It’s finally happened: an officially licensed Pokédex mobile phone case is being released, but sadly it’s pretty expensive.
As shared to Twitter by user Paul Ryan [via ComicBook], Bandai is producing the official smartphone case which will go on sale for $79.99 USD. Although details are scarce right now, it sounds like the case will make use of a microphone and flashlight.
The smartphone case, which is modelled after the original ‘dex from the anime, will be created for iPhones only but there’ll be a variety of different ones to suit most models.
The iPhone X is the primary device for the case, but the iPhones 6, 7 and 8 will also fit (though the microphone and flashlight won’t be usable).
Despite looking seriously cool and making our childhood dreams come true, the case will only be available for sale in Japan (for now). Here’s hoping it comes to the West eventually, even if it isn’t the cheapest case on the market!
Speaking of the Pokédex, Pokémon Sword and Shield fans are still pretty annoyed about the fact that the games won’t include a full and complete ‘dex.
Not all the Pokémon we know and love will be transferable with the next titles in the series, with game director Junichi Masuda citing “time constraints” as the reason why.
In a new interview with Game Informer, Masuda gave a somewhat different reason for the smaller Pokédex, saying that it had to be sacrificed to make way for other game features.
“Up until now, we’ve been proud we’ve been able to include so many Pokemon in the games, but as a result of that, there’s actually been quite a few features or gameplay ideas that we’ve had to abandon in the past,” Masuda told the publication.
“Going forward, thinking about the future of Pokemon, we want to prioritize all those new gameplay ideas, new ways to enjoy the game, and want to challenge ourselves at Game Freak to create new ways to enjoy the game. That’s really what drove the decision for this new direction.”
Pokémon Sword and Shield launch exclusively on Nintendo Switch on Nov. 15.
Featured Image Credit: Funimation/The Pokemon Company