearthed from the games’ files, showing Pokémon of all generations moving at various speeds. The datamined files are pulled from those posted on Google Plus and later shared to Reddit, Twitter and 4chan; players have made them available to download.
These are different than the Pokémon animations we’ve seen in the retail builds of Sun and Moon. That the models cycle between walking and running have many fans thinking that they were made for a beloved, rarely...
News
3 CommentsNintendo offers bounties on 3DS vulnerabilities
Nintendo has begun a campaign to discover security vulnerabilities in the Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS, offering up to $20,000 to those who find exploits for the company to close down.
Nintendo will pay a minimum of $100 for a vulnerability discovered through the bounty program it is offering through HackerOne, a San Francisco-based security company that seeks to root out vulnerabilities and protect users' data.
Nintendo is interested in vulnerabilities that enable piracy, cheating, and "dissemination of inappropriate content to children." The bounty page lists the specific system vulnerabilities, ranging from "low-cost cloning" to "privilege escalation on ARM11 userland."
Nintendo has battled piracy, cracking and all kinds of exploits in the DS line of hardware practically...
Latest Nintendo 3DS Forum Activity View all posts
News
12 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon’s latest legendary is available now (update)
Pokémon Sun and Moon’s first mythical Pokémon giveaway is live, and that means a new legendary monster is available for the first time. Magearna, the steel- and fairy-type that makes its debut this generation, is up for grabs from now on.
Players who have finished Sun and Moon’s campaign will be able to collect the Pokémon to add to their Pokédexes. After beating the game, use the QR Scanner. The code that will reward players with Magearna can be found below:
The Pokémon Company
After scanning this, players must head to the Antiquities of the Ages shop, which is located in Hau’oli City. Then they’ll receive their new Magearna.
The tiny Magearna first appears in the newest Pokémon movie, Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel, which airs today on Disney XD. The cable...
News
9 CommentsWhy Pokémon players spend hours and hours chasing shiny monsters
Shiny Pokémon are an obsessive trainer’s Holy Grail, and the recent arrival of Pokémon Sun and Moon means players are again embarking on the quest for the games’ rarest finds. These Pokémon are more than just rare, in fact; they’re nearly impossible to find, but that doesn’t stop serious fans from trying.
For those not in the know: Shiny Pokémon are re-colored monsters, called “shiny” because they sparkle when they’re sent into battle. Finding them is an extreme chore, as the encounter rate is one in 8,192 wild Pokémon run-ins. There are items to help increase the likelihood of finding one, but it’s far from a sure thing. And if a player wants to hatch a shiny Pokémon? Yeah, good luck.
“Impossible” is not a word in a dedicated Pokémon trainer’s vocabulary. Scrolling through the shiny...
Guides
2 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon’s postgame is light, but here’s the 11 things worth doing
After finishing Pokémon Sun and Moon’s main campaign, the average player may not know where to go or what to do next. Sure, there are still hundreds of Pokémon to capture, but beyond the general goal to catch ‘em all, how a trainer should spend their time in Sun and Moon’s postgame isn’t always obvious.
We’ve been wondering what to do next in Sun and Moon ourselves, now that we’ve become the Pokémon League Champions. Here are some ideas we’ve gathered in our endeavor to keep the latest Pokémon games exciting, from the obvious to the less-so. (And quick: Beware of endgame spoilers!)
Go catch all the Ultra Beasts
It’s pretty hard to miss this mission, since it starts right after Sun and Moon’s storyline wraps. After beating the Elite Four and heading home, the player is given a new task:...
News
8 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon set big new sales record for Nintendo
Pokémon Sun and Moon have become Nintendo’s fast-selling titles ever in the Americas, less than two weeks after release. The games have sold 3.7 million copies across those regions since they launched earlier this month, the company announced in a press release.
The company noted that the sales figure is 85 percent larger than that of its previous record-holders. Before Sun and Moon, Pokémon X and Y were Nintendo’s fastest sellers of all-time, moving more than 4 million units worldwide in their first weekend alone.
Nintendo has gone on to sell more than 15 million copies of X and Y since 2013, when the games hit Nintendo 3DS. Pokémon series sales have always dominated handheld consoles, with Nintendo DS’ Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum as the high-water mark; combined, they’ve...
News
10 CommentsHow to watch The Game Awards on Thursday Night
The Game Awards are Thursday, Dec. 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET. This is video gaming’s big red carpet night before the mainstream, even if knowledgable gamers know that the event is more about what’s to come rather than what has been launched. Here’s what, where and how to watch what many call the Oscars of video games.
Where to watch:
If you're reading this, you already have the means of watching. The Game Awards will stream to just about every device through all the major channels. And by major channels, we no longer mean CBS, NBC and ABC.
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook Live
Twitter
Snapchat
Furthermore, both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network will be carrying the stream (Steam as well). See these services' home screens for more information.
