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This is a non-regular series I dub Fool's Errands. Why? Because it will chronicle, or at least, tell about an act or attempt I have or had taken, could be small or big, that was... well, presumably pointless, unnecessary, or even crazy to some. 😅
It would not always be the case, of course. Maybe it was merely a mundane thing I just never really got around to doing before. My goal is to learn something from it. Whether I intend to continue doing it or not is up for grabs. But, hey, maybe such an action will lead to a fun discovery... 😉
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Whoa, it's April 1 already, eh? Oh, wait. That means it's April Fools' Day! 🤡
For that very reason, I said to myself (not out loud, of course 😅) how it would be such a missed opportunity to not post a Fool's Errands post. I already fumbled my window last year. So, it would be foolish of me to repeat the same foolish fumble. Hahaha. 😜
The problem with that inspired goal: What's to write about? I haven't conducted any new experiments since my last one. All I've done is go through the updates and changes in the Pokémon games I've already talked about in this series. 🤔
Hold on, but that's actually a good idea! I can share whether my sentiment towards the three games has changed (or not). So, without further ado, let's explore in reverse chronological order. ⏳📅
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| (Source: Pokémon UNITE Official on Facebook) |
Pokémon UNITE: Bots be Burdensome!
On the eve of Pokémon Day 2026, I published my Fool's Errands about The Pokémon Company's proud, yet problematic MOBA. To refresh memory, I mentioned a newly added feature called Solo Mode. Besides the arrival of an event that granted players Zapdos for free, to be precise. Both brought me into the battlefield of Auroma Park, Shivre City, Theia Sky, and Mer Stadium once again. 🏃🏻🏇🏻
Did the new Solo Mode feature reignite my excitement or reunite my interest with the game in a whole new light? Honestly, yes. INITIALLY, at least. But before I explain that, what is Solo Mode? 😮
From the way I see it, Solo Mode is practically Solo Challenge 2.0. After all, players can no longer access the Solo Challenge battle directly. It has been included inside the Solo Mode map, which consists of 36 stages. Players will start from the intro stage and make their way toward the final checkpoint on the opposite side of the map. Simple as that! 🗾📈
Occasionally, players will encounter a crossroad where they can choose to ignore a path and go straight ahead. But there's a catch. If they really want to obtain the bonus reward, a free License (to choose one of fourteen offered Pokémon)? They must complete EVERY stage and EVERY task required in it. Each stage comes with three tasks/objectives, such as "Knock out 5 opponents" or "Eat 3 Sitrus Berries." When they are cleared, they are marked with a star. ⭐️✨
Solo Challenge isn't the only battle style in the map. Most of the regular and quick battles in different areas are also part of it. Only Auroma Park is confusingly excluded, which is a peculiar decision considering the unique tasks it can offer. Panic Parade is naturally excluded, since it has its own Aeos Shooter system. Meanwhile, the likes of Electrode Volleyball, Charjabug Scuffle, and the infamous Boss Rush made it into the pool. 👀
Infamous, how? Defeating the Bosses themselves is not that challenging. Clearing the three tasks, however? THAT will be a pain through pointless repeats. All over again, the Boss Rush mode—of which there are 3 in the Solo Mode map— will remind players about an ongoing issue of the game. It has annoyingly awful BOTS! 😩
The Boss Rush tasks are super simple, really: landing the last hit on all three bosses in a match. But what happens when the bots mindlessly steal that opportunity from the players? It becomes a nagging issue. Players need to clear all three tasks in consecutive order: Final hit to Boss 1, then Boss 2, and finally Boss 3. If they fail the task on Boss 1? They must start again, even if they clear the next tasks. The game somehow doesn't record each task separately, only when all three are cleared. So, imagine if the bots steal the finishing blow on the second, or worse, the third Boss? 🙄
