Pokémon GO Tour: Unova - Mar 2025 - Black and White Kyurem

The global Pokémon GO Tour: Unova took place on Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2, 2025, celebrating the Unova region from Pokémon Black and White. The event ran between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM local time each day, with various activities, encounters, and bonuses for all players.

Free vs. Paid Content

This year, players could participate for free with the introduction of the Tour Pass. However, there were paid options, including the Deluxe Tour Pass for around AUD$22, which granted access to Victini and, at rank 100, a Lucky Trinket. The Lucky Trinket allowed players to select a friend for a guaranteed Lucky Trade but had to be used within seven days by selecting a friend to bestow the status. After reaching beyond rank 100, players were only rewarded with Stardust, making the pass feel less valuable than the earlier ranks.

Additionally, Shiny Meloetta made its debut but was locked behind a paywall, requiring an AUD$8 ticket purchase to access its Masterwork Research tasks. Unlike previous years, there was no single all-inclusive ticket, which made the event feel more segmented and less rewarding for those willing to pay.

Legendary Raids & Pokémon Fusion

One of the highlights of the event was the introduction of Black Kyurem and White Kyurem through Pokémon fusion. These powerful legendaries required 1,000 energy, 30 Kyurem Candy, and 30 Candy of either Zekrom or Reshiram to fuse. Players needed to defeat Black Kyurem and White Kyurem in raids to earn their respective fusion energy, with each raid yielding 80 to 130 energy.

Day 2 featured an hourly rotation between Black Kyurem with Reshiram and White Kyurem with Zekrom, making it essential for players to coordinate their raids to gather enough energy. However, catching Kyurem proved difficult, with several escaping even after numerous Great and Excellent throws using 18 to 20 Premium Balls.

Special Research & Bonuses

Prior to the event, players could enter codes for Timed Research tasks that led to encounters with Incarnate Forme Tornadus, Thundurus, or Landorus upon catching 156 Unova Pokémon. Throughout the event, all Unova Pokémon had a chance to be shiny, adding excitement for collectors.

Trainers also enjoyed event-wide bonuses, including:

1/2 Hatch Distance for Eggs placed in Incubators during the event.
No limit on Remote Raids from March 1 to March 2.
Up to 6 Special Trades per day.
1/2 Stardust cost for trades.

Shiny Pokémon & Unique Encounters

All habitats rotated hourly on both days, featuring Winter Caverns, Spring Soiree, Summer Vacation, and Autumn Masquerade. At the start of each hour on both days, Zorua outbreaks gave players a chance to encounter a shiny variant.

Shiny Deerling made its debut, and 7 km eggs had the potential to hatch regional exclusives like Maractus, Sigilyph, and Bouffalant. I was lucky enough to hatch both Sigilyph and Bouffalant, completing my set (I already had Maractus).

During the two days, I managed to catch the following shiny Pokémon:

Oshawott
Deerling (Spring)
Vullaby
Landorus (Research Task)
Timburr (x2)
Tepig (x2)
Kyurem (x3 from raids)
Pikachu (Hilbert’s Hat)
Emolga

Event Experience & Final Thoughts

In Melbourne, I found that Chadstone Shopping Centre was an ideal location to play, offering ample PokéStops, close-proximity gyms, and much-needed air conditioning. Despite the fun, the event felt somewhat stale compared to previous years. The raids were reminiscent of Pokémon GO Fest 2024’s Necrozma event, and the lack of Collection Challenges or engaging research tasks made the experience feel less immersive.

While I enjoyed the event and caught plenty of shiny Pokémon, I hope future Tours bring fresh challenges and more rewarding research tasks. The Unova celebration was enjoyable but could have offered a bit more excitement to keep long-time players engaged.

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