Pokemon Bank Poke Transfer FAQs

As fans continue to venture through Pokemon X and Y, many have begun noticing that it's impossible to fill out the National Pokedex while galavanting around the Kalos Region. Since catching 'em all isn't an in-game option, the only other way to start filling out that coveted Pokedex is to bring in monsters from previous games, and that will finally become a possibility when Pokemon Bank and Poke Transporter hit the Nintendo 3DS eShop in just a few weeks' time.

With the release of this online storage/transfer app, there are going to be some serious questions that gamers have for Nintendo. It's for that very reason that the Big N has released an FAQ which details all sorts of different enquiries that wannabe Pokemon Masters may have about the new software. Whether it's online storage or transferring creatures from one of the older installments in the franchise to Pokemon X and Y, the house of Mario has gamers covered with a pre-launch FAQ.

As was detailed in the guide, Pokemon X and Y owners will be able to store up to 3,000 Pocket Monsters within Pokemon Bank's 100 online boxes. These critters can then be swapped between multiple versions of Pokemon X or Y that have been linked to the storage system — making it entirely possible for fans with one 3DS and both versions to transfer Pokemon over without the need of a second handheld. In the tragic event that gamers lose their physical copy of the game, all the Pokemon stored in the cloud will remain safe — although gamers will have to invest in another copy to gain access to them.

Meanwhile, those who care less about more storage and more about transferring existing monsters from previous games gained a little more insight into the process. First things first, a subscription to Pokemon Bank is absolutely mandatory, so fans will have to fork over $4.99 for access to the app for a year. After that's been paid for, fans can download Poke Transporter, which effectively links to the previously mentioned Pokemon Bank. From that point, gamers can transfer their adorable living weapons from Pokemon Black, White, Black 2, or White 2 versions to Pokemon Bank — effectively leaving them susceptible for transfer to Pokemon X or Y.

Once Pokemon from past games have been shifted to the cloud storage system, they won't be able to return to their original titles. Another interesting note is that hacked Pokemon can be detected by the application, and they won't be able to transfer over to Pokemon X or Y at all. Monsters eligible for transfer can all be moved around and stored in bulk; making the whole process much smoother than previous attempts.

Pokemon Bank will be offering a free one month trial period for anyone who downloads the app for the service prior to January 31, 2014, but anyone who misses that window will have to cough up cash in order to transfer or store Pokemon. Those with more questions about either Pokemon Bank or Poke Transfer should to check out Nintendo's official frequently asked questions guide, as it also A's several other Q's for fans.

While all of these help bring the whole service into perspective, one major inquiry is never addressed: what happens to the Pokemon in Pokemon Bank when a player's subscription runs out? Nintendo will be sure to address that concern soon, along with a handful of other issues that are brought up closer to the apps' actual release, prior to the launch of Bank and Poke Transporter on December 27, 2013.

Will you be downloading Pokemon Bank when it releases? What questions do you still have about the subscription-based service?

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Follow Riley on Twitter @TheRileyLittle for more news on Pokemon.

Source: Nintendo