Darkrai distribution events coming to Toys R' Us May 31

Darkrai distribution events coming to Toys R' Us May 31 - June 1

by Griffin McElroy { Apr 19th 2008 at 6:30PM }

If that headline appeared nigh undecipherable to your uninitiated eyes, count yourself very, very lucky, and quickly move on to the next story. Those whose hearts and pokeballs perked up upon seeing that teasing title will be happy to know that the heretofore uncatchable Darkrai, of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl fame, will be made quite catchable come the weekend of May 31 - June 1, when participating Toys R' Us stores will digitally distribute the inn key required to reach said public enemy no. 491.

Though it's been a year since the monster enslaving simulator was released, we're sure that the retailer will find themselves slammed by DS-wielding trainers-in-training over the course of that weekend. We doubt that the avarice of many a poketrainer has been slaked by the current digital menagerie -- as they march onward into adorable battle, do they shout, "Gotta Catch All But One or Two of Them?" No, their kind is inclined to catch them all, and then, in some terrifying cases, their shiny counterparts.

[Thanks, Jenni.]

Tags: darkrai, diamond, gamefreak, inn-key, nintendo, pearl, pokemon, pokemon-diamond, pokemon-pearl, toysrus

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Mr Khan @ Apr 19th 2008 6:44PM

I'm almost tempted to go for it if Toys R' Us wasn't so far from here, i'm a cheap bastard at heart

More interested in Arceus, anyway

Eh, once they release and everyone has one, maybe i could trade my shiny Graveler or duplicate the shiny Buneary (which i value too much to trade)

I Love Bowser @ Apr 20th 2008 7:58AM

SpacePirateKhan

TheHuntIsOn @ Apr 19th 2008 6:52PM

Hot beans, but I already cheated and gave myself that card thingy using a hacked Pokemon save on my M3. So it wasn't cheating... just fast forwarding.

Russell @ Apr 19th 2008 6:57PM

hot dodo beans! im goin to toys'r'us!
(inner child as re-awakened)

Fatass of Kickassness @ Apr 19th 2008 7:06PM

That's weird. Usually, Nintendo is a bit too dumb to realize that people wanna catch these things themselves and just hand 'em out rather than give people the means to catch 'em.

But I'm not complaining. Legal Darkrai = pretty win.

Hace @ Apr 19th 2008 7:07PM

Wow, way to advertise there champ, so I really don't feel bad for you anymore. Tough beans for you.

David @ Apr 19th 2008 7:19PM

YEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS.

ApolloIV @ Apr 19th 2008 7:24PM

Who is this pokemon? Is he a part of the original 150(fuck mew) then don't bother telling me :)

SirPasta117 @ Apr 19th 2008 7:28PM

agree'd Mewtwo ftw

hvnlysoldr @ Apr 19th 2008 7:43PM

Your sarcasm flies in your face as the number 491 captures you.

I'm definitely going. I'm a Pokemaniac with over 255+,100+,100+,20+,30+,100+, and 50+ hours of Pokemon playing over the series. Plus I had Hey You Pikachu!

BPM [SSBB: 5026 4120 1186] @ Apr 20th 2008 1:28AM

lol Hey You, Pikachu...

(Dammit, I bought it, too...)

And Mew's awesome.

Hibiki Rush @ Apr 19th 2008 7:28PM

A month of waiting!? Geeez.

Roto13 @ Apr 19th 2008 7:43PM

Mere days after I got this game I found a hacker to give me Darkrai. And Shaymin. And Arceus. And Jirachi and Deoxys and Celebi and Mew.

And I didn't have to wade through a sea of 8-year-olds, either.

Jon Sabbath @ Apr 19th 2008 7:55PM

Best comment ever.

WannaCub @ Apr 19th 2008 7:59PM

8 year olds?!

I've only seen teens and older gents at these events.

Roto13 @ Apr 19th 2008 8:13PM

Then they must be below your field of vision.

There's nothing wrong with adults playing Pokemon, but to pretend that it doesn't have an amazingly strong fanbase of children is deluding yourself.

playwhutyalike @ Apr 19th 2008 10:07PM

Wading through the sea of 8 year olds is the best part.

I like to take my time.

Pathie @ Apr 19th 2008 10:12PM

Where's the fun in having the legendaries handed to you on a silver platter? If you just like to fuck around with game code, I understand that, but doing that to have an easy pass in the game itself compromises any real sense of achievement or fun IMO.

