Pokémon GO is already 7 years old. A good reason for us at MeinMMO to take a look back and show you 7 events that were so good that more of them can come in the future.
Which events are we talking about? On the occasion of the 7th anniversary of Pokémon GO, we reviewed the last years again. Besides major events, like the annual GO Fest, the monthly Community Days or Pokémon GO tours, the mobile game featuring the little pocket monsters also thrilled with numerous smaller events.
A few of them made the game special in their own way and surely brought a smile to the face of some trainers. In our following ranking, we present our 7 favorites. The order is based on the chronological sequence.
1. An April Fools’ joke that many still wish for today
Here’s why the event was so special: Niantic always pulls off a trick or two on April 1, including in 2018. On this day, the game became nostalgic as the graphics were adapted to the old pixel graphics. It was a fun that was well received in the community, transporting players back to their youth, and many trainers still wish for it as a general feature in the game.
2. A Spotlight Hour with all Pokémon
Here’s why the event was so special: The Spotlight Hour on February 18, 2020 held a very special surprise for you. While this event format usually only features a specific monster, it was different on this day. All monsters were spawning.
Due to the increased spawn rate, you could find numerous Pokémon that you could even catch as shiny with a bit of luck. A few rarer specimens also made their appearance this way.
Many players celebrated this short event and were overwhelmed by the flood of monsters on their map. So it’s not surprising that some of them were already wishing for a repeat of such a Spotlight Hour back then.
3. Pure nostalgia at the Pokémon Day
event
Here’s why the event was so special: From February 25, 2020 to March 2, 2020, a lot of Kanto Pokémon took over the game as part of the Pokémon Day
event, creating a real nostalgia factor for the trainers.
Especially special was the appearance of the clone Pokémon in the forms of Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise, along with the still quite rare Armor Mewtwo. This took players back to their childhood, when these monsters made their grand appearance in the first Pokémon movie.
4. Bidoof takes over Pokémon GO for days
Here’s why the event was so special: On June 25, 2021, the hefty mouse Pokémon Bidoof suddenly took over the game for several days. The Pokémon from the 4th generation was truly everywhere: in the wild, in field research, and even in raids. It even brought special charged attacks with it.
The Bidoof week was literally screaming for attention from the little brown beaver. With the takeover of raids and the new event attacks, it clearly wanted to feel strong and equal, just like one of the best attackers in Pokémon GO. Many players indulged it, and Bidoof became a real hype.
Even though I primarily viewed the event as a giant gag, it was still a lot of fun to chase the monster. One didn’t take the game so seriously, which is why these kinds of events could be repeated from time to time.
5. Gimsorave brings a golden surprise
Here’s why the event was so special: A special surprise was brought by the little ghost Pokémon Gimsorave from the Paldea region. It appeared on November 5, 2022, after the C-Day Classic with Dratini, suddenly alongside new golden PokéStops in the game and followed trainers.
At that time, you couldn’t catch the Pokémon. Instead, if you spun the golden stops, you would receive mysterious golden coins with a bit of luck. The trainers wondered what this monster and the coins were about, as no one knew.
Finally, the developers clarified that Gimsorave would play a role in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet for the Nintendo Switch, which were shortly before their release at that time. Through a connection between the games and Pokémon GO, it is now also catchable in the mobile game.
This surprise is one of the most beautiful experiences in Pokémon GO for me. It was fun to guess what kind of monster this was and motivated one to go out and look for golden stops.
6. Plenty of strong monsters at the Sparkling Fantasy
event
Here’s why the event was so special: One of the highlights of 2023 was the Sparkling Fantasy
event, which ran from January 10, 2023 to January 16, 2023. At this event, Niantic could shine with a huge selection of strong Pokémon.
Not only did the popular Mega Pokémon Mega-Altaria celebrate its debut in the game, but there were also plenty of wild dragons, such as Dratini, Trapinch, and Dratini, to catch. Additionally, strong bonuses were in place. Everything fit here, making it one of the best events of the last few years for us.
7. Crypto-Mewtwo dominates the new Crypto-Raids
Here’s why the event was so special: The release of Crypto-Mewtwo in the Crypto-Raids was one of the most important events of this year. On May 27 and 28, 2023, players had the chance to encounter the legendary Pokémon from the first generation in special raids for the first time, instead of just searching for it with Giovanni.
Although these could only be done on site, they still offered trainers the opportunity to catch as many Crypto-Mewtwo as they wanted. Previously, getting the monster from Giovanni, the Rocket leader, was limited. Additionally, its Crypto-Shiny release generated an even bigger hype for the Psychic Pokémon.
In my opinion, Mewtwo was the first real opportunity for local communities to fight together in raids again after the pandemic. I really enjoyed the day – and not just because of the strong attacker. That’s why it’s among the top events of recent years.
Which events have you particularly enjoyed in Pokémon GO over the past few years? And why should they definitely be repeated in a similar form? Feel free to share your thoughts here on MeinMMO in the comments and exchange ideas with other trainers.
