With the theatrical release of Detective Pikachu less than a month away, merchandise tie-ins have begun in earnest for the first live-action Pokemon movie. Chief among them is the film’s partnership with convenience store chain 7-Eleven. The 7-Eleven Detective Pikachu tie-in has an appropriately themed augmented reality app where users can hunt for missing Pokemon and earn free food along the way.
The app has been available for a few days now, currently you can earn a free slice of 7-Eleven pizza through the game. Starting April 17, the free food on offer is a 4-pack of mini tacos, after which a free cup of coffee takes over on April 24, with a free pack of bone-in chicken wings rounding out the deals on May 1. You can unlock pre-existing deals as well as whichever deal is presently available, but all free food coupons expire on May 31. The app is also sponsored by Mountain Dew Game Fuel, but it’s unclear if players will be able to earn free Mountain Dew at any point.
7-Eleven also has plenty of other Detective Pikachu-themed merchandise and deals on offer, including a reusable Slurpee cup, a special Detective Pikachu-themed Pokemon Trading Card Game pack, and an admittedly slick Detective Pikachu baseball cap — in addition to a series of branded tchotchkes like Detective Pikachu wallets and Detective Pikachu travel mugs.
Both the app’s general construction, and arguably the very existence of the Detective Pikachu movie, can be attributed to the massive success of 2016’s Pokemon Go AR game, which arguably brought Pokemon back into mainstream popular culture in a way reminiscent of the brand’s original surge when it first hit American shores in the late 1990s.
Nintendo’s equally successful home console, the Nintendo Switch, will also be getting its first full-fledged Pokemon experience later this year with Pokemon Sword and Shield, the first console Pokemon RPG since Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness in 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube.
Features We Want to See Return in Pokemon Sword and Shield
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Features We Want to See Return in Pokemon Sword and Shield
Any series that has gone as long as Pokemon needs to adapt with the times. Ideas are thrown at the wall and new concepts force old ones out. However, there are certain changes that fans might welcome if they were to become more permanent additions. Here are just a few. -
Alternate Battle Types
While we still get the occasional Triple Battle here and there, this concept of different rules in some encounters really shakes up a mainline campaign. Especially when certain moves get additional benefits in new situations. Variety is the spice of life and we could use more spice in mainline Pokemon. -
Alternate Pokeballs
One of the best things about the second generation of Pokemon was the many different types of Pokeballs you could get. Each had specific boosts to catch rates, depending on the time of day or the type of monster you were hunting. Trainers are professionals in the world of Pokemon, and alternate Pokeballs are just the tools of the trade. -
A Final Boss
Speaking of Gold and Silver, No Pokemon fan from the old days will ever forget walking up Mount Silver and discovering Red and his high leveled Pokemon waiting for them. It was one of the best moments of the series, and future attempts at such haven't really recaptured that magic. -
Footprints in the Pokedex
A minor quibble in the grand scheme of things, but the Pokedex not having Pokemon specific footprints anymore is kind of a bummer. This is a nature guide, and having those footprint markers made it feel authentic. If anything, Pokedex entries need to go more in this direction and stop creeping people out. -
Pokemon Contests
One of the great successes of Generation 3 was showing a way forward for Pokemon that didn't involve battles. Sure, beating the Elite 4 should be a goal in a Pokemon game, but does it have to be the ultimate victory for everyone? Events like Contests hint at a future where different types of trainers and breeders can play in a fully expanded Pokemon world. -
Pokemon Companions
No list of missing Pokemon features is complete without a request to have your Pokemon follow you around wherever you go. Sure, this was a feature in the Let's Go games, but why not extend that out to the main series? It just feels right to be hanging out in the overworld with your favorite Ludicolo. -
Radio Stations
Having a set of 24/7 radio broadcasts (as well as the TV broadcasts in later games) made Gold and Silver feel like a lived-in world. It's one of the small things that immerse players in their adventure, and it's something that should come back in a major entry in the franchise. -
Safari Zone
Similar to Contests, the Safari Zone and Shinnoh's Swamplands are alternate ways to experience the Pokemon world. It gave you the chance to get rare encounters on a regular basis as well as capture some trading fodder with minimum fuss. Plus, who doesn't love capturing a horde of bull Pokemon to annoy the professor? -
The Underground
We spent an embarrassing amount of time exploring The Underground in Shinnoh. It was so fun to mine out fossils and evolution stones while building out a hidden base. A similar area where you can grind out resources would be a killer addition. -
Trainer Rematches
When you finally get all your badges and become the champion, the world of a Pokemon game can get a bit empty. All the trainers just stand forever on their routes silently. Whether it's with the VS Seeker or another method, let's let these trainers battle again with a more challenging set of creatures.
