Alright, let’s talk about these Pokémon Showcases and the rewards you can actually get. When they first rolled out, I kinda just saw them as another glowing thing on a PokéStop. Didn’t pay ’em much mind for a bit, to be honest. Too busy chasing shinies, you know how it is.
My First Few Tries – A Bit of Fumbling
Then, one day, I figured, “Heck, why not?” I had this pretty big Tauros, nothing special, but I tapped on a Showcase and popped him in. Didn’t really know what I was doing. Just… put a Pokémon in. Surprise, surprise, I didn’t win. Didn’t get much of anything, really. Classic me, jumping in without reading the instructions, if there even were any clear ones at the start!
So, I started paying a bit more attention. Saw that sometimes it was about the biggest Pokémon, sometimes specific types. It wasn’t just about throwing any old Pidgey in there. You actually had to look at what the Showcase wanted. This meant I started looking at the stats of my catches a bit more, especially those ‘XL’ or ‘XXL’ tags. Who knew they’d come in handy beyond a quick chuckle?
Getting into the Groove & What I’ve Been Seeing
After a while, I got the hang of it, more or less. You find a Showcase, check the criteria, and then scroll through your collection hoping you’ve got a contender. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don’t. It’s a bit of a lottery, mixed with a bit of active searching if you’re really committed.
Now, for the part everyone’s actually interested in: the rewards! What shiny new things do you get for your efforts? Well, don’t go expecting to become a Pokémon millionaire overnight.
Here’s what I’ve consistently seen, based on my own playing:
- Stardust: This is pretty common. You almost always get some Stardust, and let’s be real, we all need more Stardust. The amount varies, more if you place higher, obviously.
- Items: This is where it gets a bit more interesting. I’ve snagged things like Incubators – both regular and Super Incubators. Those are always welcome. Gotten a few Lure Modules and Incense too. Not bad, saves you some coins or waiting for a special box.
- XP: You get experience points too. It all adds up, I guess.
- Pokémon Encounters: Now, this is the one that can be pretty cool. If you rank well, especially if you win, you often get a Pokémon encounter. Sometimes it’s the featured Pokémon of an event, maybe even a costumed one. I’ve had a couple of decent catches this way that I might have otherwise missed.
- Medals: Oh, and there’s a medal for participating and winning. For us completionists, that’s another thing to work towards.
My Thoughts on Whether It’s Worth It
So, is it worth the effort? For me, yeah, usually. It doesn’t take a huge amount of time. You just tap a few buttons when you’re near a participating PokéStop. The trick is remembering to check them, and maybe swapping out your Pokémon if you catch a bigger or better one later in the day. I’ve definitely forgotten and left a subpar entry in, kicking myself later.
The rewards aren’t game-breaking. You’re not going to get showered with Rare Candies or Elite TMs every time. But they’re a nice little bonus. An extra Incubator here, a useful Lure there, a decent chunk of Stardust – it all helps. It’s like a little mini-game within the main game. Adds a bit of variety to just catching and raiding.
I remember one Showcase, it was for the biggest Squirtle. I had a decent one, put it in. Checked back a few hours later, still in first. Then, right before it ended, someone snuck in with a monster. Pipped me at the post! Was a bit gutted, but hey, I still got some Stardust and a few Potions for second place. That’s the way it goes. You win some, you get some consolation prizes for others.
So yeah, that’s been my experience with Pokémon Showcase rewards. Give it a go, don’t expect the world, and you might be pleasantly surprised with a few useful bits and pieces. It’s another layer to the game, and I’m generally happy to participate when I can.