NOTE: I've been hearing that the Boss Rush tasks have since been updated to no longer require delivering the final hits. I haven't checked it myself. But if this is true, then it's helpful, and you can ignore what I typed above. 😲👍🏻
Disappointingly, that's not all. The whole ordeal with the bots continues throughout the map. Who else will fill the player's team in a Solo Mode besides bots, right? That's the reason players must spend Aeos Shooter Points to upgrade stats like Attack, Special Defense, and more. The same applies to Held Items. Each upgrade will strengthen the bots to survive the stage and grant an easier victory. 💪🦵
But I digress! Even if players upgrade the Aeos Shooter Points to reach the recommended Combat Points for a certain stage, it doesn't guarantee the bots will perform better and ensure a win. As personally experienced, the bots are still running around like sugar-rushed toddlers in a spacious playground. If players don't keep an eye on them, they will only doom themselves. After all, the opposing team, which also consists of bots, somehow plays like experienced players instead. Solo Mode truly upholds the mentality of "It's a one-man show" in that regard. 🤪🙇🏻😴
I almost forgot! After reaching stage 20, the recommended Combat Points increase significantly per stage. So, players have no choice but to replay previous stages to collect more Aeos Shooter Points. What started as an enjoyable mode suddenly becomes a grindy chore of gathering Aeos Shooter Points, to ensure the bots don't get KO-ed on the spot. Growing pains, eh? 🐌🐢
Credits where it's due, developer TiMi DOES fulfill their promise that there would be more ways to earn License Points besides Battle Passes. Each stage in Solo Mode rewards 100 License Points! Assuming players clear it with THREE STARS, that is. 🤦🏻♂️💫
Initially, my friend boldly claimed, "Solo Mode is showering us with License Points." Such a positive sentiment quickly plummeted once the first Boss Rush stage appeared. Even a menial task like "Blocking a goal" can feel impossible to pull off. Moreover, each stage in Hard Mode, which demands an even higher number of Combat Points, only rewards 50 License Points. Shouldn't that be the other way around, by offering a better reward? What's the point of doing them? 😑🤷🏻♂️
Oh, and no, replaying the stages does NOT give more License Points. It's a one-and-done deal if players already achieve three stars. On the bright side, the numbering of the stage (1-1 to 1-36) seems to imply the map is not a one-and-done. Maybe there will be an expansion or a new 2nd map in the future? Let's cautiously wait and see. 🤷🏻♂️
When this post goes up, it'll be 6 days since I last played UNITE. I've gone into another hiatus after acquiring the free License for Moltres from its limited event on March 26. Luckily, Articuno's event will not debut until April 10. That means I can stay away from the grind for a bit longer. 🥱⛔️
Deep in my heart, I'm also silently hoping the announced Johto starters will NOT be getting free limited events. Because frankly, I'm enjoying my downtime more than the thought of being reunited with the game. Patience is, as always, a virtue in this game. But I think mine got knocked off by a bot, somewhere. 😒🚯
In the previous Fool's Errands post, I mentioned how Café ReMix "has transformed so much that around half of what I described there has already felt 'outdated.'" To clarify on that statement, the more I thought about it, the game system has remained pretty much the same. The jargon, elements, and even the basics of the Modes/Features I wrote last July still apply. So, while the packaging for the Modes has changed, it doesn't really alter the grindy gameplay. 🤔
This one truly surprised me, by the way. And I'm just going to say it now: it's the least unpleasant update of the three titles I'm writing about here. Maybe not "the best," but it definitely doesn't bother me much. Even when the casual mobile game has disappointed me in one specific way! 👋🏻😥
Last year, I mentioned the Outdoor/Garden Tea Party mode was a personal favorite. It felt slow but entertaining, and somehow engaging to experience. Sadly, as you can deduce from the heading above, the Tea Party is no more. 🙅🏻♂️☕️
