It appears that on today's Pokémon Sunday, the fine folks at Game Freak finally revealed the Key PokeMon of the 13th movie - as they've been saying they would - and it seems to be a whole new one.

It's official, folks, Generation V is go.

All we know for now is that it will heavily feature in the 13th movie, Phantom Ruler Z. Whether or not it is Z itself or something completely different remains to be seen.

Supposedly, the silhouette will be unmasked in two weeks, on the Feb 21st installation of PokeMon Sunday. Here's to hoping it's going to be as awesome as it seems to be.

Not to bump down Doc's awesome Sonic post (seriously, check it out, it's right down there), but the HeartGold/SoulSilver website is now open. Check it out here. Nothing we didn't already know on it, but the art is nice, and it looks from one of the screenshots that the Itemfinder is now the Dowsing Machine, as it was in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum - or, at least it is in the Pokewalker.

Incidentally, the confirmation of the Dowsing Machine's name confirms at least one item on Serebii's list of English names. The names have yet to be confirmed in any official capacity, but if you like, you can check them out here. The only other name on there confirmed is the female playable character's name - Kotone is now known as Lyra. Kotone's name comes from a string instrument, as does Lyra's. Pokemon.com confirmed that name here.

In other HG/SS news, it looks like the slot machine minigame, present in all versions of Pokemon until DPP (where they were taken out of the European release), will be removed from English releases. It will instead be replaced by a minigame named Voltorb Flip, which is described by Official Nintendo Magazine as a cross between Minesweeper and Picross. Their review covers the game in more detail. ONM notes that they were playing the UK version, but they also repeatedly say the game is in the English-language version of the game. So take it as you will.

You'll have to indulge me as an old Sonic fanboy for a bit with this post, I'm afraid.

Today, Sega revealed that the rather hyped Project Needlemouse is, in fact, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (Episode 1) (first footage in vid) - and when they say Sonic 4, they do actually mean Sonic 4. 16 years after Sonic 3 & Knuckles, this game follows directly on, covering the return of Dr 'Eggman' Robotnik (no info yet on whether we'll see him called Robotnik or Eggman [or both] here) following his defeat at the end of Sonic & Knuckles and the 3rd destruction of the Death Egg.

The game looks great. It's a fantastic mix of 3D animation on a 2D plane that we already know works really well on the DS, and looks to be superb in HD. The music, what little we've heard of it from another teaser, has definite references to previous Sonic games throughout, and is very much a blend of classic and modern Sonic themes (which, personally, I hope extends to a proper Crush 40 theme with the same theory applied). If nothing else, the concept is very much what fans have been wanting for over a decade and a half (that's longer than the amount of time Pokémon's been around at all).

Unfortunately, and this is why I feel compelled to bring this to discussion here, the concept is let down by the execution (in true Sega form, I guess). Even if this had been left as a PSN/XBLA/WiiWare title in general, ala MegaMan 9, I could have dealt with it. I'd prefer a proper disc release and the extra effort required for it - but, digital distribution is an unavoidable part of our future, and I'd have gotten past it.

To break it down into episodic gaming, however, is the real issue. Unless your name is TellTale Games, episodic gaming is a flawed medium. Through so many failed examples of it, we come to expect that we'll, first of all, end up paying a premium price (1600 MSPoints/£13.60, for example) for a small amount of content and that, secondly it's unlikely the 'series' will ever actually be finished and, frankly, I had my fill of Sega selling me unfinished games, and then never bothering to finish them, with Sonic Heroes and Sonic 2006.

Maybe these worries are for naught, and maybe Sonic 4 could be the title that resets the playing field for episodic content. But, this is a franchise and a company that consistently only ever gets it almost right. You'd be tempted to say 'these days', but, then, this behaviour and resulting failure can be traced all the way back to Sega's early days with a clutter of failed hardware and franchises. Despite all that we can identify as good, great and following the right steps - deep down, we know; and expect; to be disappointed and let down.

I only hope for my sake, the fans' sakes - and definitely for Sega's sake, that they prove us wrong.

Hot on the heels of the Pikachu-colored Pichu event, US Gamestops will be holding an event to distribute Jirachi to Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. The event begins February 27 and will last until March 13. The Jirachi will be distributed through local Mystery Gift at participating GameStop stores.

This is a special event Jirachi that, when traded to HeartGold and SoulSilver, will enable the Pokewalker course 'Night Sky's Edge', where it is possible to encounter Clefairy and Jigglypuff, among others; the course also offers the chance to find TM 29 (Psychic), as well as Moon Stones.

Assuming this Jirachi is the same as the one that unlocks the course in the Japanese versions of HeartGold and SoulSilver, it will be level 5, holding a Liechi Berry, and it will know Wish, Confusion, Rest, and Draco Meteor.

Direct from Pokemon.co.jp, we have news that a new Pokemon RPG will see release in Japan at the end of 2010. The headline makes mention of a "completely new series". That, combined with the revelation of Game Freak as the developer and a paragraph at the end that discusses new Pokemon, a new game, and innovation 4 years from the release of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl seem to indicate that this announcement is about Generation V.

The article doesn't give a lot in the way of details, but we do know it will be for the DS, and that it is intended to be released by the end of the year.

This month's Corocoro is also supposed to have some sort of 'surprising announcement,' which may also relate to this announcement.

We'll be sure to be on top of news as it develops, so stay tuned.

Apologies for the slightly delayed update here - but I haven't really had a chance to do more than breathe the past couple of weeks. So, better late than never, the transcript for the Trainer-Space Q&A session earlier this month is now available online on the Trainer-Space website: http://www.trainer-space.com/preview/

Hopefully another Q&A session wont be too far away, but it will depend on my schedule for getting more work done first.

