With the event-heavy schedule of 2023, Pokemon GO is in its most lucrative state for both old and new Trainers. And since this summer marks the game’s 7th anniversary, Niantic has been extra generous with rewards and bonuses.
The Retro Cup, for example, is a beginner-friendly competition with a low entry bar. This event lets Pokemon GO players farm Stardust throughout the anniversary celebration. Discover the rules of this cup and find the top teams to maximize the rewards with the following guide.
What Is Retro Cup in Pokemon GO?
Retro Cup is a limited-time GO Battle League competition. It requires Trainers to avoid the three specific Pokemon types and participate with teams below a specific Combat Power (CP). The goal with Retro Cup is to go back to the franchise’s roots and appreciate original Pokemon Types.
Following the Single-Type Cup, 2023’s Retro Cup started on July 6 as a part of Pokemon GO’s 7th-anniversary celebration and the Hidden Gems update. The competition is expected to last eight days, ending before the Fossil Cup’s Great League Edition on July 13.
Retro Cup: Great League Edition Rules
Pokemon GO’s Retro Cup has two fundamental rules. Firstly, players must avoid Dark, Steel, and Fairy Pokemon, the types that were not present in Generation I. (This includes Dual-Type creatures with one banned Type.) Second, each Pokemon must have a CP of 1,500 or below.
Here’s a breakdown of all Retro Cup instructions:
- Rule #1: Dark, Steel, and Fairy Pokemon are not allowed, including dual-types that involve any of the above.
- Rule #2: No Pokemon should be stronger than 1,500 CP.
- Rule #3: The Retro Cup winner earns three times the amount of Stardust.
The Best Pokemon for Retro Cup (July 2023)
PvP match data indicates that Lickitung, Aurorus, and Pidgeot are the most effective Pokemon in Retro Cup 2023. These three are ideal for offensive teams with reliable counter potential against META archetypes. The following, however, are also three tried-and-true teams for this year’s Retro Cup.
Safe Deck: Lickitung, Lanturn, Froslass
In this setup, Lickitung (Normal-type) is the lead, Lanturn (Ghost/Fire type) is the safe switch, and Froslass (Ice/Ghost type) is the closer. The only downside of this team is its predictability. Since Lickitung and Lanturn are go-to choices in Retro Cup, most Trainers are prepared to counter them.
Lickitung Counter: Cofagrigus, Lycanroc, Dewgong
To battle against Lickitung teams in Retro Cup, go with a surprise lineup of Cofagrigus (Ghost-type) as the lead, Lycanroc (Rock-type) as the safe switch, and Dewgong (Ice/Water type) as the closer.
Balanced Team: Deoxys, Lanturn, Lickitung
For a higher win rate, team up Deoxys (Psychic-type), Lanturn, and Lickitung. This setup works best when the opponent’s Pokemon are Flying or Ice Type.
Pokemon GO is available now for PC and mobile devices.