Pokémon GO trainers are heading into the home stretch of the Throwback Challenge. This month has featured a series of week-long events that celebrate a particular region in the world of Pokémon, with big rewards waiting at the end for everyone who’s finished all the special challenges. If you missed a week, though, you aren’t necessarily out of luck. Here’s how to get caught up with the Throwback Challenge.
Pokemon GO: Throwback Challenge Celebration 2020 Special Research Guide
So far, we’ve seen four week-long Throwback Challenge events in Pokémon GO, each one themed after a particular region. The Hoenn Throwback Challenge ends tomorrow at 1 PM local time, to be immediately replaced by the Sinnoh Throwback Challenge. Each event features increased spawns of the region’s native Pokémon, a new hat for local Pikachus (dude’s turning into quite the hat guy), and most importantly, a new set of Timed Research.
While each Challenge’s Special Research had its own array of useful rewards, like Berries, Candies, and specific Pokémon encounters, it’s all been leading up to a grand finale. Trainers who have completed all four sets of Special Research during the various Throwback Challenges will unlock a special set of tasks in June: the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research. Which is kind of a lot of proper nouns all right in a row, but let’s roll with it.
If you complete the TCC2020SR ™ Research Tasks, you unlock special encounters with Pokémon from the Unova region of the Pokémon world, including Blitzle, Darumaka, Genesect, Gothita, and Tepig; be able to confront and capture Galarian Meowth and Galarian Stunfisk; and receive Professor Willow’s permanently-forehead-mounted glasses as an exclusive cosmetic option for their avatars.
However, if you’ve inexplicably had something else going on this month besides Pokémon GO and you’ve missed one or more of the weekly Throwback Challenges, you aren’t necessarily out of luck. Niantic Labs announced today via the official Pokémon GO blog that trainers can purchase a special ticket that unlocks access to the TCC2020SR, and with it, your shot at its special Pokémon encounters.
The catch is that it involves money. During the TCC2020SR event, which will last from June 3rd to 8th, you can open Pokémon GO and buy a ticket for the Special Research in the Shop for $7.99 (or your currency’s equivalent) plus local taxes. No PokéCoins will be accepted here; this is a straight-up cash in hand deal. Upon purchase, you’ll get a pop-up informing you that you’ve received the TCC2020SR ticket, and it will appear in your Item Bag.
Trainers who have unlocked access to the TCC2020SR via the Throwback Challenges and who also buy a ticket to the TCC2020SR, perhaps in a sneaky attempt to double up on rare Pokémon, will receive a pared-back version of the event’s challenges instead. Tasks that reward you with set Pokémon encounters will instead grant you 10 Candies for that specific Pokémon, and you’ll get Stardust instead of Professor Willow’s glasses.
During the TCC2020 event, Galarian Meowth, Galarian Zigzagoon, Galarian Durumaka, and Galarian Stunfisk will be making their Pokémon GO debuts, and can hatch from 7-kilometer eggs. You’ll also be able to find Unova-region Pokémon more frequently in the wild.
Get ready for the last week of the Throwback Challenge, trainers. We’ll have your back tomorrow with the specifics about next week’s Special Research, along with a host of other tips and tricks on our game hub:
- How to defeat Reshiram
- Did you manage to capture Virizion last week? Next time, you’ll be ready
- Here’s how to take some candid photos of your Buddy
Pokémon GO has been warming up to the Throwback Challenge Champion event for a while now. It’s going to be weird to see it finally arrive, along with its host of new potential Galarian Pokébuddies. Keep us in the loop on your Pokémon adventure via our official Twitter, @PrimaGames.