The point of legendaries is to be rare and hard-to-get. If they were as easy to get as bidoofs, they wouldn't be all that special.

Roto13 @ Apr 19th 2008 10:31PM

Oooh, some people go to Toys R' Us. That's quite the achievement there. I wish I could do that. I don't think I can muster up the skill, though.

BPM [SSBB: 5026 4120 1186] @ Apr 20th 2008 2:04AM

playwhutyalike, have a seat over here.

Pathie @ Apr 20th 2008 2:41AM

Events like that are an excuse to meet with your fellow pokemon players. You know, to socialize, battle, and trade? Or are you the kind of person that prefers to avoid social contact?

Also, you neglect that the other half of the game is making the best use of the pokemon in battle. Or did your hacker friend also max out your legendaries' stats while he was at it?

If you don't like the mechanics to get a legit pokemon, are you sure pokemon is even your kind of game?

Roto13 @ Apr 20th 2008 9:50AM

"You know, to socialize, battle, and trade?"

I traded for my event-only legendaries.

"Or are you the kind of person that prefers to avoid social contact?"

I'm not nearly a big enough Pokenerd to be interested in a giant Pokemon social gathering. Plus, I'd probably have to meet the kind of people who are way too into it and carry their games around in little home-made Pokeballs.

"Also, you neglect that the other half of the game is making the best use of the pokemon in battle. Or did your hacker friend also max out your legendaries' stats while he was at it?"

No, but I fail to see what that has to do with anything. Now you're just whining for the sake of being whiny.

"If you don't like the mechanics to get a legit pokemon, are you sure pokemon is even your kind of game?"

I like the mechanics to get all but, like, five of them in the entire Pokedex, so yeah, it's probably my kind of game.

Seriously, get over yourself. I did the sensible thing to get the Pokemon I wanted. Yeah, that means your Darkrai will be less special than it would have been. That's so very sad for you. If you really need to add inches to your penis, I'll poke around in my email spam folder to see what I can find for you.

Sora267 @ Apr 20th 2008 9:54AM

I was ashamed to walk in there with my DS during the Manaphy event, plus I didn't want to wade through the 88 year olds. Luckily, their wireless signal for the Mystery Gift reached my DS when I was in the car. =)

T @ Apr 21st 2008 8:51AM

@Roto13: If they're handing out the Inn Key, I'm guessing that means that Darkrai will have to be battled and caught, not just retrieved.

Similiar to the Lati@s item from the eReader, or when they handed out the item that gave you a shot at catching Dexoys.

This still leaves two event legendaries then. Sheimi (sp?) and Arceus. I'm guessing Arceus will be next year with some new movie. And I'm also guessing catching him will be a royal pain in the butt.

Roto13 @ Apr 21st 2008 9:17AM

Darkrai has the same capture rate as the other legendaries. If you can catch those, you can catch Darkrai. That's not an added challenge. It's like saying it'd be a big achievement in Super Mario Bros. to beat level 1-1 twice.

kev @ Apr 19th 2008 7:54PM

where is the proof that they are giving the innkey and not just giving mystery gift downloads like manaphy of last year?

Benny @ Apr 19th 2008 7:57PM

Watching that Pokemon intro on YouTube brought back so many memories. Back before I had pubes, it was awesome.

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Apr 19th 2008 10:35PM

If your going to shave them then beware. It will itch for a couple of days, badly

Vincent Avatar @ Apr 20th 2008 1:00PM

Only the first time you do it.

PSN: KillaKornbread (the shirt is a lie!) @ Apr 19th 2008 8:40PM

i might actually go to this if if comes to my local Toys 'R Us. ive never actually gone to get on of the event Pokemon. i dont know if its even worth it now though since i havent played Pearl in so long. last i remember, i was leveling my Togekiss and Ampharos. (seriously, Togekiss is one of the best in the game since his special is so high. just only teach it special attacks and he is a hoss.)

BPM [SSBB: 5026 4120 1186] @ Apr 20th 2008 2:05AM

Dammit. It's about time. At this rate, I should be dead by the time they release Arceus and Shaymin.

BPM [SSBB: 5026 4120 1186] @ Apr 20th 2008 2:09AM

Oh, and why the hell not distribute the Inn Key over Wi-Fi Mystery Gift? It's there, but hasn't been used once...

TGStarfire @ Apr 20th 2008 2:37AM

Huh! You think this is bad?