As a last resort, yes, because this is streaming, Polygon...
News
2 CommentsYou may have missed these Pokémon Sun and Moon Easter eggs
Pokémon Sun and Moon are filled with in-jokes and gags that may have bypassed the average player. It’s not too late to go check them out, though, as YouTuber and Pokémon fan Maxx has done a lot of the legwork.
The video above collects almost 10 minutes of Easter eggs and where to find them, and some of them are pretty specific references that could use some explanation. Thankfully, Maxx fills in the gaps for some of these, like a gag based on the popular Hawaiian singer Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwoʻole.
One opposing trainer named Veteran Roger introduces himself as Future and begins to talk about his songwriting prowess. It’s a weird conversation that prompts a response from the player about whether they’re familiar with this apparent Pokémon universe superstar.
As Maxx explains, the whole...
News
0 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon’s first global mission dares players to catch 100 million Pokémon
Pokémon Sun and Moon’s debut massively multiplayer online event is now live, and it has one heck of an ask. Between now and Dec. 13, players worldwide are challenged to collect a total of 100 million Pokémon in order to win a nice prize.
That prize is not the title of World’s Best Trainer, but instead 1,000 Festival Coins per participant. These can be used to buy items and facilities in the Festival Plaza, which is Sun and Moon’s online multiplayer hub.
Anyone can take part in the global mission, and it’s good to highlight that all players must catch 100 million monsters in total, not individually. To register their contributions, players must log into the Game Sync function any time before Dec. 13.
If Pokémon Sun and Moon’s millions-deep player base fails to meet the 100 million...
News
12 CommentsVideo game releases for December 2016
Here are some of the big video game releases for the month of December 2016. Be sure to check out the list we put together of our most anticipated games of 2016. Also, check out the free games you get with your Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus subscriptions this month. Additionally, here's what is coming and going on Netflix in December.
What are you looking forward to playing? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments.
Note: This is not a comprehensive list of releases and only games with specific dates are listed below. Some games are announced for December but have no firm release date.
Dec. 1:
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (Android and iOS) — The fourth entry in the visual novel series was the first not to have Phoenix Wright in the lead role, f...
Black Friday
17 CommentsNintendo Black Friday deals 2016: the best prices on 3DS systems and more
There aren’t a ton of Nintendo Black Friday deals out there quite yet, which frankly surprises us. The Nintendo Switch is on its way, so we’d expect retailers to try to clear their stock out this holiday season. There’s at least one great effort in the mix for seasonal shoppers, and you can find more on that and other discounts in our round-up below.
Nintendo 3DS gets really cheap
The standard Black Friday deal you’ll find this season is on New Nintendo 3DS handhelds. Nintendo has a pair of special edition sets on sale for $99.99, featuring a design that will appeal to Super Mario fans.
Nintendo of America
The holiday New Nintendo 3DS set will be available in either white or black starting Nov. 25. Whether this extends beyond Black Friday is up in the air, and we’re...
News
58 CommentsNew Nintendo 3DS Black Friday deal, only $99 (update)
Nintendo is offering a terrific Black Friday deal on the New Nintendo 3DS: The handheld will be available in the U.S. for just $99.99 in two new special-edition designs, the company announced today.
This is the first time that any 3DS model — aside from the Nintendo 2DS, which got a price cut to $79.99 in mid-May — has been available for less than $100.
Nintendo will be marking the occasion by releasing the handheld with a new design featuring Mushroom Kingdom artwork, with characters such as Mario and Toad and items like a Fire Flower. It will be available in two colors, white (see below) and black, starting Nov. 25.
There’s no word on whether this is a temporary deal for the Black Friday weekend, or a price cut for the holiday season. Nintendo did not specify an end date for the...
Black Friday
0 CommentsTarget Black Friday deals on games, systems and more
Target’s Black Friday sale starts on Thanksgiving Day this year. Doors open at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 24, meaning shoppers will have to get a move on early if they want big discounts on a ton of games for every major system.
We’ve got the best deals below to help you start planning your trip. Note that many of these are doorbusters, so prepare for limited stock. All prices are good from Nov. 24-26.
Nintendo games and 3DS hardware on sale
Target has the common $99 New Nintendo 3DS deal available as a doorbuster. There are also several 3DS games discounted to $25 through Saturday, like Pokémon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, Pokémon X/Y, Kirby Planet Robobot and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS. There’s also New Super Mario Bros. 2 going for cheap this weekend at $15.
Wii U games marked down include S...
News
7 CommentsThese Pokémon Sun and Moon QR codes will help you fill out your Pokédex
One of Pokémon Sun and Moon’s lesser-known features is the QR code scanner. Although it was revealed pre-launch, the finer details are still being uncovered by players who have blasted through the games. What we do know by now is that this piece of post-game content is pretty cool, and players are helping each other out by making it far more accessible.