At first, I assumed Genius Sorority only added the new mode, Café Pop-Up, to diversify the Modes. It turned out that Café Pop-Up has officially replaced the Garden Tea Party, starting September 21, 2025. They devised an in-game excuse that the Café has acquired a Food Truck. So, the players, being the chef, along with Leah, the manager, and the Staff Pokémon, are now taking the vehicle to travel to faraway places and serve new Pokémon there. 🍛🍹
It's an okay twist, but also bizarre and, well, money-oriented. Bizarre because the game just expanded the areas of the Café, only to spend less time in it. Hahaha. With the same excuse, Leah constantly reminds players that, because they cannot bring every ingredient, the Food Truck can only prepare 5 packages of meals per day. It comes in the form of these limited Food Storages, an item that's given for free each time the game undergoes a daily reset. 🥡🍱
Where's the monetizing of that? The limited Food Storage means players can only serve 5 times to the customer each day. That will not reward enough Delicious Level to unlock, more so to recruit the featured Pokémon right away. If players are very eager to do so on the first day, there's a solution: by BUYING AN EXTRA FOOD STORAGE using Golden Acorns. Each one costs 1,000 Acorns. There's also the Mighty Menu option, purchasable with real bucks, that will boost the final score even more. See? Money comes into play. Wohooo! 🤑💸
Silly premise aside, the Food Truck mode initially made it harder to score enough points to recruit the featured Pokémon. Yellow Flower Flabébé, for example. I couldn't recruit her in my new account because I forgot to play for one or two days. 🥺🌼
Fortunately, the developer, much like Pokémon Masters EX's DeNA, monitors feedback. I can't say for sure. But based on the developer message posted with the next update? That drastic change most likely backfired on them. Perhaps it caused the game to lose players? Seriously, even I almost called it quits at the time. 🤦🏻♂️🙅🏻♂️
That's not the case anymore. The update lowered the required points. And just like that, the game became casually playable again. No more risk of missing out on a featured Pokémon. By logging in daily, players can stack the Food Storages, as they don't expire if not used. With enough patience, players can eventually gather more than enough to recruit the featured Pokémon. 😌🙏🏻
How about Delivery and Decoration? The Delivery system is still a broken Gacha model. Even so, besides sporting a new look, the points now accumulate through every Delivery, making it arguably easier to obtain the featured Pokémon. Decorations are also VERY easy to obtain. I was worried the game might monetize this feature. However, apart from some unnecessary sales that would entice hardcore fans, the decorations are easily obtained through the events. 😁🎏
Of course, the most delightful update is Café ReMix's ongoing franchise 30th Anniversary event. As seen above, the welcome screen featured Eevee, Pikachu, and EVERY starter Pokémon from Gen 1 (Kanto) to 9 (Paldea). That's not a random festive face-value frills! Since Pokémon Day, the game has had log-in bonus (or 30 Year Celebration Stamps) events and Mission Bingos that reward the Starter Pokémon wearing a Commemorative Brooch. Before this, some of them, such as Torchic and Popplio, were only obtainable from Premium Pass! 😱💵
Today, alongside the debut of Meowstic (yes, they've continued adding new species), the game will kick off the 4th log-in event that features the Gen 6 (Kalos) and 7 (Alola) starters. It's certainly a rewarding gift for long-time and new players. Yes, the Mission Bingo ones still require players to grind in the events a bit. Around 15 to 20 rounds per Mission, to be specific. Nevertheless, just by logging in, they could already recruit some rare Pokémon. It doesn't need to be a continuous streak either, as long as the event is active, they're still obtainable. Fun freebies for fans! 🤩😝
I will certainly miss my dose of Garden Tea Party. But at least, the rewards are making up for it. Best of all, I haven't felt "forced" to play this game for more than a few minutes a day. 😅
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| (Source: Pokémon Go) |
Pokémon GO: Passing Pointless Passes?
