Trip to Japan for grabs as the Pokemon X/Y Battle Tournament 2014 kicks off on March 1 (Europe)

Select winners can also take part in the official Play! Pokémon Video Game Championship series

21 February 2014: Calling all Pokémon players! The search for the best Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video game experts in the country is now on – as the Nintendo Pokémon X and Pokémon Y Battle Tournament 2014 is announced. As well as a quest to find some of the best Pokémon Trainers, Nintendo is also on the hunt for any new Pokémon players who want to test their skills and battle with their ultimate Pokémon teams. Great prizes for winners include a trip to Tokyo and Nintendo products. Four players will also receive fast track entry to take part in the UK Pokémon Video Game Championship series, organised by The Pokémon Company International, taking place in May.

The qualifying events kicking off on 1st March at selected GAME stores and shopping centres across Great Britain, will then lead to a Grand Final taking place in London in April. The two top placing Trainers from the ‘Ultimate Pokémon Expert’ and ‘Junior Expert’ age categories at the Grand Final will then be offered fast track entry to the Pokémon UK Video Game Championships event this coming Spring, meaning they skip straight to the second round.

Qualifying regional events will start at the Birmingham Bullring and at GAME Brighton on 1st March. Pokémon fans of all experience levels can battle, enjoy StreetPass with other attendees and prove their prowess on Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, available now on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.

If you think you have the skills to take on some of the best Trainers from across Great Britain, or simply want to have a go to try to win one of the exciting prize packages, then register to enter at www.nintendo.co.uk/pokemontournament. Do you have what it takes?

The four titles up for grabs include:

Ultimate Pokémon Expert – The winner of the prestigious “Ultimate Pokémon Expert” title – a category open to those aged thirteen years or older – will earn themselves a week-long trip for two to Japan, the birthplace of Pokémon. They’ll be able to immerse themselves in the Pokémon world by visiting the Pokémon Center and also explore all of the sights of Tokyo. Recommended for seasoned Pokémon players the “Ultimate Pokémon Expert” title will test your Pokémon skills to the limit. The first and second place winners in the Ultimate Pokémon Expert category will receive fast track entry to the second round of the official Play! Pokémon UK VGC event this Spring.

Junior Expert – Younger Pokémon Trainers (12 or under) itching to compete can enter the “Junior Expert” category. In this competition, a weekend trip for the whole family to Alton Towers theme park with hotel stay is up for grabs, for whoever comes out victorious. The first and second place winners in the Junior Expert age category will receive fast track entry to the second round of the UK Pokémon Video Game Championships event this Spring.

Ultimate Team – The “Ultimate Team” competition is exclusively for two family members (one aged 16 or older, and one 12 or under) who want to team up and take on other families in a four-player Double Battle. Successful teams will have the chance to win a £250 Nintendo UK Online Store voucher and a group trip for four to one of the world’s best gaming shows: EGX London 2014. This event takes place in Earls Court London, from 25th – 28th September and offers visitors the chance to play the biggest games before they are released.

Pokémon Apprentice – New enthusiasts can enter the “Pokémon Apprentice” title; where complete newcomers to Pokémon X and Pokémon Y can battle it out to receive a mega bundle of Nintendo 3DS games up to the value of £300.

The winners of each category will be crowned at the Nintendo Grand Final in London on 26th April.

Whether you’re young or old, novice or expert, the Pokémon X & Pokémon Y Battle Tournament 2014 is calling on you to show you’ve got what it takes to win the title.