The QR code scanner is unlocked after beating the main campaign. It allows players to ... well, scan QR codes, obviously. Every code corresponds to one Pokémon in Alola’s regional Pokédex, and once scanned, players will be able to register them to seek out in their own games. The Pokédex will show where that Pokémon can be caught on the map, if at all, which is great for filling out that ‘dex.
Reddit users have compiled every single QR...
News
8 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon save glitch has some players losing their files (update)
Some Pokémon Sun and Moon players are reporting that the games suffer from a devastating bug which renders them unplayable. Creating a save in a handful of locations corrupted their progress entirely, they say, forcing them to start over — but the actual culprit of that bug appears to be an unauthorized homebrew program, not a glitch in the game itself.
Users of the PKHex tool, a program that allows players to edit Sun and Moon’s code to alter their locations, encounter rates and Pokémon teams, found that saving in Pokémon Centers across the entire Alola region damaged their files. As the program is an unofficial tool primarily used by hackers, many players falling victim to the save glitch weren’t forthcoming about PKHex’s possible involvement.
Tweets and posts from a variety of...
Deals
8 CommentsNintendo holiday deals offer even better game discounts beyond Black Friday
Nintendo has launched its holiday cyber deals, unveiling a number of discounts on popular Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games just ahead of Black Friday. Although this sale will overlap with the major shopping holiday, Nintendo’s digital-only discounts will continue beyond it — and, frankly, these offers are way better than what Nintendo has going for Black Friday itself.
The sale is good until Dec. 5 at 8:59 a.m. PT. We’ve got the highlights below.
Wii U titles on the cheap
Nintendo’s Black Friday deals selection is pretty unimpressive for Wii U owners. That comes as a surprise, since the company has another system it needs to clear house for by next March: the Switch. Selling Wii U games on the eShop for cheap doesn’t help retailers get rid of their stock, but it does give fans of the system...
Culture
22 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon’s ‘call for help’ feature is painful for everyone involved
The most divisive of Pokémon Sun and Moon’s new additions is the “call for help” mechanic, which either makes wild Pokémon encounters a real challenge or a real pain in the neck. Members of the Pokémon fan community aren’t shy about voicing their distaste for the feature — or mocking the lonely Pokémon for whom calling for help just doesn’t work — as much as possible since the games launched last Friday.
“Call for help” allows enemy Pokémon to request reinforcements ad nauseam during a battle. This can make one-on-one affairs twice as tough, which is good for players who want a challenge. But it also makes them way longer, and it’s impossible to catch an opposing Pokémon if there are two in the field instead of one.
That’s left collectors frustrated more often than not, as they find...
Culture
30 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon’s most frustrating evolution is driving players up the wall
Pokémon Sun and Moon have several creatures with specific evolution requirements, but players find none more annoying than that of Salandit. The poison- and fire-type lizard is not uncommon — well, male ones, anyway. But only the female Salandit evolves into Salazzle at level 33, which means players are reaching their breaking points trying to capture the elusive lady Salandit.
Salandit’s gender ratio is skewed toward the male. Only 12.5 percent of the species are female, so that the evolution Salazzle is 100 percent female is frustrating for most players.
That’s led the tiny toxic lizard to become the bane of many completionists’ existences. Some are having luck finding a Salandit of the fairer sex without any effort, as it turns out:
I said i needed a salazzle and the first salandit...
News
13 CommentsPokémon Sun and Moon players discover the key — and shortcut — to Pokémon’s happiness
Pokémon, like all beings, just want to be happy. Sun and Moon players have found a quick and easy way to increase their monsters’ happiness, making certain ones way easier to evolve.
Pokémon like Pichu, Munchlax and Eevee require a high level of affection for their trainers before they can turn into Pikachu, Snorlax, Espeon or Umbreon, respectively. A trick making the rounds on Reddit stands to do just that in less time than usual. Here are the steps, courtesy of user Leafeon111:
1. Find two TMs that your Pokemon can learn (for example I used Echoed Voice and Protect)
2. Replace one of their moves with one TM
3. Replace the move taught with one TM with the other TM
4. Repeat step 3 for 5 - 10 minutes
5. Level up your Pokemon
Other players have corroborated this method, reporting that...
Active Discussions
Polygon Weekly: December 19 - 25, 2016
in Off-topic by James Elliott
Pokégon Discussions - Alola, Cousins! Welcome to A New Beginning!
in Pokémon Sun/Pokémon Moon by KajunBowser
Anime, Cartoons, Comics! Plight Vol. 4, No. 8: Bringing it back to ReLIFE
in Off-topic by darknightgotham
Let's Get This Thread Rolling!
in Death Stranding by Shy_Poke
When will Polygon start publishing their game of the year articles?
in Meta by BartleScrivener