A new news article has been posted!

---

On November 12th, 2015, Nintendo broadcasted their first Nintendo Direct since the death of former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. A lot of new Pokémon game information was revealed. Images from the press kit have been added to an Imageboard thread.

Nintendo Direct - November 12th, 2015

Latest Nintendo Direct Announces Pokémon Games—Including the Games That Started It All—Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Blue Version and Pokémon Yellow Version for Virtual Console

Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon launch date and limited edition Shadow Mewtwo amiibo card revealed for Pokkén Tournament

The Pokémon Company International announced several new games today during the latest Nintendo Direct. The new games include Pokémon Picross and the relaunch of Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Blue Version and Pokémon Yellow Version on the Virtual Console for systems in the Nintendo 3DS family. Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon and Pokkén Tournament were also featured in the presentation.

Nintendo 3DS

Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Blue Version and Pokémon Yellow Version: On February 27, 2016, the games that started it all, Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Blue Version and Pokémon Yellow Version, will be relaunched on the Virtual Console for systems in the Nintendo 3DS family. This time there is no need for a Game Boy link cable as fans can battle and trade just like they did in 1999, but now via wireless communication on Nintendo 3DS.


Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: The latest installment of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series that has sold more than 13 million units worldwide is launching for Nintendo 3DS on February 19. With turn-based battles and ever-changing dungeons, players can encounter every single known Pokémon in Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon—all 720 of them!


Pokémon Picross: The popular Picross series meets the world of Pokémon when Pokémon Picross launches in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS in early December. Pokémon Picross will be downloadable at no charge and will have over 300 stages plus an advanced mode. After solving number puzzles to complete pictures of Pokémon, fans will be able to add them to their collection in the game.

Wii U

Pokkén Tournament: Developed in collaboration with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., producers of TEKKEN®, one of the most successful fighting-game franchises in history, Pokkén Tournament brings Pokémon to life in a way never seen before where Pokémon move in direct response to the player’s actions while battling. Fans who purchase a first-run version of the game at retail will receive a limited-edition Shadow Mewtwo amiibo card that immediately unlocks the character in the game after tapping it to the Wii U GamePad. Pokkén Tournament launches for Wii U in spring 2016.

Nintendo Direct - November 12th, 2015 Video

I never really thought I'd be interested in a Virtual Console release of the original games, but after watching the Nintendo Direct I actually found myself quite looking forward to these. The wireless trade/battle function is a great addition and it would be nice to play the games on the large and clear 3DS XL screen instead of the old blurry Game Boy. I'm considering getting the Japanese "retail" versions because those cartridge magnets are pretty cool!

Pokemon Picross doesn't look that appealing to me and I'm not too fond of the "free to start" model but I guess I'll wait and see, it may turn out to be fun.

It's unfortunate that while they were working on the wireless feature that they didn't also add Pokemon Bank support. It would be nice to get Mew and Surfing Pikachu in a Gen 6 game.

Picross just seems like Minesweeper. The only reason this game is free to start is because I think it would be a hard sell otherwise.

Well I think the reason they didn't add that feature is that pokemon stats etc. were determined differently in the Gen 1 and 2 games (which was why you couldn't transfer pokemon from them to Gen 3). Still, you'd think that these days they could come up with some kind of algorithm to convert the stats to the new format. It would be really cool to be able to transfer pokemon from the virtual console games to more recent generations.

Your mention of Mew and Surfing Pikachu also makes me wonder if there will end up being any event pokemon for the virtual console games. That would be pretty interesting and would also be a good way to encourage people to buy these rereleases.