The inaugural Pokémon Frienda set was released on July 11, 2024 and consisted of 70 Frienda Picks.
Information
Pokémon Frienda's launch set consisted mainly of Pokémon from the first and ninth generation, including the first partner Pokémon from Kanto and Paldea. Their Evolutions were featured as high-Grade Frienda Picks, with Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise appearing as Grade 4 Treasure Pokémon, and Meowscarada, Skeledirge, and Quaquaval appearing as Grade 5 Super Treasure Pokémon. The latter trio had the ability to Terastallize, as did other Pokémon, including a Grade 5 Lucario, plus Grade 4 Slowking, Houndoom, and Arboliva. The only other powered-up mechanic to feature in the first set was Z-Moves, which was supported by Grade 6 Celebi, Arcanine, and Milotic, in addition to a Grade 5 Pikachu. Other powerful Pokémon in this set included Pokémon Scarlet and Violet mascots Koraidon and Miraidon, The Teal Mask mascot Ogerpon, appearing in its Teal Mask, as well as the Loyal Three: Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti.
For the duration of this set, players using any Grade 5 or Grade 6 Pokémon Mezastar tags featuring a Meteor Mark from the final set could instate the portrayed Pokémon as a Support Pokémon. If summoned, the Pokémon would use the normal move detailed on its tag, regardless of any powered-up moves. Additionally, players could scan any Grade 6 tag sourced from the first four Gorgeous Star series sets to instate Dragonite as a Support Pokémon, or any Grade 5 tag from the same range of sets to instate Pikachu.
In the run-up to Pokémon Frienda's official release, people with a Pokémon Mezastar Memory tag could pre-register their profile on the Frienda Circle site and receive exclusive Dress-up Items for their avatars. From June 14 until September 11, 2024, people could redeem a Meteor Cap Dress-up Item. People with save data that included at least three Star Collector Mezastar Medals from any of the Gorgeous Star series sets could also redeem a Meteor T-shirt Dress-up Item starting June 14, 2024.[1] For as long as stocks lasted, players that transferred their Memory tag save data to a Trainer Pick could dispense a promotional Lucario Frienda Pick capable of Terastallizing for ¥100. Memory tags that had never been used on Mezastar machine were ineligible, as were Memory tags that already had their data transferred to a new Memory tag or to a Trainer Pick.[2]
Players with Trainer Picks could select one of three Partner Pokémon to use straight away upon creating their profile: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, or Quaxly. Each Pokémon could be evolved through to their final stage by earning stars during gameplay. Once their first Partner Pokémon reached its final stage of Evolution, players could select one of the remaining two to raise; however, subsequent Pokémon would begin as an Egg, which could be hatched by earning stars.
Partner Pokémon
Support Pokémon Tickets
Frienda Circle members could redeem a digital Support Pokémon Ticket for Clodsire. Numerous physical Support Pokémon Tickets were also available in Shogakukan publications and given away at events. Tickets for Arcanine, Milotic, Lucario, and Quaquaval were first available at malls hosting Poké-Friends and Pokéssu Festival events, which gave people the chance to play free trial sessions of both game modes. Festivals were present at:
- ÆON Mall Higashiura, Aichi on July 14, 2024
- ÆON Mall Chikushino, Fukuoka on July 20, 2024
- ÆON Mall Kurashiki, Okayama on August 3, 2024
- ÆON Mall Sakai Kita-hanada, Osaka on August 11, 2024
- Kaze complex of ÆON LakeTown, Saitama on August 24 and 25, 2024
Visitors were also given their choice of large Frienda Pick-shaped uchiwa (fan) featuring either Koraidon or Miraidon designs. The Frienda Navigators appeared for performances at the Aichi and Saitama venues.[3]
These tickets were subsequently available as part of the Official X Follow & Repost Campaign Part 2, which ran from July 19 until August 18, 2024.[4] To enter, people were required to follow the official Pokémon Frienda Twitter account and repost the target post during the campaign period. Ten winners were selected from eligible entries, each of which received a Super Treasure Frienda Pick, the four Support Pokémon Tickets, and a framed copy of the Frienda Navigator's signatures. Winners began to receive their prizes in mid-September 2024.[5]