For the third and final game, let's revisit the title that started the Fool's Errands series. The three-parter-plus that went up a year and eleven days ago. 📅
But before I jumped into the beefy section, I must start with a confession. As noted in that premier post, I've been playing GO since launch. I also mentioned how and why I had developed a growing irritability to it. Well, last week, on March 23, something inside me just snapped. After claiming the reward for the recent GO Pass: Bug Out, I held the app icon a little longer, and when the pop-up appeared, I tapped UNINSTALL. 📲🔨
It's back on my phone now. And later today, I might log in again, maybe after this post goes up. After all, I still haven't claimed the rewards for GO Pass March despite clearing it almost on the same day as Bug Out's. There's a new event that, surprisingly, debuts Mimikyu in the game, too! Following years of Halloween demands from players, the Ghost/Fairy Pikachu-wannabe has been assigned as the April Fools' cover model. Hmmmm. FINALLY! 👻🧚🏻♂️
Mimikyu will also be the reward for a new GO Pas—ugghhh, here we go again! Just thinking about that almost made me hit Uninstall again. Have you noticed how many times I've typed the word Pass already? That, my kind and cunning readers, is one of the reasons why I suddenly couldn't care less about playing the game last week. Nowadays, there seems to be yet another GO Pass, free for all, with extra rewards for Premium one, in almost every event. Outside of the monthly one! 😣🤮
In the conclusion section of my piece about GO, I mused about one concern. The community claimed that Scopely, the company running GO (although Niantic's name is still on the app), has a history of toxic or aggressive monetization methods. I guess that point's proven, eh? Still, in the spirit of fairness, it wouldn't feel right if I didn't address some of the other notable additions in the game. 🤷🏻♂️
First and foremost, GO rehauled the leveling system for all players on October 15, 2025. The previous maximum level cap was 50, and now, it's 80. Luckily, the new rule changes the required XP needed for each level. That means most players automatically received a higher level. My main account went from level 46 to 70 when the update went live. The second account I used for this experiment now sits at a comfortable level 50, thanks to that. ⚖️📈
Secondly, starting this month, evolved Pokémon that appear in the overworld can be Shiny. Before, only its first form could be Shiny. Now, the chance of seeing a sparkling Charizard or Blissey is no longer a Zorua illusion. Players, VERY LUCKY ones, that is, won't need to evolve their Shinies and keep a living shiny dex. 🌝🌚✨
Third, a feature that has been in demand for years is now possible: Remote Trading. Or, at least, technically, possible, for players who haven't unfriended their remote friends upon reaching a Best Friend status. It requires a new level of friendship called Forever Friends to achieve that. And that warrants 90 more friendship points, as in 90 days of "playing together" (or opening Gifts, for those who cannot form a Party in close proximity). 👦🏻👩🏼🦰
Thankfully, despite debuting with a bug, the Weekly Challenge has been active since December 2, 2025! Players can team up with up to three other friends (or random players through matchmaking), regardless of location, and clear a shared task together. It can be as easy as "Spin 150 PokéStops" or as exhausting as "Catch 500 Pokémon." Completing a Weekly Challenge will reward an extra 7 Friendship Points. That will cut the Forever Friendship requirement to around half. 👨👩👧👧🤔
Regrettably, I have yet to reach any, and probably won't anytime soon. So, I cannot share precisely how the Remote Trading works. Back to GO Pass, then! 😅
Players climb the ranks in GO Pass by doing Daily Tasks and Weekly Tasks (this one's different than Weekly Challenge). The Daily Task is simple: "Catching 15 Pokémon." It rewards 200 points, which boosts the rank to 2 spots. Weekly Tasks are more elaborate, including "Hatch 3 Eggs" and "Win a Raid" among others. 📅👀
Does that sound exciting to you? Good to hear! For me, the reality speaks differently. Having done that over and over again for months clearly took a toll on my nerves. It feels like being stuck in a loop. I'm fortunate to live next to several PokéStops and a Gym, so I can clear the Raid task easily with a 1 Star Raid. Even so, the wild spawns have oddly appeared scarcer lately and become harder to catch. So, clearing the Daily Tasks suddenly requires more time than completing one regular battle (10 minutes, not counting the waiting process) on UNITE. 😑⏰
To make the situation worse, the wild encounters aren't inspiring. Or should I say, BORING? It's always the same old sets, recycled again and again. A new Pokémon either debuts via Raids, Eggs, or as a single reward for completing ranks in GO Pass. Even when they are available in the wild, they rarely appear. Previously, Café ReMix felt like the grindiest Pokémon mobile game. Now, it seems UNITE has beaten it to it, with GO taking the top spot. 🥱😵
In short, players who want to complete a GO Pass to claim every reward MUST play daily. No, I mean GRIND daily. Those who no longer care, like yours truly, have ignored it altogether. I don't even catch all the Pokémon rewarded from it, either. Besides flooding the Pokémon Storage quickly, they are weirdly hard to catch, too. Looking at you, Snorlax and Lapras. 15 Ultra Balls or Golden Razz Berries don't even work on you! 😒🤦🏻♂️
So, it's beyond bizarre that despite that casual approach, I still feel exhausted by GO. GO Fest is around the corner, and it will debut Zeraora alongside Mega Mewtwo, who was teased 5 years ago. Yet, hearing that news didn't spark excitement inside me. My instant reaction was, "Nope! Another PASS for me!" 😅🤷🏻♂️
Well, not really bizarre, I guess. In July 2016, Niantic CEO John Hanke shared that the goal was to make GO "facilitate the real-life stuff." I guess they've achieved that, huh? Including making it exhausting and boring, much like life often feels, too. And I suppose there's no end in sight until players decide to end it and walk away. 🙅🏻♂️🚶🏻♂️
This July, GO will celebrate its 10th Anniversary. A big number and a grand achievement, no doubt! Then again, with all Galar starters having their Community Days this year, that means no more starters left to feature in that monthly event. The next mainline Pokémon titles are set to launch, presumably, late 2027. What will next year be like for GO then? Should the 10th Anniversary serve as the final checkpoint for my run in the game, then? Wait, that's not a bad idea... 😲👍🏻
Future Forecast: Choosing Champions? Weathering Winds with Waves!
