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Subscribe from just £3 Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love Try a single issue or save on a subscription Issues delivered straight to your door or device From£9.99Subscribe now Tell us what you think of GamesRadar+ Battlefield 6 Switch 2 stock Horror Special Recommended reading "Just all gone": Pokemon player loses "20 years worth of data" when transferring Scarlet save file to Switch 2, and they're apparently not the only one A new Pokemon puzzle game got shadow launched during today's Presents stream, and it reminds me of all the iPhone games I used to play as a teenager Pokemon Black and White fans are back with the remake hopium as Pokemon posts a teaser ahead of its upcoming Presents stream: "The room is completely black and white" Pokemon Champions is the Pokemon Stadium 3 we deserve, and it's out in 2026 Pokemon Legends Z-A is making amends for Scarlet and Violet's poor fashion game, though I can't say I'm not concerned about handing a Furfrou over to a Scyther for a trim Pokemon Legends Z-A: Everything we know so far about the upcoming Nintendo game Pokemon makes its funniest in-game event even better with a meme reference hidden in its distribution code: "This is quite possibly the best special event code in the history of ever" Adventure Games Pokemon fans revive old, official "Rescue Team" initiative to help players free 23-year-old GBA 'mons from their Gen 3 prisons – and beyond – and get them on Switch Catherine Lewis 8 August 2025 "We will help you rescue any Pokemon from Gen 3 right up to the Switch!" When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: The Pokemon Company) Transferring your beloved Pokemon up from the older games and into the newest ones has become increasingly difficult over time, and one group of fans is unofficially reviving an old Pokemon Company "Rescue Team" initiative in order to help. If you hear the phrase "Pokemon Rescue" team, your mind might jump to the Mystery Dungeon spin-off games, but it was also the name of an official event held in Japan in 2017 to help Pokemon fans transfer their 'mons from their old games to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon – the newest installments at the time. There were even trailers depicting a team of people acting like paramedics, showing up at players' homes and digging out their old games before dramatically running back to their van to start the Pokemon transfer process and reunite the 'mons with their trainers in the latest games. You may like "Just all gone": Pokemon player loses "20 years worth of data" when transferring Scarlet save file to Switch 2, and they're apparently not the only one A new Pokemon puzzle game got shadow launched during today's Presents stream, and it reminds me of all the iPhone games I used to play as a teenager Pokemon Black and White fans are back with the remake hopium as Pokemon posts a teaser ahead of its upcoming Presents stream: "The room is completely black and white" TVCMでもおなじみ、ポケモンレスキュー隊の活動に密着したドキュメンタリー動画を公開！ 彼らの活動の全貌とは？ そして、彼らはなぜポケモンレスキューに取り組むのか？ https://t.co/VOsfY5I8mq #ポケモン #ポケモンレスキュー pic.twitter.com/KeLBH2KzrsDecember 15, 2017 That event, held in Japan's Pokemon Center Skytree Town, has obviously been and gone, and YouTube trailer uploads don't even exist anymore from official channels (although people have kept track of them here), but that's not stopping fans from bringing it back themselves. "In 2017, TPCi formed the Pokemon Rescue Team to help players save their Pokemon from older games. We haven't heard from them since DEXIT," Pokemon content creator Professor Rex writes on Twitter, referring to the controversy of Pokemon Sword and Shield not allowing you to own the entire National Pokedex of 'mons for the first time in the series. "Now, in 2025, we have BROUGHT IT BACK!" Professor Rex continues. "Bring any Pokemon game to Worlds in Anaheim and we will help you bring it HOME. [...] We will help you rescue any Pokemon from Gen 3 right up to the Switch!" In 2017, TPCi formed the Pokémon Rescue Team to help players save their Pokémon from older games. We haven’t heard from them since DEXIT.Now, in 2025, we have BROUGHT IT BACK!Bring any Pokémon game to Worlds in Anaheim & we will help you bring it HOME.(Or get old events) 🧵 pic.twitter.com/y8e5YU8uR0August 7, 2025 Although the service will only be available to those attending this year's Pokemon World Championships, there's a reason for that – the massive stack of hardware required to do a big transfer. Let's say you've got a Mudkip in Emerald that you want on your Switch 2. You'd need a regular Nintendo DS or DS Lite to transfer it from Gen 3 to Gen 4's Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, or SoulSilver. After that, you'd need to have a second DS or 3DS family console to transfer up to Black, White, Black 2, or White 2. Then, you'd need a 3DS family console with both Pokemon Bank and Pokemon Transporter installed to move Mudkip into Bank, an app that's no longer even officially available, and then a smart device or Switch/Switch 2 handy to then transfer to Pokemon Home from there. Got all that? Well, it doesn't matter if you don't, because like with the original Japan-based event, the Pokemon Rescue Team has everything you could possibly need – they've even displayed it in a first aid-esque case mimicking the one seen in those old trailers. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. On top of that, the Rescue Team will even be distributing certain old downloadable events, such as the Eon Ticket (used to catch either Latios or Latias, depending on whether you're playing Ruby, Sapphire, or their remakes), and helping fans fill out their Pokedex, too. "Have a Pokemon you've always wanted to catch but didn't have the games to do so? We will have just about everything you could need to obtain any repeatable Pokemon - please reach out via DM if you'd like to plan to catch a specific Pokemon," Professor Rex adds. All in all, it's a really cool community-led effort, and even if not everyone will be able to make it to the event in California (which itself runs between August 15 and 17), hopefully this might inspire more people to set up their own Rescue Teams. Just how many old friends will they be able to rescue next week? While you're here, be sure to check out our roundup of the best Pokemon games. See more Nintendo Switch 2 News The Pokemon Company Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Pokemon Home Catherine Lewis Social Links Navigation Deputy News Editor I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. "Just all gone": Pokemon player loses "20 years worth of data" when transferring Scarlet save file to Switch 2, and they're apparently not the only one A new Pokemon puzzle game got shadow launched during today's Presents stream, and it reminds me of all the iPhone games I used to play as a teenager Pokemon Black and White fans are back with the remake hopium as Pokemon posts a teaser ahead of its upcoming Presents stream: "The room is completely black and white" Pokemon Champions is the Pokemon Stadium 3 we deserve, and it's out in 2026 Pokemon Legends Z-A is making amends for Scarlet and Violet's poor fashion game, though I can't say I'm not concerned about handing a Furfrou over to a Scyther for a trim Pokemon Legends Z-A: Everything we know so far about the upcoming Nintendo game Latest in Pokemon I can't help being disappointed that Pokemon TCG Black Bolt and White Flare ends this era of the card game with a whimper instead of a bang The Pokemon Company begs TCG Pocket fans not to blame artist behind plagiarized Ho-Oh, takes full responsibility after removing it Nintendo of America suggested giving Pikachu "huge breasts" during localization according to The Pokemon Company's CEO, who "won't show those illustrations to anyone as long as I live" Pokemon TCG Pocket pulls card art after apologizing for plagiarizing an illustration that an artist posted 4 years ago, leaving us with an unintentionally hilarious placeholder A new Pokemon Legends: Z-A clip teasing its seamless battling has fans more excited for the RPG than any of its actual trailers: "This will be the best Pokemon game" Mega Dragonite's goofy wings in Pokemon Legends Z-A start to make sense when you consider one of the wildest theories in Pokemon history: "All the Mega Pokemon are designed after either the letter X or Y" Latest in News Hideo Kojima is currently "checking the data" on your favorite Death Stranding 2 routes and weapons, and I hope he's personally counting every road I've restored without help from the ceramics-hording jerks I've been paired with Hideo Kojima is making his Metal Gear spiritual successor Physint "all by myself" while Kojima Productions is busy on OD Scream 4 actor Alison Brie says the “current era” of the horror franchise lets "too many people live," but disagrees with one iconic death: "That was a mistake" Umamusume players hold a digital funeral for Grass Wonder, the real, 30-year-old racehorse behind one of the game's beloved anime horse girls: "May you eat dandelions in heaven" After 13 years away from The Sims limelight, Katy Perry returns to the community with a live Simlish performance of Last Friday Night that I can't stop watching Dune: Awakening player says "there IS sandwalking" in the survival MMO to avoid the big ol' worm – and "if you do it just right, you can cross any distance" in Arrakis GAME REVIEWS MOVIE REVIEWS I'm convinced that this is still one of the best team board games around, and it deserves to be on your shelf Is This Seat Taken? review: "I can't believe organizing seating charts can be this charming" Legend in the Mist review: "Incredible flourishes on press-your-luck mechanics to incentivise tough decisions" Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound review: "Absolutely proves Ninja Gaiden deserved to be revived – I've never been happier to be right" Grounded 2 review: "I'm already having terrific fun thanks to ant buggies and a massive new park to explore, even if this sequel is slightly safe" Weapons review: "A twisted fairytale that bests Barbarian" The Fantastic Four: First Steps review: "An occasionally thrilling heroic adventure that sits safely within a B-tier MCU range" Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU" Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber" M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion" Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots" Alien: Earth review: "Arguably the franchise's strongest outing since James Cameron's Aliens" King of the Hill season 14 review: "Hank Hill himself has evolved into a much more open and accepting person" Eyes of Wakanda review: "A creative premise shortchanged by the runtime and Marvel bloat" Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever" GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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