Off topic, and I don't know if you've ever bought any of the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga, but the artist of that particular series STILL isn't finished adapting a 26 episode series into graphic novel form. We usually have to wait a year before we get a collected volume of 200 pages to read.

For the record, it started on December 2004. ^_^;; We're FINALLY getting to the last few episodes and the movie.

One year for Darkrai? Please. No offense, but please.

TGStarfire @ Apr 20th 2008 2:38AM

Correction, 1994. XD I so wish this thing had an edit button.

BPM [SSBB: 5026 4120 1186] @ Apr 20th 2008 2:48AM

Drawing a manga = work!
Releasing data over wi-fi = no work!

I'm just annoyed by how stingy Nintendo is about releasing the "secret" Pokémon.

Joshua @ Apr 20th 2008 11:55AM

Hahahahahahahaha, that avatar!

Sockninja @ Apr 20th 2008 2:48AM

anyone know if this is happening in Canada aswell ?

ManicBomber @ Apr 20th 2008 6:24AM

I wish I knew for sure if the Toys-R-Us by us was doing it. I mean, it's pretty clear not everyone is doing it.

I Love Bowser @ Apr 20th 2008 7:15AM

I want to be the very best
Like no one ever was
To catch them is my real test
To train them is my cause (oooh)
I will travel across the land
Searchin' far and wide
Each Pokemon to understand
The power that's inside! (Power inside!)

Pokemon!
It's you and me.
I know it's my destiny!
Pokemon!
Ooh you're my best friend
In a world we must defend!
Pokemon!
A heart so true
Our courage will pull us through
You teach me and I'll teach you
Pokemon!
(Gotta catch 'em) Gotta catch 'em Gotta catch 'em all!

Every challenge along the way
With courage I will face
I will battle everyday
To claim my rightful place!
Come with me, the time is right!
There's no better team
Arm and arm, we'll win the fight!
It's always been a dream!

Pokemon!
It's you and me.
I know it's my destiny!
Pokemon!
Ooh you're my best friend
In a world we must defend!
Pokemon!
A heart so true
Our courage will pull us through
You teach me and I'll teach you
Pokemon!
(Gotta catch 'em) Gotta catch 'em (Pokemon!)

Pokemon!
It's you and me.
I know it's my destiny!
Pokemon!
Ooh you're my best friend
In a world we must defend!
Pokemon!
A heart so true
Our courage will pull us through
You teach me and I'll teach you
Pokemon!
(I'll catch you!)
(Gotta catch 'em Gotta catch 'em Gotta catch 'em all!
Pokemon!

David @ Apr 20th 2008 12:58PM

I'm sorry. I've already memorized the theme song. Though constant watching.

TheHuntIsOn @ Apr 21st 2008 5:39AM

The first meme song.

Luminaflare @ Apr 20th 2008 8:40AM

What about us who live in the UK?

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Apr 20th 2008 9:58AM

Good for you, but I like mudkips.

creid @ Apr 20th 2008 8:19PM

So I herd.

religiousjedi @ Apr 20th 2008 11:58AM

Good job Nintendo...but I already have the Inn Key.

You're too slow with this...

Idunn @ May 6th 2008 7:36AM

They *most likely* got the key through AR. Which is nothing to boast/brag about. (Any idiot can use an AR and 'cheat to win'.) I don't understand what the point is in playing the game if you are just going to AR it in the end.

Why play a game if you remove all challenges and obstacles... and rendering it nothing more than a dull time killer. Oooo, big deal, a person caught ALL of the pokémon (even unobtainable ones) and all of them are level 100 after 2 days. I'm personally proud of my 600+ hours of ingame time (in pearl alone) and still incomplete dex... daily swarm isn't being friendly to me.

Mark @ May 6th 2008 6:02PM

How did you get the inn key??? From the mystery gift with WI-FI?
Also: is it possible/worth it to save right before a legendary and restart until you get it as shiny?

Shea @ May 9th 2008 6:51PM

So is there usually 'older' people (aka 20's) at these events? I've never been to one but I'd really like Darkrai for the game...and it's free.

Jennifer @ May 14th 2008 4:18PM

I've seen people of all ages at the events. I'm in my 30's and I go to them and no I don't have kids. It's fun. Everyone has a great time. I haven't seen anything on Toys R Us website about the Darkrai thing and Pokemon.com hasn't mentioned anything else. Are they still doing it? I'm actually going to be in Orlando that weekend so I have to go to the TRU there instead of my usual one but oh well. I can't wait.