To complete this post, let's return to the present and gaze toward the future, some near, another far. 🏆💨🌊
While many Pokémon fans around the world are busy revitalizing and redeveloping the post-apocalyptic world in Pokémon Pokopia, more fascinating titles are on the way. Pokémon Champions will launch just a week from now, on April 8. Currently in development, the next mainline Pokémon game and the 10th Gen, Pokémon Winds/Waves, will be released in 2027. ⏳📅
As announced last August, Champions will serve as the official platform for the Video Game Championship competition in the annual Pokémon World Championship. I'm not into the competitive scene of this franchise, and Champions is definitely aimed at that. So, that's a glaring mismatch already. But instead of swiping left right away, I'm keeping an open mind to try it first. I thought I would never play UNITE, and yet I already have all the released Legendaries and Mythicals in it now. Hahaha. Besides, that will be a nice experiment for the next Fool's Errands, right? 🤼♀️🤭
Winds/Waves, on the other hand, hit very close to home. There's no question that it's something I'm already looking forward to playing. It made me realize I haven't even considered writing about Pokémon Scarlet/Violet or Pokémon Sword/Shield. Alas, the ships have already sailed to the Isle of Armor and Blueberry Academy (long story short, I enjoyed the former, not fond of the latter. That's all). Of course, it's still many months away for Winds/Waves to arrive. I'll cross that underwater bridge next year, then. Hahaha! 🚣♀️🌅
In that case, the final question to wrap: Will I continue playing UNITE, Café ReMix, and GO? The respective answers, as already hinted above: Depends on the update, Most likely, and Still not sure. 🤷🏻♂️🙆🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
Earlier this month, Keza MacDonald published a piece titled "Even for fans like me, the Pokémon 30th anniversary 'stuff' is a bit much" for The Guardian. That headline resonated with me, even though the exhaustion written there is somewhat different. So, right now, I'm enjoying this relaxing break from being stuck too deep in a Pokémon well. At least before I let the floodgates reopen again by playing GO to catch a stalking ghost. Ooof, I hope I won't get suffocated to death. 😵😅
But no kidding, in the end, we're the bosses of ourselves. We decide which game we want to play. Moderation is important, even if it's tough to practice. Taking some time out and not being bothered to play a game is not a bad thing either. Quite the contrary, a pause might be necessary to realign our view about it. Or as MacDonald explained it, to reclaim the sense of wonder that has been lost. 😌😍
Even video game characters need proper rest to replenish their energy anyway. Otherwise, they could get KO-ed by annoying low-level bots right away. Would you agree? 😝
Happy April Fools' Day, everyone! 👋🏻😄
Thanks for reading, and don't worry, this writing is neither a practical joke nor a prank. Unless the joke is on me, for being THE FOOL by tiring myself too much. Hahaha. Oh, well. Let's all strive to be less foolish today and this year, especially when playing games. Re-member to Re-lax! 🤭🤡
