With little fanfare the Pokémon Company launches Pokémon Duel into app stores and into our hearts.

The Pokémon Company International announced today that Pokémon Duel is now available for download at no charge on the App Store and on Google Play. With much less fanfare than the Augmented Reality hit Pokemon Go we get a new Pokemon mobile game. 

Pokémon Duel is an exciting mobile strategy game in which fans deploy digital Pokémon figures and battle based on strategic moves to reach a goal in the opponent’s territory. Pokémon Duel gameplay details follow:

By strategically assembling their team of six Pokémon, each with its own strengths and a set number of steps it can take, players can take different routes to rush toward the goal or block the opponent’s Pokémon from advancing.

When two Pokémon from opposing teams meet, a battle commences, and the players spin each Pokémon’s Data Disk to see which Attack each Pokémon will use.

In addition to moving Pokémon and battling, players will also be able to use a plate at the start of their turn. These plates have various effects, including swapping positions of Pokémon in play and giving their Pokémon various battle enhancements for that turn.
The player who reaches their goal first wins the duel.

Players can duel against real opponents at any time by tapping League Match on the Home screen. They will then be automatically matched, according to skill, with other players around the world.  A variety of items, including Pokémon figures, can be earned through Time Boosters that are unlocked with every League victory. Winning League matches also increases the player’s rating and provides a chance to get different Pokémon figures as they compete in higher-level leagues.

More plates and Boosters can be purchased at the Shop within the app. Materials collected from purchased Boosters can be traded for desired Pokémon. In-game currency known as Gems can be purchased at the Shop or earned in several ways, such as by playing Pokémon Duel daily and clearing missions.

Pokemon Go On Microsoft Hololens!

Looks like Pokemon GO is really going to push acceptance of AR. A team of developers with a Hololens dev kit were able to create a demo showcasing Pokemon GO as a Hololens App.

David Robustelli, Head of Digital at CapitolaVR posted the above video and had this to say.

"We were actually amazed how easy it is to launch an app for this device and create and optimize the mechanics and interaction. The build was created in Unity with the HoloLens SDK"

"For now the Pokémon are randomly generated within a mapped environment. We are now focusing on how to use different gestures for specific interactions. For example, like opening your inventory or activating your map and zooming in and tilting your map. The thing is there is a huge amount of possibilities that are unexplored and which could work for games like these. A more challenging thing is how to access the Google Maps API and enabling it within a running app. But I’m sure that in the upcoming years when more and more people are developing for this hardware also more things will be standard to use in tools and apps.

Right now this is an unofficial port but with the success of Pokeomon Go to evangelize AR, I am sure Capitola VR will have some holo eyes looking at them, perhaps from Niantic, Google, Microsoft, or Nintendo. 

Cats And VR

Will Pokemon Go be coming to VR headsets?

Though it may make it hard to see when traveling, but Pokemon Go may be coming to VR headsets.  Opening the games licenses sub-menu will bring up a list of the licensed software that Niantic used to build Pokemon Go. This includes the Google Cardboard SDK.

Perhaps this is an indication that some VR features will be coming to go as I feel that Niantic would not want to take away from the AR experience. This could also be an interesting first step for Nintendo VR and could lead to a Killer VR app for Google's new Daydream platform.

CatsAndVR.com

Pokemon Go pricing and release window announced.

Nintendo confirmed that the release date for Pokémon Go will be late July during day two of the company's E3 Treehouse livestream event.

 Some details were also given about the Pokémon Go Plus wearable device, which connects to the game via bluetooth and allows play without having to have your phone out at all times, Legendary Nintendo creator and figureheadShigeru Miyamoto revealed the device would be released some time next month.

The Pokémon Go Plus device will go on sale for $34.99. No other pricing was announced.

New Pokemon Go Details and Video!

Travel between the real world and the virtual world of Pokémon with Pokémon GO for iPhone and Android devices! With Pokémon GO, you'll discover Pokémon in a whole new world—your own! Pokémon GO will use real locations to encourage players to search far and wide in the real world to discover Pokémon.

The Pokémon video game series has used real-world locations such as the Hokkaido and Kanto regions of Japan, New York, and Paris as inspiration for the fantasy settings in which its games take place. Now the real world will be the setting!

Get on your feet and step outside to find and catch wild Pokémon. Explore cities and towns around where you live and even around the globe to capture as many Pokémon as you can. As you move around, your smartphone will vibrate to let you know you're near a Pokémon. Once you've encountered a Pokémon, take aim on your smartphone's touch screen and throw a Poké Ball to catch it. Be careful when you try to catch it, or it might run away! Also look for PokéStops located at interesting places, such as public art installations, historical markers, and monuments, where you can collect more Poké Balls and other items.

In Pokémon GO, you will gain levels as a Trainer, and at higher levels you will be able to catch more powerful Pokémon to complete your Pokédex. You'll also have access to more powerful items, such as Great Balls, to give you a better shot at catching Pokémon. Keep exploring and encountering Pokémon to raise your level!

There are other ways to add Pokémon to your roster, too. If you catch the same species of Pokémon enough times, you'll get the opportunity to evolve one of them. And as you explore, you may find Pokémon Eggs at PokéStops, which will hatch after you've walked a certain distance. When they hatch, you may find Pokémon you've never seen before!

Some wild Pokémon will appear only in certain places near where you live or around the world. For example, some Water-type Pokémon may appear only near lakes and oceans. If you're away from home, be sure to stay alert for Pokémon you wouldn't normally encounter!

At a certain point in the game, you'll be asked to join one of three teams. Once you join a team, you'll gain the ability to assign Pokémon you've caught to empty Gym locations or to a location where a team member has placed one of his or her Pokémon. Like PokéStops, Gyms can be found at real locations in the world. Each player can place only one Pokémon at a particular Gym, so you're encouraged to work with others on the team to build up a strong defense.

If a Gym is already claimed by another team, you can challenge that Gym using your own Pokémon. Using the Pokémon you've caught, engage in battle with the defending Pokémon at the Gym to claim control.

A wide variety of challenges are available that highlight many different categories, such as catching Pokémon and exploration. By completing these challenges, you'll unlock achievement medals that will appear in your player profile. Try your best to unlock as many medals as you can!

A portable device called the Pokémon GO Plus will enable Pokémon GO players to enjoy the game even while they’re not looking at their smartphones. The device connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth and notifies the player about events in the game—such as the appearance of a Pokémon nearby—using an LED and vibration. In addition, players can catch Pokémon or perform other simple actions by pressing the button on the device. Pokémon GO Plus will be available soon. Check back for more details.