To celebrate Pokémon’s 25th anniversary and Pokémon Go’s fifth anniversary, trainers from around the world will be able to experience a virtual Pokémon Go event, Niantic announced today.
The Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto will happen on Feb. 20 and will feature the first 150 Pokémon from the region that started it all. You’ll even have to choose between the Red or Green version of the event experience, each featuring version-exclusive Pokémon.
The ticket costs $11.99 plus any applicable taxes and fees. You can buy it today in the in-app shop. Just tap the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto image. Tickets can’t be purchased with PokéCoins, however.
The event will bring an event-exclusive Special Research and give participants a chance to catch all 150 gen one Pokémon and their shiny versions. “Trading with a friend who chose the other version will be important, just like it was in Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green,” Niantic said.
After completing the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto Special Research, trainers will receive a second event-exclusive Special Research line that, once completed, will reward players with a shiny Mew.
Here are some other features you’ll experience during the Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto.
- All Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region will be appearing in the wild, will be appearing in raids, will be appearing in encounters after research tasks, will be attracted to Incense, or will be obtainable via evolution during this time.
- You’ll earn more Candy for catching Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region.
- If you purchase a Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto ticket by Jan. 13, you’ll get free tickets for the January and February Community Day events’ Special Research stories. If you buy it after that date but before Feb. 3, you’ll only have access to the February Community Day Special Research story.
Red or Green version
After you purchase the ticket, you’ll have to choose between the original two versions of the Pokémon games: Red or Green. Like in the Game Boy games, there will be version-exclusive Pokémon in each version.
Version-exclusive Pokémon will be attracted to Incense during event hours. You’ll have a greater chance of encountering certain shiny Pokémon depending on which version you choose, too.
This means you’ll have to trade Pokémon to collect all 150 of them from Kanto. Niantic will increase the trading distance to 40 kilometers during the week of the event to help you achieve the challenge.
You won’t be able to change your version after you pick one, but you’ll only have to choose it closer to the event date, so you can take your time to consider which one you’ll pick.
Here are the Red version-exclusive Pokémon:
- Red version–exclusive Pokémon: Ekans, Oddish, Mankey, Growlithe, Scyther, and Electabuzz will be attracted to Incense.
- You’ll have an increased chance of encountering these shiny Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pidgey, Ekans, Pikachu, Nidoran ♀, Oddish, Diglett, Mankey, Growlithe, Ponyta, Shellder, Drowzee, Krabby, Hitmonlee, Lickitung, Scyther, Electabuzz, Eevee, Kabuto, and Dratini.
Here are the Green version-exclusive Pokémon:
- Green Version–Exclusive Pokémon: Sandshrew, Vulpix, Meowth, Bellsprout, Magmar, and Pinsir will be attracted to Incense.
- You’ll have an increased chance of encountering these shiny Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pidgey, Pikachu, Sandshrew, Nidoran ♂, Vulpix, Meowth, Psyduck, Bellsprout, Geodude, Exeggcute, Hitmonchan, Koffing, Tangela, Horsea, Magmar, Pinsir, Eevee, Omanyte, and Dratini.
What if I don’t buy the ticket?
The event will still take place in the game even if you don’t buy the ticket, it will only have a few features involving Kanto Pokémon, though. You’ll have an option to choose a version and not all 150 Pokémon will appear in the wild, but you can still enjoy Pokémon and Niantic’s anniversary either way.
Here’s the list of features that will be present during Pokémon Go Tour: Kanto without purchasing a ticket:
- Some Pokémon originally discovered in Kanto will be appearing in the wild and in raids.
- Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo will be returning to Legendary raids with exclusive attacks.
- All trainers will be able to access event-exclusive Timed Research.
- The trading range will be increased to 40 kilometers.
The legendary Pokémon will have exclusive attacks when captured during the event. Articuno caught during the event will know Hurricane, Zapdos will know Thunder Shock, Moltres will know Sky Attack, and Mewtwo will know Psystrike.
