Buying guide
Pokémon X & Y — buying the Kalos cartridges
Pokémon X and Y (12 October 2013) are generation 6, set in Kalos — a region modelled on France — and the point where the series moved into full 3D. Two cartridges, one story, and two questions every buyer has: which one to get, and whether an import will run on your console. Both answered below.
The short answer
The story is the same, so choose on the legendary — Xerneas in X, Yveltal in Y — and on the Mega Evolutions each version carries. Then mind the region: the 3DS is region-locked, so an American cartridge will not start on a European 3DS or 2DS. Every listing of ours states the region.
X or Y?
The two versions tell an identical story and differ where Pokémon games always have: the cover legendary, a handful of version-exclusive Pokémon — Clauncher in X, Skrelp in Y — and, new to this generation, two Mega Evolutions tied to the version: Mega Charizard X and Mega Mewtwo X on one cartridge, the Y forms on the other. Trading with a friend? Pick different versions.
What makes Kalos worth owning is what it changed. X and Y were the first mainline Pokémon games in full 3D, they introduced Mega Evolution — a temporary extra evolution during battle — and they added the Fairy type, the first new type since 1999. They are also among the most accessible entries in the series: the mechanics are explained calmly and you are handed a second starter early on, which makes them a fine first Pokémon game.
The import trap: the 3DS region lock
Unlike the DS, the Nintendo 3DS only starts cartridges from its own region. A cheap American X or Y plays on an American 3DS and on nothing you own in Europe — the most common way these games get bought wrong. We stock PAL/European and loose USA versions side by side and state the region in every listing. The cartridges play on the whole family: 3DS, 3DS XL, New 3DS, New 3DS XL, 2DS and New 2DS XL; an original DS or DS Lite cannot read them.
The authenticity check, in order of certainty
- The save test. Save, power off, restart. 3DS saves live on flash memory — a genuine cartridge keeps your progress, and there is no battery that can run empty.
- Label and weight. A fake feels light, and its label print is glossy and slightly blurred where an original is sharp and matte.
- The card itself. A genuine 3DS card carries a crisp Nintendo stamp and a neatly moulded serial with a region suffix that matches what the seller claims.
Counterfeits are rarer on the 3DS than on the DS and GBA generations, but every copy still goes through the checks from our full fake-cartridge guide. Since the 3DS eShop closed in 2023, a physical cartridge is the only way left to play X and Y; the online services went in 2024, but local trading and battling between two consoles still work.
Buy it already tested
Every X and Y we sell has been through the label, card and region checks and a real save test on hardware. We have been doing this since 2019, with 1400+ verified reviews at 5.0★, and we ship tracked from the Netherlands to all 27 EU countries — no customs inside the EU.
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between Pokémon X and Y?
The story is identical. They differ in the cover legendary — Xerneas in X, Yveltal in Y — in a handful of version-exclusive Pokémon (Clauncher in X, Skrelp in Y, among others) and in two Mega Evolutions: X gives you Mega Charizard X and Mega Mewtwo X, Y the Y forms. If you trade with a friend, it pays to pick different versions.
What was new in X and Y?
Three things that changed the series for good. X and Y were the first mainline Pokémon games in full 3D, they introduced Mega Evolution — a temporary extra evolution during battle — and they added the Fairy type, the first new type since 1999, meant to rein in Dragon Pokémon.
Are X and Y a good place to start?
Yes, and they are known as one of the most accessible entries. The game explains its mechanics calmly, you are given a second starter early in the adventure, and the difficulty sits below generation 5. No knowledge of earlier games is needed anywhere.
Will an American X or Y cartridge work on my European 3DS?
No. The 3DS is region-locked: a cartridge only starts on a console from the same region, so a cheap American import will not boot on a European 3DS or 2DS. We stock PAL/European and loose USA versions and state the region in every listing.
Which consoles play Pokémon X and Y?
The whole 3DS family: 3DS, 3DS XL, New 3DS, New 3DS XL, 2DS and New 2DS XL. A Nintendo DS, DS Lite or DSi cannot read 3DS cartridges.
Can I still play online with X or Y?
The 3DS online services were switched off in 2024, so trading and battling over the internet no longer work. Local trading and battling between two consoles in the same room still work, and the complete story and everything you do on your own remain fully playable.
Does the save still work after all these years?
Yes — 3DS cartridges save to flash memory, so there is no internal battery that can run empty. That also makes the save test the most reliable authenticity check there is, and we run it on real hardware for every copy.
Where Kalos fits in the series: all Pokémon games in order — the generation after it, Sun & Moon, runs on the same 3DS; the one before, Black & White, on the DS. The full Pokémon 3DS list has every title.
Dutch reader? Pokémon X & Y kopen — dezelfde gids in het Nederlands.
