Nintendo has announced that it will be launching Pokemon-themed variants of the 2DS in 2016.
The Pokemon-theme 2DS will only be available in Japan, and they will be pre-installed with a version of “Pokemon Red,” “Pokemon Blue,” “Pokemon Green,” or “Pokemon Yellow/Pikachu” to match the console color. The new models commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first “Pokemon” release, PCMag reported.
The consoles will be launched on Feb. 27, 2016. It is the same day Nintendo is re-releasing versions of the original Game Boy Pokemon titles for the 3DS Virtual Console. The blue and red 2DS models are already available outside Japan; they were launched alongside Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire late last year.
There are a few extra perks in the bundles, though. The 2DS will come with a decorative sticker and a special menu theme, as well as a poster based on the games' town map, according to International Business Times.
The ports will see little improvement over the original game. The biggest change coming to the new-gen ports is it will allow players to trade and battle wirelessly unlike the originals, which required gamers to have cables.
In addition, buyers will also receive special stickers and a download code to get a Mew for the latest “Pokemon” games, including “Pokemon X,” “Pokemon Y,” “Pokemon Omega Ruby” and “Pokemon Alpha Sapphire.”
There is no official statement yet if the Pokemon-theme 2DS versions will come to the United States, but American consumers have been able to buy red or blue 2DS consoles since last year, alongside the Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire games. U.S. gamers can also tap into the original Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow titles on the 3DS.