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Oh, would you look at that. It\u2019s Pok\u00e9mon Day, an annual celebration commemorating the game\u2019s launch on this very day in 1996. Fun fact: Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> was first a video game, but it was quickly adapted as a trading card game and anime, both of which are arguably equally as responsible as the Game Boy titles for its success in becoming a global craze.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Today, we\u2019re celebrating all facets of our fandom by tuning in to the latest announcements from Pok\u00e9mon Presents<\/a> and highlighting a few of the best Pok\u00e9mon Day deals. Right now, for example, Walmart is discounting<\/a> Pok\u00e9mon Legends: Arceus<\/strong><\/em> for the Nintendo Switch to $39.99 ($20 off), which nearly matches the title\u2019s lowest price to date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Pok\u00e9mon Legends: Arceus<\/em><\/a> <\/em>is a prequel to Shining Pearl<\/em> and Brilliant Diamond<\/em> (which we\u2019ll get to in just a moment). It\u2019s an original open-world adventure akin to Pok\u00e9mon Scarlet<\/em> and Violet <\/em>that takes place in the same region of Sinnoh. Unlike most Pok\u00e9mon<\/em> games we\u2019ve enjoyed this generation, however, Arceus<\/em> ditches the turn-based battling system for a new take that balances it with real-time action-based combat. Your pok\u00e9mon can attack with different styles that give them speed and power advantages in battle, and if you strategize correctly, you can sneak in extra attacks before your opponent can respond. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Arceus<\/em> represents a refreshing change of pace for those who felt the classic formula was getting a little stale, but we also promised you some good deals on Shining Pearl<\/em> and Brilliant Diamond<\/em>, didn\u2019t we? A physical copy of Pok\u00e9mon Shining Pearl<\/strong><\/em> for the Switch is going for $39.99 ($20 off) at Amazon<\/a> and Walmart<\/a> right now, and you can get Pok\u00e9mon Brilliant Diamond<\/strong><\/em> for the same price at Walmart in both physical<\/a> and digital<\/a> formats. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Nintendo faithfully recreated the two older DS titles with upgraded 3D graphics and quality-of-life improvements that make it easier to build your team, along with a charming character design reminiscent of classic 2D sprites. The Switch games take place in the Sinnoh region, which features Turtwig (Grass-type), Chimchar (Fire-type), and Piplup (Water-type) as starters. Chronologically, it makes sense to play them after Arceus<\/em>, but I wish I\u2019d played them first. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n It can be hard to revisit the older (but greatly refined) combat system and linear world after dreaming about some of the elements Nintendo will potentially borrow from Arceus<\/em> for future mainline games. By no stretch does that make the games bad, however, especially if you\u2019re a nostalgic player who\u2019s into the competitive scene that still favors the classic battling system. Shining Pearl<\/em> and Brilliant Diamond<\/em> are worth a run-through whether you\u2019ve played the original games or skipped them entirely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n If the mainline Pok\u00e9mon <\/strong><\/em>games <\/em>don\u2019t sound appealing, Walmart is also taking $20 off<\/a> New Pok\u00e9mon Snap<\/strong> <\/em>for the Switch, dropping it to just $40. The 2021 release builds on the success of the original N64 title, which has you taking on the role of a photographer set in the world of Pok\u00e9mon<\/em>. The peaceful gameplay doesn\u2019t feature any battling \u2014 instead, you explore lush jungles, rainforests, and other natural habitats to capture snapshots of pok\u00e9mon doing their thing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n