Pokemon Go Throwback Challenge starting soon: All legendary rewards, more
The 2020 Pokemon Go Throwback Challenge event is starting. The month long event features challenges related to the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh regions and there’s even a Legendary Pokemon from each generation waiting for you.
It starts on May 1, 1pm PDT and concludes four weeks later on May 29, 1pm PDT. Each of these four weeks is broken down into four Timed Research events, starting with Kanto going all the way through to Gen 4’s Sinnoh region.
Throwback Legendary Pokemon
It is this Timed Research that you’ll need to complete in order to earn an encounter with each generations’ respective Legendary Pokemon. They are as follows:
- Kanto: Mewtwo with Psystrike
- Johto: Ho-Oh with Earthquake
- Hoenn: Groudon with Fire Punch
- Sinnoh: Cresselia with Grass Knot
The tasks to earn these encounters have yet to be revealed. However, some lucky trainers were given the Kanto portion of the Timed Research early which revealed the entirety of the tasks and rewards available.
Trainers will be delighted by some of the encounters they can earn and will hope the quality of these rewards applies to Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh, too. Given the simplicity of the tasks in the Kanto section, we imagine the following regions’ tasks will be of a similar level.
Champion 2020 Special Research
If you manage to complete all of the above, which seems likely, you’ll be eligible to enter the Throwback Challenge Champion 2020 Special Research unlock and event. This will focus on Pokemon from the Unova region and even Pokemon from the Galar region. There’s a massive reward awaiting at the end of it too, an encounter with the Mythical Pokemon Genesect!
Features and bonuses from each region
The Pokemon featured and bonuses available will change between each week of the Throwback 2020 Challenge event. They are as follows:
Kanto
- Appearing more frequently: Chansey, Venonat, more
- 7km eggs: Venonat, Machop, Onix, Lickitung, Tangela, Scyther, Pinsir, Lapras, and Eevee
- Pikachu will be wearing a Charizard hat in honor of the fire-starter winning Pokemon of the Year for the Kanto region
- Bonuses: 2× Catch XP, 2× Raid XP, and 2× Hatch XP
Johto
- Appearing more frequently: Dunsparce, Skarmory, more
- 7km eggs: Chinchou, Yanma, Girafarig, Pineco, Dunsparce, Gligar, Shuckle, Skarmory, and Phanpy
- Pikachu will be wearing an Umbreon hat as the Eevee evolution won the Johto Pokemon of the Year award
- Bonuses: 2× Catch Stardust and 2× Raid Stardust
Hoenn
- Appearing more frequently: Skitty, Zangoose, Seviper, more
- 7km eggs: Lotad, Slakoth, Nincada, Skitty, Sableye, Mawile, Trapinch, Feebas, and Clamperl
- Pikachu will be wearing a Rayquaza hat as the Gen 3 legend won the Heonn Pokemon of the Year
- Bonuses: Half egg hatch distance and Buddy Candy distance
Sinnoh
- Appearing more frequently: Cherubi, Glameow, more
- 7km eggs: Cranidos, Shieldon, Glameow, Chingling, Bonsly, Happiny, Gible, Munchlax, Riolu, and Mantyke
- Pikachu will be wearing a Lucario hat – the popular fighting-type won the Sinnoh Pokemon of the Year award
- Bonuses: One hour Star Piece, Lucky Egg and Incense duration