In the meantime, you can now follow the project on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook to keep up to date with any developments as they're announced - and, closer to the time, we'll be using both Facebook and Twitter to hand out beta invites and run competitions.

In more Pokecharms related news, now that I've got the chance to actually think again, I'll be concentrating on the Pokecharms relaunch (and, thus, the Pokedex relaunch) for the forseeable future an effort to get that up and running as soon as possible. Expect more updates on this in the next couple of weeks.

After a bit of a wait, Nintendo of Australia has finally confirmed the release date for Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver in Australia and New Zealand. The slated date is March 25th, 2010 (a single day before the Europe release). Once again the games will indeed be packaged with the Pokéwalker device, but no mention of a pre-order deal has been made at this time.

March is sure to be a good month for Pokémon fans =)

Not too long ago, the idea was brought up that it could be fun allow two separate forums to compete against each other in a friendly, yet competitive tournament. PokémonWorld has first decided to ask PokéCharms to be a part of it and they've wholeheartedly accepted the 'challenge' if you will. It would probably be a good idea if the competing members joined both forums to make it easier to contact their opponent. Due to the friendly nature of the tournament and both communities, compromises have been made with regards to format and rules - which will be detailed below.

The tournament will be a Standard Single Battle OU Tournament, meaning you can use any Pokémon that is not listed in Smogon's Uber Tier. The format chosen will definitely be Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. A lot of players use Shoddy Battle and would prefer it for this tournament, but we'll be sticking to Wi-Fi for this one. So if you don't have a somewhat reliable Wi-Fi Connection and a Nintendo DS with Diamond / Pearl / Platinum, don't enter. Most of the battling rules are taken from Smogon's rules, which are well renowned as the default competitive rules across most forums. Item Clause is one of the rather common clauses that is absent from this rule-set, so remember to take that into account.

Regarding any Suspect Tests currently in progress on Smogon. The Tier List will be static once this tournament has begun. So, if this tournament starts and Manaphy and/or Latias are voted upon to change their status in any way while the tournament is in progress, it will have no effect on the Tier List for this tournament. If said event happens before this tournament begins, that Tier List will prove to be the default for this tournament.

• This Tournament is a Standard OU Tournament, to be contested over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection using the Single Battle, Level 100 stipulations.
  
• Sleep Clause. A player cannot put two or more different opposing Pokémon to sleep using attacks that induce sleep to opposing Pokémon.
  
• Evasion Clause. A player cannot increase their Pokémon's evasion stat with a move that specifically increases evasion. Items or indirect boosts do not break this clause.
  
• OHKO Clause. Players cannot use moves that have a chance to instantly KO opposing Pokémon. For example, Horn Drill is an illegal move to have on a Pokémon's move-set.
  
• Self-KO Clause. Players cannot use moves such as Explosion or Selfdestruct that force a tie. If a move that has recoil damage causes a tie, the match should be replayed.
  
• Species Clause. A player cannot have two of the same Pokémon on their team. For example, a player cannot have two Chatot on his or her team.
  
• All tiers are based on Smogon Tiers. The current status of the appropriate standard ladder will function as the prevailing tier list.
  
• Soul Dew Clause. The item Soul Dew is banned.

As for the matches, we're just looking for as many sign ups as possible, provided the sign ups are committed players who we can expect to get their games done quickly and on time. Whichever forum has the least players put forward to compete will set the bar. Once we know the number of players needed, we can choose our final set of competitors and organise the matches. Matches will be picked on at random, with one player from PokémonWorld facing one player from PokéCharms. The winning team will be the team who wins the most matches overall. For example, if both sides manage five competitors, the first side to win three games will be victorious.

If you wish to sign up, or you have any queries, please direct them to this topic:

http://www.pokecharms.com/forums/index.php?topic=7219.msg130178#msg130178

Thank you.

Gamestop has let slip that they will be holding an event to distribute the Pikachu-Colored Pichu in US stores between January 30th and February 14. The Pikachu-Colored Pichu (which is a fancy way to say they're handing out a shiny Pichu) can be traded to Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver in order to unlock an event in the Ilex Forest that allows the trainer to add the Spiky-Eared Pichu to their party.

Gamestop says that all you need to do is make sure you've got the Pokedex in the game you want the Pikachu-Colored Pichu on.

The Pikachu-Colored Pichu, assuming it's the same as its Japanese counterpart, will be male, level 30, holding an Everstone, with the moves Charge, Volt Tackle, Endure, and Endeavor.

The Spiky-Eared Pichu, again, assuming the same as its Japanese counterpart, is female, level 30, holding a Zap Plate, with the moves Volt Tackle, Helping Hand, Pain Split, and Swagger. Note that the Spiky-Eared Pichu cannot evolve or be traded.

On a related note, the MSRP for Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver has been raised to US $39.99, up from $34.99. Keep that in mind when you preorder.

Pokemon.com has just announced that if you preorder HeartGold, you'll get a commemorative Ho-Oh figurine. Preordering SoulSilver nets you a Lugia figurine.

These are the same ones that were released in Japan with the games, so if you couldn't get them then, now's your chance. At least, if you live in the US - no word yet on whether these bonuses will come to other regions.

Pokemon.com notes that the Ho-Oh figure is 2.25 inches tall, while the Lugia figure is 2.5 inches tall.

Both figures were made by the Japanese company Kaiyodo, renowned for their figurines and garage kits.

As always, these sorts of bonuses are contingent on availability and participation. So, before you go out and place your preorder, it might be beneficial to call the place ahead of time and ascertain if a) they're participating in this offer and b) if they have any left.

Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver release in the US on March 14.