These tickets were available again at malls hosting the Coro Tour 2024. Participating venues included:
- ÆON Mall Okinawa Rycom, Okinawa on July 28, 2024
- ÆON Mall Shin-Rifu South Building, Miyagi on August 4, 2024
- ÆON Mall Fukuoka, Fukuoka on August 12, 2024
- ÆON Mall Hiroshima Gion, Hiroshima on August 18, 2024
- Ito-Yokado Ario, Yao, Osaka on August 25, 2024[6]
They were also given away at the Ciao × Ribon Girls Comic Festival 2024, which was held at the Pacifico Yokohama, Yokohama on August 10 and 11, 2024,[7] as well as the CoroCoro Spirit Festival in Tokyo Toy Show 2024, which was held at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center, Tokyo on August 31 and September 1, 2024.[8]
The tickets were later distributed as part of the Frienda Camp Exploration Tour, which visited Namco and Molly Fantasy entertainment centers that contained Frienda Camps (Japanese: フレンダキャンプ) on specific days between October 5 and November 3, 2024.[9] Frienda Camps were dedicated adventure camp-themed spaces within each arcade that contained multiple Pokémon Frienda machines and areas for performances. Visitors to any arcade on a tour day could show staff a Trainer Pick and receive a Frienders Member ID Sticker. Those with Trainer Picks were also eligible to take part in photo sessions with the Frienda Navigators. The distribution method for the tickets at tour locations was not specified. An Exploration Tour in Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo event was also held at Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo on December 29, 2024. Visitors with a Trainer Pick could receive a Frienders Member ID Sticker, receive one of the four tickets at random, and participate in a Frienda Navigator photo session.[10]
The tickets were available once again as part of the Treasure Festival 2025, which was held at the Mori complex of ÆON LakeTown, Saitama on January 13, 2025 and at ÆON Mall Tsurumi Ryokuchi, Osaka on February 2, 2025. Visitors could try a free trial session on a Pokémon Frienda machine running the third set, receive a free Pikachu Special Frienda Pick, and watch performances by the Frienda Navigators and a Captain Pikachu mascot. Mai was absent for the LakeTown venue, with Big Summer from the Navigators' rival team fulfilling her role on stage. For as long as stocks lasted, visitors with a Trainer Pick could receive a Frienders Member ID Sticker and one of the four tickets at random; they could also participate in a Frienda Navigator photo session.[11]
| Available through Frienda Circle from July 11, 2024
|
|
|
| Valid until November 20, 2024
|
|
|
|
|
| Available in the Pokémon Frienda Exploration Starter Book (valid upon set launch)
|
|
|
| Valid until June 30, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
| Available in the August 2024 issue of CoroCoro Comic from July 11, 2024[12]
|
|
|
| Valid until November 20, 2024
|
|
|
|
|
| Available in issue 89 of Pokémon Fan from July 11, 2024[13]
|
|
|
| Valid until November 20, 2024
|
|
|
|
|
| Distributed at various events from July 11, 2024
|
|
|
|
| Valid until June 30, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
| Distributed at various events from July 11, 2024
|
|
|
|
| Valid until June 30, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
| Distributed at various events from July 11, 2024
|
|
|
|
| Valid until June 30, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
| Distributed at various events from July 11, 2024
|
|
|
|
| Valid until June 30, 2025
|
|
|
|
|
| Available in the September 2024 issue of CoroCoro Ichiban! from July 19, 2024[14]
|
|
|
| Valid until November 20, 2024
|
|
|
|
|
| Available in the September/ October 2024 issue of Televi-Kun from July 25, 2024[15]
|
|
|
| Valid until November 20, 2024
|
|
|
|
|
| Available in the September 2024 issue of CoroCoro Comic from August 8, 2024[16]
|
|
|
|
| Valid until November 20, 2024
|
|
|
|
|
Set list
References
|
This article is part of Project Arcade, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of Pokémon arcade games.
|
