A new Pokemon arcade game is coming out this summer - but only in Japan. In addition to the mainline Pokemon games, Nintendo’s long-running, monster-collecting JRPG series has spawned numerous spin-offs in a variety of different genres. These run the gamut from less-remembered one-offs like Hey You, Pikachu to more successful ventures like Detective Pikachu and Pokemon GO, the latter of which continues to be a global sensation thanks to new events and content being released regularly.

Japanese toy manufacturer Takara Tomy Arts Co. And game maker Marvelous recently announced that they would be releasing a brand-new Pokemon arcade game in Japan later this year, as reported by PR Times (via Siliconera). Pokemon Frienda will be aimed at younger players and features a touchscreen display and traditional buttons that will allow gamers to take part in immersive 3v3 battles. The game will also utilize Frienda Picks, small card-like items that represent different Pokemon and are rewarded to players who catch them in-game. The Picks are then inserted into the arcade machine, which generates the Pokemon and presumably assigns them attacks to use in battle.

A promotional image of the Pokemon Frienda arcade cabinet, cards, and logo.
A promotional image of the Pokemon Frienda arcade cabinet, cards, and logo.

Pokemon Frienda Will Only Be Available in Japan

Pokemon fans from around the world hoping to dive into Pokemon Frienda outside of Japan may wish to temper their expectations, as the arcade cabinet is currently not scheduled to launch in other territories like the US or UK. Instead, it will be stationed in game centers in Japan in July 2024. On the plus side, Takara Tomy Arts Co. And Marvelous are planning to make Pokemon Frienda compatible with other Pokemon machines like 2020’s Pokemon Mezastar by allowing players to unlock special bonuses using Mezastar’s “Memory Tags” - though details are still scarce as of this writing.

Pokemon Frienda sounds like an interesting arcade experience for Pokemon fans that uses the franchise’s primary tenant of collecting different elementally-empowered monsters to hopefully keep players coming back to their local game center, though there will likely be gamers outside of Japan disappointed that the cabinet won’t be appearing at their local arcade anytime soon. If the latest Pokemon arcade game proves successful in Japan, there is a chance that it could see a wider release abroad, but that would depend on how players react to Pokemon Frienda when it launches this July.

Pokemon-game-series
Pokemon
Created by
Satoshi Tajiri

Pokemon is a franchise that needs no introduction. One of the most successful media empires in history, Pokemon spans games, television, films, manga, merchandise, music, and more.