HAPPINY HALLOWEENY!

Update #3 (10:00 AM, Sunday): Cartoon Network has now updated their online schedule; the movie is not airing Friday. However, it could air next Friday instead as discussed previously. We'll keep checking for the date! | Update #2 (5:30 PM): TV Guide has now moved the "TBA" from 6:30 to 8:00 PM on both days. | Update (4:00 PM) - There is also a "TBA" for the following Friday at the same time. So, it could either be this week or next week. We'll just have to wait for official confirmation. It would be odd for Australia to air the movie way ahead of us, so it may still be this Friday. Last time we knew two weeks ahead of time, though. Whatever happens, at least we know it will be soon now!

With confirmation that Arceus and the Jewel of Life is airing on Friday in Australia, checking America's TV Guide schedule reveals that there is a "To Be Announced" slot for Cartoon Network on Friday from 5:00 to 6:30 PM. We can probably assume that this is the reserved time slot for the movie.

Make sure to watch it even if you haven't seen the movies or show in a while - it's an exciting movie! There is this long flashback that lasts around 10 minutes with Arceus and Damos; it's my favorite part of any Pokemon movie. This is the shortest time between a Japanese theatrical release and an American premiere as well, so we're getting special treatment this time around. The Japanese won't even have the DVD yet.

According to Cartoon Network Australia's online schedule, Arceus and the Jewel of Life will be airing this upcoming Friday, November 6th, at 6:00 PM. Considering it is unlikely Australia would be airing the movie long before the United States, we'll probably see the movie within a few weeks as well, possibly even on the same date. If you want to read a detailed plot summary of the movie, check out our movie summary from July. We'll keep an eye out for official confirmation of the United States' air date.

Update (3:00 AM): Translations added thanks to Yaminokame.

The official Japanese Pokemon site has updated with new PokePark Wii - Pikachu's Great Adventure images. All of them are below; click the last picture for an enlarged image. Translations are below the images thanks to Yaminokame.

One day Pikachu is playing with his good friends Charmander, Chikorita, and Piplup when suddenly the legendary Pokemon Mew appears. It leads him to a mysterious place called "PokePark!" According to Mew, PokePark is a playground loved by many. It is under an unknown danger and things could get bad! In order to save PokePark from the impending danger, Pikachu is asked to collect "Sky Prism Shards." This is where Pikachu's great adventure to save PokePark begins!!

Attractions:

• Rhyperior's Oshidashi Heat-Up - Pokemon fight on a stage. You have to try to push opponent Pokemon out of the ring.
• Bulbasaur's Shaking Dash - A Pokemon race. Shake the Wiimote to speed up!
• Salamence's Super Sky Race - Control your Pokemon that are flying in the air. You have to shoot and try to hit flying objects.
• Venusaur's Swing Rope - With good timing you have to swing from rope to rope.
• Gyarados' Marine Slide - A water race. There will be obstacles that you need to avoid while you speed up.

REDRUM... REDRUM... REDRUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Target and Wal-Mart are now carrying a Pokemon TCG Trainer's Challenge Box for $19.99. It contains an EX Trainer Kit and four EX-series booster packs, making it utterly worthless to any player who wants to play in official tournaments. Hopefully this is the last of the excess EX stock. It also comes with two reverse holographic POP 8 Chimchar and Riolu promos, which have the same holo style as the previously released POP 9 Raichu and POP 9 Rotom holos. Click the thumbnails below for larger scans, gracias a Omahanime.

Update (3:00 PM): We're not sure if the game will actually cost 2,000 Nintendo points. The poster shows a 2,000 point card but does not specifically state that is how much it will cost.

Pokemon Secure has discovered through a Toys R Us employee that Pokemon Rumble will be released on the Wii Shop Channel starting November 16th. When you go to Toys R Us to download Arceus from November 7th to November 15th, you will receive a set of Explorers of Sky stickers and a Pokemon Rumble poster which mentions the date. It will apparently cost 2,000 Nintendo Points, or about $20 (in Japan it was 1,500 points). To learn more about the game, check out our detailed Melee! Pokemon Scramble page.

In commemoration of the 10th year anniversary of Pokemon Gold and Silver, the official Japanese Pokemon website has announced that a level 5 Mew will be distributed through Wi-Fi from November 11th to the 23rd to HeartGold and SoulSilver players. It will be inside a Cherish Ball, holding a Premiere Ribbon, and will only know Pound. From January 29th to February 11th, it will also be distributed in the same manner to Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum players.

The website also announced that from November 27th to January 11th, the Mysterious Crystal item can be downloaded through Wi-Fi as well. When you take it to the Pewter City Museum, a scientist will reveal that it is actually the Soul Dew. As you leave, Latios (in HeartGold) or Latias (in SoulSilver) will appear and battle you.

Update #2 (1:00 PM Sunday): Added the last two scans, Kabutops (#4) and shiny Shinx (#SH12), thanks to Shinygyarados, George S., and GL Mo. | Update (11:00 PM Saturday): Added eight more cards thanks to Torterra Chips, Matt, Lugia58, Brandon Palmer, and Skitty. Arceus LV.X #94 has such a beautiful holofoil background! We're now only missing Kabutops and shiny Shinx - if you have these, please scan and e-mail them to [email protected] Thank you! The new scans are the first eight below.

As usual, we have early scans of the next set - this time it's Platinum: Arceus! Click the thumbnails below for larger images. There really aren't any surprises in the set; it is almost exactly the same as the Japanese Advent of Arceus. Buffer Piece was supposed to be in the last English set but was delayed until this set for some reason. The nine regular Arceus cards are in their own subset like Rotom in Rising Rivals and the Unown in EX Unseen Forces, labeled "AR#" and keeping the same holofoil background "wave" pattern as the Japanese Arceus cards.

Bangiras has updated the Advent of Arceus FAQ to use the English names for attacks, Powers, Bodies, etc. The document should be helpful to anyone judging prereleases, so be sure to read over it.

To find a prerelease near you, click here. I can't go to any prereleases this weekend due to yet another major essay due on Monday, so if anyone gets the twelve cards we are missing (nine regular cards and the three shinies), please e-mail large scans of them to [email protected] and you will get credit for it on the front page! Thank you!

Pokemon.com's mailbag has revealed that there are currently no plans to release the Pokemon Platinum update for My Pokemon Ranch. The patch was released in Japan last November and, among other minor updates, allowed for the game to communicate with Pokemon Platinum, updated its graphics library to include the new Giratina, Shaymin, and Rotom formes, and increased the amount of Pokemon that could be stored. It is unknown why The Pokemon Company is not releasing the update. Perhaps they are waiting for the release of HeartGold and SoulSilver, a new game will eventually take its place, or they have simply decided to drop support for it.

Q: I am wondering: will there be a Pokemon Platinum version update for My Pokemon Ranch?
A: I'm afraid there are currently no plans to make My Pokemon Ranch compatible with Pokemon Platinum version, but we'll let you know if anything changes.

TMZ just reported on their TV show that there is a two-headed turtle named "Myrtle and Squirtle." :p

Filb.de has discovered new PokePark Wii: Pikachu's Great Adventure scans from an online store. Click the thumbnails below for larger images, which will open in new windows because of their size. If there is anything note-worthy in the scans, this news story will be updated later. Remember, the game will be released on December 5th in Japan.